Aslak Harniktsson Bolt (c. 1380 – 1450) was a 15th-century Norwegian priest who served as Archbishop of the Nidaros .
43-415: His parents were Harnikt Henningsson and Sigrid Aslaksdatter Bolt. His mother was a member of a Norwegian noble family. He served as archbishop of Nidaros from about 1427 to 1450. He is most known for his detailed register of properties and incomes of the archdiocese, commonly known as Aslak Bolt's cadastre ( Aslak Bolts jordebok ) from 1432 to 1433. The properties listed included thousands of farms, and
86-517: A Danish statesman and prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the bishop of Roskilde from 1158 to 1192 and archbishop of Lund from 1178 until his death. He was the foremost politician and church father of Denmark in the second half of the 12th century, and was the closest advisor of King Valdemar I of Denmark . He was a key figure in the Danish policies of territorial expansion in
129-640: A church; he laboured to spread Christianity in Norway, the Orkney and Shetland Islands , the Faroe Islands , Iceland , and Greenland . King Olaf Haraldsson created an episcopal see at Nidaros, installing the monk Grimkill as bishop. Moreover, many English and German bishops and priests came to Norway. The Norwegian bishops were at first dependent on the Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen , and afterwards on
172-560: A comprehensive chronicle of the history of the Danes. In 1171, Absalon issued the "Zealand church law" ( Danish : Sjællandske Kirkelov ), which reduced the number of Canonical Law offenses for which the church could fine the public, while instituting the tithe payment system. Violation of the law was specified as subject to a secular legal process. Archbishop Eskil returned from exile in 1167. Eskil agreed on canonizing Valdemar's father Knud Lavard in 1170, with Absalon assisting him at
215-520: A legacy as the foremost politician and churchfather of Denmark in the 12th century. Absalon was equally great as churchman, statesman, and warrior. His policy of expansion was to give Denmark the dominion of the Baltic for three generations. That he enjoyed warfare there can be no doubt; yet he was not like the ordinary fighting bishops of the Middle Ages , whose sole indication of their religious role
258-536: Is nothing which decisively indicates Dominican influence. Belonging to the 16th century A may be characterized as rather conservative. In the canon in Communicantes, Xystus is replaced by Silvester—possibly by a misinterpretation of Innocens III. Manuscript B: B is especially influenced from France—in parts particularly from the leading Seez group. Some tails in B—mostly in the rubrics—are obviously dependent on
301-717: The Archbishop of Lund , Primate of Scandinavia. As the Norwegians wanted an archbishop of their own, Pope Eugene III , resolving to create a metropolitan see at Nidaros, sent thither as legate (1151) Cardinal Nicholas of Albano (Nicholas Breakspeare), afterwards Adrian IV. The legate installed Jon Birgerson, previously Bishop of Stavanger , as Archbishop of Nidaros. The bishops of Bergen (bishop about 1068), Faroe Diocese (1047), Garðar, Greenland (1126), Hamar (1151), Hólar, Iceland (1105), Orkney (1070; suffragan till 1472), Oslo (1073), Skálholt, Iceland (1056), and Stavanger (1130) became suffragans. Archbishop Birgerson
344-575: The Baltic Sea , Europeanization in close relationship with the Holy See , and reform in the relation between the Church and the public. He combined the ideals of Gregorian Reform with loyal support of a strong monarchical power. Absalon was born into the powerful Hvide clan, and owned great land possessions. He endowed several church institutions, most prominently his family's Sorø Abbey . He
387-466: The Battle of Svolder ) and Olaf Haraldsson (St. Olaf, d. 1030 in the Battle of Stiklestad ). Both were converted Vikings, the former having been baptized at Andover , England, by Aelfeah , Bishop of Winchester , and the latter at Rouen by Archbishop Robert. In 997, Olaf Tryggvason founded at the mouth of the river Nidelva the city of Nidaros (now Trondheim) where he built a Kongsgård estate and
430-622: The Holy Roman Empire . Absalon reformed the Danish church organisation to closer match Holy See praxis , and worked to keep Denmark a close ally of the Holy See. However, during the schism between Pope Alexander III and Antipope Victor IV , Absalon stayed loyal to Valdemar even as he joined the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in supporting Victor IV. This caused a split within
473-556: The peasantry , and instituted tithes. He was a harsh and effective ruler, who cleared all Orthodox Christian liturgical remnants in favour of Papal standards. A rebellion in the Scanian peasantry forced him to flee to Zealand in 1180, but he returned and subdued the Scanians with the help of Valdemar. Valdemar died in 1182 and was succeeded by his son, Canute VI , whom Absalon also served as counsellor. Under Canute VI, Absalon
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#1732791741910516-574: The Abbey, apart from Fjenneslev which went to Esbern Snarre. He had already given Copenhagen to the Bishopric of Roskilde. Absalon was interred at Sorø Abbey , and was succeeded as Archbishop of Lund by Anders Sunesen. Saxo Grammaticus' Gesta Danorum was not finished until after the death of Absalon, but Absalon was one of the chief heroic figures of the chronicle, which was to be the main source of knowledge about early Danish history. Absalon left
559-515: The Danish church, as it possibly forced Eskil of Lund into exile around 1161, despite Abaslon's attempts to keep the Danish church united. It was contrary to Absalon's advice and warnings that Valdemar I rendered fealty to the emperor Frederick Barbarossa at Dole in 1162. When Valdemar returned to Denmark, he was convinced to strengthen the Danevirke fortifications at the German border, with
602-431: The Danish fleet. But he continued to keep a watchful eye over the Baltic, and in 1170 destroyed another pirate stronghold, farther eastward, at Dziwnów on the isle of Wolin . Absalon's last military exploit came in 1184, off Stralsund at Whitsun , when he soundly defeated a Pomeranian fleet that had attacked Denmark's vassal, Jaromar of Rügen . Absalon's main political goal was to free Denmark from entanglements with
645-483: The Danish throne. On Good Friday 1158, bishop Asser of Roskilde [ Wikidata ] died, and Absalon was eventually elected bishop of Roskilde on Zealand with the help of Valdemar, as the king's reward for Hvide family support. Absalon was a close counsellor of Valdemar, and chief promoter of the Danish crusades against the Wends . During the Danish civil war, Denmark had been open to coastal raids by
688-470: The Norse name for North America. To regulate ecclesiastical affairs, which had suffered during the struggles with Sverre, Pope Innocent IV in 1247 sent Cardinal William of Sabina as legate to Norway. He intervened against encroachments on the part of the bishops, reformed various abuses, and abolished the ordeal by hot iron . Owing in great measure to the papal legates, Norway became more closely linked with
731-655: The Tønsberg Concord ( Sættargjerden in Tønsberg ) was signed between King Magnus VI of Norway and Jon Raude , the Archbishop of Nidaros confirming certain privileges of the clergy, the freedom of episcopal elections and similar matters. Nidaros (Trondheim), the metropolis of the ecclesiastical province, was also the capital of Norway. The residence of the kings until 1217, it remained until the Reformation
774-463: The Wends and an all but impregnable stronghold. But the unexpected fall of Arkona had terrified the garrison, which surrendered unconditionally at the first appearance of the Danish ships. Absalon, with only Bishop Sweyn of Aarhus and twelve " housecarls ", thereupon disembarked, passed between a double row of Wendish warriors, 6000 strong, along the narrow path winding among the morasses, to the gates of
817-580: The Wends, sometimes with the help of German duke Henry the Lion , sometimes in opposition to him. In 1168 the chief Wendish fortress at Arkona in Rügen , containing the sanctuary of their god Svantevit , was conquered . The Wends agreed to accept Danish suzerainty and the Christian religion at the same time. From Arkona, Absalon proceeded by sea to Charenza , in the midst of Rügen, the political capital of
860-449: The Wends. He even advocated forgiving the earlier enemies of Valdemar, which helped stabilize Denmark internally. The first expedition against the Wends conducted by Absalon in person, set out in 1160. These expeditions were successful, but brought no lasting victories. What started out as mere retribution, eventually evolved into full-fledged campaigns of expansion with religious motives. In 1164 began twenty years of crusades against
903-511: The Wends. It was Absalon's intention to clear the Baltic Sea of the Wendish pirates who inhabited its southern littoral zone , which was later called Pomerania . The pirates had raided the Danish coasts during the civil war of Sweyn III, Canute V, and Valdemar, to the point where at the accession of Valdemar one-third of Denmark lay wasted and depopulated. Absalon formed a guardian fleet, built coastal defenses, and led several campaigns against
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#1732791741910946-521: The cathedral of Nidaros, where the reliquary of St. Olaf rested near the altar. Built in Roman style by King Olaf Kyrre (d. 1093), the cathedral had been enlarged by Archbishop Eystein in Gothic style . It was finished only in 1248 by Archbishop Sigurd Sim. Although several times destroyed by fire, the ancient cathedral was restored each time until the Reformation in Norway . Then Archbishop Eric Walkendorf
989-528: The city of Nidaros (now Trondheim ). The archdiocese existed from the middle of the twelfth century until the Protestant Reformation . In Norway, the kings who introduced Christianity which first became known to the people during their martial expeditions. The work of Christianization begun by Haakon the Good (d. 961 in the Battle of Fitjar ) was carried on by Olaf Tryggvason (d. 1000 in
1032-420: The country and take refuge with Absalon , Archbishop of Lund. At last, when King Sverre attacked the papal legate, Pope Innocent III laid the king and his partisans under interdict. King Haakon III (1202), son and successor of King Sverre, hastened to make peace with the Church. Pope Innocent III gave Thorer, Archbishop of Drontheim, authority over all Scandinavian territory, including Greenland and Vinland,
1075-463: The explanation of the mass in Micrologus , but most remarkable in perhaps that B seems to imply that the congregation is taking an active part in the offertory. B taken as a whole belongs to the second part of the 12th century. Manuscript C: C is without doubt dependent on French and Italian tradition. The canon is evidently influenced by the specific Roman missal of the 11th—13th century, and on
1118-466: The feast. When Eskil stepped down as Archbishop of Lund in 1177, he chose Absalon as his successor. Absalon initially resisted the new position, as he did not want to lose his power position on Zealand, but complied with Papal orders to do so in 1178. By a unique Papal dispensation, Absalon was allowed to simultaneously maintain his post as Bishop of Roskilde. As the Archbishop of Lund, Absalon utilized ombudsmen from Zealand, demanded unfree labour from
1161-845: The following suffragan dioceses . (all Latin Rite ) The texts of the Mass as it was celebrated in Norway and the other lands of the Metropolitan Province of Nidaros before the Protestant Reformation survives in a copy of the printed Missal of 1519 and in three manuscript texts, B (c. 1300), C (13th century) and D (c. 1200). Helge Fæhn in his analysis of each of these texts sums up the character of these texts as follows: The Missal of 1519: Manuscript A seems to have been influenced mainly from Normandy and England and shows several parallels to late medieval Sarum Use . There
1204-429: The fortress, and, proceeding to the temple of the seven-headed god Rugievit , caused the idol to be hewn down, dragged forth and burnt. The whole population of Garz was then baptized, and Absalon laid the foundations of twelve churches in the isle of Rügen. Rügen was then subjected to Absalon's Bishopric of Roskilde. The destruction of this chief sally-port of the Wendish pirates enabled Absalon to considerably reduce
1247-467: The heart and centre of the spiritual life of the country. There was situated the tomb of St. Olaf, and around the patron of Norway, "Rex perpetuus Norvegiae", the national and ecclesiastical life of the country was centred. The feast of St. Olaf on 29 July was a day or reunion for "all the nations of the Northern seas, Norwegians, Swedes, Goths, Cimbrians , Danes and Slavs", to quote an old chronicler, in
1290-436: The land around the city of Havn (English: "Harbour"), and built there a castle for coastal defense against the Wends. Havn quickly expanded into one of Scandinavia 's most important centers of trade, and eventually evolved into modern-day Copenhagen . It was also Absalon who held the first Danish Synod at Lund in 1167. He was interested in history and culture, and commissioned Saxo Grammaticus to write Gesta Danorum ,
1333-404: The later king Valdemar II . He instead confined himself to the administration of the Danish empire. In 1192, Absalon made his nephew Peder Sunesen [ da ] his successor as Bishop of Roskilde, while his other nephew Anders Sunesen was named the chancellor of Canute VI. Absalon died at Sorø Abbey on 21 March 1201, 73 years old, with his last will granting his personal holdings to
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1376-462: The mass, A and B seem to have most in common. If this can be taken as a further indication that B gives the substance of the rite of Nidaros in the 13th century, then this provides basis from which to determine the most important alterations in the rite of this see in the last 250 years before the Reformation. Absalon Absalon ( c. 1128 – 21 March 1201) was
1419-519: The support of Absalon. Absalon built churches and monasteries, supporting international religious orders like the Cistercians and Augustinians , founding schools and doing his utmost to promote civilization and enlightenment. In 1162, Absalon transformed the Sorø Abbey of his family from Benedictine to Cistercian, granting it lands from his personal holdings. In 1167, Absalon was granted
1462-443: The supreme head of Christendom at Rome. Secular priests, Benedictines , Cistercians , Augustinians , Dominicans and Franciscans worked together for the prosperity of the Church. Archbishops Eilif Kortin (d. 1332), Paul Baardson (d. 1346), and Arne Vade (d. 1349) were zealous churchmen. Provincial councils were held, at which serious efforts were made to eliminate abuses and to encourage Christian education and morality. In 1277,
1505-468: The survey has been an important and primary historical source from the period. This biographical article about a Norwegian religious figure is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Archdiocese of Nidaros The Archdiocese of Nidaros (or Niðaróss ) was the metropolitan see covering Norway in the later Middle Ages . The see was the Nidaros Cathedral , in
1548-715: The throne. In Paris, he was influenced by the Gregorian Reform ideals of churchly independence from monarchical rule. He also befriended the canon William of Æbelholt at the Abbey of St Genevieve , whom he later made abbot of Eskilsø Abbey . Absalon first appears in Saxo Grammaticus 's contemporary chronicle Gesta Danorum at the end of the civil war, in the brokering of the peace agreement between Sweyn III and Valdemar at St. Alban's Priory in Odense . He
1591-494: The whole C may be ascribed to the beginning of the 13th century. Manuscript D: In D everything before the canon is lacking, but in return this part exhibits close relationship to Irish and especially old Roman tradition: the last is undoubtedly because D evidently is influenced by the order of the mass in Micrologus. D is the oldest of the four ordines misse and must be assigned to the 12th century. Of these four orders of
1634-459: Was a guest at the subsequent Roskilde banquet given in 1157 by Sweyn for his rivals Canute V and Valdemar. Both Absalon and Valdemar narrowly escaped assassination by Sweyn on this occasion, and escaped to Jutland , whither Sweyn followed them. Absalon probably did not take part in the following battle of Grathe Heath in 1157, where Sweyn was defeated and slain. This led to Valdemar ascending to
1677-485: Was exiled (1521), and his successor, Olaf Engelbertsen , who had been the instrument of the royal will in the introduction of Lutheranism , had also, as a partisan of Christian II , to fly from Christian III (1537). The reliquaries of St. Olaf and St. Augustine (Eystein) were taken away, sent to Copenhagen and melted. The bones of St. Olaf were buried in the cathedral, and the place forgotten. The Archdiocese of Nidaros headed an ecclesiastical province which included
1720-491: Was granted lands by the crown, and built the first fortification of the city that evolved into modern-day Copenhagen . His titles were passed on to his nephews Anders Sunesen and Peder Sunesen . He died in 1201, and was interred at Sorø Abbey. Absalon was born around 1128 near Sorø , Zealand . Due to his name being unusual in Denmark, it is speculated that he was baptized on the Danish "Absalon" name day , 30 October. He
1763-466: Was succeeded by Eysteinn Erlendsson (Beatus Augustinus, 1158–88), previously royal secretary and treasurer, a man of intellect, strong will, and piety. King Sverre wished to make the Church a tool of the temporal power, and the archbishop was compelled to flee from Norway to England. He was able to return, and a reconciliation took place later between him and the king, but on Eystein's death King Sverre renewed his attacks, and Archbishop Eric had to leave
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1806-517: Was the chief policymaker in Danish politics. Absalon kept his hostile attitude to the Holy Roman Empire. On the accession of Canute VI in 1182, an imperial ambassador arrived at Roskilde to get the new king to swear fealty to Frederick Barbarossa, but Absalon resolutely withstood him. When Absalon retired from military service in 1184 at the age of fifty-seven, he resigned the command of fleets and armies to younger men, like Duke Valdemar,
1849-633: Was the son of Asser Rig , a magnate of the Hvide clan from Fjenneslev on Zealand , and Inger Eriksdotter . He was also a kinsman of Archbishop Eskil of Lund . He grew up at the castle of his father, and was brought up alongside his older brother Esbern Snare and the young prince Valdemar, who later became King Valdemar I of Denmark . During the civil war following the death of Eric III of Denmark in 1146, Absalon travelled abroad to study theology in Paris , while Esbern fought for Valdemar's ascension to
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