Kirstine Hansdatter Kofoed

Notater:

Fra Bjarne Kofoeds database.

Kirstine blev gift med Hans Jensen Sode den 23 sep. 1664. Hans (søn af Jens Hansen Sode og Margrethe Hansdatter Kofoed) blev født i 1633 i Hasle; døde den 13 sep. 1685 i Prgd. Vellensgård, Nyker Sogn. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Kirstine blev gift med Albert Hartvig efter 1685. Albert blev født i 1661 i Svaneke; døde i 1703 i Prgd. Vellensgård, Nyker Sogn. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Notater:

Proprietær på Vellensgård, Nyker Sogn

Occupation: Land-owner (Proprietær)
Reference: note
Hans Madsen Kofoed was married to the daughter of Claus Gagge and his

wife Sophie Pors; Claus Gagge was feudal lord (lensmand) of Sjælland.

They both died of plague in 1654. The Gagge family-line was of the
titled nobility; their coat-of-arms depicts a vertically divided
shield with half of a black mill-cogwheel on the left half, and a
silver truss on the right; on top of the shield is a helmet with two
vesselhorns in silver and black.

Ejer af:
6. vrgd. Klinteby, Ibsker
1. vrgd. Ll. Myregård, Åker
5. vrgd. Smyggegård, Åker
11. vrgd. Grødbygård, Åker
11. vrgd. Vestergård, Pedersker

Hans blev gift med Margrethe Clausdatter Gagge. Margrethe (datter af Claus Jørgensen Gagge og Margrethe Wortenberg) blev født før 1620 i 6. vgd. Klinteby, Ibsker Sogn; døde i 1654 i Prgd. Vellensgård, Nyker Sogn. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Notater:

Hun døde af pest.

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 12.2243 (Sommer)

Notater:

Note(kopieret juli 2019 fra Norman Lee Madsens database)

Mads Kofoed is thought to have been born sometime between 1580-90. He was the "Proprietær" of Vellensgård in Nyker and Eskesgård in Pedersker parish, both of which he got through marriage with Karen Jørgensdatter. Mads Kofoed purchased the rights to Eskesgård, and to Skadegård, 12' Vdg. Pedersker, on January 30, 1608 from his brother-in-law Esbern Kofoed. Vellensgård and Eskesgård are both classified as "friegårds", later called "proprietair" farms. Mads Kofoed's name is often mentioned during his long term in office as Chief Justice (Landsdommer) for Bornholm.

Mads Kofoed, named as a "Frimand", was one of the delegates who on May 6, 1608, in København, selected and confirmed Prince Christian as the future King of Denmark. He, along with four other Bornholmers, took part in the following festivities in Lund, Skåne (now part of Sverige/Sweden), where the nobility swore their allegiance to Prince Christian in the year 1610.

Their written authorization to attend reads as follows:
"We, the hereafter stated signatories: Jens Kofoedt of Kyndegaard, Hanns Kofoedt of Blykobbegaard, Peder Koefoedt of Bagisgaard, Matz Koefoedt of Eskiilsgaard, and Niels Beriildsen of Gadebygaard, all Freemen of Borringholm, and present here together hereby declare. . . The honest and noble man: Hanns Lindenow, Commander of Hammershus Fortress, has according to our consent, requested these two persons: the honourable Hans and Poffuill Koefoedt to travel to Kiöbenhaffn with our authorized document and be our representatives (at Prince Christian's election). . .as further documentation we have in our own handwriting signed and sealed this our open-letter."

The above letter is dated: "Borringholm, 6 Maij, Anno 1608" With the signatures of: Jenns Koefoedt, Hans Kofod, Peder Koefoedt, Matz Koefoedt, Jacob Køller, Hans Berillsenn, Niels Berendtzen. Mads Kofoed used his"sparre" (chevron) seal on the document.

From the Hammershus Regnskaber, 1580-1617:
Indtegt och wdgifft paa Hammershus Slott paa Bornholmb paa Kong. Maiitz. wegne fra Philippi dag Anno 1607 och till Philippi Jacobi dag Anno 1608.. . . Indtegt pending for driftt: . . . Opboridt aff Ridefogden Bertill Hansenn for itt driftte skiud Madtz Koefoed fich eftter wurderings breffs liudelse - 2 Dr.

The above entry translated to English:
Revenue and disbursements for Hammershus Castle on Bornholm on His Royal Majesty's behalf from May 1, 1607 until May 1, 1608. . . . Revenue from straying livestock: . . . Received from County Court Bailiff Bertel Hansen for a straying bullock Mads Kofoed obtained from the affidavit ofa letter of assesment - 2 Rigsdaler.

On February 5, 1629 he obtained the position of Chief Justice (Landsdommer) for Bornholm; along with the position he received the profits from the crown owned farm, Bjergegård, 9' Vdg. Vestermarie. On "Mortensdag" (November 11) 1637 he presented 50 silver Daler to Rønne Hospital in gratitude for their having nursed him back to health after he survived a storm at sea.

In 1629 King Christian IV had Mads Kofoed, as Chief Justice (Landsdommer) for Bornholm, swear his allegiance to the new Commander at Hammershus fortress: Holger Rosenkrans; in return he received, like other county judges before him, the rights to a number of farms "to enjoy and keep freely, as long as he is Chief Justice." These farms were: three (3) farms in Klemensker parish (one of them Duebjerggård); one (1) farm, Bjergegård, 9' Vdg. Vestermarie; one (1) farm in Rutsker parish; five (5) farms in Østermarie parish (one of them Lyrsbygård); and one (1) farm, Klintebygård, in Ibsker parish.

From the Hammershus Regnskaber, 1641-1651:
Borringholmb Slodtz. Regenschab paa Indtegt och vdgifft bereignidt fra den 31 Octob. 1645 thill Philipi Jacobi Dag Anno 1646. . . . Indtegt pendinge for aure som bønderne vdj Pederscher Sogen haffuer restered med til Madz Koefouget førige Landzdommer paa Borringholmb eftter Kong. Maytt. naadigst befalning hoes eftterschreffne: Rasmus Jørgensen – 4 Schppr.; Jenns Munck - 4 Schpr.; Niells Jennsen - 4 Schpr.; Suend Ibsen -4 Schppr.; Claus Madsen - 1 Td.; Jørgen Koefuoget leffuerred aff samme restantz - 5 Td. 3 Schpr.; Bereignit 5 Mk. for 1 Td. ehr for 9 Td. 4Schpr.

Paa Erlig och Velbiurdig Mand, Herr Jochum Gierstorff till Lundbyeholm, Ridder, Danmarchis Riges Raad, Stadtholder och Befalningsmannd offuer Borringholm, min gunstige herre, hans vegnne, er annamett som Erlig och Velbiurdigmand Her Ebbe Vldfeldt till Offuisholm, Ridder, och førrige Befalningsmannd her sammesteds haffuer ladet leffuere, her paa Hammershuus den 12 May 1651. Huilcket aff goedemannd, som eftter kongelig befalning, er hid for ventendes, videre kannd efttersees, en fortigelsse, den huis som paa Hammershuus fannttes, der den Suenske Commendant Joen Burdon det quitterede, den 31 October 1645 aff Velbiurdigemend Her Siguertt Vrnne till Raarup, Ridder, och Her Fleming Vlffeldt till Gundersløffholm, Ridder, vnderschreffuene, disligese en gammell invetariumbs register, till Velb. Holger Rossenkrandtz, da hand Slotted annamede, leffuered forseiglet och vnderschreffuenn aff Christen Clausen til Skouffsgaard, och Madtz Koufoed, daterit Hammershuus der 1-14 Augusti, 1625. Med sampt en deell Kongebreffue, som udi en boginquarto. Er noget om derres indhold korteligenn indførtt, och breffuenevdj convaluter sammen bundenn. Huilcken bog med offuer leffuerede inventariums register, aff Velb. Christen Errichsen och Hendrich Einden ower vnderschreffuen: . . . . Er udj Synderlighted en Jordebog offuerleffueritt aff Carl Mattissenn, førige Slodschriffuer, som hand selff haffuer vnderskreffuitt den 24 Jully 1646. Huilcken hannd bereter, sigverre leffuerit och vnderskreffuen aff Hans Jenssen tilfornne haffuer verret Velb. Holger Rossenkrandtzes Skriffuer, her paa Hammershuuss. Huor eftter hand sig och haffuer forholdet och rettedt. Datum Hammershuus vt Supra: Paa min Gunstige herris vegne Lauritz Vinter.

Nr. 6095 - København 15 Mai 1647. Dombog 47, Fol. 335R-336V:
Karen Jørgensdatter mod Landsdommer Hans Pedersen. Arv og skifte – arv (appel, myndighed, landsdommer; ejendom, gods, handel, arv) – Kongen fraværende; 11 fraværende fra rådet - 2. instans. Udfald: Domfældelse •ændring af dom v. Bornholms Landsting. Retsgrundlag: Skøder. Resume:Sagsøger tiltalte sagsøgte, fordi denne 9 September 1646 havde tildømt kronen halvdelen af tidligere Landsdommer Mads Kofoeds gods, da det blev anset for købegods.

From the Hammershus Ekstraskattemandtaller, 1646-1651:
Jordebog paa di Fri Mends Goedtz paa Boringholmb, som di schulle giffueaff huer tønde hart korn di besider en liv ørt; efter Hans Kongl. Maytts. breff, at schulle leffueris paa Hans Maytts. Rendte Cammer dend 1 December Ao. 1647. . . . Førige Landsdommers Jordegoedz: Hofuedtgaarden kaldis Wallingsg[aard] vdi Nyekier Sogen; som Karen sal. Madz Koefoedz paa boer er sat vdi sødschende schiftte for smør - 1 td. - En gaard ibid., som Rasmus Ibsen paa boer schylder aarlig: Smør - 1/2 td., Foernøed - 1. - En gaard ibid., som Jacob Jensen paa boer schylder aarligen: Smør - 4 pund, Lamb - 1, Gies - 1, Høns - 1, Faar - 1. -Tvende Vdhuus ibid. som Rasmus Lauridzen och Esber Jensen paa boer schylder aarlig: Smør - 3-1/2 pund. - En gaard i Pederschier Sogenn som Claus Sckøtte paa boer, schylder aarlig: Smør - 1 td. - 1 gaard ibid. som Jens Biørnsen paa boer, schylder aarlig: Smør 4 pund. – Summa beløbber forschrefne Landzdommers goedz: Smør - 3 td. 4-1/2 pund, Lamb -1, Gies - 1, Høns 2, Foernøed - 1. - Beløber vdi hartkorn - 39 td.5-1/2 scheppe, 1 fjerring. - Deraf gifuet penge - 9 Rdr. 3 Ort 1 Mk. 5Sk.

The above entry, translated to English, informs us that "the previous Chief Justice's country estate: the estate is called Vellensgård in Nyker Parish; where Mads Koefoed's widow Karen is living, which sits under aprobate involving relatives" The above mentioned farms are: 1) Frigård, 4' Vdg. Nyker; 2) Bakkegård, 14' Vdg. Nyker; 3) Skyttegård, 3' Vdg. Pedersker; and 4) Lillegård, 9' Vdg. Pedersker.

According the the 1651 Jordebog the deceased Mads Kofoed's estate held two (2) farms in Åker parish:
Sl. Madz Koufoedz Gaarde.
Lauridz Jiuell. Wdbygger: Niels Mogenssøn. (Lille Loftsgård, 25 Vdg.)
Hans Peiterssønn. Gadehuuss: Rassmus Anderssøn. (Hjulmagergård, 17 Vdg.)

A judge had to be well educated, and economically independent, in order to pass fair and unbiased judgement. In return the King offered him total support: contempt for the judge's office was nothing less than an insult against His Majesty, and could bring on the death penalty. Chief Justice Mads Kofoed performed his task cleverly and with care. Many of his cases went to the Highest Court in København, and most of them were upheld. He enjoyed the well-deserved honour of being described as: "Ourfellow, servant, and Chief Justice upon our land - Bornholm".

In "På spor af de første Kofod'er" we are told of a case that Mads Kofoed presided over, along with a 14 man jury: it seems that an Ingeborg, wife of Peder Møller, was sentenced to leave her home and country because of her "witchcraft". The case suggests that she must have been a most disagreeable woman, who caused great uproar in Pedersker parish.

When in 1636 Mads received yet another farm in Vestermarie - meant as arest-stop along the way to the Bornholm Council meetings - you cannot help but become a bit suspicious that maybe he was suffering from farm collecting mania!

The life of a Chief Justice was not always easy - during on of the many required sea-voyages to København he nearly drowned. Luckily, King Christian IV issued an open decree in 1638 to the effect that during winter-time no county judge could be summoned to attend High Court in København, with special note that on "the land of Bornholm" you could encounter dangerous sea-voyages! As a thank you gift for being rescued, he donated a bond worth 50 Rigsdaler to the Hospital for the Poor in Rønne, which returned an interest of 10 Mark per year, for "as long as the money stays in my name."

Sweden, along with their Dutch allies, began a war against Denmark in 1643. The Swedish Commander, Lennart Torstensson, crossed the Danish southern frontier in December of 1643 and quickly occupied Jylland peninsula, while Louis DeGeer's army, based in Stockholm, seized the province of Skåne. This two-pronged attack took the Danes by surprise, but the elderly King Christian IV managed to rise to the challenge. The 67 year old king was tireless in organizing his navy and in raising forces, and the next April the Danish fleet met and defeated the Dutch navy, which was preparing to carry Torstensson's troops from the peninsula to the islands of Fyn and Sjælland. The defeated Dutch sailed back to Holland, but in June a Swedish fleet of forty ships appeared in the western Baltic. King Christian engaged the enemy in a ten-hour long battle in which he lost an eye and was wounded in thirteen places. The Swedish fleet was forced to flee to Kiel where it combined with the Dutch to attack the Danes near the island of Lolland. In this battle the Danish, who were outnumbered by two to one, lost fifteen of their seventeen ships by sinking or capture, and King Christian was forced to sue for peace.

The Baltic island of Bornholm found out to its detriment the extent of the Swedes rule over the Baltic Sea at that time. The Swedish troops landed on the 9th of June 1645 just to the south of the Bornholm township of Svaneke; the town suffered 4 hours of plundering after its surrender to the Swedish Commandant Wrangel. Mads Kofoed, and the other elderly men in command, were unable to properly lead the Bornholmer troops. He was blamed for the surrender of Hammershus to the Swedes on the 17th of June; and as a result Mads Kofoed had the misfortune of being partly responsible for the total collapse of Bornholm's defenses and the Swedish General Wrangel's conquering of the entire island, even though at first Wrangel had only threatened to burn down all of Nexø as a personal revenge against a couple of skipper's from Nexø who had stolen one of his ships!

In the resulting peace treaty negotiated in Brömsebro in August of 1645 obliged Denmark to surrender Jämtland and Härjedal, Gotland and the island of Ösel. It was agreed that the captured island of Bornholm was to be returned to Danish rule. As a guarantee for the exemption of Swedish shippinf from Danish shipping tolls, Sweden took possession of the province of Halland for a period of thirty years - however it was never returned.

The officers in the Bornholm militia who were judged to have betrayed their country were sentenced to death, but the king benevolently conveyed the sentence to one of exile. Mads Kofoed, and his brothers Peder and Jacob, were judged traitors and banished. The exact place and circumstances of Mads Kofoed's death are not known, only that he died while abroad (udlandet) in 1646; possibly he fled into exile along side Peder Kofoed, and like him, died in Lübeck.

A High Court case (Dombog 48, page 835R-838R) of July 5, 1649 involving Ebbe Ulfeldt, a nobleman from Ovesholm in Träne parish, Kristianstad county, against the deceased "Mads Kofoeds arvinger" (Mads Kofoed's heirs) regarding a case from July 21, 1641, because "Mads Kofoed havde henvist en sag om en kvindes død til endelig afgørelse ved herredstinget og derved underkendt en nævningekendelse, der fandt Hans Lauridsen skyldig i kvindens død" (Mads Kofoed had requested the matter of a woman's death to be the final decision of the District Court, and thereby overruled a jury verdict which had found a Hans Lauridsen guilty of the woman's death).

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

Mads Kofoed:blev udnævnt til landsdommer 5. febr. 1629. Han havde ejet Vællensgård i Nyker og Eskesgård, som hans kone Karen Jørgensdatter havde arvet, samt flere andre gårde. Han var også officer. I 1645, hvor general Wrangel var gået i land i Nexø, og på grund af hans og også hans 2 brødre vandærende indsats, blev alle 3 brødre landsforvist sammen med flere andre officerer. Alle 3 brødre døde inden de blev benådet. De 2 brødre var borgmester Peder Hansen Kofoed, Rønne, som bl.a havde en søn, den senere Jens Kofoed kendt fra opstanden 1658, den 3. bror var Jacob Kofoed fra Kyndegård i Nyker, alle 3 tilhørte Rønnelinien af Kofoedslægten. Fra Klindts bog ved vi, at Mads Kofoed som landsdommer blev aflønnet med 11 gårde. Men da han blev landsforvist i 1646 blev dommerhvervet frataget ham og dermed også de 11 gårde som hans aflønning gik tilbage til kronen. Se Borringholmernes historiebog I side 234

Mads blev gift med Karen Jørgensdatter. Karen (datter af Jørgen Pedersen) blev født cirka 1585 i Prgd. Vellensgård, Nyker Sogn; døde den 20 sep. 1650 i Prgd. Vellensgård, Nyker Sogn. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 12.2244 (Sommer)

Notater:

Place of residence: Vellensgård i Nyker
Hun bragte sin mand både Vellensgård i Nyker og Eskesgård i
Pedersker.

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

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Beskæftigelse: Land-owner (Proprietær)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 12.3369 (Garde)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 12.3413 (Garde)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 13.4485 (Sommer)

Notater:

Note(kopieret juli 2019 fra Norman Lee Madsens database9

Hans Kofoed, as the owner of Heslegård, 21 Vdg. a "fri vornedegård" (freehold farm), and Knæbjerghus, both in Østerlars parish, participated in the Freeman status meeting in 1572. In 1586 he is recorded as living in Rønne, and in 1590 and 1608 as the owner of the Freeman's estate Blykobbegård in Nyker parish.

Hans Kofoed is recorded in Bornholm's Jordebog as the taxpayer for Rosmannegård, 27' Slg. Knudsker, in 1611; and as the taxpayer for 26'Slg. Knudsker (part of the Store Almegård estate) in 1617, and in the Hammershus Regnskaber, 1617-1631 as being "Hans Koefoed aff Knudsker Sogen", one of the men presiding on February 14, 1625 over the division of the estate of Christopher Olsen's wife Seigne, who had been beheaded for witchcraft.

Sigvard Mahler Dam states, in "Over Hals og hoved" (published in SAXO, 1991), that he discovered that in 1666 there was a case in court concerning the estate of the deceased widow Christine Kiøller (died 1665), in which Hans Olufsen Kofoed, the grandson of Hans (Madsen)Kofoed, states that he is as close an heir after Christine Kiøller as her guardian Claus Kames. Christine is the daughter of Christen Clausen Køller (died circa 1582) and Margrethe Mogensdatter Uf, of Store Hallegård in Olsker.

Sigvard notes that Hans Kofoed named a son Claus, and another son Jacob, which up to that point had not been given names used by the Kofoed-family. Since Christen Clausen Køller had named a son Jacob, Sigvard speculates that Claus and Jacob are Køller family names. Sigvard also notes that Christine Kiøller's brother Christen Clausen Kiøller (junior) signed documents in 1624 and 1628, while he was Bornholm's chiefjustice, which concerned the Kofoed family. (This information was first published in Julius Bidstrup's book on Kofoed family A.)

Based on the above, Sigvard suggests that Hans Kofoed's wife may have been the daughter of Christen Clausen Køller (senior) and Margrethe Mogensdatter Uf. (Or possibly it is Hans Olufsen Kofoed's mother Sidsele who is the relative of Christine Kiøller? - Norman Madsen)

However, it seems just as possible that Hans Kofoed's wife was the half-sister of Christen Clausen Køller (died circa 1582, of Store Hallegård in Olsker). According to Edvard Skovgaard, in "1000 Aner til en Skovgårdsslægt" (pub. 1989), Christen Clausen Køller is the son of a Claus Köller (from Pomerania) and Margarete von Schinckel. Possibly "Margarete von Schinckel" is the same person as the wife of Claus Clausen Kames, namely "Margrethe" (died May 10, 1693) of Rønne? Claus Clausen Kames and Margrethe are said to be the grandparents of the Claus Kames mentioned in the 1666 court case. - Norman Lee Madsen, January 28, 2003.

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.

Hans Kofoed is known to have been living in Rønne in 1586, and to have been to owner of Heslegård, 21' Vdg. Østerlars parish. Hans Kofoed, named as a "Frimand", was one of the delegates who on May 6, 1608, in København, selected and confirmed Prince Christian as the future King of Denmark. He also, along with Peder (Poulsen) Kofoed (1548-1616), took part in the following festivities in Lund, Skåne (now part of Sverige/Sweden), where the nobility swore their allegiance to Prince Christian in the year 1610.

Their written authorization to attend is stated as follows:
"We, the hereafter stated signatories: Jens Kofoedt of Kyndegaard, Hanns Kofoedt of Blykobbegaard, Peder Koefoedt of Bagisgaard, Matz Koefoedt of Eskiilsgaard, and Niels Beriildsen of Gadebygaard, all Freemen of Borringholm, and present here together hereby declare. . . The honest and noble man: Hanns Lindenow, Commander of Hammershus Fortress, has according to our consent, requested these two persons: the honourable Hans and Poffuill Koefoedt to travel to Kiöbenhaffn with our authorized document and be our representatives (at Prince Christian's election). . .as further documentation we have in our own handwriting signed and sealed this our open-letter."

The above letter is dated: "Borringholm, 6 Maij, Anno 1608" With the signatures of: Jenns Koefoedt, Hans Kofod, Peder Koefoedt, Matz Koefoedt, Jacob Køller, Hans Berillsenn, Niels Berendtzen. (Jørn Klindt notes that Hans Kofoed's signature is not like that of his brother the Judge Jens Kofoed - the Judge was experienced and fluent at handwritting – while Hans Kofoed, being a farmer, was unaccustomed to feather and ink, which easily made blotches!)

From the seven seals affixed we can see that Jens Kofoed and Hans Kofoed, and Hans Kofoed's son Mads, used the "Sparre" (Chevron) image in their seals, but Peder Kofoed did not -- his seal was simply marked "P.K." Also, note that "Borringholm" and "Kiöbenhaffn" are the old style spellings of Bornholm and København (Copenhagen).

In 1595 Hans Kofoed had incorporated the image of a chevron (gavlsparren) in his seal; this later became the most widely incorporated image in later Kofoed seals. The "sparre" was the symbol used by his mother Gunhild's family in their coat of arms. His eldest son Mads Kofoed used this image from 1608, and his descendants (the "Rønne family" or "branch B" as this line of the family was referred to by Julius Bidstrup) used it as well.

Hans Kofoed at one point held the position of churchwarden (kirkeværge) for Nyker parish. He lived long enough to see his children prosper; they were privileged to have been born as freemen and have wealthy and influential relations. Through marriages they further built up their family position.

The "Danish Coat of Arms" registry includes no less than 18 familie scarrying the "sparre" (chevron) as part of their coat of arms. The image of the chevron used by the Rønne branch of the Kofoed-family seems to have come to it via the Uf-family of Skåne province. Noblemen of the Uf-family settled on Bornholm around the year 1400, and when the Mads Kofoed married into that family it seems that his descendants adopted the Uf's coat of arms with its depiction of a "sparre" (chevron). Later, as the "Rønne family" and the "Østermarie family" began to inter-marry the image of the chevron can be seen together with the cow-foot image of the Østermarie line descended from Poul Kofoed (-1549-1572-) of Kofoedgård in Østermarie parish.

From the book "Danske adelsvåbener, en heraldisk nøgle", Politikens Forlag, 1973, København:
Kofod. Et koben. Farver og eventuel hjelmfigur kendes ikke. Markvard Kofod, væbner, 1378; afkom ukendt. NDA side 151.

(Translated to english:)
Kofod. On the shield a cow-foot. Colours and eventual helmet-design unknown. Markvard Kofod, arms carrier in 1378; no known descendants. NDA page 151.

According to Sigvard Mahler Dam's article "De bornholmske væbnerslægter Uf og Splid - noget nyt om deres våbener", (Heraldisk Tidsskrift, 1982), the Kofoed-family's arms carried a blue chevron on a red background, with 2 white vesselhorns on the helmet, and that "Danmarks Kirker", volume 7, Bornholm, tells the same, but incorrectly lists the arms as the belonging to the Gagge-family.

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 ieg aff Hans Sabell ibidem [Rønde]før hand slo Hanns Kuofoedh ibidem [Rønde] - 1-1/2 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:. . . I received from Hans Sabell of Rønne because he struck Hans Kofoedof Rønne - 1-1/2 Rigsdaler.

From the Hammershus Regnskaber, 1617-1631:
Wy effterskreffne Peder Andersøen, aff Nelausker Sogen, Herridtsfogitt paa Borrenholm Peder Andersøen, Mads Jensøen, Hans Koefoed aff Knudsker Sogen, bekiender och witterligtt gør for alle, och aff Knud Jensøen Kongl. May. Ridefogitt her sammestedts, att werre tikriste och befallid att verre tilstede paa skifftte som bemeltte Knud Jensøen, paa Kongl.May. och sin gunstige horris wegne loid holde, med Cristoffer Olsøen aff Knudsker Sogen efftter sin hustru som wdj troldomb wor kyndige, och derforre bleff dømbtt och heden rett. Huor ouffuer hindis houffuedloid komb wdj Kongens werge, saa ere wj bemeltte mend wdj Jens Søffrensøn Borgemester wdj Rønde, Fock Saffraff Raadmand ibid., samme fleregottfolck derris neruerilse den 14 February neruerende aar 1625 i forhne Cristoffer Olsøns gaard, forsamblede fornhe ørinde, och vereff attwdrotte. - Och for dett første ør wdj worris neruerilse oprognitt huiswitterlig gield och børnegoeds som med rette aff fellidsboe kundefordris. Huilkid er wdj tre ware korn och en partt fæ, forloddiswdtagitt, och siden er boed mitt; the skifft, och Kongl. May. part straxpersileris andteginde och aff os worderrid, som følger: . . . . Naar affforhne summa penge fratagis huis som paa Seyne Cristoffers er bekostidoch anvoret for hun først bleff behofftid, och indtil hun bleff hedenrettid, saa och fogdens penninge: . . . Erlige och welarte mend, Jens Søfrensøn Borgemester och Fock Saffraff Raadmand i Rønde, som och hoisworre, medois till witterlighed att beseylle, Datum Rønde den 15 FebruaryAnno 1625.

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

Hans blev gift med xxx Clausdatter Kjøller før 1585. xxx (datter af Claus Köller og Margrethe von Schinckel) blev født før 1566 i Prgd. Skovsholm, Ibsker Sogn. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 12.3370 (Garde)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 12.3414 (Garde)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 13.4486 (Sommer)

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 13.4488 (Sommer)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 13.6683 (Garde)

Notater:

Note (kopieret juli 2019 fra Norman Lee Madsens database)

Jørgen Pedersen was a freeman (frimand) and land-owner (proprietær); he owned a large amount of land on Bornholm. These properties included: Frigård, 12' Vdg. Poulsker parish, and Eskesgård, in Pedersker parish, and Vellensgård, in Nyker; these last two farms are classified as "friegårds", later called "proprietair" farms, the highest of the three classes of farms: Proprietairgård (Propr.), Selvejergård (Slg.) and Vornedegård (Vdg.).

Jørgen Pedersen's probate was held February 20, 1588, his three daughters were his inheritors. Kirsten received Båstedgård, 1' Vdg. (afri vornedegård) in Rø parish; the two youngest daughters Elline and Karen inherited rights to the two farms: Vellensgård proprietairgård in Nyker parish, and Eskesgård proprietairgård in Pedersker parish. On January 30, 1608, Elline's husband Esbern Kofoed, of Poulsker parish, sold his wife's portion in Vellensgård and Eskesgård to her brother-in-law Mads Hansen Kofoed; in exchange Esbern Kofoed received the deeds for 3 farms: Frigård, 12' Vdg. (a fri vornedegård) in Poulsker parish, Tuegård (in Egeby), 6' Vdg. Åker, and Frostegård (in Mæby), 1' Vdg. Nyker.

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

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 13.6737 (Garde)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 13.6825 (Garde)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 14.8969 (Sommer)

Notater:

Occupation: Mayor (Borgmester) of Rønne.
Drowned on a seavoyage to Copenhagen.
It is not known with certainty who Mads Jensen Kofoed's (born
possibly 1513? or 1517?- died before 1573, possibly 1552?) parents
were: The historian Giessing, in 1786, states that Mads Jensen
Kofoed was the son of Jens Madsen Kofoed and grandson of
Mads Jensen Kofoed of Hasle. According to Julius Bidstrup's
"Familien Koefoed A og B" (published in 1887) his parents might be
Jens Madsen Kofoed and Johanne Thygesdatter, but he is not certain.
Also, Jørn Klindt in his book "På sporet af de første Kofod'er"
(published in 1979) has his doubts on this matter, and can not state
for a fact that any of this is true. Current evidence suggests that
it is likely that Mads Jensen Kofoed was born 1513 in Lund, Skåne
province; however, his parentage is still far from certain. In 1572 a
meeting was held by Bornholm's Parliament to establish who had the
right to the status of "Frimand" (Free-man) on Bornholm: Mads Jensen


Kofoed's sons Jens and Hans Kofoed were in attendance at that
meeting. Of course, that meeting had a broader purpose: a war in
which Lübeck and Danmark 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 free-men, 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: the brothers Jens and Hans Madsen Kofoed, Peder
Poulsen Kofoed, Oluf Bagge, Peder Uf, Peder Myre, Jørgen Gagge, also
ten other men only listed by their father's name; and at which
occassion three Danish Parlimentary advisers (Rigsråder) had been
sent to preside over the meeting. The Kofoeds had no written proof
of their free-men status; they were only able to give heartfelt and
solemn words about faithful service. 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 Sweder Ketting, "because you
might expect that Lübeck only plotted to keep our island under their
yoke." This is the first record in which we find the Kofoeds being
mentioned as "frimænd". We know that they were related to Oluf Bagge
and Peder Uf, and probably to several of the others. The question
remains: did they already have claim to free-man status, or did they
take advantage of the King's need for loyal followers - seeking
acknowledgement of that status from their peers on Bornholm? It
seems that they had to make certain commitments to the King in
exchange for the full rights to free-man status. Two of the newly
appointed free-men had an important mission to Lübeck the following
year. On September 6, 1573 King Frederik 2. wrote a letter to Lübeck
stating: "Our citizens, the brothers Peter and Jens Kofoth" have
applied to Lübeck's government for verification of their vital
statistics, so as, among other things, they are free to serve their
King - who then requests the Lübeck council to give sympathetic
consideration to their case and verify their births in Lübeck's
records. We often find such vital statistics proofs attached to the
documents in probate court cases, they were actually signed by the
parish "Elders" before the church parish registers (kirkebøger) came
into use. They were especially essential if disagreement arose among
the heirs. In the Lübeck family registry for 1573 we find the
following entry: Kofoedt, Matthias, dead before 1573 on Bornholm,
his wife: Johanna; their children: Peter, Jens, Boel - married to
Oluf Bagge; Anneke - married to Michael Abraham. The reason that the
family is registered in Lübeck exactly in 1573 is of course the
application the brothers made that same year for their vital
statistics. According to Jørn Klindt's "På sporet af de første
Kofod'er" it appears that Gunhild Uf and Mads Kofoed were already
married by 1547. The Lübeck legal-registry of 1573 states that a
woman named Johanne was Mads Kofoed's wife and mother to four of his
children; so accordingly it is not absolutely certain who was the
mother of which of Mads Kofoed's children. The fact that in 1573
Johanne was stated as the mother of Mads Kofoed's children may be a
reflection of their legal relationship, rather than blood ties. Nor
is it known for a fact which wife came first: Gunhild Uf or Johanne
Jensdatter Myre? The exact birth years of his children are not
known, but they are all thought to have been born between 1540-50.
Jørn Klindt further writes that more information about Mads Kofoed is
surely there to be found in the archives of København, or in Gottorp
and Potsdam - where the remnants of Lübeck's archives are now held.
As mayor for Rønne township Mads Kofoed was an influential man on
Bornholm, so it would be rather peculiar if there weren't more traces
of him to be found. It could be that he is the same person as the
Mads Kofoed known to have died during a sea-voyage to København in
1552. Part of the difficulty in answering this question lies in the
fact that one Lübeck entry states he died "before 1573" and another
states "in 1573"; which is correct and which in error? Mr. Klindt
asks the following questions: What was the case of the vital
statistics about? Why was it that Hans Kofoed, who on Bornholm was
considered to be Jens Kofoed's brother, did not appear on the 1573
Lübeck registry as part of the family? But, of course, who will
research this? Who has the ability, resources, inclination, and
time? His son Jens Kofoed is known to have died in 1625, an old man
around 80 years old. The same is said of Hans Kofoed who died in
1623, and he is with greater certainty considered to be the son of
Gunhild Uf, as he is not mentioned in the Lübeck registry of 1573 as
a son of Johanna and Mads Kofoed. Hans Kofoed has been listed by
Bornholm's first historian Rasmus Ravn (who lived from 1603-77) to be
the brother of the Judge Jens Madsen Kofoed; that he was not listed
in the Lübeck family registry of 1573 makes for a stronger case that
he was in fact half-brother to Jens Madsen Kofoed. Further proof that
the two men were brothers can be seen by the fact that Hans Kofoed's
sons were made the heirs to Jens Madsen Kofoed's property. Chief
Justice Jens Kofoed had no direct heirs at the time of his death, so
the four sons of his brother Hans Kofoed, and a certain Albert Hansen
- on account of his wife Karina Mikkelsdatter, were made heirs to his
reportedly large fortune. For who else was there left in 1625 to
inherit? His brother Peder had long since died, as well as his
children. His sister Boel's children with Oluf Bagge had left the
island. His sister Anneke had married a Michael/Mikkel Abraham, a
common Bornholm name, and so a daughter from their marriage would
have been known as "Mikkelsdatter", which leads us to Karina being
Jens Kofoed's niece. Working from the facts as I know them leads me
to the following two possible senarios: 1) That Johanne Jensdatter
Myre was Mads Jensen Kofoed's first wife, they probably married
around 1540; they had four children and before 1547 Johanne dies.
Around 1547 Mads Kofoed marries Gunhild Uf - they have a son, Hans,
born around 1547-50. 2) That Gunhild Uf was Mads Jensen Kofoed's
first wife, they probably married around 1540; within a year of
giving birth to Hans, around1542, Gunhild Uf died. Mads Kofoed then,
around 1543, marries Johanne - with whom he had at least four
children who lived to adulthood. The first senario is generally
thought to be the most likely, but that is just a guess. The key to
this question is: Were Gunhild Uf and Mads Jensen Kofoed married
before or in 1547? In the land-registry testimony of Bornholm's Land-
Register, dated May 22, 1522, is mentioned a P. Kofod as mayor of
Rønne; but whether or not he was related to "Familien Koefoed A or B"
is not known. (Høbertz, Documentation of Bornholm's History, p. 63)

Mads blev gift med Gunhild Uf cirka 1547 i Bornholm. Gunhild (datter af Hans Olufsen Uf) blev født cirka 1525 i Simblegård, Klemensker Sogn; døde efter 1552 i Bornholm. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 13.6738 (Garde)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 13.6826 (Garde)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 14.8970 (Sommer)

Notater:

The parentage of Gunhild Uf is uncertain and disputed. She must have
been born between 1500 and 1532. What seems to be agreed is that she is
the descendant of Otte Pedersen Uf, the owner of Skovsholm in Ibsker
parish. Some say she is his daughter's daughter (datterdatter). Other's
that she is the daughter of his son Anders Uf, from Otte's first marriage
to Kirsten Galen. It has also been suggested by Sigvard Mahler Dam that
she is the daughter of Otte Pedersen Uf's grandson Hans Olufsen Uf
(1510-1574); possibly because she gave her son with Mads Jensen Kofoed
the name Hans - after her father?

It is known that in 1547 Gunhild's husband Mads Jensen Kofoed represented
her in a legal dispute with Mogens Uf (died 1565) concerning inherited
property from the estate of the deceased Oluf Tuesen. This implies that
there is a close relationship with Mogens Uf; some have suggested they
are brother and sister, others that they are cousins. Considering that
Oluf Tuesen died in 1500, it seems unlikely that Gunhild is his daughter
- as she would have been approaching 50 at the time of the birth of her
son, Hans Madsen Kofoed. Possibly she is the daughter of Oluf Tuesen's
brother-in-law Oluf Ottesen Uf? Or, as Sigvard Mahler Dam has suggested,
the daughter of Oluf's son Hans?

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

After the murder of Mogens Ufs' father Oluf Tuesen, his widow
(Margrethe?) went through hard times, but her brothers helped her prove
to Commander van Haffn which of the farms were her own inheritance, and
these were eventually given back to her. Her brothers helped with the
management, but then a pivotal event took place, which later caused a
devastating family feud over inheritance. Apparently Oluf Ottesen
purchased some property from the widow, and in the later court case some
letters and documents supposedly were proof thereof, but her son, Mogens
Uf, maintained that the family had unlawfully confiscated said property.

In 1547 Mogens Uf, still exiled from Bornholm, came to blows with his own
family and took them to the highest court in the land:

(In the original old Danish)
"Mogens W til Odersbiergh citat hustru Gunildt, Mattis Kofoedt paa
Bornholm med deres medarvinger for noget jordegods som de gør dem
forhindring paa smst. efter Oluf Tuesens død smst."

The case concerns Mogens Uf's inheritance from his mother, against
Gunhild Uf, who must be a descendant of his mother's brother, Oluf
Ottesen. Gunhild's husband, Mads Jensen Kofoed, sailed to København on
behalf of his wife and her co-heirs (who were under-aged). Mads won the
case and returned home able to keep the deeds to the farms contested by
Mogens Uf. But in 1552 Mogens Uf is back again to haunt Gunhild's family
(78):

(In the original old Danish)
"Oluff Hansz paa sine egne og metarfvingers Otte Persz arfvinger vegne,
beretter at Mogens W forfølger dem for noget jordegods og skifte, og de
have forfulgt sagen og bragt den for Rigets Kantsker, og til den ende
afsendt Mads Kofoedt med deres breve og beviser, men han er drunknet paa
veien og Brevskaberne forkomne, hvorfor det paalægges landsdommeren Hans
Reymer, at han er dem behjælpelig til endnu engang at faa beskrevet hvad
der er gaaet for sig i sagen."

"Mogens W" had sued Oluf Hansen and Otte Pedersen's heirs for some
property and Mads Kofoed had again been sent to København with
documents. Sadly, Mads drowned underway and the documents were lost.

That same day the king sent a letter to his bailiff on Bornholm, Henning
Gagge, requesting that he quickly settle the case between Mogens Uf and
Otte Pedersen's heirs. It had become bothersome to the king, the very
men he depended upon to resist the Lübeckers were about to destroy
everything with their family feuding. How the court case ended is not
known, but it seems that Mogens Uf lost again.

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

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 13.6739 (Garde)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 13.6827 (Garde)

Claus blev gift med Margrethe von Schinckel. Margrethe blev født cirka 1535 i Tyskland; døde i 1598 i Bornholm. [Gruppeskema] [Familietavle]

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 13.6682 (Garde)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 13.6740 (Garde)

Notater:

Skovsholm

Andre Begivenheder og Egenskaber:

• Ane-nr.: Ane 14.13365 (Garde)
• Ane-nr.: Ane 14.8975 (Sommer)
• Alias: Peder Hansen

Notater:

Kure (Prgd. Vellensgård i Nyker)
Proprietærgårdn Vellensgård var een af de oprindelig 18 unummererede gårde som var sædegårde for frimandsslægter, og derfor havde de gårdene med tilhørende fæstegårde samt skattefrihed. Peder Hansen ejede Proprietærgården Vellensgård i Nyker. Han var broder til Bent Hansen på Proprietærgården Eskildsgård i Pedersker. Første gang vi hører om dem var da de sammen med de andre frimænd på øen var til møde med rigsrådets repræsentanter den 06.09.1572. Her omtales de som Peder Hansen og Bendt Hansen til "Vællingsgaard" og "Eskesgaard", Peder Hansen fik to sønner Jørgen Pedersen og Lavrids Pedersen. Det var Jørgen Pedersen der overtog Vellensgård.

Note(kopieret juli 2019 fra Norman Lee Madsens database)

According to Kure's farm-list the first known owner of Vellensgård is Peder Hansen, whose sister Mette Hansdatter was married to Peder Hansen Uf of Simlegård. Peder Hansen also owned Eskesgård in Pedersker.

Vellensgård and Eskesgård are classified as "friegård", later called a "proprietair" farm, the highest of the three classes of farms. On Bornholm the farms (in Danish "gård", or old style "gaard") had longstanding official names and numbers, and they were divided into three classifications, in descending order:

1) Proprietairgård (Propr.): a freehold estate (thus also called a Frigård), which could only be owned by a freeman (frimand) or a member of the 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 beo wned 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.

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.