Knut Alvsson facts for kids

Knut Alvsson (1455 – 18 August 1502) was an important Norwegian nobleman and landowner. He was one of the most important Norwegian nobles of his time. He served as a governor in southern-central Norway.

Knut Alvsson had a claim to the Norwegian throne. This was based on the Sudreim claim and the rules for who should become king. These rules were agreed upon by Norwegian nobles and religious leaders when the Sverre dynasty (the royal family line) ended. From 1497 to 1499, he was the leader of Akershus Fortress. But he was removed in 1499 because King Hans no longer trusted him. In 1501, Knut Alvsson led a rebellion against King Hans in Norway. He was killed by his enemy, Henrich Krummedige's men, even though he was promised safety. This greatly weakened the rebellion. It also ended a long-standing family rivalry that had started with their fathers, Hartvig Krummedige and Alv Knutsson.

Who Was Knut Alvsson?

Knut Alvsson was the son of Alv Knutsson, who was a member of Norway's top council. His mother was Magnhild Oddsdotter (around 1425–1499). He had a brother named Odd Alvsson (1460–1497). Odd was also a leader of Akershus Fortress. Knut also had a half-brother, Karl Sigurdsson (1476–1487). Karl became a bishop in the Diocese of Hamar. On his father's side, Knut Alvsson was related to the important Swedish noble family called "Tre Rosor". This family was active during the time of the Kalmar Union, which was a union of Nordic countries.

Knut Alvsson was the leader of Akershus Fortress.

Knut Alvsson's Lands

Knut Alvsson inherited the Giske and Sudreim lands from his father. His father was one of the biggest landowners in Norway. He also got lands and property in Romerike from his brother, Odd Alvsson, who died in 1497. Knut Alvsson also owned a lot of land in Sweden. He got this land through his first marriage to a Swedish noblewoman named Gyrvel Gyllenstjerna. Later, Knut Alvsson's lands were taken by the king. Much of his property was then given to his granddaughter, Görvel Fadersdotter.

The Alvson-Krummedige Rivalry

Knut Alvsson inherited a long-time rivalry with the family of Henrich Krummedige. Knut Alvsson supported Sweden in the Norwegian council. This meant he was naturally against Krummedige, who supported Denmark.

In the autumn of 1497, Knut Alvsson's local officer, Lasse Skjold, was killed by people in the area of Romerike. Knut Alvsson received a letter about this event. The letter said that common people in Nes and Ullensaker had acted together. They were protesting his unfair tax collection.

Knut Alvsson talked about this rebellion with the Danish and Norwegian councils. They suggested he ask the people who killed his officer to ask for forgiveness. But the farmers blamed Knut Alvsson for his officer's actions. The farmers decided to use their old right to call a thing (a public meeting) in Aker. They wanted to share their complaints and explain why they thought the killing was fair. They also planned to call Knut Alvsson to this meeting.

The rebellion started to spread across the sønnafjells (the region of Norway south of the Dovre mountains). Knut Alvsson could not stop the farmers' uprising. The rebellion grew so much that he had to ask for help. He asked the leader of the Norwegian Båhus fortress, his rival Henrich Krummedige, for help. Krummedige was known for working well with local landowners. But Krummedige did not help Knut Alvsson. Instead, he told the king about the problem. Knut Alvsson was removed from his command of Akershus Fortress. He was replaced by Peder Griis, a Danish nobleman loyal to the king.

The Rebellion Against the King

In 1500, King Hans of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway tried to conquer the Ditmarshes in Northern Germany. This attempt failed. Knut Alvsson had married the granddaughter of Swedish King Karl Knutsson. He was also involved with the Swedish Independence Party. He decided it was time to act. While in Sweden, he attended a meeting of the Swedish National Council at Vadstena Castle in 1501. At this meeting, the council approved a revolt against King Hans. Knut Alvsson strongly criticized King Hans' control in Norway. He received support from Sweden to return to Norway. The Swedes believed a Norwegian uprising would quickly follow their own.

In 1501, Knut Alvsson led Swedish forces in an attack on Båhus Fortress. This fortress was on the Swedish-Norwegian border and was still commanded by Henrich Krummedige. Krummedige managed to defend Båhus. But Knut Alvsson captured Akershus Fortress in March 1502. The people of Oslo remained loyal to Denmark. The nobles and bishops in Norway stayed neutral. They were likely waiting to see who would win.

King Hans sent his son Christian (who later became King Christian II of Denmark and Norway) with Danish forces. They ended the attack on Båhus Fortress. They also captured Älvsborg Fortress, which was across the river from Båhus Fortress in Gothenburg. Krummedige then led his forces north to end the rebellion. He recaptured Tønsberg Fortress and attacked Akershus Fortress, which Knut Alvsson was defending.

When it became clear that neither side was winning, Knut Alvsson went onto one of Krummedige's ships. He had been promised safety. But Krummedige's men killed Knut Alvsson on 18 August 1502. This was either an act of betrayal, or, as Krummedige's men claimed, because Knut Alvsson became violent. Breaking a promise of safety was a serious betrayal under the old Norse laws used in Norway at the time. However, the court in Oslo decided that Krummedige had acted fairly. Historians have discussed the reasons for this judgment for many years.

The king declared Knut Alvsson a traitor. Krummedige had won, but he was forced to leave Norway. The uprising was not fully stopped until December 1504. Nils Ravaldsson became the leader of the rebellion after Knut Alvsson's death. Knut Alvsson's death caused the rebellion against the king to fall apart. It also made the ties between Denmark and Norway stronger. This marked the last time Norway tried to gain independence for over 300 years.

Knut Alvsson in Stories

The story of Knut Alvsson's death has been used in literature. It became a central part of Norwegian Romantic Nationalism. This was a movement that celebrated Norwegian history and culture. For example, the writer Ibsen used it in his play Fru Inger til Østeraad. He used it to create an anti-Danish feeling. In the play, Olaf Skaktavl says: "Remember the afternoon when Hendrik Krummedike came to Akershus fortress with his ships? The ship captains offered to talk about peace. Trusting a promise of safety, Knut Alfsøn went on board. Only three hours later, we had to carry him through the fortress gate... Norway's bravest heart was lost when Krummedike's men struck him down..."