Knut Alvsson

Knut Alvsson from the Tre Rosor family (* around 1455; † August 18, 1502 in Oslo ) was a Norwegian knight and high feudal man (Høvedsmann).

His parents were the knight and councilor Alv Knutsson (around 1420 - around 1496) and his wife Magnhild Oddsdatter (around 1425 - 1499). In his first marriage he married Görvel Eriksdotter Gyldenstierne (before 1478 - before 1495), daughter of Erik Gyldenstierne († 1477 or 1478) and his wife Kristina Bonde (around 1432-1500), daughter of King Karl Knutson Bonds . In his second marriage around 1495 he married Mette Iversdatter Dyre (before 1463 - around 1527), daughter of Iver Jensson Dyre († around 1463) and his wife Christine Pedersdatter Oxe († around 1503).

Knut Alvsson was the castle captain in Akershus and one of the richest landowners in Norway at the end of the 15th century. He led the uprising against King Hans 1501–1502 and was murdered during negotiations in Oslo.

capital

Knut Alvsson belonged to the highest aristocracy in Norway and had land holdings and family connections in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. His father belonged to the Swedish noble family " Tre Rosor ". The mother belonged to the Finn family in Voss who owned land in Vestlandet. In addition to his inheritance from his father, which included the Giske estate on Sunnmøre, the Sudrheim estate in Romerike, the Grefsheim estate in Hedmark and the Bjarkøy estate in Northern Norway, he was married to the extensive estate in Sweden Görvel Gyldenstierne, the granddaughter of King Karl Knutson Bonde, and the great fortune in Denmark through his second wife Mette Dyre.

politics

In politics he wavered between loyalty and rebellion against King Hans. In each case his relationship with Henrik Krummedike seems to have been decisive. The deep enmity between the two families goes back to the end of the 1440s, when Christian I of Denmark and King Charles of Sweden battle for the Norwegian throne. Henrik Krummedike's father Hartvig is said to have initiated the murder of Erik Sæmundsson, the father-in-law of Knut's uncle and his best follower in sønnafjelske Norge . During the reign of Christian I, the father Knuts Alv was passed over in the case of larger feuds and higher offices that he could claim due to his social position and his property according to the custom of the time. Instead, King Christian installed Hartvik and Henrik Krummedike as his main followers in Norway. King Hans continued this policy by and large. But there was a certain correction when he appointed the younger brother Knuts Odd Alvsson to be captain of Akershus in 1494. When he died in 1497, Knut took over the fief. He immediately came into conflict with the local population when Vogt Lasse Skjold was slain by farmers in Romerike. The population showed solidarity with the killers because Lasse Skjold had been guilty of various arbitrary violations of the law against the peasants, and the conflict on Akersting in February 1498 almost turned into a revolt. But Knut Alvsson managed to come to an agreement with the farmers. The riots in Østlandet of 1497 were part of widespread social unrest in Norway in which other high-ranking figures were also murdered. The economic and social conditions had become increasingly difficult for the population since foreign nobles who could not speak the language and who did not know the Norwegian laws were appointed bailiffs. In the trial on Judgment Day in December 1498, the sympathizing peasants were punished unusually mildly because of their plight, unlike those who had actively banded together. But those who had banded together had forfeited life, wealth and peace according to the law. Henrik Krummedike was the royal deputy at the verdict, and he mitigated the verdict in heavy fines. Only the murderer and his immediate accomplices were declared Umbotsmenn, i.e. outlaws, which resulted in the death sentence. Knut Alvsson had to take this judgment as a personal insult to Krummedike and the king. The fact that Krummedike was given more fiefdoms on this occasion worked in the same direction. In the summer of 1499, the Akershus castle loan was taken from Knut Alvsson.

The riot

From 1498 to 1501 Knut Alvsson stayed mostly in Sweden, where he joined the aristocratic circles that were in opposition to King Hans. The most important people there were Svante Nilsson (Sture), the former ruler Sten Sture the Elder, and Bishop Hemming Gadh (1501–1513 bishop in Linköping ), former envoy of the Curia . The king mistrusted Knut Alvsson and the other opposition nobles, which became clear from 1499 and in 1501 led to the decision between the king and the aristocratic opposition: In August, the opposition nobles terminated their allegiance to the king. That was the signal for general revolt against the king in Sweden. The insurgents divided the Swedish fiefs among themselves. Knut Alvsson received the Swedish border landscapes Värmland and Dalarna . These formed the starting point of his military operations from New Year 1502 in Eastern Norway. He soon conquered Akershus and Tønsberg forts . His ally Niels Ravaldsson controlled Sarpsborg and Marstrand . He was supported by the population. In the spring of 1502 he seems to have ruled western Norway to varying degrees. But the conquest of Båhus Fortress, commanded by Henrik Krummedike, was crucial for success. The siege was unsuccessful, and in July Elvhus fortress in Båhuslän was captured by Duke Christian, who later became King Christian I. Henrik Krummedike did not succeed in retaking Akershus fortress.

The end

In this situation, negotiations took place in Oslo in August 1502. Knut Alvsson was assured of safe conduct to the negotiations, but was murdered during the negotiations. It is uncertain whether the murder was planned or happened spontaneously during an exchange of words. In any case, his death caused the rebellion against the king in Norway to collapse. The murder caused a sensation among contemporaries and became a heavy burden for Krummedike and the king. Immediately after the murder, an extraordinary city court was convened in Oslo. Here Knut Alvsson was posthumously sentenced for breach of faith and treason and was therefore not buried in consecrated ground. But the processes became an increasingly difficult burden in the following years. The judgment was confirmed in 1505. But in 1514 Knut Alvsson was pardoned posthumously and buried in the Mariakirche in Oslo. This was important for King Christian for a comparison between Krummedike and the sons of Knut.

Appreciation

Knut Alvsson has so far been held responsible for the decline of Norway in the historical accounts. But that is to be seen in a more differentiated manner. His motives for the uprising against King Hans were probably in part a personal revenge on the king and on Krummedike. But in part he also seems to have supported a constitutionalist line, on the other hand he emphasized his ties to the old Norwegian royal family.

Knut Alvsson had two sons, both of whom died without an heir. His inheritance then passed to the daughter Bodil and from her to the granddaughter Gørvel Fadersdatter.

literature

• Halvard Bjørkvik; Folketap og sammenbrudd 1350 - 1520. Aschehougs Norges Historie Vol. 4. ISBN 82-03-22017-7
• Magne Njåstad: "Knut Alvsson" in Norsk biografisk leksikon.