HANSdoc Database

15351106LUB00

1535, November 6

Lübeck

Lübeck to Archbishop Olaf of Trondheim and the Norwegian Council of the Realm: the Hanseatic merchants in Bergen have complained that the Norwegians are not properly curing and drying their fish, and that rotscher is dried on the cliffs, which impairs the quality and increases the demand for Icelandic fish, which is to the dismay of the Bergen merchants.

15360217HAM00

1536, February 17

Hamburg

King Christian III of Denmark to the lawman, governor and inhabitants of the Faroes: has heard from Thomas Koppen that skipper Herman Renicken, Hans Loes and Hans Siiderborg have traded on the islands, although only Koppen is allowed to trade there, and that they have claimed that Christian III was not the rightful king. Therefore it is asked to safeguard Koppen's privileges on the islands.

15360218HAM00

Transcript available

1536, February 18

Hamburg

King Christian III of Denmark to Esgy Bille, commander of Bergenhus: asks to support Thomes Koppen from Hamburg, who has been enfeoffed with the Faroes, in collecting the taxes from the islands, and to not hinder him in doing so.

15450000XXX01

1545

King Christian III of Denmark confirms the lease of the Faroes to Thomas Koppen, who will have all incomes of the island, and no one else is allowed to trade there, as was originally decided by King Frederick I.

15450630TIN00

Transcript available

1545, June 30

Þingvellir

Althing decides in the conflict between Hamburg merchants and governor Otte Stigsson, and confirms the rules for foreign traders in Iceland as set out in the Píningsdomur, including that foreign merchants shall not sell fishing boats to Icelanders, are not allowed to stay in winter, and weights shall not be used to calculate the value of fish.

15470104KOL00

Transcript available

1547, January 4

Kolding

King Christian III of Denmark leases Iceland to Copenhagen for ten years for an annual payment of 1000 Lübische mark, on the condition that they appoint their own governour and supply the island with commodities.

15501221KOB00

Transcript available

1550, December 21

Copenhagen

Copenhagen to King Christian III: lenghty answer to Hamburg complaints, in which it is explained how the Hamburg merchants have violated the prohibition of the winter stay in Iceland, acted against the governor, kidnapped and mistreated the bailiff and his secretary, and stole fish which belonged to Copenhagen and the king. Therefore, compensation for the fish is demanded, as well as a punishment of the persons responsible for this.

15530221NYB00

1553, February 21

Nyborg

King Christian III of Denmark to Copenhagen: answer to their request for the trading monopoly over the Faroes after Thomas Koppen has died, in which he states that he has put the command over the islands under Bergenhus again, but that it will be free for Danes and Norwegians to trade there.

15560100XXX00

[1556, January?]

King Christian III of Denmark announces that he has heard that during Thomas Koppen's monopoly of the Faroes, he has allowed to trade foreigners there against Norwegian law, and therefore it is emphasized that it is only allowed to trade with Danes and Norwegians.

15621026BRE00

Transcript available

1562, October 26

[Bremen]

Johan Runge to Bremen: complaint against Segebad Detken, who has used the harbour Baltasound in Shetland, which was used by Runge with permission of the governour of Shetland the previous year, and refused them entry. Being unable to trade in Shetland, Runge then set sail for Bergen in Norway, under great losses, and demands a compensation of 400 daler.