Patterns of Donations in Denmark, c. 1085-1325 - The Capitulary and Charter Evidence

By far the largest body of sources known from the Danish medieval period are documents about transfers of property, especially land. Most of these records were kept by ecclesiastical institutions in their capitularies to document their right to the often extensive landed property owned by the chapter, monastery or church. Even if some of this land was bought or came into their possession by an exchange of real property, most of it was given to these institutions as a pious donation. From the period 1085–1325, 371 documents recording pious donations are known from Denmark. This article will investigate the motives behind these donations, whether different patterns can be observed in donations given by lay or ecclesiastical persons, and whether gender influenced the donation patterns.