Saint Olav’s Axe: Norwegian Church Treasures, Diplomacy and Exile during the Early Reformation

Louis Sicking is Aemilius Papinianus Professor of History of International Law at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Lecturer in Premodern History at Leiden University. His research interests include maritime and colonial history and the history of international law and diplomacy before 1800.

• ContentsPrefaceList of Figures and TablesAbbreviationsNotes on ConventionsIntroduction1 The Struggle for the Norwegian Throne, 1523–15361 Introduction2 Unions of Scandinavian Kingdoms3 The Archbishop, the Council of the Realm and the Reformation4 A Castle for the Archbishop: Steinvikholm5 Christian II and the Habsburgs6 The Council of the Realm and the Election of a New King7 A Failed Takeover8 Habsburg Support from the Netherlands9 Conclusion2 The Flight of the Norwegian Archbishop to the Netherlands, 1536–15371 Introduction2 Preparations in the Netherlands3 Wintering in Trondheim4 Preparations in Norway5 Departure for the Netherlands6 Exile in the Netherlands7 The Archbishop’s Entourage8 Conclusion3 The Privateer and the Chancellor1 Introduction2 Christopher Trondsson’s Captures3 Danish Threat: Christopher Trondsson off the Netherlandish Coast4 Gaudo Norweger in Support of Maximilian of Egmond-Buren5 Conclusion4 Traces of Treasures1 Introduction2 Debate about the Treasure3 St Olav and His Shrines4 Treasures to Copenhagen5 In Search of a Sunken Treasure6 The Composition of the Norwegian Church Treasure in Deventer7 Conclusion5 A Diplomatic Battle over St Olav’s Axe, 1537–15481 Introduction2 Deventer: the Main Centre of Trade with Norway in the Netherlands3 The Various Parties Appear on the Scene4 Deventer: Pivot in the Diplomatic Dispute5 Deventer Diplomacy6 Conclusion6 Hunting for Treasures1 Introduction2 Treasure Hunt3 A Treasure of Parchment and PaperConclusionEpilogueAppendix: DocumentsSources and LiteratureIndex