| dc.description.abstract | This thesis aims to investigate whether the secularization of church and monastery goods constituted looting during the period 1537-1558. The Reformation in Norway is commonly portrayed as a looting of churches and monasteries. This study seeks to challenge this established perspective in historical writing. I hypothesize that the portrayal of looting reinforces national narratives and oversimplifies the complexities of the era. Most importantly, this study investigates the validity and appropriateness of this perspective through analysing primary sources and near contemporary historical representations.
In October 1536, Kristian 3. sealed an official charter confiscating the goods, real estate, houses, and farms belonging to the bishops. The resolution of the Reformation also dissolved the Norwegian council, effectively abolishing its independence. The process of secularization commenced swiftly, particularly in northern Norway, where conflicts arose due to the crown’s seizure of power. Research conducted on three source collections revealed that four primary sources documented direct instances of looting in churches and monasteries, all occurring because of the power shift in 1537. However, this evidence does not conclusively prove that the entire secularization process from 1537 to 1558 was characterized by looting. Furthermore, the examination of three near-contemporary historical representations yielded similar findings, apart from accounts describing deterioration of churches and monasteries properties and influence. The lack of primary sources detailing direct looting prompted further analysis, which indicated a far more serious situation than what the looting perspective implies.
According to the source material utilized in this thesis, the process of secularization began over 20 years prior to the Reformation, undermining the looting perspective. Additionally, the struggle against the Catholic hegemony can be interpreted as a significant historical rupture, necessitating the redistribution of former Catholic goods. Instead of framing the secularization process as a looting, I argue that a more appropriate perspective is one of redistribution.
Redistribution was the core of the secularization process, including both economic and political motives directed towards the reconstruction of the state. This perspective clarifies how the crown enabled homogenization, censorship, economic groundwork, local authority, and diminished the church’s power in favour of a more comprehensive secular government. | |
