Benkestok
Encyclopedia
The Benkestok family is one of the original noble families of Norway
and one of the few to survive the Middle Ages
. At the height of its power, the family ruled large estates in Bohuslän
(now a part of Sweden
), in Western Norway, in Northern Norway, and in the Faroe Islands
.
. He was mentioned by the Bishop of Oslo, Øystein Aslaksson, in the Church Property Register from the end of the 14th century. Strand is in Forshelle (now Forshälla) parish, 11 km south west of Uddevalla in what used to be the Norwegian county of Båhuslen (Bohuslän). The estate is by the Svanesundet sound (Svanehals, now Havstens fjord, Brunnefjälls kile and Halsefjorden in Swedish) between the mainland and the island of Orust
.
The Benkestok family also lived in Ryfylke
, Norway
, where Talgøy in Sjørnarøyane and Haraldseid at Skjold were the family seats, as well as in Sogn
, where Jordanger was the manor. Later members of the family moved north to Melø Gård in Meløy
, Nordland
, which marked the beginning of the expansion of the family's numerous descendants throughout the northern parts of Norway.
Jon Tordsson Benkestok was the first family member to move to Norway's largest and most important city at the time, Bergen, Norway. In a document from 1435 he was called Jon Þordasson Benkiastok when he served as a Judge of the Peace in Bergen.
Trond Tordsson Benkestok of Talgø was mentioned as he attended the Norwegian Privy Council in 1444. On 4 December he took part in a Privy Council meeting in Copenhagen
, then capital of Denmark–Norway, where a ruling by King Christoffer on the right of Hanseatic merchants in Norway was confirmed. At the meeting, only twelve council members were present; five Lords of the Church and seven Lords of the Realm, of which Trond Benkestok was number six and was described as a knight
. Trond, then in his late 20s, probably represented the Lord of Bohuslän, who was not present at the meeting. In 1472 he was still a knight and was mentioned as a Judge of the Peace at a Trondheim
court session concerning an inheritance.
In July 1532, King Christian II was arrested and imprisoned in Copenhagen. Trond Torleivsson Benkestok
actively supported Johan Kruckow, who wanted Frederik I
on the Danish-Norwegian throne. Trond was later described as a knight
. Claus Bille describes him as the "most respected and wise nobleman north of the mountains". Trond was probably a supporter of Roman Catholicism until the last Catholic archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson
fled Norway in 1537.
Trond's eldest son, Jon Trondson Benkestok
(1530 - circa 1593), was a signatory when King Christian IV was hailed by the Norwegian nobility at Akershus Castle in 1591. He signed the document with the family's signet ring. His daughter was Margreth Jonsdatter Benkestok.
The Benkestok family was married into the families Smør
, Galte and Kane, which were other original Norwegian noble families. The ancestral father was Gaut at Ænes in Hardanger
, born circa 1100. He was a lendmann (baron) and his son Jon Gautsson was a lendmann in the service of Magnus Erlingsson. The Benkestok family is the eighth generation descending from Gaut at Ornes in Sogn
.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and one of the few to survive the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. At the height of its power, the family ruled large estates in Bohuslän
Bohuslän
' is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Götaland on the northernmost part of the country's west coast. It is bordered by Dalsland to the northeast, Västergötland to the southeast, the Skagerrak arm of the North Sea to the west, and the county of Østfold in Norway to the north...
(now a part of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
), in Western Norway, in Northern Norway, and in the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are an island group situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory within the Kingdom of Denmark, along with Denmark proper and Greenland...
.
Origin of the name
The origin of the name Benkestok (Norwegian: tree-trunk seat) has not been established. According to the myth, the family's founding father saved the king of Norway from Swedish soldiers by hiding him in a wooden bench.People
The earliest known person in the family is Tord Benkestok from Strand, BohuslänBohuslän
' is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Götaland on the northernmost part of the country's west coast. It is bordered by Dalsland to the northeast, Västergötland to the southeast, the Skagerrak arm of the North Sea to the west, and the county of Østfold in Norway to the north...
. He was mentioned by the Bishop of Oslo, Øystein Aslaksson, in the Church Property Register from the end of the 14th century. Strand is in Forshelle (now Forshälla) parish, 11 km south west of Uddevalla in what used to be the Norwegian county of Båhuslen (Bohuslän). The estate is by the Svanesundet sound (Svanehals, now Havstens fjord, Brunnefjälls kile and Halsefjorden in Swedish) between the mainland and the island of Orust
Orust
Orust is an island in western Sweden, and Sweden's third largest island. The largest town on Orust is Henån, where approximately 1,800 inhabitants live...
.
The Benkestok family also lived in Ryfylke
Ryfylke
Ryfylke is a traditional district in Norway, located northeast of Stavanger and east of Haugesund. In the east it borders Setesdal and Sirdal.Ryfylke comprises the contemporary municipalities of Sauda, Suldal, Finnøy, Hjelmeland, Forsand, Strand, Kvitsøy and Rennesøy...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, where Talgøy in Sjørnarøyane and Haraldseid at Skjold were the family seats, as well as in Sogn
Sogn
Sogn is a traditional district in Western Norway . It is located in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, surrounding the Sognefjord. Sogn consists of the municipalities of Aurland, Balestrand, Hyllestad, Høyanger, Gulen, Leikanger, Luster, Lærdal, Sogndal, Solund, Vik, and Årdal. The district covers ...
, where Jordanger was the manor. Later members of the family moved north to Melø Gård in Meløy
Meløy
Meløy is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ørnes, while Glomfjord is only slightly smaller. Meløy was separated from the municipality of Rødøy on 1 January 1884.The municipality...
, Nordland
Nordland
is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is...
, which marked the beginning of the expansion of the family's numerous descendants throughout the northern parts of Norway.
Jon Tordsson Benkestok was the first family member to move to Norway's largest and most important city at the time, Bergen, Norway. In a document from 1435 he was called Jon Þordasson Benkiastok when he served as a Judge of the Peace in Bergen.
Trond Tordsson Benkestok of Talgø was mentioned as he attended the Norwegian Privy Council in 1444. On 4 December he took part in a Privy Council meeting in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, then capital of Denmark–Norway, where a ruling by King Christoffer on the right of Hanseatic merchants in Norway was confirmed. At the meeting, only twelve council members were present; five Lords of the Church and seven Lords of the Realm, of which Trond Benkestok was number six and was described as a knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
. Trond, then in his late 20s, probably represented the Lord of Bohuslän, who was not present at the meeting. In 1472 he was still a knight and was mentioned as a Judge of the Peace at a Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
court session concerning an inheritance.
In July 1532, King Christian II was arrested and imprisoned in Copenhagen. Trond Torleivsson Benkestok
Trond Torleivsson Benkestok
Trond Torleivsson Benkestok was a Norwegian knight and lensherre of Bergenhus Fortress.Trond was born around 1495 in Bergen to nobleman Torleiv Trondson Benkestok and Adelus Eriksdotter Kruckow. In 1532, Trond actively supported Johan Kruckow, who wanted Frederik I on the Norwegian throne...
actively supported Johan Kruckow, who wanted Frederik I
Frederick I of Denmark
Frederick I of Denmark and Norway was the King of Denmark and Norway. The name is also spelled Friedrich in German, Frederik in Danish, and Fredrik in Swedish and Norwegian...
on the Danish-Norwegian throne. Trond was later described as a knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
. Claus Bille describes him as the "most respected and wise nobleman north of the mountains". Trond was probably a supporter of Roman Catholicism until the last Catholic archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson
Olav Engelbrektsson
Olav Engelbrektsson was the last Catholic Archbishop of Norway. As well as being a religious leader, Olav was also a political figure;...
fled Norway in 1537.
Trond's eldest son, Jon Trondson Benkestok
Jon Trondson Benkestok
Jon Trondson Benkestok was a Norwegian nobleman and a member of the Benkestok family, one of the original noble families of Norway.-Biography:...
(1530 - circa 1593), was a signatory when King Christian IV was hailed by the Norwegian nobility at Akershus Castle in 1591. He signed the document with the family's signet ring. His daughter was Margreth Jonsdatter Benkestok.
The Benkestok family was married into the families Smør
Smør
Smør, or after the coat of arms, "Leopard's head ", was the name of a Norwegian medieval family of the high nobility. The family was one of the few original noble families of Norway, as it, unlike many other families, did not originate from Denmark or Sweden...
, Galte and Kane, which were other original Norwegian noble families. The ancestral father was Gaut at Ænes in Hardanger
Hardanger
Hardanger is a traditional district in the western part of Norway, dominated by the Hardangerfjord. It consists of the municipalities of Odda, Ullensvang, Eidfjord, Ulvik, Granvin, Kvam and Jondal, and is located inside the county of Hordaland....
, born circa 1100. He was a lendmann (baron) and his son Jon Gautsson was a lendmann in the service of Magnus Erlingsson. The Benkestok family is the eighth generation descending from Gaut at Ornes in Sogn
Sogn
Sogn is a traditional district in Western Norway . It is located in the county of Sogn og Fjordane, surrounding the Sognefjord. Sogn consists of the municipalities of Aurland, Balestrand, Hyllestad, Høyanger, Gulen, Leikanger, Luster, Lærdal, Sogndal, Solund, Vik, and Årdal. The district covers ...
.
Coat of arms
The Benkestok family's coat of arms is divided in two. The first field is a half blue, half silver lily. The second field goes from the right hand corner in blue and silver. The dividing line consists of a girder which is reminiscent of a tree trunk. It is probably an allusion to the family name.Sources
- Brandt, Wilhelmine: Slægten Benkestok (facsimile edition 1997), Damms antikvariat, Oslo ISBN 82-90438-07-9 ib. Sidetall: 332. Original ed.: Christiania 1904.
- Danmarks Adels Aarbog 1887 (Yearbook of the Danish nobility)
- Suhms Samlinger til den Danske Historie, 2. bind, II s. 99. Here is mentioned Hr. Henrich Benkestock.