Audun Hugleiksson
Audun Hugleiksson (* 1245 in Jølster ; † December 2, 1302 in Bergen ) was a baron, stable master and royal treasurer under King Erik II of Norway and his preferred ambassador. At the end of the 13th century he was Norway's dominant politician and the most important lawyer in his country. Audun contributed significantly to the Landslov , Bylov and Hirðskrá laws .
Life
Origin and education
On his father's side, Audun came from a wealthy family from Jølster in Sunnfjord. His castle on Jølstra Lake, which was discovered during excavations in 1934, resembled the Håkonshalle in Bergen , but was only half as long and half as wide. The father belonged to the lower nobility. His mother's family came from Austlandet and was possibly related to King Håkon IV. Håkonsson , but at most illegally.
It is believed that he started school in the Selja monastery around 1250 and attended the cathedral school in Bergen from 1255. Between 1260 and 1265 he went to study law abroad; he probably studied in Bologna and Paris. In 1266 he began to revise the regional laws Gulathingslov and Borgarthingslov , which he completed in 1269.
Law reform in Norway
Audun was the closest advisor to the crown under the kings Håkon IV. Håkonsson , Magnus Håkonsson and Erik II . He developed his influence as a consultant at a time when Norway was facing the greatest expansion in its history: Iceland, Greenland, the northern and western parts of Scotland with the islands north of Scotland and the Faroe Islands. Unlike his predecessors, the king saw himself as the guardian of law and turned his full attention to this area of politics. This view, which was unusual for a Norwegian king of the time, can be traced back to the continental currents of his time. The model is likely to have been the legal work of Alfonso X of Castile, with whom there were good relationships (the daughter Håkons Kristin married in 1258 in the local royal family). Audun began work on a comprehensive revision and unification of the law. He sent young compatriots to the universities of southern Europe for thorough training. The anonymous Königsspiegel from around 1250 was groundbreaking .
Between 1269 and 1281, Norwegian and Icelandic laws were completely revised. As advisor to the crown, Audun was at the center of this amendment work. From 1269 to 1274 he was involved in the drafting of the Landslov (law for the rural population). From 1273 until after 1277 he was royal court marshal ( stallare ). In 1274 he submitted the Landslov, in 1276 the Bylov (law for the townspeople). In the same year he was ambassador to Denmark for the legacy of Ingeborg, the king's wife, after the murder of her father Erik Plogpenning . At the same time, work began on the Hirðskrá (law for royal allegiances).
Imperial Treasurer
When the old Norwegian titles in the Hirdskrá were abolished and replaced by continental ones, the “Lendmann” Audun became a “Baron” in 1277 and he became a member of the Imperial Council. He was under King Magnus VI since 1278 . Lagabøte and his son Erik II Magnusson Reich Treasurer ( feud ). He had a knight's seal made for himself, which impresses with its fine work and was probably made in England. After all, lilies are unusual in a Norwegian coat of arms as they are generally only associated with Scotland and France. He used it in France in 1295. You don't know the colors of your coat of arms, but heraldry is based on red on gold. However, the seal and the coat of arms differed: in the seal it had seven lilies aligned in the same direction, in the coat of arms eleven lilies in alternating directions, a variant of the Scottish royal coat of arms, which had a standing lion in the middle. The fact that Audun was allowed to attach this lily ribbon meant a high honor for the Scottish king.
In the struggle between the Reichsrat and the Church
In 1280 the Imperial Council became the guardian of King Erik II Magnusson, who was still underage. Audun had now become a central member there. The Reichsrat set itself in sharp opposition to the church and tried to reduce its influence on the previous state. The main adversary was Archbishop Jon Raude. Although the archbishop pursued his goals with the help of the ban on the counts of the Imperial Council, Audun was spared, probably because in 1281, in the middle of the dispute, he had donated the Undarset estate to the Munkeliv monastery from his property.
On a diplomatic mission in England
The Reichsrat apparently took over the government of Magnus VI, which was very keen on peace. felt as weak and after his death tries to regain his lost terrain. This applied both to the areas given up to Scotland and to the indulgent attitude towards the Church, which had been given increasing rights. His daughter Margarete, who should have married an heir to the throne in Scotland, died while crossing the Orkneys. Her mother previously passed away in childbed. Magnus had never seriously pursued the inheritance claims that resulted from it. The Imperial Council now set about this, and Audun was the diplomat who was sent to England and Scotland for negotiations to represent Norwegian interests there. It was hoped to be able to convert the claims into sounding coins, since the Norwegian treasury was in debt. He also negotiated the marriage of King Erik II Magnusson's daughter , Margaret, the likely future Scottish heir to the throne, and put his seal under the treaty in 1290.
War with denmark
From 1289 to 1295 there were armed conflicts with Denmark. Audun was on the first campaign in 1289. At the same time there was also war with the German cities on the North and Baltic Seas, which only ended in 1294. Norway had to make large reparations payments, and Audun, as treasurer, had to raise the sums. Since the state treasury was empty, the lawyer tried to develop sources of money abroad. So he came to France to see Philip the Fair and offered him military support in his war against England. However, the extent of the promised support was far beyond the Norwegian possibilities. Nevertheless, he received an advance of 6,000 marks = 1,200 kg of pure silver, with which he was able to settle the reparation debts. The peace between England and France in the following year released Norway from keeping its promise. In addition, Audun attempted a marriage between the king's brother, Duke Håkon, with Isabella von Joigny, one through their common grandfather Hugo v. Burgundy relatives of the French queen, convey. It did not materialize. He tried again with another rich countess, but again without success.
Last years
In 1292 he went to England to negotiate the question of the Scottish succession to the throne. At the same time he was negotiating a marriage between King Erik II Magnusson and Isabella , a daughter of the Scottish magnate Robert de Brus, Earl of Carrick .
From 1295 he stepped increasingly into the background, but remained treasurer. In 1298 he went to Denmark to negotiate the extension of the 1295 armistice. King Erik II Magnusson died in 1299. He was succeeded by his brother Håkon V , as Erik left no heir to the throne. A few days after his accession to the throne, Håkon had V. Audun imprisoned in Bergen. He stayed in prison for three years.
execution
Audun was hanged on December 2nd, 1302 on the first Sunday of Advent of the year in Nordnes (Bergen) and his property was confiscated by King Håkon V. This death sentence , which was particularly shameful at the time, suggests the accusation of the majesty crime against Håkon.
Since the sources do not provide any indication of the actual reasoning for the judgment, legends were formed in later times. According to a song written in the Faroe Islands in the 19th century with the title Eyðuns rima ( Eng . "Audun's rhymes"), Audun is said to have associated with his bride in his function as a courtship for Håkon. However, due to the lack of further evidence, it has not yet been possible to clarify the truth of this version. In addition, it seems unlikely that the real reason for Audun's hanging was known in the Faroe Islands and was said to have been kept secret until the 19th century.
See also: History of Norway
literature
- Lars Jakob Holt: Norges history. med hovedlinjer i de other nordiske lands history . Aschehoug, Oslo 1974, ISBN 82-03-05483-8
- Knut Helle: Under kirke og Kongemakt. 1130-1350. Aschehoug, Oslo 1995, ISBN 82-03-23132-2 , ( Aschehougs Norges Historie 3), pp. 204-209.
Web links
- Audun Hugleiksson "Hestakorn" in Store Norske Leksikon (Norwegian)
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Audun Hugleiksson |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Norwegian politician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1245 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Jølster |
| DATE OF DEATH | December 2, 1302 |
| Place of death | Mountains |