Brita Tott
Encyclopedia
Brita Olovsdotter Tott (in Swedish
) or Birgitte Olufsdatter Thott (in Danish
), (fl.
3 March 1498), called the Lady of Hammersta, was a Danish and Swedish noble
, landowner, royal county administrator, spy
and forger. She was judged for treason
and for the forgery
of seal
s. She was one of the biggest landowners in Scandinavia
, and her estates played a role in politics in Sweden and Denmark.
.
She was in 1442 married to the Swedish noble councillor Ehrengissle Nilsson the Younger Natt och Dag, who belonged to the most powerful nobles in Sweden. Brita was commonly known as "The Lady of Hammersta", after her husband's property Hammersta in Södermanland
. She received great estates upon her wedding. She had no children.
and became involved in a plot against the king. During the war, her spouse was governor of Örebro
. When the Danes invaded Västergötland
, Brita Olovsdotter corresponded with them and informed them of every movement of the Swedish army which, among other things, enabled the Danish army to capture the fortress of Lödöse
and avoid to be cast out by the Swedish army.
For this, she was put on trial for treason against the crown at the assembled court in Stockholm
of 1452. She was judged guilty of high treason and sentenced to be burned at the stake. The sentence was then changed to being walled alive into a brick wall in Kalmar
. In reality, this was never literary realized; she simply spent a period of time as a guest in the nun
nery of Kalmar. After her release, she financed the paintings of Ösmo
Church in Södermanland
as a penance
; one of the paintings there is said to be her own image.
say that there was so many of them, that at one occasion, the secretary of her spouse was to have thrown an abundance of them in the water stream outside Hammersta manor. It is not known whether the stories of her forgery affairs are true or not.
In 1479, she was put on trial in her absence in Stockholm for forgery and judged guilty of having illegally sold her estate Vallö to the Danish crown. She received mercy and was released. This case caused a change in the law: in 1483, the monarch was banned from receiving noble estates with a specific motivation to the case of 1479.
In 1484, she was appointed county administrator of the royal estate of Dronningeholm ved Arresø, a position she managed until 1495. In 1495, she left Denmark for Sweden, were she spent her last years. She was one of the largest landowners in Sweden of her time, and her estates played a part in politicis and was the perhaps well known court cases in this area of her time.
The date of her birth and death is unknown, but she was still alive in 3 March 1498. In her will, she left the estate both to the Swedish regent Sten Sture the Elder
(there are indications that she had been forced to this) and to Uppsala Cathedral
, which aroused great confusion.
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
) or Birgitte Olufsdatter Thott (in Danish
Danish language
Danish is a North Germanic language spoken by around six million people, principally in the country of Denmark. It is also spoken by 50,000 Germans of Danish ethnicity in the northern parts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, where it holds the status of minority language...
), (fl.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
3 March 1498), called the Lady of Hammersta, was a Danish and Swedish noble
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
, landowner, royal county administrator, spy
SPY
SPY is a three-letter acronym that may refer to:* SPY , ticker symbol for Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts* SPY , a satirical monthly, trademarked all-caps* SPY , airport code for San Pédro, Côte d'Ivoire...
and forger. She was judged for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
and for the forgery
Forgery
Forgery is the process of making, adapting, or imitating objects, statistics, or documents with the intent to deceive. Copies, studio replicas, and reproductions are not considered forgeries, though they may later become forgeries through knowing and willful misrepresentations. Forging money or...
of seal
Seal (device)
A seal can be a figure impressed in wax, clay, or some other medium, or embossed on paper, with the purpose of authenticating a document ; but the term can also mean the device for making such impressions, being essentially a mould with the mirror image of the design carved in sunken- relief or...
s. She was one of the biggest landowners in Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, and her estates played a role in politics in Sweden and Denmark.
Background
Brita was born the eldest daughter of two Danish nobles, statesman Olov (or Oluf) Axelsson Tott (d. 1464) and Karen Jensdotter Falk (born 1406). Her family was one of the most powerful in Scandinavia: her father was politically influential in both Sweden and Denmark, and her mother was the heir of Vallø. She was related to the Swedish regent consort Lady Ingeborg TottIngeborg Tott
Lady Ingeborg Åkesdotter Tott , in her lifetime called Ingeborg Åkesdotter , was a Swedish noble, the consort of the Swedish regent Sten Sture the elder . She was also the fiefholder and regent of Häme in Finland...
.
She was in 1442 married to the Swedish noble councillor Ehrengissle Nilsson the Younger Natt och Dag, who belonged to the most powerful nobles in Sweden. Brita was commonly known as "The Lady of Hammersta", after her husband's property Hammersta in Södermanland
Södermanland
', sometimes referred to under its Latin form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a historical province or landskap on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västmanland and Uppland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea.In Swedish, the province name is...
. She received great estates upon her wedding. She had no children.
Treason
During the war between Sweden and Denmark (1451–52), she corresponded with the enemies of king Charles VIII of SwedenCharles VIII of Sweden
Charles VIII of Sweden , Charles I of Norway, also Carl, , was king of Sweden and king of Norway ....
and became involved in a plot against the king. During the war, her spouse was governor of Örebro
Örebro
-Sites of interest:Örebro's old town Wadköping is located on the banks of Svartån . It contains many 18th and 19th century wooden houses, along with museums and exhibitions....
. When the Danes invaded Västergötland
Västergötland
', English exonym: West Gothland, is one of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden , situated in the southwest of Sweden. In older English literature one may also encounter the Latinized version Westrogothia....
, Brita Olovsdotter corresponded with them and informed them of every movement of the Swedish army which, among other things, enabled the Danish army to capture the fortress of Lödöse
Lödöse
Lödöse is a locality situated in Lilla Edet Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 1,265 inhabitants in 2005...
and avoid to be cast out by the Swedish army.
For this, she was put on trial for treason against the crown at the assembled court in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
of 1452. She was judged guilty of high treason and sentenced to be burned at the stake. The sentence was then changed to being walled alive into a brick wall in Kalmar
Kalmar
Kalmar is a city in Småland in the south-east of Sweden, situated by the Baltic Sea. It had 62,767 inhabitants in 2010 and is the seat of Kalmar Municipality. It is also the capital of Kalmar County, which comprises 12 municipalities with a total of 233,776 inhabitants .From the thirteenth to the...
. In reality, this was never literary realized; she simply spent a period of time as a guest in the nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
nery of Kalmar. After her release, she financed the paintings of Ösmo
Ösmo
Ösmo is a locality situated in Nynäshamn Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 3,606 inhabitants in 2005. It has a station on the Stockholm commuter rail network, Nynäshamn line .- References :...
Church in Södermanland
Södermanland
', sometimes referred to under its Latin form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a historical province or landskap on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västmanland and Uppland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea.In Swedish, the province name is...
as a penance
Penance
Penance is repentance of sins as well as the proper name of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian, and Anglican Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession. It also plays a part in non-sacramental confession among Lutherans and other Protestants...
; one of the paintings there is said to be her own image.
Forger
Brita Olovsdotter was also active as a forger, and acquired large amounts of money by the forging seals of both living and dead people. LegendLegend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
say that there was so many of them, that at one occasion, the secretary of her spouse was to have thrown an abundance of them in the water stream outside Hammersta manor. It is not known whether the stories of her forgery affairs are true or not.
In 1479, she was put on trial in her absence in Stockholm for forgery and judged guilty of having illegally sold her estate Vallö to the Danish crown. She received mercy and was released. This case caused a change in the law: in 1483, the monarch was banned from receiving noble estates with a specific motivation to the case of 1479.
Landowner and county administrator
In 1469, she became a widow and managed the estate herself. The following years was spent on the managing of her large estates and the ownerships over them which, due to their size, was a question debated in the Swedish council. Her stepchildren questioned her right to the Swedish estates of her late spouse, and her stepmother, her father's widow Anne Present, questioned her right to the Danish estates after her mother. She had the support of her powerful uncles, Axelssönerna, until 1475. In 1475, she gave Hammersta to the church and left Sweden for Denmark, and was given support by the Danish king.In 1484, she was appointed county administrator of the royal estate of Dronningeholm ved Arresø, a position she managed until 1495. In 1495, she left Denmark for Sweden, were she spent her last years. She was one of the largest landowners in Sweden of her time, and her estates played a part in politicis and was the perhaps well known court cases in this area of her time.
The date of her birth and death is unknown, but she was still alive in 3 March 1498. In her will, she left the estate both to the Swedish regent Sten Sture the Elder
Sten Sture the Elder
Sten Sture the Elder was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden from .-Background:...
(there are indications that she had been forced to this) and to Uppsala Cathedral
Uppsala Cathedral
Uppsala Cathedral is a cathedral located centrally in the city of Uppsala, Sweden. It dates back to the late 13th century and at a height of 118.7 m is the tallest church building in Scandinavia. Originally built under Roman Catholicism and used for coronations of the Swedish monarch, since the...
, which aroused great confusion.
External links
- http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/womeninpower/Danish_County_Sheriffs.htm