Claus Jørgensen Gagge

Familie/Ægtefælle/Partner: Sophie Pors. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Claus blev gift med Margrethe Wortenberg i 1594. Margrethe blev født før 1575; døde i 1654 i 6. vgd. Klinteby, Ibsker Sogn. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

1. Margrethe Clausdatter Gagge blev født før 1620 i 6. vgd. Klinteby, Ibsker Sogn; døde i 1654 i Prgd. Vellensgård, Nyker Sogn.

Notater:

Note(kopieret juli 2019 fra Norman Lee Madsens database)

In 1572 a meeting was held by Bornholm's Parliament (Landsting) to establish who had the right to the status of "Frimand" (Freeman) on Bornholm. Of course, that meeting had a broader purpose: a war in which Lübeck and Denmark had fought side-by-side had ended two years previously, and there was another three years before the Lübeck 50 year claim to Bornholm was to expire; although Lübeck claimed that it had been given a further 50 years. In this predicament it was wise for the King to establish locally situated allies; and Bornholm's influential freemen, who normally would have been snubbed by the King and the true nobility, were now in a position to receive benevolent treatment from the Danish government.

At the "Frimandsmødet" held on September 6, 1572 there were 17 men named as being in attendance:
1. Jacob Iversen, Landsdommer; 2. Mester Peder W(= Peder [Mogensen] Uf); the brothers 3. Peder Hansen; and 4. Bent Hansen; 5. Jørgen Pedersen; 6. Peder (Madsen) Kofoed; 7. Oluf Madsen; 8. Oluf Bagge; 9. Hans Mogensen, as he was away at the king's court he was represented by his father Mogens Hansen; 10. Peder (Hansen) Myre; 11. Jørgen Gagge; 12. Berent Hansen (= Berild Hansen); 13. Laurids Pedersen; 14. Jens (Madsen) Kofoed; 15. Christen (Clausen) Kiøller; 16. Peder Hansen (Uf); and 17. Hans (Madsen) Kofoed. Three advisers to the Danish Parliment (Rigsråder) had been sent to preside over the meeting, namely: Biørn Kaas of Starupgaard, Biørn Andersen of Stenholt, and Jørgen Marsvin of Dybæk. The group expressed heartfelt and solemn words about faithful service to the crown; and it seems they had an inkling of things to come, and therefore begged the King not to let himself be "seduced" by Lübeck's representative Sveder Ketting, "because you might expect that Lübeck only plotted to keep our island under their yoke." This was during the period in which Bornholm was strongly under the influence (and rulership) of the Hanseatic League free-city of Lübeck; the Bornholmers felt greatly put upon by the high taxes, unfair rules, and high-handedness of the Lübeckers. Contrary to the opinion of latter historians they must have convinced the envoys, as on the 9th of September the freemen were granted the right to gather shipwrecks from the beaches, hunt in the woods, as well as given full authority over their servants - a great victory for the freemen.

In his youth Jørgen Gagge is known to have travelled to Germany. He joined the Danish Navy, in which service he stayed until 1589. After his return home he married the highly esteemed, and wealthy, Chief Justice Peder Hansen Uf's daughter Margrethe. At a farm of his in Hasle, on August 9, 1592, he played host to a German diplomat from Saxony, Hr. von Schwerin, who was on his way to Stockholm; who, after many days at sea, preferred to travel by road across Bornholm, before once again setting sail to Skåne.

While residing at Store Almegård the couple donated an artistically exquisite alter-wall tablet to St. Knud's Church in 1596; the tablet is preserved in the Danish National Museum in København. Jørgen Gagge inherited the family-estate of Store Almegård from his parents; he also managed the estate-farm Simlegård, a "proprietairgård" in Klemensker, after his father-in-law's death. In 1601 he had a church-bell cast for Klemensker Church. Through his wife he also became the owner of the freeman's estate-farm Store Myregård (10' Slg. & 2' Vdg.) and Sortegård (3' Slg.), both in Åker parish.

From "Aktstykker til Bornholm Historie" by Hübertz, nr. 249:

1572 6. September Åkirkeby. Om frimændene på Bornholm.

Vi efterskrevne Biørn Kaas til Starupgaard, Biørn Andersen til Stenholt, Jørgen Marsvin til Dybek kiendes och hermed for alle vitterliggjør, at Aar efter Guds byrd 1572 den 6te Dag Septembris, det første vi kom paa Landet Boringholm, da lode vi bestille Landsting, og paa Landstinget gave Kongl. Maysts. befaling og vor bestilling tilkiende, og da vi alting der bestillet havde, toge vi alle de fri Mænd, der vare, ind i Kirken, og der forelagde vi dennem en Dag, de sig [sagde] fri [at være] og frelse at have, at de skulle møde om Løverdagen derefter med deres Brev og Seigl, huormed de kunde bevise sig fri at være. Dets imidlertid talede vi med Svend Ketting, og gav hannem tilkiende, at Kongl. Majst. var kommen udi Forfaring, at der skulle være mange paa Boringholm, som gav sig ud [for] fri at være, som dog ikke findes skulle, og dermed skede Kongl. Majst. forkort, paa hans Majsts. Kongskat og andet, huorfore vi og begierede af forskrevne Sven Ketting, at han ville hos være samme Dag, som vi forskrevne Frimænd, paa Kongl. Majsts. wegne, for os beskeede og havde, hvor han og til det første lovede. Men om morgenen, som Adelen var beskeet at komme tilstede, og forskrevne Sven Ketting havde sagt at ville derhos udi slig handel være tilstede, og forskrevne Sven Ketting haver dasendt os bud med sin tiener Jens Knap, som nu er Landstingsskriver, athan begierer at drage til Slottet, og der opsøge nogle fine breve, og derhos lod berette, at han udi ingen Maader vidste sig noget at have med samme Adels-mænd at giøre, men at den beskeed, derom var, havde han længesiden berettet Mester David udi Lund, og han havde den handel alt sammen opskreven.

Saa er for os kommen, den forskrevne 6. September; disse efterskrevne fri og frelse Mænd, nemlig: Jacob Jversen Landsdommer, Mester Peder W, Peder Hanssen og Bent Hanssen, Brødre, Jørgen Pedersen, Peder Koefoed, Oluf Madssen, Oluf Bagge, Mogens Hanssen på hans Søns Hans Mogenssens Vegne, som tiener til Hove, Peder Myre, Jørgen Bagge [sic, s.b. Gagge], Berent Hanssen, Laurids Pedersen, Jens Koefoed, Christen Kiøller, Peder Hanssen, Hans Koefoed. Hvilke vi da efter Kongl. Maists. befaling haver alvorligen tiltalet, hvortil de have svaret, at de haver dennem ingen frihed ydermere tilholdet, end som de af fader og forældre arvet haver, og haver de dennem ingen ydermere Rettighed tilholdet, end deres Fader og Forældre havde før dennem, og berettede, at de Lybsker tilforn havde Sal. Og Høilovlig Koning Christiern og sligt foregivet, saadan deres Adels Frihed og Rettighed at vilde forvende, da haver Høistbemeldte Kongl. Maist. dennem privilegeret, eftersom Adelen i Danmark havde deres Gods, og vidste dennom udi ingen maade at have forbrudt, men udi denne feide ladet dennem finde at bruge til Skibs, komme selv udi egen Person, og somme giort Folk ud, og enhver ladet sig finde villig efter sin formue, og dermed tilhjelpe at forsvare deres eget Land, saa Gud skee lov at fienderne dennem ingen Skade eller Afbreck giort haver, og dersom der var nogen, der vidste dennem at beskylde, at de ikke var fri og frelse Mænd, da begierede de, at de maatte komme tilstede, da vilde de holde dem food, og derhos begierer af Kongl. Maist. paa det allerunderdanigste, at de maatte beholde den Frihed, som deres Forældre før dennem haft haver, de vilde med Gods og Blod, og hvis de formaaede være Kongl. Majst. Tro tienere, efter deres ringe Formue, ligesom de tildes været haver og pligtig kiendes, og forsee sig også til Kong. Majst., som til deres rette Herre og Konge, hvilken der altid havde fremdraget forige Adel, at Hans Kongl. Majst. udi ingen Maader ville lade sig over dennem forføre af Sven Ketting eller nogen anden; thi de kunde vel tænke, at de Lybsker og deres Befalingsmænd stod efter, at de kunde og bringe dennem under deres Trældom, som de ellers giort haver ved Landet. Det skulle Gud allermægtigste belønne Hans Kongl. Majst., hvilket de altid troligen vil ønske. At saaledes er passeret, det vidner vi med vores Zigneter her undertrykte. Datum Boringholm ut supra 1572 den 6. September.

(The above Langebek transcription is held in the Diplomatarium in the Geheime Archive together with another copy - the original had 3 seals attached to the bottom.)

From the "Urkunden zur Geschichte der Insel Bornholm 1327-1621: 1566 -1621", by Jens Rasmussen Hübertz, Volume 2, page 532:
Nr. 377. 1598 3 Juli. Peder Koefod skal have sit Gods frit. Chr. IV etc. Peder Koefoed har ladet andrage, at han havde ægtet en fri Quinde, og med hende faaet noget Jordegods, og efter hendes Død arvet samme med hans Børn, og siden efter deres Død arvet disse; men hans Hustrues Broder, som er en Riddermands Mand, har gjort Fordring paa samme Gods. Da der imidlertid er giort dem en Contract imellem, at han maa beholde bemeldte Gods, om Kongen vil unde ham det, saa bevilges ham dette "och hand och hands Arffuinger dett saa friit att beholde, som andre derpaa Landet der frie Folch ere", etc. (Langeb. og en anden Affkr. i Diplom. i Geh. Arch. Conf. Skaanske Reg. Nr. 3 fol. 70. a.)

The above mentioned "Hustrues Broder" must be Jørgen Gagge, and thus is described in 1598 as being a "Riddermands Mand" [in modern Danish a "væbner" (squire, a nobleman who has not received a knighthood).

The following is from "De bornholmske væbnerslægter Uf og Splid – noget nyt om deres våbener", by Sigvard Mahler Dam, Heraldisk Tidsskrift, 1982:

In Laurids de Thurah's "Omstændelig og tilforladelig Beskrivelse over Bornholm og Christiansøe" from 1756, on page 70 - he was a Bornholm official, can be found the following: "In the church of this parish (Saint Knud's Church i Knudsker parish) the altar-tablet has been preserved in excellent condition and on it is engraved:

"Anno 1596, da gav Jörgen Gagge og hans Hustrue Mette Peder Hansdatter denne Tavle til St. Knuds Kirke. Begge Givernes Vaabener staaer der ved udhugne."

Translated to english:
"The year 1596, Jörgen Gagge and his wife Mette Peder Hansen's daughter donated this tablet to St. Knud's Church. Both donor's arms have been engraved into the tablet."

This led me to believe I hopefully would find some coloured arms. Jørgen Gagge's wife being a member of the Sparre-Uf family.

The name of Jørgen Gagges wife was really Margrethe and she was the daughter of Peder Hansen (Uf). She and her sister(?) Merete (married in 1606 to Hans Grabow, owner of Simlegård from 1609 through 1625, of Pederstrup (on Lolland)) were the two last members of the Sparre-Uf's. Note that the year the altar-tablet was given to the church: 1596, is the year Peder Hansen (Uf) died.

Peder Hansen (Uf)'s arms seem to have brought some confusion for researchers, because it appears that Jørgen Gagge and his wife Margrethe put up yet another memorial to honour Peder Hansen (Uf) and Mette Hansdatter. In 1601 they had cast a new large church-bell (which later disappeared) for Klemensker Church. Thurah quotes that the engraving reads:

"Anno 1601 Lod Claus Kames denne Klokke støbe til St. Clemmens Kirke paa Bornholm, efter Velbyrdige Hr. Jörgen Gages og Hr. Lars Nielsens i den Tiid Sogne-Herres Befalning, af Rheinholt Benning i Lübeck".

(Translated to English:)
"In 1601 Claus Kames cast this bell for St. Clemen's Church of Bornholm after the request of the Well-Born Mr. Jörgen Gage and Mr. Lars Nielsen.. .)

Jørgen Gagge (the younger) is of the Bornholm-branch of that family; Gagge III in "Danske Adelsvåbener". In the year-book from 1893 you find their family-tree, but it's wrong in several instances. At the time this is written, I just now found the following in P.N. Skovgaard's "Beskrivelse over Bornholm", København, 1804, page 315:

"Paa Altertavlen læses: 'Ao. 1596 da gaf Jörgen Gage oc hans hustru Merete Peder Hans datter denne altertafle til st. Knudskirke, vort haab til Gud alene'. Derved ere begge Giveres Vaabner udhgne." (Gagges Vaaben er et Gavlspænde, et halvt Kaggehjul o.s.v. Hendes Vaaben: et Gavlsspænde omvendt, i rødprikket Feldt.)

Translated to english:
"On the altar-tablet you'll read: "In 1596 Jørgen Gagge and his wife Merete Peder Hansen's daughter gave this altar-tablet to St. Knud's Church, our Hope in God only." Both of their arms are carved into the tablet." (Gagge's arms shows a chevron and a half millwheel. Her arms: an upside down chevron, on a red-dotted background.)

If the red-dotted background is on both of their emblems is difficult toascertain.

Note: The fact that Margrethe is referred to as "Merete Peder Hansdatter" on the tablet commemorating her father's death in 1596, and that 1606 - the year that "Merete" married Hans Grabow - is the same year as the death of Jørgen Gagge leads me to believe that Margrethe and Merete are in fact be the same person, and not sisters. Furthermore, Sigvard Mahler Dam states that Merete Pedersdatter had 4 children, all of whom died before her, and thus all her property went to her husband and step-son! I find it interesting that Jørgen Gagge and Margrethe had 4 sons: Claus, Peder, Hans and Sivert! - Norman Lee Madsen, September 1,2003.

Mention of a document dated November 15, 1654 extracted from the probate for Hans Olufsen Kofoed, November 16, 1694, page 18:
Anno 1694 dend 16 November, med paa folgende dato er efter loulig giorde tillysning inden Herritsting, og Langsting, holden registering, og vurdering, sampt schifte, og deeling efter Erlig, og Mandhaste nu sal. Corporal Hans Koefoed Ollufsen som boede, og døde paa dend 50 Jordejendomgaard kaldis Ladegaarden beliggende udi Clemmedsker Sogn. . . Én forfetning som sal. Zigvart Gagge til Myrregaard, Mads Koefoed Madsen til Eskesgaard, Suend Ollsen paa Baggegaard, Berrild Hansen paa Bieregaarden hafuer giort, og paa Hart Korn bereg med, og sat berørte 15 Worned og dens landgielde, som er skeed den 8 November 1654, som er af følgende indhold. Wi efterskrivene Zigvart Gagge til Myrregaard uid Aachier Sogn, Mads Koefoed Madsen til Eskisgaarden i Pederskier Sogn, Suend Oelsen paa Baggegaarden i Clemmedskier Sogn, og Berreld Hansen paa Bieregaarden udi Aaekier Sogn, kiendes, og giør vitterligt, at efter som vi erre opmelt indnu Vester Herrits Ting, at ville vurdering taxsere en vornedegaard udi formelte Herrit som sal. Olluf Koefoed til Blyekobbegaard i Nøcher Sogn til førde og Laurids Lassen udi boede. . . .

This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Jørgen blev gift med Margrethe Pedersdatter cirka 1570. Margrethe (datter af Peder Hansen Uf og Mette Hansdatter) blev født cirka 1555 i Simblegård, Klemensker Sogn; døde i 1624 i Simblegård, Klemensker Sogn. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 15.25667 (Sommer)
• Beskæftigelse: fra 1551 til 1562; Jurisdiktionsfoged på Bornholm

Notater:

Jurisdiktionsfoged 1551
1555 26. sgd. Store Almegård i Knudsker
Lehnsgård i Østerlars.
Kure (Stoe Almegård 0g 26. sgd. Stæl, Knudsker Sogn)
Henning Gagge fra Spidlegård i Aaker (som var ejer af Spidlegårdsgodset) giftede sig med datteren på gården Elsebeth Clausdatter Kames, som havde arvet Store Almegård, da faderen døde. Deres søn Jørgen Gagge arvede Store Almegård, da faderen døde i 1562. Se i øvrigt (BS) rk. 1, bind 21, side 23, M. K. Zarthmanns optegnelser over Almegård i Knudsker sogn.

Note (Overført juli 2019 fra Norman Lee Madsens database)

The Reformation had penetrated the Scandinavian countries in the early 1500s; the introduction of Protestantism was supported by merchants and peasants, and by devout priests who had become followers of Martin Luther. King Frederik I (reigned 1523-1533), who became quite religious in his later years, strongly promoted the establishment of the Lutheran Church. He allowed the leading Danish religious reformer, Hans Tavsen, to preach in the church at Viborg and ordered many Catholic churches in the region destroyed, despite violent protests. It was King Christian III (reigned 1534-1559), son of Frederik I, who established the state Lutheran Church in Denmark. With the support of the Rigsrad – his advising council of lay members - the king ordered all Roman Catholic property turned over to the crown, and declared the Lutheran Church the national church of Denmark with the king as its head.

First occasion that Henning Gagge is named with good authority is as the king's "domsmand" (juror) in Nyborg on December 2, 1550. Henning Gagge was an courtier at the Royal Court in København when King Christian III, on July 21, 1551, proclaimed him as manager and bailiff over all the property on Bornholm formerly owned by the Roman Catholic Church; this included the responsibility of looking after the poor, and all the hospitals on Bornholm.

Henning Gagge was a "Hofsinde" (Courtier) at King Christian III's court in København until 1551. In that same year, on the 21st of July, Henning was commissioned as the "Jurisdiktionsfoged" (Chief Bailiff) representing the crown as the manager all the property on Bornholm formerly owned by the Roman Catholic Church. Simultaneously the King Christian III also bestowed upon Henning Gagge the St. Jørgen Hospital-estate, with its 15 attached "skattegårde" (tax-property farms) to manage for the crown; this included the responsibility of looking after the poor. The King also gave to him Spidlegård (also spelled: Spillegård or Spitalsgård) in Åker parish for his personal use. This was quite a coup for Henning Gagge, for although he was of the Danish minor nobility he not in line for either a title or inheritance: he was not a wealthy man and needed such employment.

In the letter, dated St. Marie Magdalene Evening (July 21) 1551, the king commanded all his peasants and servants, those not under the authority of Hammershus (controlled by the Lübeck regime), to answer to Henning Gagge. He was to dwell at Spidlegård and thereafter support the many poor "som rennthenn ther tilligger tole kanndt"; he shall hold the hospital's property - its authority and the workers which lie thereunder, follow good law and discretion, and not trouble them with new duties ornew oppressions; he shall protect the island's forests and prevent those not privileged to do so from cutting them; and finally he shall account for the (king's) tenth-portion of the jurisdiction, consisting of his share of: butter, grain, money, and from any second portion thereof he shall send half to the king and even himself enjoy the other half.

Henning's brother, Peder Gagge, inherited their father's farm: Lensgård in Østerlars. The same year (1551) that the King installed Henning Gagge as bailiff he also proclaimed Peder Gagge as Co-Justice (Meddommer), together with Hans Berildsen, for Bornholm's governing body (the "Landsting", an institution which no longer exists). The king made this move in response to the Lübeck authorities appointing their own man, Hans Reymer the mayor of Rønne, as Bornholm's chief justice (landsdommer). As the King's faithful men, the two brothers built up strong legal defenses against Hanseatic League city of Lübeck; which had gained "temporary" legal control of Bornholm for 50 years, starting in 1525, as a result of Christian III's father Frederik I's inability to pay debts he owed to that city. They had the right to levy taxes upon the inhabitants, this they did unmercifully - i.e. in 1555 Lübeck was forced to return 4,000 units of silver it had obtained through over-taxation. The Bornholmers are recorded to have groaned under the Hansa's rule, and declared "they would rather be under the Turks, than under the German, Christian, imperial free-city."

Henning and Elsebeth must have been married quite soon after Henning's return to the island, as their son Jørgen Gagge shows up as a young "væbner" (squire) at the "frimandsmødet" (freeman meeting) of September 6, 1572, and so he must have been at least 20 years old, thus born circa 1552 (if we assume that Henning was first married after his return to Bornholm in 1551).

Both Henning and Peder Gagge were active fighters in support of their fellow free-men, and peasants, on Bornholm in their struggle for lower tax-payments to the Lübeck council. With King Christian III as their ally, the two brothers made considerable gains protecting the legal rights of the inhabitants, and in maintaining the right of ownership the danish crown had on Bornholm, during their dealings with the learned scholar in Roman Law and Lübeck representative: Herman Boitin, commander of Hammershus fortress. In fact Peder Gagge's behaviour was so aggressive that Commander Boitin complained to the Lübeck council that Peder Gagge wished to decide all matters his own way, and further more insited the people to disobey and riot against Lübeck and its representatives on Bornholm.

During a meeting of the High-Court in København in the summer of 1553, a farmer named Hans Hintse of Rø parish presented a document, written and signed by Co-Justices Peder Gagge and Hans Berildsen, to the effect that he was granted ownership to a particular farm in question. This was approved by the court, even though Commander Boitin and Chief Justice Reymer had condemned Gagge's treatment of the case as highly improper and defiant. Spokesmen for Lübeck's council laid a complaint about Peder Gagge during a meeting with King Christian III in Kolding in October of 1553. Apparently the King must have put a stop to Peder Gagge's monopoly of decision-making, as not much was later heard from him in council-matters - even though he carried on as co-justice until his death in 1559.

On September 10, 1555 he placed his seal on a document which describes him as being "til Almegordt" (of [Store] Almegård in Knudsker parish). Henning Gagge was instrumental in organizing an important meeting at Maglegård in Østermarie parish, between the Danish and Lübeck councils, wherein complaints were settled and strict rules on future taxation were hammered out. Henning Gagge had married Elsebeth Kames, the sister of Claus Kames - a burgher in Rønne. Of Henning's wife not much is known other than that on the 15th of July 1562 the widow "Elline" received an order to report the accounts for the last two years takings, which her deceased husband had not yet remaindered.

J.A. Jørgensen named Henning Gagge's wife as "Elline" (see: "Væbner, adelog frimænd", pages 28 and 29). While Bornholm historian and genealogist Dr. M.K. Zahrtmann gives her name as either Elline or Elsebet, they were married before 1552. One of her brother's descendants is the Mayor (Borgmester) and Militia Captain (Borgerkaptajn) Claus Kames. In 1555 the couple moved to Store Almegård, a proprietairgård (later combinedwith 26 Slg.) in Knudsker parish. Their son Jørgen Gagge later inherited Store Almegård. It was there that Henning Gagge passed away in 1562, and where "Elsebeth" died in 1578. Elsebeth Kames was buried, together with her husband, in front of the alter of the church in Rønne. Even up until "Amtmand" (Prefect) Johan Christian Urne's time, in 1756, their gravestone could still be seen in the church, it read: "1562 29 Jun. Døde S. Henning Gagge. 1578 23 Oct. Døde S. Elsebet Kams"; later there was added: "Denne sten oc sted hører Henning Bon oc Clawes Bon og begge deres arvinger. A. 1622."

In "Borringholmerens Historiebog" M.K. Zahrtmann states the following on page 134:
Henning Gagge var efter Grevefejden den første kongeligt satte Øvrighedsmand med Bopæl paa Landeet selv og tog mangen Dyst med den lybske Høvidsmand paa Hammershus. Han ægtede inden 1555 Elsebet Clausdatter Kames af den kendte Raadmandsslægt i Rønne og fik med hende flere Gaarde; Ægteparret bosatte sig paa den største af disse, Almegaard i Knudsker, hvor han døde 29 Juni 1562 og hun 23 Okt. 1578.

On September 7, 1575, Frederik II (the son of Christian III) informed Lübeck, "that the fifty years' possession, accorded to them by his grandfather, would have expired on the 19th of the month, and he intended to retake possession of the island." The city replied that the "Peace of Hamburg" extended their rights of possession which they held for unpaid Danish debts. Frederik replied the treaty was invalid since his father, who had made it, was not crowned at the time, and he himself had not been consulted in the matter. Complain as they might the Lübeck'ers had neither the power nor the ability to stop the take over.

Peder Gagge's son, also named Peder Gagge, inherited his father's farm: Lensgård in Østerlars. Peder (Pedersen) Gagge is reputed to have been a very brutal man, who had killed a number of people, both on Bornholm and in other locations, for which he was finally seized and installed in Hammershus. The island's vassal, Falcon Giøe, asked the four councilors of the realm, who governed the kingdom during King Christian IV's minority, what he should do with Peder Gagge, who after all was a freeman; whether he should be jailed or sent to Draxholm, where one of the councillors lived. The answer Giøe received was that it was not recommended to jail him, since Peder Gagge was a freeman, but only to hold him in custody in Hammershus until judgment was passed upon him. The judgement handed down in 1590 was that Peder Gagge was to lose his neck.

(Sources: Dansk Adelsårbog, volume XX, page 147; for his coat of arms (våbenskjold) see "Heraldisk tidsskrift", nr. 43, 1981.)

The following according to Sigvard Mahler Dam, 2013:
Laurids de Thurah published a description of Bornholm and Christiansø in 1756, and the author of many of the details was "Amtmand" (Prefect) Urne[= Johan Christian Urne (1705-1787), Prefect for Bornholm from 1740]. He received a copy of the book in which he made corrections and additions to the text - this copy can be found in manuscript collection in the Royal Library, New Royal colletion 726b-4o. In this book, Henning Gagge and Elsebeth's tombstone was drawn in a rough sketch, in which can be seen Henning Gagge's coat-of-arms, and next to it is Elsebeth's, and which is basically a mirror image of his own - which must mean that his wife's family did not have had a coat-of-arms. Incidentally, there are no sources mentioning that the couple died at Store Almegård (Zahrtmannagain!). So it is strange that they were buried in Rønne Church. If Elsebeth was a from a wealthy burgher family in Rønne, then it's probably more likely that she had brought her husband a merchant's house in Rønne as dowry, rather than Store Almegård, and the couple have probably lived there. This farm was probably passed down to their daughter of unknown name, who married Herman Bohn, whose sons also inherited the Gagge's burial site in Rønne church. After Henning Gagge's death the king sent are quest to his widow on July 15, 1562, to finalize the financial statements for the Royal property Spidlegård, his widow is named here as "Elline" or Ellen. However, on her headstone her name is Elsebeth, so this can easily be a mistake which occurred in the chancellery.

This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Henning blev gift med Elisabeth Elline Clausdatter Kames i 1552. Elisabeth (datter af Claus Kames) blev født i 1518/1530 i Rønne; døde den 23 okt. 1578 i Prgd. Store Almegård, Knudsker Sogn. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 15.25668 (Sommer)
• Alias: Elsebeth Clausdatter Kames

Notater:

måske datter af
26.sgd. Store Almegård, Knudsker

En af hendes brors efterkommere er borgmester og borgerkaptajn Claus
Kames. Han er en af byens 5 rådmænd under opstanden i 1658. Spiller her
en væsentlig rolle. Bliver hovedsmand på Hammershus efter opstanden.
Eline ligger sammen med sin mand begravet foran alteret i Rønne Kirke.
J. A. Jørgensen kalder hende Eline, se Væbner, adel og frimænd side 28 og
29. Zahrtmann siger Elisabeth. 1/134 og 202. Hun medbringer flere
gårde, herunder St. Almegård i Rønne, som de flytter til.

This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto,
Ontario, copyright 1990-2002.

Koefoed/Norman har forskellige fødselsår og fornavne

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Alias: Peder Hansen
• Beskæftigelse: fra 1574 til 1588; Landsdommer

Notater:

Kure (prgd. Simblegård + 53. sgd. Klemensker)

Peder Hansen Uf overtog gården efter sin broder Oluf Hansen Uf. Han blev udnævnt til Landsdommer på Bornholm den 28.03.1574. Han var Landsdommer 1574-1588. Ejede sammen med sin hustru omkring 50 gårde på Bornholm. (Se Bornholmske Samlinger 1. rk. bind 11, side 111 og bind 16, side 137) Peder Hansen Uf medbragte ca. 25 gårde og Mette Hansdatter Myhre ligledes ca. 25 gårde i ægteskabet. De er dem, der har ejet flest gårde på Bornholm.

Note(kopieret juli 2019 fra Norman Lee Madsens database)

In 1572 a meeting was held by Bornholm's Parliament to establish who had the right to the status of "Frimand" (Freeman) on Bornholm. Of course, that meeting had a broader purpose: a war in which Lübeck and Denmark had fought side-by-side had ended two years previously, and there was another three years before the Lübeck 50 year claim to Bornholm was to expire; although Lübeck claimed that it had been given a further 50 years. In this predicament it was wise for the King to establish locally situated allies; and Bornholm's influential freemen, who normally would have been snubbed by the King and the true nobility, were now in a position to receive benevolent treatment from the Danish government.

At the "Frimandsmødet" held on September 6, 1572 there were 17 men named as being in attendance: 1. Jacob Iversen, Landsdommer; 2. Mester Peder W(= Peder [Mogensen] Uf); the brothers 3. Peder Hansen; and 4. Bent Hansen; 5. Jørgen Pedersen; 6. Peder (Madsen) Kofoed; 7. Oluf Madsen; 8. Oluf Bagge; 9. Hans Mogensen, as he was away at the king's court he was represented by his father Mogens Hansen; 10. Peder (Hansen) Myre; 11. Jørgen Gagge; 12. Berent Hansen (= Berild Hansen); 13. Laurids Pedersen; 14. Jens (Madsen) Kofoed; 15. Christen (Clausen) Kiøller; 16. Peder Hansen (Uf); and 17. Hans (Madsen) Kofoed. Three advisers to the Danish Parliment (Rigsråder) had been sent to preside over the meeting, namely: Biørn Kaas of Starupgaard, Biørn Andersen of Stenholt, and Jørgen Marsvin of Dybæk. The group expressed heartfelt and solemn words about faithful service to the crown; and it seems they had an inkling of things to come, and therefore begged the King not to let himself be "seduced" by Lübeck's representative Sveder Ketting, "because you might expect that Lübeck only plotted to keep our island under their yoke." This was during the period in which Bornholm was strongly under the influence (and rulership) of the Hanseatic League free-city of Lübeck; the Bornholmers felt greatly put upon by the high taxes, unfair rules, and high-handedness of the Lübeckers. Contrary to the opinion of latter historians they must have convinced the envoys, as on the 9th of September the freemen were granted the right to gather shipwrecks from the beaches, hunt in the woods, as well as given full authority over their servants - a great victory for the freemen.

A document dated March 28, 1574 tells us that Peder Hansen (Uf) was the Chief Justice (Landsdommer) for Bornholm. A Freeman (Frimand), he was the owner of Simlegård, an estate-farm (frigård) in Klemensker parish; which he took over after his brother's death. He also owned Fuglsangsgård (later known as: Gaggegård, still later as: I Klinteby), 6'Vdg. in Ibsker - which was later passed down to his daughter's son Claus Gagge.

On August 30, 1577 Peder Hansen (Uf) was endowed with thirteen farms that were under ecclesiastical jurisdiction, namely: six farms in Østermarie, one farm in Ibsker, two farms in Vestermarie, three farms in Klemensker, and one farm in Rutsker parish. A letter of declaration (dated April 27, 1580) confirmed that he had property-rights equal to that other freemen on Bornholm. A drawing in Heraldry Periodical, nr. 43, 1981 edition, shows that his arms displayed a chevron (gavlsparre).

From the Hammershus Regnskaber, 1580-1617:
Hendrick Brahes Regenschaff aff Hammershus paa Borringholm fran Philippi Jacobj dag 1585 thill Philippi Jacobj dag âo. 1586. . . . Inndtegttpennge før sagefaldt: . . . Anndamit aff Per Esbørnssen y Vester Mk. sognn, før hand offuirfald Hendrich Brahe och landzdommeren med erørigeord inden landzthing - 2 Daller.

The above entry translated to English:
Henrik Brahe's financial accounting for Hammershus on Bornholm from May1, 1585 until May 1, 1586. . . . Accounts Receivable for transgressions: . . . Received from Peder Espersen of Vestermarie parish, because he attacked Hendrich Brahe and the chief justice [= Peder Hansen] with abusive words during the county council meeting - 2 Rigsdaler.

From "Aktstykker til Bornholm Historie" by Jens Rasmussen Hübertz, nr. 249:

1572 6. September Åkirkeby. Om frimændene på Bornholm.

Vi efterskrevne Biørn Kaas til Starupgaard, Biørn Andersen til Stenholt, Jørgen Marsvin til Dybek kiendes och hermed for alle vitterliggjør, at Aar efter Guds byrd 1572 den 6te Dag Septembris, det første vi kom paa Landet Boringholm, da lode vi bestille Landsting, og paa Landstinget gave Kongl. Maysts. befaling og vor bestilling tilkiende, og da vi alting der bestillet havde, toge vi alle de fri Mænd, der vare, ind i Kirken, og der forelagde vi dennem en Dag, de sig [sagde] fri [at være] og frelse at have, at de skulle møde om Løverdagen derefter med deres Brev og Seigl, huormed de kunde bevise sig fri at være. Dets imidlertid talede vi med Svend Ketting, og gav hannem tilkiende, at Kongl. Majst. var kommen udi Forfaring, at der skulle være mange paa Boringholm, som gav sig ud [for] fri at være, som dog ikke findes skulle, og dermed skede Kongl. Majst. forkort, paa hans Majsts. Kongskat og andet, huorfore vi og begierede afforskrevne Sven Ketting, at han ville hos være samme Dag, som vi forskrevne Frimænd, paa Kongl. Majsts. wegne, for os beskeede og havde, hvor han og til det første lovede. Men om morgenen, som Adelen var beskeet at komme tilstede, og forskrevne Sven Ketting havde sagt at ville derhos udi slig handel være tilstede, og forskrevne Sven Ketting haver da sendt os bud med sin tiener Jens Knap, som nu er Landstingsskriver, at han begierer at drage til Slottet, og der opsøge nogle fine breve, og derhos lod berette, at han udi ingen Maader vidste sig noget at have med samme Adels-mænd at giøre, men at den beskeed, derom var, havde han længe siden berettet Mester David udi Lund, og han havde den handel alt sammen opskreven.

Saa er for os kommen, den forskrevne 6. September; disse efterskrevne fri og frelse Mænd, nemlig: Jacob Jversen Landsdommer, Mester Peder W, Peder Hanssen og Bent Hanssen, Brødre, Jørgen Pedersen, Peder Koefoed, Oluf Madssen, Oluf Bagge, Mogens Hanssen på hans Søns Hans Mogenssens Vegne, som tiener til Hove, Peder Myre, Jørgen Bagge [sic, s.b. Gagge], Berent Hanssen, Laurids Pedersen, Jens Koefoed, Christen Kiøller, Peder Hanssen, Hans Koefoed. Hvilke vi da efter Kongl. Maists. befaling haver alvorligen tiltalet, hvortil de have svaret, at de haver dennem ingen frihed ydermere tilholdet, end som de af fader og forældre arvet haver, og haver de dennem ingen ydermere Rettighed tilholdet, end deres Fader og Forældre havde før dennem, og berettede, at de Lybsker tilforn havde Sal. Og Høilovlig Koning Christiern og sligt foregivet, saadan deres Adels Frihed og Rettighed at vilde forvende, da haver Høistbemeldte Kongl. Maist. dennem privilegeret, eftersom Adelen i Danmark havde deres Gods, og vidste dennom udi ingen maade at have forbrudt, men udi denne feide ladet dennem finde at bruge til Skibs, komme selv udi egen Person, og somme giort Folk ud, og enhver ladet sig finde villig efter sin formue, og dermed tilhjelpe at forsvare deres eget Land, saa Gud skee lov at fienderne dennem ingen Skade eller Afbreck giort haver, og dersom der var nogen, der vidste dennem at beskylde, at de ikke var fri og frelse Mænd, da begierede de, at de maatte komme tilstede, da vilde de holde dem food, og derhos begierer af Kongl. Maist. paa det allerunderdanigste, at de maatte beholde den Frihed, som deres Forældre før dennem haft haver, de vilde med Gods og Blod, og hvis de formaaede være Kongl. Majst. Tro tienere, efter deres ringe Formue, ligesom de tildes været haver og pligtig kiendes, og forsee sig også til Kong. Majst., som til deres rette Herre og Konge, hvilken der altid havde fremdraget forige Adel, at Hans Kongl. Majst. udi ingen Maader ville lade sig over dennem forføre af Sven Ketting eller nogen anden; thi de kunde vel tænke, at de Lybsker og deres Befalingsmænd stod efter, at de kunde og bringe dennem under deres Trældom, som de ellers giort haver ved Landet. Det skulle Gud allermægtigste belønne Hans Kongl. Majst., hvilket de altid troligen vil ønske. At saaledes er passeret, det vidner vi med vores Zigneter herunder trykte. Datum Boringholm ut supra 1572 den 6. September.

(The above Langebek transcription is held in the Diplomatarium in the Geheime Archive together with another copy - the original had 3 seal sattached to the bottom.)

Simlegård, in Klemensker parish, is classified as a "friegård", later called a "proprietair" farm, which is the highest of the three farm classifications:

1) Proprietairgård (Propr.): a freehold estate (thus also called a Frigård), which could only be owned by a freeman (frimand) or a member ofthe nobility (adelsmand).

2) Selvejergård (Slg.): meaning a freehold farm owned independently, free of obligations to an estate owner - it could be occupied by its owner or leased to a peasant farmer (bonde). A peasant who owned this type of farm was known as a "selvejerbonde".

3) Vornedegård (Vdg.), two types: a) the first type was part of an estate (i.e. connected to a proprietairgård), the peasants who lived on them were tenants and were obliged to provide labor, known as the "Herlighedsright" (Glory-right), to the owner of the estate; b) the other type was referred to as a "Fri Vornedegård", this type of farm was not connected to an estate and was free of the labor obligation - could be owned by a freeman and leased to a peasant. A peasant who lived on this class of farms was known as a "fæstebonde" (copyhold peasant).

A map drawn in 1851 shows 17 estate-farms classified as Proprietair: 3 in each of Åker, Ibsker and Nyker parishes; 2 each in Østermarie and Klemensker; and 1 each in Pedersker, Bodilsker, Østerlars, and Olsker. There were hundreds of farms comprising the other two classifications. The typical farm is arranged in a joined U shape, with the farmhouse, barn, pig-stall, and utility-shed all built around a cobble-stone courtyard.

This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Peder blev gift med Mette Hansdatter cirka 1554 i Bornholm. Mette (datter af Hans Pedersen Myhre og NN Poulsdatter) blev født cirka 1530 i 47. sgd. Bjergegård, Vestermarie Sogn; døde efter 1555 i Bornholm. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Notater:

There are several bits of circumstantial, and contradictory, pieces of
evidence concerning Mette Hansdatter's parentage:

1) Mette Hansdatter owned (inherited?) Fuglsangsgård (later known as
Gaggegård, still later as: I Klinteby), 6' Vdg. in Ibsker - which she
later passed down to her daughter's son Claus Gagge. For several
generations previously Fuglsangsgård had been a Myre-family farm. First
known to have been owned by Truid Myre (died circa 1489). The farm was
inherited by his son Peder Myre, who evidently left it to his son Hans
Pedersen Myre. Mette also owned Pæregård, 3' Vdg. (Nylars or
Østerlars?), which she probably brought into her marriage Peder Hansen Uf
as a dowry, as the farm thereafter became part of Simblegård's
estate-lands. Store Myregård in Åker parish, which had previously been
owned by Peder Hansen Myre (died 1572). Based on this, it is thought
that Mette is the daughter of Hans Pedersen Myre.

2) According to an article called "De bornholmske væbnerslægter Uf og
Splid - noget nyt om deres våbener", written by Sigvard Mahler Dam, Peder
Hansen Uf and his wife Mette Hansdatter donated a pew to Saint Clement's
Church. The text read: "Clement's Church: door to pew, carved oak framed
with smooth fir planks - showing helmeted coats-of-arms with vesselhorn
and the following markings: a shield with an upside down "gavlsparre"
(chevron) design, and the other shield sporting a "halv Hummerklo" (half
lobster claw). . ."

And further, it appears that Jørgen Gagge and his wife Margrethe/Merete
had a memorial made to honour her parents Peder Hansen Uf and Mette
Hansdatter. In 1601 they had cast a large church-bell (which later
disappeared) for Klemensker Church. Bornholm historian Laurids Thurah
states (circa 1756?) that the large bell displayed two coats-of-arms: one
with a "Sparre" (chevron), the other with a "Giedde Kieft" (pike's
jawbone). The Uf-family coat-of-arms displayed a chevron. This would
seem to indicate that Mette Hansdatter's father's coat-of-arms displayed
a pike's cheekbone (a "Geddekæft" or "Giedde Kieft", alternately referred
to as a "halv Hummerklo"). Yet, the Myre-family coat-of-arms displays 3
ants (3 myrer)!

3) Sigvard Mahler Dam seems to have (ultimately) concluded that Mette
Hansdatter is the daughter Hans Pedersen of Bjergegård in Åker parish,
with the "Geddekæft" (aka "Hummerklo") coat-of-arms. I am assuming that
as the three sons of Hans Pedersen Myre (died 1518?), of Fuglsangsgård in
Ibsker, all died childless, the inheritance rights to the Myre family
farms went to more distant relatives. That the reason Mette inherited
the Myre-family farms is and that Mette was a relative (niece, cousin?)
of Hans Pedersen Myre. Possibly Mette's grandmother, n.n. Myre, was the
daughter of Peder Myre of Fuglsangsgård?

Conclusion: The fact that Mette Hansdatter's daughter Margrethe/Merete
Pedersdatter (Uf) inherited Myre-family farms places a great deal of
weight in favour of Mette being a relative of Hans Pedersen Myre (died
1518) of Fuglsangsgård. The assurtion that the coat--of-arms on the
Klemensker pew-door and church-bell were dedicated to the parents of
Peder Hansen Uf and his wife Mette Hansdatter points to Mette being the
daughter of Hans Pedersen of Bjergegård in Åker parish. - Norman Lee
Madsen, October 28, 2000.

This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto,
Ontario, copyright 1990-2002.

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 15.51333 (Sommer)

Notater:

våbenskjold i Heraldisk tidsskrift nr.43 1981
1522 Lehnsgård i Østerlars
Kongens Jurisdiktfoged på Bornholm

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 16.53937 (Garde)

Notater:

Occupation: Councilman (Rådmand) for
Reference: HA/BO note
A shipping-agent Claus Kames (also spelled Kamitz) moved to Bornholm


from
Scotland, where Kames was a fishing-villiage on the Clyde River in
the Greenoch region. Records show he was a Councilman in Rønne in
1584. Probably owned St. Almegård, 26' Slg. in Knudsker parish. He
must have been a man of wealth and position in order for his daughter


Elsebeth to have married the nobleman Henning Gagge.

1558 Skibsreder i Rønne
Skibsreder, tilflyttet Bornholm fra Skotland, hvor Kames er en
fiskerby ved Clyde ud for Greenoch. Synes at have ejet Almegård.

Note (Kopieret juli 2019 fra Norman Lee Madsens database)

Nothing is known about the father of the siblings Claus and Elsebeth Kames, however, he must have been a man of wealth and position in order for his daughter Elsebeth to have married the Freeman Henning Gagge, however it is not known whether or not his family were of the minor nobility. It is speculated that he was a "Borger" (burgher) in Rønne, however he can not be found mentioned in any of the records naming the burghers of Rønne in the early-1500s. Possibly Claus Kames arrived on Bornholm circa 1545, along with (or followed soon after by) his sister Elsebeth, with the arrangement of her marriage (c.1551) to Henning Gagge?

In "Det Gamle Rønne" (1920) and "Rønne By og Borgere" (page 38, pub. 1927) Dr. M.K. Zahrtmann speculates that the Kames family (aka Kamiz, Kams, Kamb, Camp, Kam) origins are in Scotland, where Kames was a fishing-villiage on the Clyde River in the Greenoch region.

From "Det Gamle Rønne" by M.K. Zahrtmann, Bornholmske Samlinger, vol. I, book 13 (1920):
En anden Rønneslægt, som igjennem Hundred Aar nævntes blandt Byens første, var Slægten Kames eller, som Bornholmerne udtalte Navnet, Kam. Det var dem fremmed; Slægten var rimeligvis indvandret fra Skotland. Elsebet Kames blev omkring Aar 1552 gift med den bornholmske Adelsmand Henning Gagge, Kongens Jurisdiktfoged paa Bornholm; Ægteparret ejede Almegaard i Knudsker Sogn, et Par Kilometre Nordøst for Rønne; her døde han 29. Juni 1562 og hun 23 Oktober 1578. Hun var, efter Tiden at dømme, Søster til eller Datter af den ældste Claus Kames i Rønne, hvis Hustru Margrete døde 10 Maj 1593. Denne havde, siger Sagnet, i en Dyrtid sat et stort Forraad Brød til Bagning i sin Ovn, da en Stodder tiggede om Brød ved hendes Dør; hun afviste ham med de Ord: "Jeg ejer selv ikke Brød i Huset." Da hun senere skulde tage sine Brød ud af Ovnen, fandt hun sit Ord gjort til Sandhed, idet alle Brødene var forvandlede til Sten. De bornholmske Stenbrød tilhøre ikke Sagnriget; Greve Christian Rantzov, som 1661 kom til Landet for at tage Bornholmerne i Ed til deres nye Arvekonge Frederik den Tredje, førte et af dem med sig over til Kongen, og Magistraten i Rønne udstedte sit Vidnesbyrd, forsynet med Stadens Segl, om at det virkeligt var blevet til paa den skildrede Maade. Endnu Hundred Aar senere saas dette vidunderlige Stenbrød paa det kongelige Kunstkammer i København. En yngre Claus Kames sad 1648 som Raadmand i, Rønne sammen med sin Søn Claus Clausen Kames, der var Byens Borgermester 1658 og 1661 og greb virksomt og kraftigt ind i Opstanden mod Svenskevældet 1658, da Landets samlede Stænder 9 December valgte ham til midlertidig Landshøvding i den dræbte Printzenskölds Sted. Efter sin Slægtning Sivert Gagges Død 30, Juli 1661 tog han ud at styre Myregaard i Aaker Sogn for hans Enke; efter hendes Død flyttede han i Slutningen af Aaret 1667 til Baasegaard i Nylarsker, hvor han døde omkring Aaret 1676. I Rønne hørtes senere kun lidet til Slægten Kames.

However, Sigvard Mahler Dam points out that as the name can also be found spelled Kamitz, a similiar argument could be made that the family was originally from Saxony, as there was an estate called Kamitz (a district in the municipality of Arzberg in Northern Saxony) that belonged to Dobrilugk (aka Doberlug) monastery in the town "Cosmatitz" (aka Kosmatitz). In 1510 Kamitz belonged to Johann von Toyse, of a family that were members of the knights in Torgau. In Sweden in the 1600s there was a George (Göran) Mattsson Camitz born circa 1623 in Silesia and who died in 1687 in Sweden.

Notably closer to Bornholm, there is a place called Camitz in the municipality of Semlow in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern - possibly this is the origin of the Kami[t]z/Kames/Kamb/Cam/Kam family? - Norman Lee Madsen, March 6, 2014.

This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto,Ontario, Canada.

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Beskæftigelse: Proprietær
• Ane-nr.: Ane 14.13475+826 (Garde)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 15.17939 (Sommer)

Notater:

Note(kopieret juli 2019 fra Norman Lee Madsens database)

Hans Olufsen (Uf) was a secretary in the king's chancellery from 1592 until 1597, and later the "Lensmand" (Feudal Lord) at Vardøhus (in Vardø parish, Finnmark county, Norway) in 1599. Hans Olufsen was the owner of Gyldensgård, 17' Vdg. Østermarie; which he later sold to his father's brother Peder Hansen (Uf) of Simlegård in Klemensker parish. Hans Olufsen died in 1601, the last male member of the so called "Sparre-Uf" branch of the family. The seal (arms and helmet) he used in 1599 is identical to that used by Oluf Ottesen (Uf) in 1522.

* * *

Hans Olsen was appointed the district governor for Finnmark in 1597. Christen Skredder was brought before the court at Vardøhus Castle in 1601. He was as a wealthy man who owned 80 daler, he also owned a turfhut, a boathouse and som outbuildings at Østersanden, as well as threedrying racks for fish and some sticks for building drying racks. He was accused of practising witchcraft together with the Sami Morten Olsen, of casting a fatal spell on District Governor Hans Olsen in May 1601. He was convicted of the practice of witchcraft. His estated devolved to the King, and was to be brought to Vardøhus Castle. Sentenced to death by fire at the stake.

Note: the following article incorrectly identify Hans Olufsen (Uf) as being a member of the Kofoed-family.

From the article "Exporting the Devil across the North Sea: John Cunningham and the Finnmark Witch-Hunt", by Liv Helene Willumsen, p. 52, in "Scottish Witches and Witch-Hunters" edited by Julian Goodare (Reader in History, University of Edinburgh), 2013:

The next district governor of Finnmark, therefore, was a good seafarer, a man who could take quick decisions and deal with unexpected problems, and a loyal servant. In addition, he was a person who was trusted to deal with the witches of the north - a problem of which the king had become aware during his visit to the northernmost parts of his kingdom, Finnmark and Kola, in 1599. The ethnic conditions in the very north of King Christian's kingdom were distinctive, with Norwegian and Sami populations living side by side. Sami males had a reputation for sorcery all over Europe at the time, being particularly well versed in selling wind to seafarers. The new century made the king even more concerned about the danger of sorcery. The sudden death in 1601 of the governor of Finnmark, Hans Olsen Kofoed, was blamed on Sami sorcery, and the result was the first two witchcraft trials in Finnmark of Christen the Tailor and the Sami Morten Olsen. No wonder that Christian IV in 1609 wrote to the next district governor, Claus Gagge, warning him to beware of witchcraft, especially Sami sorcery, and to show no mercy in such cases.

From "Images, Representations and the Self-Perception of Magic among the Sami Shamans of Arctic Norway, 1592-1692", chapter 14, by Rune Blix Hagenin "Contesting Orthodoxy in Medieval and Early Modern Europe: Heresy, Magic and Witchraft", editors Louise Nyholm Kallestrup and Raisa Maria Toivo, 2017:

As we have seen, the Danes knew of the strong rumours concerning Sami sorcery, as did many others throughout early modern Europe. Even though numerous witches had been put to death at the stake throughout Norway and Denmark, at the end of the sixteenth century no one had yet instigated asimilar policy of persecution directed at the Sami for their particular skills. But not too many years would elapse before King Christian IV turned into a monarch agitated by demons and eager to pursue and hunt down all kinds of sorcery - including Sami sorcery. As a collective group, the Sami posed a threat to the territorial expansion of Denmark-Norway, its state building and its endeavours to spread civilization and Christianity in the far North.

Since Christian IV turned the northern regions into his first major foreign adventure, he made sure that an efficient and energetic commanding officer was stationed at Vardøhus. The Dane Hans Olsen Koefoed was endowed with Vardøhus Fortress, and the county of Finnmark, in June 1597. The man travelled across great expanses of land in northern Norway in the winter of 1597/98 and the supsequent winter to investigate Swedish taxation of the Sami. Conscientiously, he presented his findings to the king. It is likely that Koefoed's report on the Swedish drive towards the coast of north Norway was what convinced Christian IV himself to sail northwards. . . ."

This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 15.17949 (Sommer)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 15.26729 (Garde)

Notater:

Note(kopieret juli 2019 fra Norman Lee Madsens database)

Sigvard Mahler Dam's theory on the family connections of what he has named "The Bjergegaard Family" is based largely on a reinterpretation of the so called "Hummerklo" arms. According to Sigvard the "Hummerklo" is actually a "Geddekæft" (pike's jawbone), a symbol of speed - as knights used to fasten a pike's jawbone into the nostrils (næsebor) of their horses, making them run fast and wild.

Jørgen Gagge and his wife Margrethe/Merete Pedersdatter had a memorial made in 1601 to honour her parents: Peder Hansen (Uf) and "Mette Hans Pedersens Datter". This was in the from of a large church bell for Klemensker Church, which later disappeared - probably melted down for its metal. Laurids de Thurah reports (in "Omstændelig og tilforladelig Beskrivelse over Bornholm og Christiansøe", 1756 - he was an official on Bornholm) that the bell displayed two arms: one with a "Gavlsparre" (chevron), the other with what he called a "Giedde Kieften". The Uf-family arms displayed a chevron. This would seem to indicate that Mette Hansdatter's father Hans Pedersen's arms displayed a "Geddekæft" (pike's jawbone)!

Another instance of the "Geddekæft" can be found in Julius Bidstrup's book on the "Familien Koefoed - B", in which he writes that by the altar of the now demolished Østermarie Church there was a gravestone with three copper plates (which no longer exist) for Peder Kofoed (died 1616) and his two wives. The first with the initials "P.K.", for Peder Kofoed, which depicted his arms, the hoof or "foot" of a cow ("foden af en kue" or "et koben"). The second plate is engraved "E.H.G.D." for: Elsebeth Henning Gagge's Daughter; her arms depicts a half mill-wheel (halv kaggehjul) and a chevron (sparre). The third is engraved "I.P.H.D." for: Inger Peder Hansen's Daughter; her arms depicts what he stated looked like a "kindben" (cheek-bone). This tells us that Inger can not be either the daughter of Peder Hansen (Myre) of Fuglesangsgård, 6' Vdg. Ibsker parish (whose arms depicts 3 ants), or the daughter of Peder Hansen (Uf) of Simlegård in Klemensker parish (whose arms displays a chevron). Sigvard Mahler Dam believes that this so called "Kindben" is identical to the "Geddekæft" (pike's jawbone) arms of "Mette Hans Pedersens Datter".

Mette Hansdatter's husband Peder Hansen Uf (died 1596) owned a number of the Myre-family farms, including Fuglsangsgård (later known as Gaggegård, still later as: I Klinteby), 6' Vdg. in Ibsker. For several generations Fuglsangsgård had been a Myre-family farm; first known to have been owned by Truid Myre (died circa 1489). It has been assumed that Mette Hansdatter inherited the family farms of two brothers from the Bornholmer Myre-family (Peder and Truid), which would seem to point to Mette being a close relative. As a result some have concluded that she is their sister, and thus daughter of Hans Pedersen Myre of Fuglsangsgård, 6' Vdg. Ibsker. However, as has been stated above the Myre-family arms depicted 3 ants.

Dr. M.K. Zarthmann, in the 1930s, wrote: "Jørgen Gagge gave a beautifulmemorial in honour of his parents-in-law Peder Hansen Uf and MetteHansdatter, because in 1601 he had cast a large church bell, embossedwith the Uf-family's chevron-emblem and the Myre-family's crawling ant."Zarthmann made the change from Thurah's "Giedde Kieften" to that of one(1) crawling ant! Possibly because he was believed that Mette Hansdatterwas the daughter of Hans Pedersen Myre?

According to Sigvard Mahler Dam's article "De bornholmske væbnerslægterUf og Splid - noget nyt om deres våbener" (published in HeraldiskTidsskrift, 1982), Peder Hansen Uf and his wife Mette Hansdatter donateda pew to Saint Clement's Church. In a journal, a description of thedonation reads "Clement's Church: door to pew, carved oak framed withsmooth fir planks - showing helmeted arms with vesselhorn and thefollowing markings: a shield with an upside down "Gavlsparre" (chevron)design, and the other shield sporting a "halv Hummerklo" (half lobsterclaw), Chief Justice Peder Hansen Uf and wife Margrethe Hansdatter. Thedoor was painted green, the arms and the door frame painted red andwhite. Height 84 centimeters, length 56 centimeters. . ."

Zarthmann never did see the bell for himself, so we must look to Thurah'smuch earlier, and impartial, account of the (no longer existing) bell,and conclude that the set of arms on the pew door, described as a "halvHummerklo" (which can be seen on the pew door to this very day), isidentical to Thurah's "Giedde Kieften" on the Klemensker bell.

In "Landsdommer-Patriciatet på Bornholm", part 2 (published in SAXO,1988), Sigvard states that Hans Pedersen (-1537-1543-) of Bjergegård, 9'Vdg. Vestermarie, is the brother of Laurids Pedersen (died circa 1550?),who was chief justice (Landsdommer) of Bornholm between 1537 and 1545.

At the "Frimandsmødet" held on September 6, 1572 there were 17 men namedas being in attendance: 1. Jacob Iversen, Landsdommer; 2. Mester Peder W(= Peder [Mogensen] Uf); the brothers 3. Peder Hansen; and 4. BentHansen; 5. Jørgen Pedersen; 6. Peder (Madsen) Kofoed; 7. Oluf Madsen; 8.Oluf Bagge; 9. Hans Mogensen, as he was away at the king's court he wasrepresented by his father Mogens Hansen; 10. Peder (Hansen) Myre; 11.Jørgen Gagge; 12. Berent Hansen (= Berild Hansen); 13. Laurids Pedersen;14. Jens (Madsen) Kofoed; 15. Christen (Clausen) Kiøller; 16. PederHansen (Uf); and 17. Hans (Madsen) Kofoed. Three advisers to the DanishParliment (Rigsråder) had been sent to preside over the meeting, namely:Biørn Kaas of Starupgaard, Biørn Andersen of Stenholt, and Jørgen Marsvinof Dybæk. The group expressed heartfelt and solemn words about faithfulservice to the crown; and it seems they had an inkling of things to come,and therefore begged the King not to let himself be "seduced" by Lübeck'srepresentative Sveder Ketting, "because you might expect that Lübeck onlyplotted to keep our island under their yoke." This was during the periodin which Bornholm was strongly under the influence (and rulership) of theHanseatic League free-city of Lübeck; the Bornholmers felt greatly putupon by the high taxes, unfair rules, and high-handedness of theLübeckers. Contrary to the opinion of latter historians they must haveconvinced the envoys, as on the 9th of September the freemen were grantedthe right to gather shipwrecks from the beaches, hunt in the woods, aswell as given full authority over their servants - a great victory forthe freemen.

In Sigvard's article "Over hals og hoved" (SAXO, 1991) he mentions thatthe wife of Truid Myre (died 1574), of Myregård i Olsker parish, is saidto have had a arms (våben) that looked like a half-bow with severalspikes (en halvbue med nogle spidser), also with a helmet withvesselhorns; this is could very easily be a description of the pike'sjawbone (lobster claw) arms.

Sigvard makes the conclusion that Inger's father Peder Hansen isidentical to the Peder Hansen (-1565-1581-) of Vellensgård, Nykerparish. He states that Peder Hansen of Vellensgård is the brother ofBendt Hansen (-1565-1572-), of Eskesgård in Pedersker parish, who alsomay have owned a farm at Kysten in Ibsker parish. Bendt is recorded ashaving taken possession of a shipwreck off Ibsker's coast, somethingallowed for a nobleman, but the king only recognized him as a freeman,and thus was summoned on November 26, 1565 to appear before the"Herredagen" (High Court) in København. This also lead to the conclusionthat Mette Hansdatter is the sister of Bendt Hansen and Peder Hansen.And that they are the children of a Hans Pedersen who had a "Geddekæft"arms. (Again, this has led some to come to the conclusion that they areall the children of Hans Pedersen Myre of Fuglsangsgård, 6' Vdg. Ibsker.However, again, Hans Pedersen Myre's arms depicted 3 black ants.) Itmust also be noted here that the gravestone of Truid Hansen Myre's wifein Olsker display's the "Geddekæft" image; so she is likely the sister ofLaurids Pedersen and Hans Pedersen, and as such was the aunt of MetteHansdatter! Yet another close family connection for Peder Hansen Uf andMette Hansdatter to the Myre-family!

The following has been extracted from a translation of the article"Landet Borringholm: Bornholmsk-skånske slægtskredse", by Sigvard MahlerDam, published in SAXO, 1986: ". . . the case was put before the"Landsting" (provincial congress) in Åkirkeby on May 22, 1522. Thedetails were discussed, witnesses were heard, and finally a document wasdrawn up and sealed by the most important officials on Bornholm: 1) theCommander of Hammershus, Niels Ibsen; 2) Jørgen Hals' step-brother ChiefJustice Oluf Ottesen (Uf); 3) Jørgen Gagge, who had been made a freeman20 years previously and was an illegitimate born member of theGagge-family of Skåne; 4) Hans Borgeby of Bjerregård; 5) Anders Kos inIbsker parish (of Kåsegård); 6) and the immigrant from Lübeck, PederKofoed, 7) and Morten Lassen, both mayors in Rønne; 8) Lauritz Jul froman old an distinguished family and a bailiff in Østermarie parish; 9)Hans Pedersen from the same parish, who later married Jørgen Hals'sdaughter; 10) and finally the document was signed by the bailiff for Åkerparish, Peder Munck."

(Note: Sigvard seems to have either changed his mind, or miss statedhimself, regarding the above Hans Pedersen (nr. 9) of Østermarie parish -his later writing show that he believes Hans Pedersen to be the same manwho later married the daughter of Anne Hals - the sister of Jørgen Hals -and Poul Olsen of Bjergegård.)

So based on the writtings of Sigvard Mahler Dam, we have a number ofpeople who would seem to be connected to the "Geddekæft" arms in themid-1500s: 1) Peder Kofoed's wife "Inger Peder Hansens Datter"(-1585-1600-); 2) Jørgen Pedersen (died 1588) of Vellensgård in Nykerparish; 3) Laurids Pedersen (-1572-1581-), of Eskesgård in Pederskerparish; 4) Peder Hansen Uf's wife "Mette Hans Pedersens Datter"(-1554?-1574?-); 5) Peder Hansen (-1572-1581-) of Vellensgård in Nykerparish; 6) Bendt Hansen (-1572-), of Eskesgård in Pedersker parish; 7)Chief Justice Laurids Pedersen (-1537-1550-); and 8) Hans Pedersen(-1522?-1537-) of Bjergegård, 9' Vdg. Vestermarie; 9) the wife of TruidHansen Myre (died 1574) of Store Myregård, 5' Vdg. Olsker.

Little is known about Hans Pedersen's parents. Like Hans Pedersen, andbrother Laurids Pedersen, their father Peder probably had the "Geddekæft"arms, and would not have been a member of the Myre-family. An additionalfamily connection could have come through the wife of Truid Hansen Myre -the couple died childless; the couple's gravestone in the Olsker Churchshows the 3 ants of the Myre arms, and the geddekæft/hummerklo arms ofthe Bjergegaard-family. Sigvard speculates that she is the daughter ofHans Pedersen (-1537-1543-) of Bjergegård, 9' Vdg. Vestermarie. Thisprovides us with an opening to speculate on the reason for MetteHansdatter and Peder Hansen Uf obtaining the Myre-family's farms:possibly Mette's father's mother is the daughter of Hans (Pedersen) Myre(mentioned in 1518, dead by 1531) of Fuglsangsgård? And as a result sheand her husband were in line to inherit the farms?

So, in conclusion, the evidence that Inger Pedersdatter, Jørgen Pedersen,and Laurids Pedersen are the children of Peder Hansen of Vellensgård, andthat Peder Hansen, Mette Hansdatter, and Bendt Hansen are the children ofHans Pedersen of Bjergegård - brother of Chief Justice Laurids Pedersen,is very circumstantial - but it is the best theory I have seen so far!Sigvard Mahler Dam refers to this family as the "Bjergegaard-Family",because of their association with the farm of that name: Bjergegård (akaBjerregaard), 9' Vdg. Vestermarie parish.

- Norman Lee Madsen, April 5, 2003.

Extracted from the artictle "Landsdommer-Patriciatet på Bornholm", part2, by Sigvard Mahler Dam, published in SAXO, 1988:
There was need for a new chief justice (in 1537) after two previousunfortunate experiences (which the Lübeckers had with Jens Hansen Myreand Mogens Uf), it can be expect thtat the Lübeckers got a legaljugdement compeling the Danish king to make a particular appoint. In anycase there is good reason to interpret that the choosen mand was on goodterms with Lübeck. Now begins politics as his family's legacy!Lübeckers supported his family on Bornholm; the king supported his exiledopponents on Herredagen (the court of appeal to the king). The chiefjustice had one brother, Hans Pedersen, whose wife's mother (to whom hewas guardian), Anne, disputed over Myregård in Åker parish with theexiled Per Andersen.

Madam Anne's second husband, Hans Borreby, had bequeathed her Myregård,although they had no children together it was legal according to SkåneLaw so long as the gift not more than half share of the total estate.Madam Anne got the Lübeck bailiff to throw Per Andersen off the farm.Per Andersen was surely no paragon of virtue during their feud in 1535,as he was an exile (along with Mogens Uf) by 1537 - taking refuge inKøbenhavn, and he cited Madam Anne to the Herredagen (his wife was HansBorreby's sister), and there he was awarded Myregård via Jyske(Jutlander) Law! And it was hardly by chance. . . .

The antagonism between the crown and Lübeck was also expressed throughthe property that accompanies the high court position. The property,which previously had enriched the magistrate before the reformation ofthe archbishopric in Lund, now belonged under the king's ecclesiasticaljurisdiction. The crown's property lay under Hammershus, and so was nowunder Lübeck's jurisdiction. It goes without saying that the moreproperty the king's own bailiff was able to prove did not belonged to thecrown (administered under Hammershus), but rather to the ecclesiasticaljurisdiction (which was the king's personal property on the island!),well all the better!!! Lübeck had endowed the chief justice with anuncertain number of farms, 3 of them the king's bailiff had deprive tohim under the reasoning that they belonged under ecclesiasticaljurisdiction, even though the farms had for 18 years had beenadministered by Hammershus, which were the farms the chief justiceadministered to profit from their rent.

On the 13th of June 1543 petitioned Laurids Pedersen's brother HansPedersen be endowed with one of the 3 farms, and here again is referenceto the uncertainty as to where the appeal should be heard. The chiefjustice had in the winter of 1542-43 complained to Lübeck about thelossed income from the three missing farms, which King Christian III'sman Stig Pors had confiscated because they had previously been underecclesiastical jurisdiction (and thus now belonged to the crown), andinquired about the above endowments, now wrote to the councilmen inLübeck in reference to the bailiff, who had okayed the endowment of afarm to the magistrate, provided he promised to lend an ear to thebailiff's advice and employed him! Open bribery. Considering the factthat none of Hans Pedersen's three children later held Bjergegård itseems likely that one the farms confiscated by the crown was Bjergegård;this is bolstered by the fact that the farm is known to have been ownedby the crown in 1606.

The last occasion we encounter Laurids Pedersen with surety, is on the10th of June 1545 where he in one apparent tolerably Lübeck-disposedsociety was signatory to a woman's confession after "pinligt forhør"(torture, literally: painful test), as to how she had tried to poison theLübeck bailiff, Blasius a Wickede, at the request of the bailiff's ownwife. The second of undersigner was the succeeding chief justice - alsoa friend to Lübeck - Hans Reimer, then the mayor of Rønne.

Laurids Pedersen was without doubt childless. His brother Hans Pedersenhad a daughter, Mette (Hansdatter), who later married a future chiefjustice (Peder Hansen Uf), and also a great-grandchild, Karen(Jørgensdatter), who likewise would marry a future chief justice (MadsHansen Kofoed). Neither of his sons (Peder and Bendt Hansen) were laterable to attain a high court seat, although one was involved in a jointjudgement: on 13th of September 1583 chief justice Peder Hansen (Uf) and3 freemen, including Bendt Hansen, addressed the citizens (borgere) ofNexø concerning the matter of salvage money.

About the family before Laurids and Hans Pedersen nothing is known. Itis interesting however that the family-arms are the same as the extinctfamily Split: on a red field a white half lobster claw, on the helmet twowhite vesselhorns (i rødt feldt en hvid halv hummerklo, på hjelmen tohvide vesselhorn). The arms are known for the above mentioned MetteHansdatter and her husband, Peder Hansen (Uf), on a still preserved pewseat hung in Klemensker church. Also known is the report of a gravestonein Østermarie, for Peder Kofoed and his two wives, Elsebeth Gagge andInger Peder Hansens Datter. Inger was the niece of Madam Mette, and thereport describes "et våben nærmest som et kindben" (an arms adjacent witha cheekbone); note: if the lobster claw image is turned point up it lookssimilar to the lower jaw from a skull. An interesting example ofcombination family-arms on the island displays a Kofoed chevron"straddled across" one such lobster claw with point up.

Lastly, an interesting possible tracing concerns the family's many latergenerations of residence at Eskegård in Pedersker, which may be placed incontext regarding "Væbner" (arms carrier) Hans Bentsen of said farm,mention in 1429 by chief justice Peter Bosen.

From the Landbohistorisk Selskab website (Adkomstregistering for theyears 1513 through 1550), for the year 1537:

1537-461: Anne bonde i Myregård, enke efter Hans Borigbøg; Ellen (Eline)bonde, gift med Peder Andersen på Bornholm, senere i Myregård, søster tilafdøde Hans Borigbøg i Myregård; Hans Borigbøg bonde, døde, i Myregård,gift med Anne; Peder Andersen bonde på Bornholm, senere i "Myregård",gift med Elline, søster til afdøde Hans Borigbøg ibid; Bornholm ø;Myregård Bornholm, sikkert Sønder hered, mon Pedersker sogn(?), eventueltÅker eller Povlsker sogn.

1537-462: Anne bonde i Myregård, enke efter Hans Borigbøg; Bernt Knop,lybsk foged på Bornholm; Hans Borigbøg bonde, døde, i Myregård, gift medAnne; Henning Thomesen, tinghører i Bornholms Sønder herred, mon = kongChristian II's foged på Hammershus(?); Jens Hansen bonde [???],landsdommer på Bornholm; Bornholm ø; Bornholms Sønder herred; MyregårdBornholm, sikkert Sønder herred, mon Pedersker sogn(?), eventuelt Åkereller Povlsker sogn.

1537-463 ; Anne bonde i Myregård, enke efter Hans Borigbøg; Hans Borigbøgbonde, døde, i Myregård, gift med Anne; Myregård Bornholm, sikkert Sønderherred, mon Pedersker sogn(?), eventuelt Åker eller Povlsker sogn.

This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

***

The following has been extracted from a translation of the article
"Landet Borringholm: Bornholmsk-skånske slægtskredse", by Sigvard Mahler
Dam, published in SAXO, 1986:

. . . . the case was put before the "Landsting" (Senate) in Åkirkeby on
May 22, 1522. The details were discussed, witnesses were heard, and
finally a document was drawn up and sealed by the most important
officials on Bornholm: 1) the Commander of Hammershus, Niels Ibsen; 2)
Jørgen Hals' step-brother Chief Justice Oluf Ottesen (Uf); 3) Jørgen
Gagge, who had been made a freeman 20 years previously and was an
illegitimate born member of the Gagge-family of Skåne; 4) Hans Borgeby of
Bierregård; 5) Anders Kos in Ibsker parish (of Kåsegård); 6) and the
invaders from Lübeck, Peder Kofoed, 7) and Morten Lassen, both mayors in
Rønne; 8) Lauritz Jul from an old an distinguished family and a bailiff
in Østermarie parish; 9) Hans Pedersen from the same parish, who later
married Jørgen Hals' daughter; 10) and finally the document was signed by
the bailiff for Åker parish, Peder Munck.

* * * *
Hans Pedersen mentioned in a record dated 1491. Våben: I rødt felt en
hvid halv hummerklo (Coat-of-arms: On a red field a white half
lobster-claw). Possibly the same person as the above "Hans Pedersen from
the same parish, who later married Jørgen Hals' daughter"?

Hans Pedersen's widow is known to have been alive in 1523 and in 1537.

Michael EneRiis database states that Hans Pedersen's son Bendt Hansen and
grandson Laurids Pedersen attended the 1572 "Frimandsmødet"; it also
links them, and Jørgen Pedersen (died 1588) of Vellensgård, to the
"hummerklo" coat-of-arms.

At the "Frimandsmødet" held on September 6, 1572 there were 17 men named
as being in attendance: the brothers Jens and Hans Madsen Kofoed, Peder
Poulsen Kofoed, Oluf Bagge, Peder Uf, Peder Myre, Jørgen Gagge, Bendt
Hansen, Laurids Pedersen, and also eight other men only listed by their
patronyms; and at which occassion three Danish Parlimentary advisers
(Rigsråder) had been sent to preside over the meeting. This special
meeting was held to establish who on Bornholm had the right to call
themselves a "Frimand" (Free-man), a title which conveyed the upper-class
standing of the landed-gentry.

* * * *
1572: Bendt Hansen deltog i mødet om hvem der var frimænd på Bornholm.
Våben: Hummerklo.

In "Ludvig Kristian Kure's aner", af Aage Kure, (published in 1998), he
is listed under heading: "Hummerklo" (Lobster-claw).

In "Danmarks Adelsårbog", 1901, page 231:
Hans Myre held the status of free-man (frimand). He inherited 6' Vdg.
Fuglsangsgård, in Klinteby, Ibsker parish. Owner also of Bjergegård, 24'
Vdg. Åker. In 1511 he is named in Anders Galen's will (testamente) on
his wife's behalf; disputed with Jørgen Hals about inheritance. His
wife's mother, Anna Hals is sister to Jørgen Hals. Anna and Jørgen's
mother is n.n. Andersdatter Galen, of the skåne noble-family.
Myre-family's noble coat-of-arms displays three "myrer" (ants). . . .

Mette Hansdatter inherited a number of the Myre-family farms, including
Fuglsangsgård (later known as Gaggegård, still later as: I Klinteby), 6'
Vdg. in Ibsker. Mette also owned Pæregård, 3' Vdg. (Nylars or
Østerlars?), which she probably brought into her marriage Peder Hansen Uf
as a dowry, as the farm thereafter became part of Simblegård's
estate-lands - which her husband had inherited. She inherited the
Myre-family farm: Store Myregård in Åker parish, which had previously
been owned by Peder Hansen Myre (died 1572). After Mette inherited her
brother Truid Myre's farms, they too were included as part of
Simblegård's estate-lands. Later Mette's daughter Margrethe/Merete
Pedersdatter's children inherited some of the properties: Claus Gagge
inherited 6' Vdg. Ibsker, and Sivert Gagge inherited Store Myregård in
Åker. Margrethe's first husband Henning Gagge died in 1606, and she
shortly thereafter married Hans Grabow/Grabau. Hans Grabow took over
Simblegård in 1609, and after his death in 1626 it went to his son,
Joachim/Jochum, from a previous marriage. In 1632 Joachim Grabow
exchanged 24 farms with the king, and also sold six farms to private
buyers.

This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto,
Ontario, copyright 1990-2001.

Hans blev gift med NN Poulsdatter cirka 1524. NN (datter af Poul Olsen og Anne Hals) blev født cirka 1490 i 9. vgd. Store Bjergegård, Vestermarie Sogn; døde efter 1537 i 9. vgd. Store Bjergegård, Vestermarie Sogn. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 15.17950 (Sommer)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 15.26730 (Garde)

Erich blev gift med NN Hansdatter. NN (datter af Hans Eriksen og Marine Henningsdatter Podebusk) blev født før 1455 i Skjern, Jylland; døde efter 1470. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 15.26949 og 15.27651 (Garde)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 16.35877 (Sommer)
• Beskæftigelse: fra 1508 til 1522; Landsdommer

Notater:

Note(kopieret juli 2019 fra Norman Lee Madsens database)

Oluf Ottesen (Uf) was a freeman (frimand), and was Chief Justice (Landsdommer) for Bornholm from 1508-1522, this during the period in which Hanseatic League free-city of Lübeck was in control of Bornholm. In 1510 he was ordered to travel to Lübeck, and on July 16th he was asigner of the "Landets Overenskomst" agreement, in which the Lübeck'ers demanded extortionary amounts of tax-payments from Bornholm's populace. He probably lived on Simlegård (a.k.a. Simblegård) in Klemensker. According to Zarthmann he can be found mentioned in documents dating from 1508 and 1522. (Source: Bornholmske Samlinger, volume 16, page 139.)

From the "Dansk adelsvåbner, en heraldisk nøgle", by Sven Tito Achen, Politikens Forlag, 1973, København:
Uf "I". Våben: En sparre (rød i hvidt? se Heraldisk Tidsskrift nr. 23, 1971, side 111). (Arms: A chevron (red on white?) see H.T.) Hjelmfigur ukendt. (Helmet unknown.) Uradel, Skåne. (Noble origins: Skåne.) Niels Uf, 1302; Oluf Ottesen, landsdommer på Bornholm 1522. NDA side 299.

Oluf Ottesen (Uf) is known to have been alive in 1522, and is recorded asbeing deceased in a document dated October 2, 1546.

The following has been extracted from a translation of the article "Landsdommer-patriciatet på Bornholm", part 1, by Sigvard Mahler Dam, published in SAXO, 1987:

As an institution the Danish Landsting (High Court or Parliament) probably stems from the old Germanic tradition of the folkeforsamling (gathering of the people), wherein all the arms bearing warriors met to talk over their common concerns and make necessary decisions. Later, during the Middle Ages, the High Court was the meeting place only for Frie Mænd, which constituted the kingdoms upper-class of frimænd (freemen) and selvejerbønderne (freehold farm-owners); the fæstebønder (copyhold peasants) and trælle (slaves), which constituted the vast majority of the Danish populace, were not allowed to participate. Needles to say, the king had the ultimate say on any given issue.

However, during the 1200s things changed: the king probably became too busy and therefore he appointed a substitute to oversee each county's gathering. By the 1300s the man chosen by the king to represent him in each of the counties was known as a Landsdommer (Chief Justice); further, the king now also appointed a group of 8 to 12 men from each county to sit alongside that county's judge on 4 stokke (benches); they were known as the Tingmændene (or Stokkemændene).

Under each county's Landsting were a number of lower courts, the Herredsting (District Court). Bornholm had its own Landsting, which was situated in the middle of the island near Aa Kirke (Aa Church) – this probably had a great impact on the growth of Åkirkeby, which was the only township on the island without a harbour. The judgement of a Landsting could only be overruled during a Herredag (Herre: Gentleman, Master, or Lord; and dag: day), wherein the king himself presided. Each county's Landsting also functioned as a local Herreting, for a freeman could not be judged by his local Herredsting, but rather only by his county's Landsdommer, who - as another freeman - was his social equal. This obviously favoured the kingdom's freemen over their fellow citizens – and they often took advantage of this situation. (see note nr. 1)

During this period of transition Bornholm's Landsting issued a document on May 24th 1319. (note 2) From this document we can see that Bornholm's ting (gathering of people) still looked much like the old Germanic folketing: there was as yet no judge chosen by the King, as documents from that time shows was the case for Sjælland's Landsting. A few of the King's men are noted as being present, perhaps on account of the particulars of the case in question - unfortunately there are no other documents to compare with, so we can not know for certain. At the May 1319 meeting of the Landsting the participants ask for the King's intervention against the Archbishop's encroachments, and at the same time promising to help their king with all their might: ". . . vi der bebor fornævnte land alle som en er kommet sammen, vi har med alles enstemmige raad og samtykke ved vor tro lovet nævnte vor herre kongens udsending paa samme konges vegne med mod himlen hævede hænder og svoret, at vi i fasthed vil staa nævnte herre konge bi mod all og tro tjene ham. . . til vidnesbyrd herom har vi ladet nævnte lands segl og de gode mænd, ridder Jens Kandes, ridderne Tule Mus' og Peder Mogensens segl hænge under dette brev." (. . . we who live here have all come together and agreed to swear our allegiance with our hands outstretched up to Heaven to our king as faithful servants. . . and as witness to above we place our land's sealand the good men, Knight Jens Kande's, and the Knights Tule Mus' and Peder Mogensen's seals are placed onto this document.)

We can easily imagine them gathered on that beautiful day in May under the open sky by Aa Church, whereupon they discussed the state of affairs and finally all as one, with their hands stretched towards Heaven, asked their king to come to their aid. We also find that, as is the case for each township, Bornholm's Landsting had its own seal. Later it became the norm for only the Landsdommer and Tingmændene to seal documents, and so the Bornholmer Landsting seal was never seen again.

Queen Margrethe's Laws of 1396 bestowed far greater responsibility and influence to the Landsdommer than ever before: ". . . landsdommeren skal dømme alle ret og skel imellem, som han vil forsvare det for Gud og kongen" (. . . the chief justice must set forth a just verdict for every case, a verdict worthy of God and king). Still it was seldom for the judge to act alone, as was commonly seen only after the Reformation. Maybe this is why the Lübeckers (who ruled Bornholm from 1525-1575) complained when the king chose two "bisiddere" (besiddere: officials) to sit alongside their chosen judge because of his partiality and bias. Finally, on November 16th 1597 (note 3) a decree was issued that the chief justice and his official clerk could only issue judgements.

The Right to choose the "Landsdommer":
As a rule it was the king's privilege to choose, which of course stemmed from the custom of having an official of the crown present at the Landsting - we have only a few instances wherein a "Lensmand" (Feudal Lord) has chosen the judge, probably with the king's approval. (note 4) This might very well be the case on Bornholm, which was the archbishop's lien, and so the Archbishop of Lund had the right to choose the judges. The first known chief justice for Bornholm, Peter Bosen, had been made a nobleman by the archbishop on account of his faithful service, and on June 6th 1443 he swore allegiance to the archbishop. This, of course, does not prove anything - but does look to be suspicious. A judge received taxes from several farmsteads on top of his income as a judge, which supposedly would make it unnecessary for him to take bribes. The farms in question belonged to the archbishopric during the 1400s. After the Reformation the king took back the Church's possessions, and Bornholm had been described in the early tax books as being under "den gejstlige jurisdiktion" (ecclesiastical jurisdiction) (note 5), and it is interesting to note that it was always the property previously under the Church's jurisdiction that were given as lien to the chief justice – and we can even see that it is mostly the same farms given in lien down through the years, from the first lien document of 1448 until the last in 1629! Even in the tax protocols the residents of these Vornede-gaarde (peasant farms) are named as being "Landsdommer bønder" (the chief justice's peasants).

So we can presume that the Archbishop of Lund had the right to choose the chief justice up to the time of the Reformation. After that event the king confiscated the Church's estates and thus should have the right to choose the island's Landsdommer, but by then Bornholm had been given as lien to the free-city of Lübeck. Early on we find that a couple of the king's chosen justices receiving some of the formerly ecclesiastical estates, however they supported an open rebellion against Lübeck. As the next two justices seemed to be friendly towards Lübeck we might suspect that the right of choosing had been taken over by the Lübeckers. Which is probably why we next find the king's foged (bailiff) confiscating the ecclesiastical estates from the Lübeck friendly Landsdommer. Leaving us with the situation wherein the estate lands farmed by the "Landsdommerbønder" were under the jurisdiction of the king's bailiff, and therefore not obliged to pay taxes to Lübeck or their representative!

The Status of the Island's Chief Justices:
The legislations of 1513 and 1523 stated explicitly that chief justices had to be noblemen - none the less we often see it written that on Bornholm the chief justice often was not a freeman. However, this is a mistake based on two out-dated treatises written on Bornholm's freemen by Jørgensen and Zarthmann (note 6), which suffers greatly from something you could call "a Bornholmer inferiority complex"! Many a hair has turned grey and much paper has been wasted trying to explain why Bornholm's freemen could not be noblemen, even though they were tax exempt and served valiantly to defend their island. The freemen were remnants of the past. After the end of the Viking era the nobility began to take form: as a reward for performing military duty a man was given freeman status, which meant having tax free status on your farm. As time went by some men acquired more land and farmsteads, and they became known as "høj adelen" (high nobility); others had only one tax-free farm, and they often served as fogeder (bailiffs) for the king or were lensmændene (feudal lords), and they became known as "lav adelen" (low nobility). The difference between the low nobility and the selvejerbønder (freehold farm-owners) was not a great distinction, and many inter-marriages took place, and not only on Bornholm! The Bornholmer freemen were known as low nobility, and they did not disappear until the middle of the 1600s -and therefore lasted for nearly 100 years longer than their counterparts in the rest of Denmark. The coronation ceremonies of the 1600s show us that Bornholm is the only place in all of Denmark where the freemen performed the ceremony separately from the peasantry, and also from the Commandant of Hammershus Fortress (who was of the high nobility). The Bornholm officers were not able to keep pace with the development of the nobility in the rest of the country because they were prohibited from founding dynasties with counts and barons. The frigårdene (freemen's farms) could no longer keep their distinct status, and at the death in 1668 of the last freeman, Berild Hansen, they disappeared to be swallowed up among the freehold farm-owners.

In the following we will see that the island's chief justices were ranked among the nobility (only in the 1650s do we first see a chief justice of common heritage) and what is more: they formed a local upper-class which inter-married. We can trace from the earliest known chief justices up to Mads Kofoed who died in 1646. Some of the justices could even trace their ancestry back to the commanders of Hammershus in the Middle Ages.

Peter Bosen:
The first known chief justice on Bornholm, Peter Boesen, was the faithful servant of the Archbishop of Lund. Peter was made a freeman on April 26th 1412, and as well the archbishop conferred free status on all his legitimate male descendants. (note 7) At the same time he was issued a coat of arms, which was similar to that of the Drefeldt family – which can be seen by their seals on documents. The above newly minted freeman officer, Peter Bosen, was probably already married and with children, as in 1429 he appears to have a son of legal age, Bo Pedersen, an officer in Pedersker parish who owned a part of a farmstead together with Officer Hans Bentsen from the neighbouring Bodilsker parish. The only freeman's farm in Pedersker is the later named Eskesgård, and since a family which used "Bent" as a prominently re-occuring name resided at Eskesgård later on, it seems very probable that the farm which Bo Pedersen had a deed of convience on in 1429 was an inheritance after his mother, and that his mother must be from the "Bent-family", as it looks like Peter Bosen's family-line stopped with his son Bo, who even died before his father, which would indicate that some of Peter Bosen's sibling's children inherited their farms.

On March 29th 1416 Peter Bosen paid 5 silver Mark for a deed of conveyance on some land in Åby, in Nyker parish, from "væbner Splid"; the Åby land consisted of two freehold farms (nr. 23 and 24) (note 8), on both sides of Åby Brook - later called Muleby Brook. Not too far from Åby is Kyndegård, a freeman's estate; signifying that this was "tingsted" (a gathering place for Tingmændene). Kyndegård was a farm for the herredfoged (the district's bailiff), which leads us to presume that Peter Bosen was the bailiff for Rønne Herred (later called Vestre Herred) before he was appointed the island's chief justice. (note 9)

As chief justice we find Peter Bosen mentioned in two documents dated June 5th 1429 and July 13-20th 1429 wherein he places his seal on two private deeds of conveyance, which is where we first encounter his son Bo. On November 7th 1433 he undersigns a High Court judgement, and on June 6th 1443, alongside other freemen, he swore his allegiance to the Archbishop of Lund. He probably reached a very old age before he passed away sometime within the next five years.

Sevid Nielsen:
In a document dated July 16th 1448 we first encounter the next chief justice for Bornholm, and he must have been only recently appointed, as in that document he acknowledges receiving from the Archbishop in Lund a lifetime deed given to him, and his wife Kirstine, to a hovedgård (manorfarm) and its 8 vornedegårder (copyhold peasant farms) spread out over five parishes. These farms are probably the same ecclesiastical estatelands that we later find under the pervue of following island's chief justices. This is the first chief justice deed of conveyance document known on Bornholm.

From their daughter's arms we can see that the family's shield is vertically divided into two fields, with the first field displaying a half fleur-de-lis attached to the partition - exactly the same shield as that used by the Clausen-Køller family!

During Sevid Nielsen's time there are long gaps in the historical record, and the next time he is mentioned is also the last before his death: on February 2nd 1469 the archbishop commanded "Sevidh Landsdommer" to summon Peder Lauridsen's heirs in Ibsker parish to court vs. Per Lang of "Walløse" (Vollsjö in Færs district, Skåne). Twenty years as chief justice is a long time, and soon after this Sevid Nielsen died.

Anders Uf:
Anders Uf, the son of Otte Pedersen Uf and his wife from the Galen-family, had married Sevid Nielsen's daughter, Anne, and we have an undated document stating that the couple had been deeded the manor farmand its 8 attached copyhold peasant farms previously belonging to Sevid Nielsen. The old deed of 1448 stated that Sevid Nielsen could occupy the manor until his death, meaning that by now he must have passed away, and his son-in-law Anders Uf had been appointed as his successor. However, no documents were saved from his time as chief justice. An "Anders Uf min kære frænde" (Anders Uf my dear relative) is mentioned in Anders Galen's will of 1511, but since Chief Justice Anders Uf was dead for many years, the person mentioned must be his son, who in 1499 - after studying in Lund - was admitted on November 26th to Greifswald University: "Andreas U de Bornholm"; on that same day the son of Lund citizen was also admitted: "Tycho Nicolai de civitate Lundensi", they achieved Baccalaureate (Bachelor's degree) in 1500 and were probably fellow travellers. The "Hr. Peder Uf, min kære frænde" mentioned in Anders Galen's will, must have been the son of the younger Anders Uf's father's brother; there seems to be no other possibilities, since Anders Galen is not related to the rest of the Uf-family. Anders Galen's sister had three children in another marriage: Jørgen Hals and his sisters Anne and Else, but Anders Galen would not accept them, and according to several documents he considered them illegitimate. (note 10)

(Note: I disagree with the above assertion that the Anders Uf who was married (before 1469) to Anne Sevidsdatter is the son of Otte Pedersen Uf (-1493-1497-); I believe it more likely that Chief Justice Anders Uf is the brother of Otte Pedersen Uf. And that the Anders Uf and Peder Uf mentioned in the 1511 will are brothers, the sons of Otte Pedersen Uf and his wife from the Galen-family; that the very reason they are mentioned in the will is because they are the nephews of Anders Galen. – Norman Lee Madsen, September 19, 2003)

Jacob Split:
Anders Uf's widow, Anne Sevidsdatter, now married Jacob (or Jep) Split, who immediately thereafter became the next chief justice for Bornholm!!!Maybe their marriage had taken place in 1487 when officials in Lund deeded "Jacobus Splijt" four farms on Bornholm - perhaps they were several of the "Landsdommerbønder" (the chief justice's peasants). The first time he is mentioned as chief justice is in letters dated: August 14th 1490, next on July 2nd 1491, and then on July 10th 1493; the letters all concerned the personal affairs of Per Lang of Vollsjö, and it's indeed thanks to Per Lang's private archives that these few documents concerning Bornholm have been preserved.

On August 10th 1497 yet another farm was deeded to Per Lang, and the deed of conveyance document was witnessed by a varied group from the upperclass: Chief Justice Jep Split, Per Truelsen (of the Baad-family in Halland - probably a cousin of Split), Otte Pedersen Uf, and Oluf Ottesen Uf (Otte' son, and a future chief justice)! Jep Split's seal can still be recognized under several of these documents, it displayed a "geddekæft" (a pike's jawbone, aka: "halv hummerklo" = half lobster claw) on the shield, and in his seal is written: "Andreas Split", so he must have inherited his father's seal (on June 6th 1443 Andreas is referred to as Andreas "Splid Ipsen").

Both of Anne Sevidsdatter's husbands could count among their ancestors commanders of Hammershus. Jep Split descended from a daughter of Jacob Split (originally Splitaf), an faithful military officer under King Valdemar Atterdag. Jacob Split was from Jylland, and was installed as commander of Hammershus after it was retaken in 1361. (note 11) The following commander, Jens Uf, was the great-grandfather of Chief Justice Anders Uf, and they all were counted among the nobility. There is no evidence that Anne Sevidsdatter gave birth to any children, and the Split-family seems to have died out. Later, in the 1500s, a family: "The Bjergegaard-family" appears, using the exact same arms as that belonging to Jep Split. They can not be direct descendants of Jep Split, so it seems likely that they are a branch of the family which stopped using the Split family-name during the 1400s. Chief Justice Laurids Pedersen, whom we will meet later, was a member of that branch.

A key document dating from July 10th 1508 concerning the above two justices is Anne Sevidsdatter's gift to the cathedral in Lund in the amount of 200 Lübeck-Mark to honour her family. Anne's seal can be found on the document, which mentions both of her deceased husbands, and it is canon Peder Uf of Lund who manages the donation to the cathedral, which states that if the church neglects the saying of Mass for her soul, then the Uf-family can rightfully take back the 200 Mark - the Reformation is on the way! Her other relations also act as witnesses: Oluf Ottesen(Uf), who by this time was himself chief justice and that half brother of the younger Anders Uf (common father), Jørgen Hals was next (he was Anders Uf's half brother - common mother), and freeman Jens Olsen of Klemensker (possibly Oluf Ottesen's mother's brother?), and finally Oluf Jensen of Bjergegård in Vestermarie (his son was married to a niece of Jørgen Hals).

Oluf Ottesen (Uf):
Oluf, Otte Pedersen Uf's youngest son (from a second marriage to the sister of Jens Olsen of Klemensker?), had a sister, whose name likewise is not known, but who is known to have been married to freeman Oluf Tuesen of Klemensker; the fact that neither of these siblings are mentioned in Anders Galen's will of 1511 (while their brothers Anders Uf and Peder Uf are mentioned), must mean that Otte Pedersen Uf was married twice. Oluf Ottesen is first mentioned, alongside his father, as a witness to a private deed of conveyance on August 10th 1497, and he was so young that he did not have a seal of his own and so he placed his father's seal under his signature; later he would cease using Uf family-name altogether.

This was a rough period for Bornholm's chief justice! King Christian II tried to prevent the Hanseatic Merchant League's free trade by strengthening the native merchants. The Hansa hit back with a massive war effort: on August 31st 1509 the Hansa navy landed on Bornholm and threatened the populace with murder and fire, which the Bornholmers chose not to risk. They agreed to pay a fire-tax of 4,000 Lübeck marks and to hand over eight hostages. (note 12) The following year Denmark was in open conflict with the Hansa, who responded by sending a fleet of 30 vessels to Bornholm. But this time the islanders mobilized and met the fleet with fortifications around Nexø, however things turned out badly: the archbishop's commander turned tail and ran, he jumped on his horse and retreated to Hammershus fortress, and the Bornholmers fled like frightened sheep. Nexø was burned down until only three houses were left standing, and in Åkirkeby fires were also started before negotiatons were started. Over in the rest of Denmark it was rumoured that all of Bornholm had been burned down - it was not that bad, but its coffers had to be emptied to avoid that fate! On July 12th 1510 a treaty was signed with humiliating conditions: 4,000 gold coins - a huge sum of money, and 8,000 measures of pure silver. Also, three hostages were given over until the debt was fully paid, they were: Pastor Peder Laurentsen of Ibsker parish, "Peter Kovoth" (Peder Kofoed, who was from Lübeck), and Jens Skaaning. (note 13) Chief Justice Oluf Ottesen acted as there presentative for Bornholm, since the Commander of Hammershus was still hiding in the fortress!

Oluf is mentioned several more times in the following years in his official capacity as chief justice, the last time on May 22nd 1522 when he, together with a number of "good men" from the Landsting, witnessed that Jørgen Hals and his two sisters, Anne and Else, are legitimate and rightful heirs after Anders Galen of Lund. Below this document his sealis well preserved, and we can see the Uf-family arms, with its "sparre"(chevron) on the shield, and the helmet with its two vessel-horns.

Oluf Ottesen probably married a daughter of Hans Myre, of Klinteby in Ibsker, and along with her inherited her family-farm, which became part of the Uf-family property for several generations. Their only child was named Hans Olufsen.

Notes:
1) Regarding the nordic landsting: "Kulturhistorisk Lexicon for Nordisk Middelader", under "Landsting" and "Domare". See also W. Christensen's "Dansk Statsforvaltning i det 15. Århundrede", København, 1903.

2) "Danmarks Riges Breve"/DRB, 2nd edition, volume 8, nr. 103; regarding further happenings on Bornholm see also SAXO 1985 yearbook, page 45.

3) "Kancelliets Brevbøger", see the date mentioned.

4) "Kult. Lex." (see note nr. 1), volume 3, page 154, shows one example, but we surmise that in the mid-1400s on Bornholm it was the right of the archbishop, and in the mid-1500s, in a few cases, it was the right of the Lübeckers - see the following.

5) The ecclesiatical jurisdiction entailed the management of all farms which before the 1536 Reformation belonged to the Lund Archbishopric, and which were later taken over by the king and managed by his bailiff. The take over of church property took place while the Lübeckers had Bornholm under their 50 year lease, and since the king wished to take away as much power from the Lübeckers as possible, he used his bailiff (as well as the island's chief justice) as his resistance fighters.

6) "Væbnere, adel og frimand på Bornholm", by J.A. Jørgensen, Rønne, 1905, is hopelessly out of date, and only refers to "Hübertz Aktstykker til Bornholms Historie"/Hüb. and that only superficially; the author did not even try to document family relationships, the only family researched by him is the Kofoed-family, and his family tree is incorrectly written down and not even verified by "Hüb.", in spite of this it later found its way into "Danmarks Adels Årbog"/DAA, 1906 edition, under "Kofoed". Not a milestone in Bornholm's historical literature! "Bornholms Frimænd" by M.K. Zahrtmann in "Bornholmske Samlinger", volume 16, Rønne, 1920, pages 120-159, is a bit better, although still out of date. Some of the "Væbnere" (arms carriers) have been incorrectly documented, something easily avoided if the author had checked their seals. He insisted that it was impossible to trace a Bornholm officer-family over three generations, which is indeed nonsense. Further mistakes include Jacob Køller's seal (see under "Sevid Nielsen", this article), where he states that Jacob carried the Brahe-family arms (which is displays a pole instead of a half fleur-de-lis!). Also, that Captain Anders Hansen (in the 1600s) belonged to the Lang-family (coat of arms: three oak-leaves), even though it had been over 100 years since the family had been on Bornholm, and that Anders Hansen carried a rose in his arms. A further mistake is that of Mette Hansdatter's arms (the wife of Chief Justice Peder Hansen Uf), he changed her half lobster claw (aka pike's jawbone) to one ant in order to make her fit into his faulty hypothesis, etc.,etc.

7) "Svensk Diplomatarium"/SD, 2nd volume, nr. 496.

8) Østre (Eastern) and Vestre (Western) Åbygård, but it is not likely that the "væbner" (arms carrier) bought these freehold farms; for these freemen were only allowed to buy "frigods" (free-estates) or "vornedegårde" (copyhold peasant farms), otherwise their entire landholdings were subject to be heavily taxed as per an old ecclesiastic (archbishopric) law.

9) "Bornholms Stednavne", København 1950-51, volume 1, (Nyker parish, Vestre district); Kyndegård: a name derived from the old-danish "kynde" (bekyndtgøre = make a statement). Possibly this was a "tingsted" (meeting place for the court) and the residence for the district's bailiff.

10) "Kirkehistoriske Samlinger", 4th edition, VI, page 373, ("Danske og Norske Studenter i Greifswald"). Anders Galen's will of November 19th 1511 ("Repertoriet" / Rep. Dipl. II edition, Nr. 11962) and witnessed by Commander Niels Jepsen (Bryske) in 1522, recorded in Bornholm's Landstingmeeting on May 22nd 1522 (in "Hüb." nr. 62 and 64: the originals with seals in Mogens Gyldenstjerne's private archives, packet F.9. in Rigsarkivet/RA); a parish testimonial of 1530? mentions the two sisters ("Hüb." nr. 78 - Topographisk Samlinger RA, Bornholm, nr. 119). For further information see in the yearbook "SAXO", 1986, page 79.

11) "SAXO", 1986, page 71.

12) Jørn Klindt's excellent book: "På spor af de første Kofod'er", Rønne, 1979; he states his source as "Hanserecesse III.5, 31 Aug. 1509".

13) As with note nr. 12: "Hanserecesse III.6", note on page 97; July 5th 1510, July 16th 1510, November 20th 1510, and August 15th 1511. See also "Hüb." nr. 42.

This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Oluf blev gift med nn Hansdatter Myre cirka 1505. nn (datter af Hans Pedersen Myre) blev født cirka 1485 i 6. vgd. Fuglsangsgård, Klinteby, Ibsker Sogn; døde i fra 1510 til 1575 i Prgd. Simblegård, Klemensker Sogn. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Notater:

Note(kopieret juli 2019 fra Norman Lee Madsens database)

There is no known documentation on the identity of Oluf Ottesen Uf's wife. Much speculation has ensued over who it is that Peder Hansen Uf and his wife Mette Hansdatter were the owners of Fuglsangsgård, 6' Vdg. Ibsker, in 1574. Sigvard Mahler Dam speculates in his article "Landsdommer-Patriciatet på Bornholm", part 1, (published in SAXO, 1987), that the position of chief justice on Bornholm was kept as an inherited family position by a small clique of Freemen families during the 1500s; and so he speculates that Oluf's wife might be the daughter of Hans Myre. This would also explain how his grandson Peder Hansen (Uf), and his wife Mette, managed to inherit the majority of the Myre-family's farms. A court document concerning a dispute over Fugslangsgård dated June 15, 1582 states that Mette Hansdatter was an heir of Hans Myre (died 1518). - Norman Lee Madsen, June 11, 2005.

Question: How is it that the Uf-family came into the possession of the Myre-family farms? Mette Hansdatter and her husband Peder Hansen Uf hada pew-door made which dipicts two arms: "a shield with an upside down chevron (gavlsparre) design, and the other shield sporting a half lobster-claw (hummerklo). . ." And further, it appears that Jørgen Gagge and his wife Margrethe/Merete had a memorial made to honour her parents, Peder Hansen Uf and Mette Hansdatter. In 1601 they had cast a large church-bell (which later disappeared) for Klemensker Church. Laurids de Thurah states (in "Omstændelig og tilforladelig Beskrivelse over Bornholm og Christiansøe", 1756) that the large bell displayed two shields: one with a chevron (Sparre), the other with a pike's jawbone (Giedde Kieft). The Uf-family coat of arms displayed a chevron. This would seem to indicate that Mette Hansdatter's father's emblem displayed a pike's jawbone ("Giedde Kieft", a.k.a. "Hummerklo"). Yet, the Myre-family coat of arms displays 3 ants (3 myrer)!

Conclusion: The fact that Margrethe Pedersdatter (the wife of Jørgen Gagge) came into the possession of the Myre-family farms places a great deal of weight in favour of one or the other of Margrethe's parents being a close relative (descendant?) of Hans Myre (died 1518) of Fuglsangsgård. Evidently Hans Myre's three sons all died without maleissue, so their estates would have gone to their daughters; and if any of the brothers did not have any children, then their heirs would have been one of their own siblings or the children of their siblings. The assertion that the coat of arms, on the Klemensker pew-door and church-bell, were dedicated to the parents of Peder Hansen Uf and his wife Mette Hansdatter points to Mette being the daughter of Hans Pedersen and his wife (Anne Hals and Poul Olsen's daughter) of Bjergegård in Vestermarie parish. So, possibly it is Margrethe's father Peder Hansen Uf who is the connection to the Myre-family? We have no information on the identity of either Peder Hansen Uf's mother nor Hans Olfusen Uf's mother. Either of these two women would provide a direct route by which Peder Hansen Uf and Mette Hansdatter (and later their daughter, Margrethe, and grandson Claus Gagge) obtained the Myre-family estate-farm, Fuglsangsgård. It must also be noted here that the gravestone of Truid Hansen Myre's wife in Olsker display's the "Geddekæft" image; so she is likely a relative of Laurids Pedersen and Hans Pedersen! Yet another close family connection for Peder Hansen Uf and Mette Hansdatter to the Myre-family! - Norman Lee Madsen, June 11,2005.

Extracted from "Landsdommer-Patriciatet på Bornholm, Del II" (The Chief Justice Patriciate on Bornholm, Part II), by: Sigvard Mahler Dam (SAXO,1988):

Peder Hansen (Uf):

Once again a member of the Uf-family is back in the judge's seat. TheUfs were coming on strong. In 1562 Henning Gagge had been replaced asbailiff by the former chief justice Mogens Uf. It seems the brothersOluf and Peder Hansen (Uf) took a great interest in the law; since 1552they had been active in the Landsting, and took part in various cases -some of which, of coarse, pertained to their own family. And now, onceagain, a new chief justice was needed and the appointment speaks foritself: on the 28th of March 1574 Johann Urne was appointed chiefbailiff, and he brought along with him a letter from the king concerningthe candidate for the judge's seat, which stated: "The king has learnedthat since Jacob Borringholm's death there has been no Landstinggathering, and therefore the people suffer under the bailiffs, who havenobody to answer to, but since Hans Persen (sic, Chancellery error!) isthought to be capable for this office, he is to be installed andestablish law and order".

We can read all about the appointment in the letter the Lübeck bailiffsent home to the Lübeck council dated the 23rd of May 1574: "5 days ago anobleman came from Denmark, Johann Urne, who is to officiate over theecclesiastical jurisdictions. This nobleman has summoned 3 prominentpersons from every parish to a meeting at the tower in Klemen's Church(Peder Hansen was from Klemensker) and there they all gathered to witnessthe nomination of freeman Peder Hansen, officiated over by the noblemanon behalf of the king, as the new chief justice". At the end of theletter the Lübeck bailiff offers up a heartfelt sigh: "May he turn out tobe competent!"

Peder Hansen was born in 1536 and died 60 years of age in 1596, a tabletwhich once hung in Klemen's Church stated this to remind thecongregation. His grandfather was Chief Justice Oluf Ottesen (Uf), andhis father's mother was possibly a sister of Chief Justice Jens Hansen(Myre). His wife, Mette Hansdatter, was a niece of Chief Justice LauridsPedersen; and his father's nephew was Chief Justice Mogens Uf.

The colours of this old family's shield can still be seen on the couple'spreserved pew in Klemen's Church: a sinister red chevron on a whitefield, and on the helmet are 2 red vesselhorns; the wife's shield hasalready been described under Laurids Pedersen's entry. Peder Hansenapparently reversed the chevron in his shield to differentiate it fromthe emblem used by this brother Oluf Hansen, and his son Hans Olfusen -who was the "Lensmand" ( Feudal Lord) at Vardøhus (formerly employed bythe Royal Chancellery in København). (see note nr. 27)

Peder Hansen (Uf) and family lived at Simlegård in Klemensker parish, afarm which still is one of the largest on Bornholm, and the family ownedvast estates. The couple had 2 daughters: Margrethe, who married JørgenGagge of Almegård in Knudsker parish; and Merete, married to Hans Grabowof Pederstrup, who came to Bornholm. The Uf-family estate was dividedbetween these two families, of which the Gagges are the only ones to stayon Bornholm, while Merete's stepson, Jochum Grabow, sold all his estateand moved away from the island. (see note nr. 28)

(Note: I disagree with the above statement. I believe there was only onedaughter (known variously as: Margrethe, Marete, Merethe and Merete), whowas first married to Jørgen Gagge, then after his death was married toHans Grabow. - Norman Lee Madsen)

Peder Hansen lived to experience the joyful moment of Bornholm's returnto Danish rule. Lübeck had wished to renew its lease on the island foranother 50 years. But the king protested vehemently, even though itappears that he had previously promised to agree to the extention.Manderup Parsberg came to Hammershus in 1576, but as he preferred to havean entailed estate on Jylland already by the 7th of July 1577 hetransferred his entailment to Mogens Gøie, and Peder Hansen was summonedto officiate on this occasion. Such summons were to be issued severalmore times, a show another side to the chief justice's duties: to upholdthe laws governing Hammershus fortress until a new commander arrived,receive him on behalf of Bornholm and brief him on the affairs of theisland. That same year, the 8th of August 1577, Peder Hansen receivedentailments on 13 farms in the ecclesiastical jurisdiction, withpermission to keep them for the duration of his term as chief justice.This is the first time that all the copyhold peasants were mentioned bytheir names: so that all the farms can be easily identified - and withonly a few exceptions they are the same farms which succeeding justiceswere entailed according to the land tax registry of 1598. Furthermore,the farms - which were tenant- (vornede) farms - were largely situated inthe very same parishes as the farms entailed to Chief Justice SevidNielsen in 1448, which might suggest that this farms were "inherited"along with the position.

On the 27th of April 1580 Peder Hansen received a letter from the king tothe effect that he can freely reap the benefits of all his estates as hisparents before him. . . although his tenant-farmers had to deliver someof their harvest to Hammershus as they had done since Arild's time. Whyhe required this royal guarantee is not known.

On the 13th of September 1583 a captain had stranded his boat near Nexø,but the trade-licensed citizenry would only salvage his cargo if theycould keep half as their salvage-fee. . . way more than was allowed undermaritime law. The king ordered the citizens to appear before the chiefjustice and three assistant judges, all belonging to the island's chiefjustice patrician families: Jens Kofoed of Kyndegård (a future chiefjustice, and Peder Hansen Uf's sister's stepson), Christen Clausen(Køller) of Hallegård (the father of a future chief justice, and marriedto Peder Hansen Uf's cousin), and Bendt Hansen of Vellensgård (the nephewof a previous chief justice: Laurids Pedersen, and the brother of PederHansen Uf's wife, Mette)!

It was not always easy to pass sentences on the tempermental, hot-headedislanders, and on farmer, Morten Pedersen, had appeared several timesbefore the Landsting "and uttered numerous nasty swear words at the chiefjustice," and when Peder Hansen's judgement went against him, MortenPedersen became so enraged that inspite of grave warnings from theestate-holders and the bailiff, he finally attacked the justice while atthe Landsting, all the while shouting that the justice was a liar. Thejustice had to halt the proceedings, and Morten Pedersen was arrested andtaken to Hammershus to await court summons. His brother Hans andbrother-in-law H. Simonsen put up bail, so Morten was set free afterpromising to appear in court at the appointed time, but on the 23rd ofSeptember 1585 he failed to show up; and since he had probably fled theisland, his brother and brother-in-law were summoned to court in hisstead!

On the 13th of April 1587 a new commander arrived on the island, andbefore his arrival the chief justice and Jens Kofoed were ordered toregister all inventory at Hammershus, to examine the fortress' state ofrepair and supply of military hardware, as well as the condition of theisland's forests, and finally to audit the land registry taxpayer booksand accounts

By then Peder Hansen was 52 years old and wished to enjoy his retirementwithout too much trouble, so he stepped down from the chief justiceseat. His successor, who was appointed on the 25th of August 1588 issomeone we have already met: Jens Kofoed, a relative of Peder Hansen, whohad probably been given a good recommendation by his predecessor.However, the two of them continue to appear together officially, onlywith a roll reversal. For instance on the 28th of January 1594 whenCommander Falk Giøe died, and his widow was absen, both chief justiceJens Kofoed and Peder Hansen were summoned at once to Hammershus to"uphold the proper law of the fortress". Later that same year both ofthem were again summoned to Hammershus for the installation of the newcommander.

During Jens Kofoed's time as chief justice, we find several cases wherePeder Hansen participates, often we see him at the Landsting whensentences had been appealed. During the 8 year period following hisretirement from the judge's seat we often find him acting as a witness onprivate deed documents, and he most certainly was always valued as anadviser.

Notes:
Nr. 27) Peder Hansen (Uf)'s seal found in Bidstrup's "Stamtavle overFamilien Koefoed A", pub. København, 1886, page 181 (same as in A.Thiset's "Samlinger på kort" in RA, from 1886). An drawing of his pewseat, same as description of the family's coat of arms, see "HeraldiskTidsskrift" nr. 46, October 1982. On the genealogy same as: "SAXO" 1986,page 733 ff. Seals in "Danske Adelig Sigler" by Thiset, under L.lxv. nr.4: Cecilie Jensdatter, 1423-37 (daughter of nr. 20); nr. 5: Hr. Peder Uf,canon, 1501 (son of M.95); nr. 20: Johannes Lagesen, 1407 (father of nr.4); nr. 21: Hans Olufsen, 1599 (son of M.95); M.95: Otte Persen W,1493-97 (son's son of nr. 20).

Nr. 28) Merete Pedersdatter had 4 children, who all died before her,therefore her husband and step-son inherited all her farmsteads.

This database researched and compiled by Norman Lee Madsen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 16.35897 (Sommer)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 16.53457 (Garde)

Notater:

Place of residence: Bornholm
Våben = 'I rødt felt en hvid halv hummerklo'.

Peder blev gift med NN Hansdatter Myre før 1489. NN blev født cirka 1480 i Prgd. Store Myregård, Åker Sogn; døde efter 1490 i 6. vgd. Klinteby, Ibsker Sogn. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 16.35899 (Sommer)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 16.53459 (Garde)

Poul blev gift med Anne Hals cirka 1485 i Bornholm. Anne (datter af Ødbern Hals og ??? Andersdatter Galen) blev født cirka 1460 i Store Halsegård, Østermarie Sogn; døde cirka 1540 i 47. sgd. Bjergegård, Vestermarie Sogn. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 16.35900 (Sommer)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 16.53460 (Garde)

Notater:

"In A.D. 928 Henry the Fowler, marching across the frozen bogs, took
Brannibor, a chief fortress of the Wends" [sources: "Reichs-Historie",
Kohler (Frankfurth und Leipzig, 1737), p. 63; "Chur-und Furstlichen
Hauser in Deutschland", Michaelis (Lemgo, 1759, 1760, 1785), i. 255].
Probably, at that time, a town of clay huts, with dirt and palisaded
sod-wall round it; certainly "a chief fortress of the Wends," -- who must
have been a good deal surprised at the sight of Henry on that rimy winter
morning near a thousand years ago.

Henry, called "the Fowler" (Heinrich der Vogler) because he was in his
"Vogelheerde" (Falconry or Hawk-establishment, seeing his Hawks fly) in
the upland Hartz Country in 919 when messengers came to tell him that the
German Nation, through its Princes and Authorities assembled at Fritzlar,
had made him King; and that he would have dreadful work henceforth.
Which he undertook -- warring all his days against chaos in that country,
no rest for him until he died. The beginning of German Kings; the first,
or essentially the first sovereign of a united Germany - Charlemagne's
posterity to the last bastard having died out, and only Anarchy, Italian
and others, being the alternative.