Bjarne Erlingsson

Bjarne Erlingsson , († July 7, 1313 in Nidaros ) was a Norwegian feudal man and baron. He was probably born around 1250 or earlier. He could trace his sex through the female line all the way back to the then well-known aristocratic Arnmødling family, who had their ancestral home in Giske and their property in Austrått , which now belongs to Ørland , and in Bjarkøy .

His father was the feudal man Erling Ivarsson (documented in 1263). He was married to Margrete Nikolasdatter († before 1308), daughter of the feudal man and landowner Nikolas Petersson († 1265).

Social status

Bjarne was a man from a noble family and in his day owned most of the property in Norway. He moved in the closest circle of advisors to King Magnus lagabætir and his two sons. In the reign of Erik Magnusson (1280–1299) he determined the fate of the country as the most powerful in the “Council of the King” together with Audun Hugleiksson . In contrast to Audun, he kept his position under Håkon Magnusson . After his father, he took over the estates in Bjarkøy with over 20 farms. Later he also bought the Dønnes estate in Helgeland . But the greatest increase in land came from her marriage to Margrete Nikolasdatter. She was the sole heir to the Giske estates of the Arnmødling family. These lands comprised over 40 farms and much free float in Sunnmøre and Romsdal, and were probably the largest single-owned land holdings in Norway. In Bjarkøy, Dønnes and Giske the main source of income was fishing. Therefore, the owners sought a permanent trading base in Bergen . Bjarne built the Bjarnehof (Bjarnegard) there, also called Nygard, on Vatnsbotn in Bergen. His wife got ³ ⁄ _{4 of} the Fatten farm in Bryggen and Bjarnegard swapped for the rest of the money. With his seat in Bergen, he was closer to the headquarters of power.

Bjarne is first mentioned in a document in 1273 when he took part in an imperial assembly in Bergen and sealed King Magnus' concordat with the church. His later use as a diplomat suggests that he received a solid education, possibly even abroad, in his early years. This is also indicated by his great old age interest in heroic-romantic literature, which has been translated into Norrøn since King Håkon Håkonsson . He brought the English version of the saga Olif & Andres with him from an embassy trip, which he then had translated. This is preserved as part of the Karlamagnús saga .

politics

After Magnus lagabætir's death, Bjarne and Audun Hugleiksson were among the leading figures in the “Royal Council”, which exercised the political guardianship of King Erik Magnusson, who was still underage. He also negotiated the marriage with the Scottish Princess Margreta and, as head of the delegation in the name of the king, swore the oath on the marriage contract in Roxburgh in 1281 and remained there with his brother Vidkunn as hostage for compliance with the contract until the age of majority King's. He also stood behind the anti-church policies that shaped Erik's reign. It was he who withdrew Archbishop Jon Raude's right to mint , which Magnus had granted, after King Erik's wedding in Bergen . He also prohibited the extension of the church tithing in Lofoten, which King Magnus had allowed , on the thing in Vågan . For this he was personally banned from the Church by the Archbishop. Archbishop Jørund summoned him for this in 1290/1291 . He did not comply with the summons, but later compared himself to him.

When the towns of the Wendish League of Towns, together with Denmark, imposed a trade blockade against Norway in 1285, Bjarne and Bishop Narve von Bergen tried to bring about a settlement with the Swedish and Danish kings, and also negotiated with the Hanseatic cities. During the campaign against Denmark in 1289 , he led the negotiating delegation in Copenhagen together with the Icelandic Bishop Árni Þorláksson .

Around 1290 Bjarne seems to have taken a back seat to Audun Hugleiksson, who took diplomacy towards the West into his hands. But in 1294, until Erik Magnusson's death, he again led important foreign policy negotiations, partly in England, partly in Denmark. At the same time he also performed domestic political tasks; so he brought about a settlement between Bishop Jørund and his cathedral chapter, who were in dispute.

After the death of Könik Erik Bjarne was in the service of his successor Håkon V , while Audun Hugleiksson was arrested and executed. During this time he was the central figure in the king's advisory group. He also settled the dispute between the Swedish King Birger Magnusson and his brothers in Kolsätter in 1305 . 1312/1313 he was in Scotland and the Orkneys , where he renewed the peace of Perth of 1266. This trip to Scotland was the king's last great commission. After that, for reasons of age, he withdrew more and more from day-to-day politics, even though he continued to take part in all important deliberations.

estate

After his death he was buried in the Christ Church in Nidaros. His wife and only son Andres had died before him. In his will he decreed great bequests to churches, monasteries and hospitals for the salvation of his soul and the salvation of his wife and son. He also made gifts to important people around him, especially Queen Eufemia . He bequeathed the Giske estate to his granddaughter Kristine, who died shortly after him. Most of the property was inherited by Erling Vidkunnsson , his brother's son, who was even more important than Bjarne in Norwegian history at the time.

Remarks

1. ↑ The Flatey annáll reports his death for the year 1314.
2. ↑ Regesta Norvegica Vol. 2 No. 275.
3. ↑ So also Helle (1995) p. 206.
4. ↑ In the Norsk biografisk leksikon, Helle incorrectly names his father Vidkunn Erlingsson, who died in 1302.

literature

• Knut Helle: Under kirke- og kongemagt 1130–1350. Aschehougs Norges history. Vol. 3. Oslo 1995.
• Knut Helle: Article “Bjarne Erlingsson” in: Norsk biografisk leksikon , accessed on March 13, 2011.