ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 2323
http://www.s-gabriel.org/2323
************************************

15 Jun 2001
From:  (Josh Mittleman)


Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel!

You asked whether <Asbjorn Johansen> is an appropriate name for a late
medieval Norwegian or Danish man, and whether he would have used the arms
"Or, a demi-fleur-de-lis sable".  Here is what we have found.

The name <Asbiorn> appears in late-period Norwegian records from 1225
through 1515 [1].  Danish forms of the name are recorded throughout the
14th, 15th and 16th centuries; the likely Danish spelling would be <Esbern>
in the late 14th and early 15th centuries, <Esbiorn>, <Esborn>,
<Esb{o|}rn>, or <Esbi{o|}rn> in the late 15th century, and <Esbiorn>
c.1500.  Among the other spellings we found is <{AE}sbiorn>, 1407 [7].  The
symbol {o|} represents an <o> with a diagonal slash through it.  Any of
these spellings is a fine choice for your period.  We found no example of
the spelling <Asbjorn> in your period.

Forms of the Latin name <Iohannes> (i.e. <John>) were used in Norway as
early as 1297 [5].  The most common Norwegian spelling of the name <John>
was <Jon>, which we find as early as 1309.  Examples include [2]:

  Ascer Jons sonn (1309)
  Olafr Jons son (1329)
  Olafuer Jons sun (1347)
  Gulli Jonsson (1384)
  Sigurdher Jons son, Katerina Jons dotter (1422)
  Katerina Jons dotter (1454)

The specific spelling <Johan> was less common and came into use later.  We
have found examples in the late 15th and 16th centuries, including
<Margarette Johansdotter> 1477, <Barbra Johans dotter> 1547 [3].  Other
spellings of the names in period Norwegian documents include <Ion> (1397),
<Joan> (1428), and <Jehand> (1525) [4].  

In Danish documents, the patronymic you want appears commonly as
<Jenss:>, <Jonss:>, and <J{o|}nss:> [8].  The abbreviation <Jenss:> probably
stood for <Jensson> in the 14th and 15th century, <Jenssen> in the 16th.
We found a few examples of <-s{o|}n> in 15th century documents, <-zen> and
<-zenn> in 16th century documents [9].

In summary, the most typical Norwegian spelling of your name is therefore
<Asbiorn Jons son>.  <Asbiorn Johans son> is appropriate for the last
century-and-a-half of our period, but would have been an unusual spelling.
For Denmark, we can recommend the form <Esbiorn Jonsson> for the 14th and
15th century, <Esbiorn Jonssen> for the 16th. <{AE}sbiorn Jensson> is also
reasonable for the earlier period.


The demi-fleur-de-lys is a moderately common charge in a collection of
Norwegian arms from the 13th and 14th centuries, and in our experience it
is unique to Scandinavian heraldry.  Examples of the left (dexter) or right
(sinister) demi-fleur-de-lys appear throughout this collection, as a single
charge, paired with another type of charge, conjoined to another
demi-charge, and as one charge in a group of identical or varied charges
[6].  Your design, therefore, is typical of the heraldry of this entire
period and probably for the 15th and 16th centuries as well.  As far as we
can tell, you can register it with the SCA College of Arms [10].


We hope this letter has been useful.  Please write us again if any part of
it has been unclear or if you have other questions.  I was assisted in
researching and writing this letter by Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Hartmann
Rogge, Talan Gwynek, Elsbeth Anne Roth, Lindorm Eriksson, Barak Raz,
Adelaide de Beaumont, Tangwystyl verch Morgant Glasvryn, and Adalia vander
Berg.

For the Academy,


  Arval Benicoeur
  15 Jun 2001


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References

[1] Diplomatarium Norvegicum, Vol. 1, Nrs. 7, 193, 356, 570, 722, 840, 893;
Vol.  2, Nr. 1050; Vol. 3, Nr. 420; and Vol. 4, Nr. 1044  
http://www.dokpro.uio.no/dipl_norv/diplom_field_eng.html

[2] Diplomatarium Norvegicum, Vol. 1, Nrs. 200, 307, 486, 677; Vol. 2
Nr. 98; Vol. 4, Nr. 931.

[3] Diplomatarium Norvegicum, Vol. 4, Nrs. 900, 549, 961; Vol. Nrs. 12,
619.

[4] Diplomatarium Norvegicum, Vol 1., 393; Vol. 3, Nrs. 697, 1098.

[5] Huitfeldt-Kass, Henrik J{o|}rgen, _Norske Sigiller fra Middelalderen_, 8
vols. (Kristiania/Oslo: 1899-1950), Nrs. 4, 5.  The inscriptions on the
seals are Latin, <S' IOH[ANNIS]> and <[S]IGILL'. IOH[ANNIS FILI]I
RA[GNVALDI]>

[6] Huitfeldt-Kass has many examples.  Tinctures are not available, since
the examples are all seals.  Some examples of demi-fleurs at the beginning
of his period (late 13th century to late 14th century) include:

  Nr. 10: A dexter demi-fleur and in sinister <something>. 1299

  Nr. 12: On a chevron between a dexter demi-fleur bendwise sinister,
  a sinister demi-fleur bendwise, and a fleur-de-lys, 7 mullets of 8
  points. 1299

  Nr.27: Dimidiated: Paly mullety; and a fleur-de-lys.  1303

Some at the end of his period are:

  Nr.616: In fess a dexter demi-fleur and a sinister demi-fleur. 1354.

  Nr.634: A bend between a sinister demi-eagle displayed bendwise and a
  dexter demi-fleur bendwise.  1356-1359.

  Nrs. 669, 807, 823, 839: Per pale, a dexter demi-fleur-de-lys and two
  chevronels.  1358, 1366, 1367, 1369

  Nr. 718: A sinister demi-fleur.  1360

  Nrs.734, 756: A dexter demi-fleur and in sinister a mullet of six
  points. both 1361.
  
  Nr.736: Per pale, an axe and a sinister demi-fleur. 1361

  Nr.792: An demi-eagle displayed conjoined to a sinister demi-fleur. 1365

  Nr.842: An increscent and a sinsiter demi-fleur-de-lys in fess. 1369

[7] Knudsen Gunnar, Marius Kristiansen, & Rikard Hornby, _Danmarks Gamle
Personnavne_, Vol. I: Fornavne (Copenhagen: 1936-48), s.n. Esbiorn.
Examples include <Esbern P{ae}terss:> 1407, <Esbernus Buk> 1363, <Esbern
Jud{ae}s:> 1428, <Esbernus Arwids:> 1388, <Esbern> 1391, <{AE}sb{o|}rn
Knuts:> 1397, <Esbern Poveringh> 1398, <Esbi{o|}rn Baad> 1398, <{AE}sbiorn
Dy{ae}gn> 1407, <Esby{o|}rn Gesling> 1413, <Esbern Snefogel> 1420,
<{AE}sb{ae}rn Mickelss:> 1426 = <Esbern Mikels:> 1432, <Esbi{o|}rn Krus{ae}>
1441, <{AE}sb{o|}ren Jwel> 1453, <Esb{o|}rd Jeps:> 1457, <Esper> 1466, <Esborn
Jenss:> 1472, <Esbiorn Krabbe> 1476, <Esb{o|}rn Jenss:> 1476, <Esbiorn Diegn>
1488, <{AE}sb{o|}rn Scriffuere> 1493, <Esben Anderss:> 1505, <Espen
Cristernss:> 1519, <Esbi{o|}rnn Mogens:> 1612.  The symbol {ae} represents an
a-e ligature, i.e. the two letters squashed together to form a single
character.  {o|} represents an <o> with a diagonal slash through it.  A
byname like <Jenss:> is an abbreviation for <Jensson>.  

[8] Knudsen et. al., s.n. Iohannes has many examples of the patronymic,
including <Jeniss:> 1399, <Jens:> 1316, <Jens s:> 1320, <Jonss:> 1326,
<Joss:> 1376, <Jenss:> 1344, <Jons:> 1353, <Yonss:> 1362, <Jo|nss:> 1345,
<Jo|ns:> 1346, <Jens:> 1346, <Joonss:> 1347, <Jo|nss:> 1351, <Jenss:> 1353,
<Jo|nss:> 1354, <Jo|nss:> 1406, <Jo|ness:> 1355, <Jo|nss:> 1356, <Jo|nss:>
1357, <Jo|nesd> 1358, <Jo|nss:> 1360, <Jens:> 1417, <Jonss:> 1439, <Jenss:>
1442, <Jenss:> 1413, <Jenness:> 1407, <Jenss:> 1421, <Jo|nss:> 1404,
<J{ae}nss:> 1405, Hanss:> 1448, <Jenn{ae}ss:> 1415, <Jenss:> 1416,
<Jeness:> 1420, <Jenss:> 1413, <Jenss:> 1417, <Jens:> 1417, <Jens:> 1416,
<Jens kone> 1440, <Jo|ns:> 1418, <Jenss:> 1418, <Jenss:> 1429, <Jenss:>
1423, <Jenss:> 1425, <Jenss:> 1438, <Jenss:> 1439, <Jens:> 1450, <Jenss:>
1450.

[9] Diplomatarium Norvegicum, passim.  We examined a sample of documents
dated 1400 and later and issued from Copenhagen.

[10] Your design resembles the registered badges of Isabeau du Lis Noir "A
fleur-de-lis per pale sable and Or", Arnulf Adler "A fleur-de-lys sable",
and Dante de Blois "Or, on a fleur-de-lys sable, a unicorn's head couped
contourny argent".  None of these is a conflict since there is at least a
difference for splitting the fleur.