Middle ages (A.D. 1050 - 1550)

The periodization of the middle ages in Norway is determined by politico-religious changes. The transition from the Viking period is determined by the christianization, and unification of the nation under one king. The period is over in 1536, when the Reformation was established in Norway and Denmark by royal decree. Neither of these transitions had immediate consequences upon the daily lives of coastal farmers and fishermen. We should rather look upon prehistory and historic periods as a series of minor and major events that have, as yet, led up to today’s way of life.

A New Faith and a New Epoch

One change during the middle ages that probably was noticed by the people of Elgsnes, was the gradual dissolution of the strong ties between the kin and the landscape, that is so prominent in the Iron Age. The ancestral graves were still prominent mounds and cairns around the farm. But those that died now were rown to Trondenes church, by Harstad, and buried in consecrated earth. Old beliefs and knowledge related to the natural surroundings, were gradually erased by new teaching.

In the middle ages Elgsnes was royal property. This means that those that worked the land did not own it, but were tenants of the king. We do not know when the farm became crown property. One theory proposes that it belonged to the chief at Trondenes, and was confiscated as a consequence of the strife between the chief’s kin and the king in the years 1022 - 30, which was part of the train of events that culminated in the fall and canonization of St. Olav.

Whatever the farm’s original ownership, its people had probably paid tribute or tax to the local chief for several generations. Paying the taxes to the king instead hardly made much difference. But if the taxes were not paid, the king could demand that the tenants had to move.

The Farm-mound

Very few objects from the middle ages have been dug up at Elgsnes. This is due to the new burial practices that accompanied Christianity, but also reflects that farm’s houses has been located at the same place up to the present day. Consequently, the houses of the middle ages haven’t been exposed to the plough and thereby brought to light.

Slightly above the present turning point at the end of the road, there is a sloping elevation of the ground. This is the farm-mound of Elgsnes. In its three metres of cultural deposits, untold information upon the middle ages lies hidden. In addition to traces of the houses of the middle ages, there could also be traces of Iron Age occupation.

A farm-mound may be looked upon as a garbage dump. Most of the mass is remains from buildings, household rubbish, and dung. The cluster of farm-houses have been situated in the same area for a long time, each generation making the mound bigger. The farm-mounds are a common feature of the cultural landscape on the farms of southern Troms. They are found on almost all of the old registered farms. The lowest deposits date far back into the Iron Age in many of the mounds that have been investigated other places in Troms and Nordland. These excavations also show that the houses increase and become more specialised in the middle ages. We usually find the main residence, a bakery, cow-shed, barn and other sheds collected around the farm-yard.

Stockfish Trade

Several written sources from this time describe how the communication increased to areas both south, north and east of Hinnøya. Stockfish became an important export to Europe; at first via the medieval town of Vågan, near Kabelvåg; and later via Bergen. Hamlets, or fishing stations, for conducting seasonal fisheries flowered off Lofoten, Vesterålen, and along the coasts of Troms and Finnmark. Nearby Meløyvær and Grøtavær were such small communities, where fishermen stayed in small shacks during the hectic winter season. The men came long distances for the fishing, while their wives ran the farms and fished at home.

There was never a fishing station at Elgsnes, but there was a good landing place for the boats of the time, and the harvest was good and assured. That may have provided a necessary surplus to provide for a boat that was large enough to freight fish to Vågan or Bergen. Perhaps these large boats, called "jekt", set off simultaneously from the Elgsnes, Røkenes, Trondenes and Bjarkøy farms when the fish from the fishing stations was going to be transported southwards.

Representatives of the King and the Church

The seal of Nattulf Nattulfson. Photo: Bernhard Slagstad

The seal of Brynjulf Nattulfson. Photo: The national archives

Various public documents were frequently written during the middle ages, and this provides a new and exciting source of knowledge. Among this information we find peoples names, and descriptions of special places and events.

Nattulf Nattulfsson probably lived at Elgsnes during the 15th century. We know his name from a seal or stamp that was found upon the outskirts of the farm-mound. This seal functioned as a signature for letters and legal documents. Nattulf was a "lagrettemann", which meant that he was one of the judges at trials at the "lagting", the regional court of law. In the law-code of King Magnus Lagabøter (the law-reformer), established approximately 1275, it was determined that there were to be 36 "lagrettemenn" in the court at every "lagting". These men were prominent members of their local community.

A Brynjulf Nattulfsson was in 1420 a co-signée on a letter of complaint to King Erik of Pommerania (who was king of both Denmark, Norway and Sweden.) The letter informs about the great damage done in northern Norway by the Russians and the heathens, and the signées lament that as a consequence of this, they have to be perpetually in readiness for war without any other help than "the poor commons and a few ombudsmen". The similarity of the names and the use of bow and arrow on their seals, let us presume that Brynjulf Nattulfsson was a close relative of Nattulf Nattulfsson.

In the local history book for Trondenes it is proposed that Aslak Engelbrektsson, who was the brother of Norway’s last archbishop and last defender of the Roman Catholic faith in Norway, may have lived at Elgsnes early in the 16th century. He was a "setesvein", that is a steward who took care of the Church’s economic interests in the area. A clerical official could live at Elgsnes, which belonged to the crown, because the archbishop held Trondenes as a

secular fiefdom at this time. The area had consequently only clerical authority. Aslak Engelbrektsson was also a citizen of Trondheim, which gave him the right to practice trade. He must have done well in this, as he was the next largest tax-payer north of Bergen, with almost two and a half pounds of silver in tithes. This affluence was probably due to the fact that there were at this time rich cod fisheries in the adjacent Andfjorden, which was the basis for a profitable stockfish trade.

Trondenes was at this time not only northern Norway’s religious centre, but also economically important. The archbishop paid as much in duties for the fiefdom of Trondenes, as for the whole of the province of Trøndelag. The concentration of the stewards show that the church had significant economic interests in the area. The dean of the chapterhouse at Trondheim, who was the second-ranking cleric after the archbishop, was also the titular parish priest of Trondenes. And the archbishop himself, Olaf Engelbrektsson, came from the area. The local connections of all the rich and powerful must have helped Trondenes have a glorious period, up to the Reformation.