Livonian and Danish Parchments and Seals 1345-1493 at The New York Public Library
As part of the 125th anniversary celebrations of The New York Public Library’s Slavic and East European collections, we have been actively highlighting their richness and historical significance. Among the many remarkable holdings is a collection of 15 Livonian and Danish parchments, written in Latin and German and dating from 1345 to 1493. These documents originated from the Astor Library, which operated from 1849 to 1895 and was a predecessor of The New York Public Library. Previously known as the Estonian Parchments, they are now preserved in the Manuscripts and Archives Division under call number MssCol 948. To learn more about the assemblage of these documents, refer to a blog post by my colleague, Tal Nadan.
These documents primarily pertain to the administrative and ecclesiastical activities of the Roman Catholic Church in Reval (present-day Tallinn, Estonia). Following the establishment of Danish rule over Reval in 1219, King Valdemar II created the Bishopric in the city in 1240. Until 1374, the see was subordinated to the Archbishop of Lund in Denmark (present-day Sweden). It was subsequently transferred to the Archbishopric of Riga (present-day Latvia) and it ceased to exist in 1560 during the Protestant Reformation.
The documents held by The New York Public Library include official decrees, correspondence, and legal records. While many of the parchments remain unidentified, six are identified and include legal declarations, a land patent issued by King Christian I of Denmark, and an official announcement from Pope Sixtus IV appointing a new Bishop of Reval. Many parchments retain attached seals from signers and witnesses, with an additional loose seal housed separately.
An oversize unidentified manuscript on parchment, with a single wax seal attached at the bottom.
Declaration of Appearance of Wyllym Rynghoff, 1493. This parchment document, with an attached seal, records Wyllym Rynghoff's appearance before Nikolaus Roddendorp, Bishop of Reval (1493–1509), and addresses a dispute over a ship carrying fish roe owned by another party, along with references to related imprisonments.
Declaration of Lidemanus, 1425. This parchment document records a declaration by Lidemanus—likely a misspelling of Tidemannus, the abbot of the Cistercian Order at Padise Abbey from 1423 to 1431. It was issued at "the Monastery of the Fratres Predicatores," referring to the Dominican Order also known as Fratres Predicatores (The Order of Preachers). The Dominican friary, dedicated to St. Catherine, operated in Reval, likely from 1229. Remarkably, the document retains 10 of its original 11 seals, each corresponding to one of the individuals named at the end of the text.
An unidentified manuscript
An unidentified manuscript
Concerning Bishop Godfredus, 1345. The 1345 document, issued by Godfredus, bears the seal of the Roman Catholic Bishopric of Reval. At that time, however, the Bishop of Reval was Olaf (Olav) von Roskilde, who held the position from 1323 to 1350. This period coincided with the Saint George's Night Uprising (1343–1345), a rebellion by the indigenous Estonian population against Danish and German rulers which included heavy fighting and brought instability to the region. The uprising was suppressed primarily by the Livonian Order (Teutonic Knights). Following their victory, the Danish king sold northern Estonia to the Livonian Order. The formal transfer of power occurred on 1 November 1346, though Bishop Olaf von Roskilde remained in office until his death in 1350 serving as the last link to its Danish past. The identity of Godfredus in the 1345 document is intriguing, particularly as historical records do not list a Bishop of Reval by this name. While speculative, it is worth noting two contemporaries with similar names. A 1319 document issued by Hartung (Garttungus), Bishop of Ösel–Wiek in Livonia (1312–1321), references a certain Godefridus as decanus. Possibly the same Godefridus is also mentioned as the decanus of the church in Reval in a 1343 document. Additionally, in 1317, a frater Godefridus appears in records as magister fratrum domus Theutonicae ordinis (Master of the Brothers of the Teutonic Order) and vicecommendator in Kungesberch. Although there is no direct evidence connecting these individuals to the 1345 document, their ecclesiastical positions and proximity to the events warrant further exploration. The potential connection to the Teutonic Order is intriguing. During the Saint George's Night Uprising (1343–1345), the Teutonic Order increased its influence in Livonia. This period marked a significant shift in regional power dynamics. Following the uprising, the Order assumed overarching authority over the Bishopric of Reval and northern Estonia. This transfer of power solidified the Order's dominance in the region, integrating ecclesiastical and military governance under its control.
An unidentified manuscript
An unidentified manuscript
Declaration of Johan Volkenborch, 1441. This document records a declaration by Johan Volkenborch regarding payment for annual rites at St. Catherine's Church in Reval (named after St. Catherine of Alexandria), observed on St. Michael's Day, September 29. St. Michael's Day, traditionally marked by feasting, baking, parades, fairs, and other customs, held significant cultural and religious importance. The document is notable for the inclusion of wax seals belonging to Volkenborch and his witnesses, Peter Kranen and Hans Schureman, underscoring the formal and binding nature of the declaration. This text reflects the intersection of religious observance, community tradition, and legal accountability in medieval Reval.
An unidentified manuscript
An unidentified manuscript
An unidentified manuscript
Land Patent by King Christian I, 1458. This document, issued by King Christian I of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Wends, and the Goths, grants a patent to Danhoff Kalten of Iceland for land and a mill. Signed at the castle in Copenhagen, it bears the Royal Seal of Christian I, the first monarch of the House of Oldenburg. Christian I's election as King of Denmark in 1448, followed by Norway in 1450 and Sweden in 1457, marked the beginning of the House of Oldenburg's prominence. This dynasty ruled Denmark for an unbroken span of 576 years, culminating in the abdication of Queen Margrethe II in 2024. This document reflects the administrative reach of Christian I's reign and the enduring legacy of the Oldenburg dynasty in Scandinavian history.
Letter of Announcement Naming Iwan Stoltevoet as Bishop of Reval, 1475 July 5. This letter from Pope Sixtus IV announces Iwan Stoltevoet, as Bishop of Reval to the people, city, and diocese of Reval. It instructs them to accept and obey the new Bishop, with reference to the official appointment letter which provides more detailed information. Bishop Stoltevoet originated from the middle class of Reval and his reign was brief ending with his death in 1477.
An unidentified manuscript
Bibliography
- Bunge, Friedrich Georg von, compiler. Liv-estund-kurländisches urkundenbuch v.2: 1301-1367 (Reval: Kluge und Ströhm, 1855), documents DCXX, DCLVII, and DCLXVII.
- Gatz, Erwin and Mitwirkung von Clemens, editors. Die Bischöfe des Heiligen Römischen Reiches 1198-1448. Ein biographisches Lexikon (Berlin: Duncker & Humblot, 2001).
- Neitmann, Klaus. “Der Deutsche Orden und die Revaler Bischofserhebungen im 14. und 15. Jahrhundert,” In: Reval. Handel und Wandel vom 13.-20. Jahrhundert, Norbert Angermann and Wilhelm Lenz, editors (Lüneburg: Institut Norddeutsches Kulturwerk, 1997): 43-86.
- Jakobsen, Johnny Grandjean Gøgsig. “Venerunt Fratres Predicatores. Notes on Datings of the First Dominican Convent Foundations in Scandinavia,” Collegium Medievale 24 (2011): 5-22.
- Rebane, P. Peter. “The Danish Bishops of Tallinn, 1260-1346,” Journal of Baltic Studies 5, no. 4 (Winter 1974): 315-328.
- Rydberg, Olof Simon, compiler. Sverges traktater med Främmande magter jamte andra det hörande handlingar, pt. 2:1336-1408 (Stockholm: P.A. Norstedt, 1883): 60, document no. 257.