Hartvig Krummedige
Encyclopedia
Hartvig Krummedige was a Danish nobleman who was born circa 1400 in southern Jutland
, Denmark
and died in 1476 at Akershus Fortress
, Norway
.
and is associated with the Krummendick castle
at Itzehoe
, Denmark (now Germany). The family long served in major roles in Denmark. Hartvig Krummedige was the son of Danish Steward of the Realm
Erik Segebodssøn Krummedike (died in 1439) and Beate von Thienen. During the war between Denmark and Holstein in 1413 Hartvig’s father proclaimed loyalty to Eric of Pomerania
, King
of Norway
(1389–1442), elected King of Denmark
(1396–1439), and of Sweden
(1396–1439). Since Denmark did not prevail in that conflict, Erik's father lost his Holsten manor and territory but his loyalty earned him strong positions including Chancellor of the Danish Realm in 1417.
His first wife was Katarina Buck, the daughter of Markvard Buck and Sigrid Galle. His second marriage was to Karen Andersdatter Hak. His third marriage was to Anne Henriksdatter. He shared the his fathers strong loyalty to Danish royalty.
He was Henrik Krummedike’s father by Karen Andersdatter Hak.
, initially appearing there in 1430 as the fief holder at Lister
where he was known for his organization and fairness. He next appears in the records as the fiefholder for Hardanger
. He was placed in charge of Akershus fortress
in 1445, following Sigurd Jonsen. He held that command until 1476, during which period the catapults were replaced with cannons and the secular ruler in Akershus fortress gained ascendancy over the Bishop of Oslo. Gjerset indicates that:
, who was union king
of Denmark
(1440–1448), Sweden
(1441–1448) and Norway
(1442–1448), the Norwegian succession resulted in controversy. In Norway the new king had to be elected by the Norwegian National Council. There were effectively two parties in the Norwegian National Council: The pro-Danish party led by Hartvig Krummedige (then the commandant at Akershus
) and Bishop Jens of Oslo
, and the pro-Swedish party by the Archbishop Alsak Bolt and Erik Saemundsson (then the commandant at Tønsberg Fortress
). The pro-Danish party prevailed and Christian I of Denmark
was elected king.
invaded from Sweden and proceeded to Hamar
, where he called a thing
, and was “elected king” by Archbishop Bolt, Erik Saemundsson and others who assembled there. King Karl proceeded to Trøndelag
. He then returned to Sweden, leaving Saemundsson as viceroy. Saemundsson invested Akershus, which was held by Krummedige, who still adhered to Christian I. Ultimately Saemundsson was killed by Krummedige, the leading pro-Swedish advocates fled to Sweden, and Karl Knutsson renounced his claim to the throne.
Swedish forces again invaded Trøndelag
in 1453, but were repelled and were forced to turn south across the Dovrefjell
and to Hamar
, where they captured and occupied the Bishop’s palace. Hartvig Krummedige proceeded north, expelled the Swedish forces, and killed many of them.
.
Alv Knutsson had extensive holdings, over 276 farms in east and south Norway, and could bring substantial pressure to bear. He arranged that charges be brought against Hartvig Krummedige by one of the local farmers. An ally of Knutsson's the new Bishop of Oslo, Gunnar Holke, obtained a Papal Bull concerning Krummedige’s misuse of power. The basis for this was that he misused his power to harm the church; there was some basis in the charge as he had retained the Bishop's Palace at Hamar from the spring when he recaptured it after evicting the Swedes until that fall, and had collected the rentals which came due with the harvest. As a result Hartvig Krummedige suffered a major setback, losing all of his fiefs in Norway in 1458.
, but his son Henrich remained a firm member of the pro-Danish party — his loyalty to the reigning Danish monarch resembled that of his father and grandfather.
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and died in 1476 at Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress or Akershus Castle is a medieval castle that was built to protect Oslo, the capital of Norway. It has also been used as a prison.- Construction :...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
Family
The Krummedike family is initially mentioned in HolstenSchleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the sixteen states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Schleswig...
and is associated with the Krummendick castle
Krummendiek
Krummendiek is a municipality in the district of Steinburg, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany....
at Itzehoe
Itzehoe
Itzehoe is a town in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.As the capital of the district Steinburg, Itzehoe is located on the Stör, a navigable tributary of the Elbe, 51 km northwest of Hamburg and 24 km north of Glückstadt...
, Denmark (now Germany). The family long served in major roles in Denmark. Hartvig Krummedige was the son of Danish Steward of the Realm
Danish Steward of the Realm
Steward of the Realm was an office at the Royal Danish Court. With the coronation of Eric VII of Denmark it became an important office, taking over the role of the Seneschal as the de facto prime minister of the country. Prior to that the Rigshofmester had merely been the administrative leader of...
Erik Segebodssøn Krummedike (died in 1439) and Beate von Thienen. During the war between Denmark and Holstein in 1413 Hartvig’s father proclaimed loyalty to Eric of Pomerania
Eric of Pomerania
Eric of Pomerania KG was King Eric III of Norway Norwegian Eirik, King Eric VII of Denmark , and as Eric King of Sweden...
, King
King
- Centers of population :* King, Ontario, CanadaIn USA:* King, Indiana* King, North Carolina* King, Lincoln County, Wisconsin* King, Waupaca County, Wisconsin* King County, Washington- Moving-image works :Television:...
of Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
(1389–1442), elected King of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
(1396–1439), and of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
(1396–1439). Since Denmark did not prevail in that conflict, Erik's father lost his Holsten manor and territory but his loyalty earned him strong positions including Chancellor of the Danish Realm in 1417.
His first wife was Katarina Buck, the daughter of Markvard Buck and Sigrid Galle. His second marriage was to Karen Andersdatter Hak. His third marriage was to Anne Henriksdatter. He shared the his fathers strong loyalty to Danish royalty.
He was Henrik Krummedike’s father by Karen Andersdatter Hak.
Early years in Norway
Hartvig spent much of his career in NorwayNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, initially appearing there in 1430 as the fief holder at Lister
Luster, Norway
Luster is a municipality in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sogn. The administrative centre is Gaupne. Other villages include Skjolden, Hafslo, Jostedal, and Veitastrond....
where he was known for his organization and fairness. He next appears in the records as the fiefholder for Hardanger
Hardanger
Hardanger is a traditional district in the western part of Norway, dominated by the Hardangerfjord. It consists of the municipalities of Odda, Ullensvang, Eidfjord, Ulvik, Granvin, Kvam and Jondal, and is located inside the county of Hordaland....
. He was placed in charge of Akershus fortress
Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress or Akershus Castle is a medieval castle that was built to protect Oslo, the capital of Norway. It has also been used as a prison.- Construction :...
in 1445, following Sigurd Jonsen. He held that command until 1476, during which period the catapults were replaced with cannons and the secular ruler in Akershus fortress gained ascendancy over the Bishop of Oslo. Gjerset indicates that:
“…the Danes were gaining ascendancy. Many Danish nobles and courtiers flocked to Norway and as royal favors were always accorded them whenever opportunity presented itself, these dashing foreigners with wealth and titles soon elbowed their way to the foremost positions in the land… Hartvig Krummedige, under Christian I, became the richest man in Norway.”
The struggle between pro-Swedish and pro-Danish factions
Upon the 1448 death of King Christopher of BavariaChristopher of Bavaria
Christopher of Bavaria or Christopher the Bavarian; as king named Christopher ; Danish and Norwegian: Christoffer af/av Bayern; Swedish Kristofer av Bayern was union king of Denmark , Sweden and Norway .-Biography:He was probably born at Neumarkt in...
, who was union king
Kalmar Union
The Kalmar Union is a historiographical term meaning a series of personal unions that united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway , and Sweden under a single monarch, though intermittently and with a population...
of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
(1440–1448), Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
(1441–1448) and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
(1442–1448), the Norwegian succession resulted in controversy. In Norway the new king had to be elected by the Norwegian National Council. There were effectively two parties in the Norwegian National Council: The pro-Danish party led by Hartvig Krummedige (then the commandant at Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
) and Bishop Jens of Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, and the pro-Swedish party by the Archbishop Alsak Bolt and Erik Saemundsson (then the commandant at Tønsberg Fortress
Tønsberg Fortress
Tønsberg Fortress was a medieval fortress, located in Tønsberg, Norway which was defended by the fortress for over 300 years.-History:...
). The pro-Danish party prevailed and Christian I of Denmark
Christian I of Denmark
Christian I was a Danish monarch, king of Denmark , Norway and Sweden , under the Kalmar Union. In Sweden his short tenure as monarch was preceded by regents, Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna and Erik Axelsson Tott and succeeded by regent Kettil Karlsson Vasa...
was elected king.
Karl Knutsson’s invasion
The election did not settle the matter. Karl KnutssonCharles VIII of Sweden
Charles VIII of Sweden , Charles I of Norway, also Carl, , was king of Sweden and king of Norway ....
invaded from Sweden and proceeded to Hamar
Hamar
is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849...
, where he called a thing
Thing (assembly)
A thing was the governing assembly in Germanic and introduced into some Celtic societies, made up of the free people of the community and presided by lawspeakers, meeting in a place called a thingstead...
, and was “elected king” by Archbishop Bolt, Erik Saemundsson and others who assembled there. King Karl proceeded to Trøndelag
Trøndelag
Trøndelag is the name of a geographical region in the central part of Norway, consisting of the two counties Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag. The region is, together with Møre og Romsdal, part of a larger...
. He then returned to Sweden, leaving Saemundsson as viceroy. Saemundsson invested Akershus, which was held by Krummedige, who still adhered to Christian I. Ultimately Saemundsson was killed by Krummedige, the leading pro-Swedish advocates fled to Sweden, and Karl Knutsson renounced his claim to the throne.
Trøndelag
Trøndelag is the name of a geographical region in the central part of Norway, consisting of the two counties Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag. The region is, together with Møre og Romsdal, part of a larger...
in 1453, but were repelled and were forced to turn south across the Dovrefjell
Dovrefjell
Dovrefjell is a mountain range in central Norway that forms a natural barrier between Eastern Norway and Trøndelag, the area around Trondheim. As a result, it has been heavily trafficked during and probably preceding historical times...
and to Hamar
Hamar
is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849...
, where they captured and occupied the Bishop’s palace. Hartvig Krummedige proceeded north, expelled the Swedish forces, and killed many of them.
The origin of the Krummedige-Tre Roser feud
Saemundsson and Knutsson were members of the Tre Roser family; the title comes from their coat of arms, which displays three roses. With Krummedige’s recapture of the Hamar Bishop’s palace, as well as his previous involvement in the death of Saemundsson, he earned the lasting enmity of the pro-Swedish knight, Alv KnutssonAlv Knutsson
Alv Knutsson was a Norwegian nobleman who descended on his father’s side from the influential and wealthy Swedish Tre Rosor noble family. He was a member of the Norwegian council of the realm and also served as commander of the royal castle in Bergen.-Landholdings:Alv Knutsson held over 276 farms...
.
Alv Knutsson had extensive holdings, over 276 farms in east and south Norway, and could bring substantial pressure to bear. He arranged that charges be brought against Hartvig Krummedige by one of the local farmers. An ally of Knutsson's the new Bishop of Oslo, Gunnar Holke, obtained a Papal Bull concerning Krummedige’s misuse of power. The basis for this was that he misused his power to harm the church; there was some basis in the charge as he had retained the Bishop's Palace at Hamar from the spring when he recaptured it after evicting the Swedes until that fall, and had collected the rentals which came due with the harvest. As a result Hartvig Krummedige suffered a major setback, losing all of his fiefs in Norway in 1458.
Return to Norway
In spite of this dramatic setback, Christian I of Denmark restored Krummedige to Akershus by 1461. He remained there as the commander until his death in 1476.Death
Hartvig Krummedige died in 1476 at Akershus fortressAkershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress or Akershus Castle is a medieval castle that was built to protect Oslo, the capital of Norway. It has also been used as a prison.- Construction :...
, but his son Henrich remained a firm member of the pro-Danish party — his loyalty to the reigning Danish monarch resembled that of his father and grandfather.