page_title: Skanke (noble family)
section_title: Olav Nilsson Skanke warred with the Hanseatic League
hierarchical_section_title: Skanke (noble family) / Olav Nilsson Skanke warred with the Hanseatic League
context_page_description: Skanke is a Norwegian surname.
context_section_description: Only a few years after becoming the main royal official in Bergen, Olav lost his position due a conflict with the Hanseatic League. The League pressured the Danish king into firing Olav after he had made attempts at reducing their autonomous status in the city. In response to this, Olav carried out a prolonged private war of piracy and raiding against both the League and Sweden, in the end forcing the Danish king into restoring his former position. After returning to Bergen, however, Olav was murdered by the League's men, together with his young son and his brother Peder, as well as the bishop of Bergen and many monks in Munkeliv Abbey which was burned. After these murders the family, led by Olav's widow Elise Eskildsdatter (d. ca. 1492) and her children, continued to fiercely battle the League through piracy until receiving compensation and restoration of status some years later.
caption: Hanseatic vessel
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