Vincens Lunge
Encyclopedia
Vincens Lunge (c. 1486 – 3 January 1536) was a Danish noble
, member of the Norwegian
realm council (Riksråd) and the foremost representative of King Christian III of Denmark
in Norway.
in Leuven
, Brabant
. He returned to Denmark in 1518 with a doctoral degree in philosophy and canon law. In 1521 he became a professor of law and rector of the University of Copenhagen
.
Vincens Lunge was married to Margrete Nilsdatter (ca. 1495–1565), one of the five daughters of Chancellor and Lord High Steward of Norway Nils Henriksson
. Her mother was Ingerd Ottesdatter
, a member of the Rømer family of Norway who was one of the wealthiest landowner in Norway. Dating from property disputes, Ingerd Ottesdatter had become an enemy of the Olav Engelbrektsson
, the powerful Archbishop of Nidaros.
Early in the reign of King Frederick I of Denmark
, Lunge was sent to Northern Norway to enforce the reign of the new king. Lunge acquired Kronstad Hovedgård
and the estate Lungegården near Bergen
. In 1524, at meeting of the Riksråd, Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson sponsored requirements to force the newly elected King Frederick I to accept a charter with terms designed to maintain Norway's independence - no foreigners were to be captain of a fortress or lord of a fief
, the king was not to impose taxes without the council's consent, the king was not to infringe on the Catholic Church's rights in Norway and the king was to rule Norway only through native-born or married-in Norwegians who resided in Norway. All the king's orders and arrangements were declared invalid until he had signed the coronation charter
(Håndfæstning).
In 1533, the election of King Christian III of Denmark
triggered the Count's Feud
(Grevefeiden), a civil war that raged from 1534–1536 pitting Roman Catholic forces against the Protestant Reformation
movement within Denmark and Norway. The relationship with Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson gradually worsened. This resulted in numerous conflicts between them, which included as well as Ingerd Ottesdatter. In 1535, Lunge traveled to Trondheim to negotiate peace in the conflict. During January 1536, Lunge was murdered by the allies of Archbishop Engelbrektsson. As described in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum
, the actual murder of the earl was said to have taken place at the hands of Archbishop Engelbrektsson's cousin, Kristoffer Trondson. Admiral Trondson was head of a fleet which had been in conflict with Danish vessels.
outside of Trondheim.
In Bergen today, many landmarks are still associated with Vincens Lunge. From the name of his estate Lungegården, two well known lakes in Bergen go by the name Lille Lungegårdsvannet
and Store Lungegårdsvannet
. In addition a street in Bergen is named Vincens Lunges Gate.
Danish nobility
Nobility in Denmark was a leading social class until the 19th or 20th century. Danish nobility exists yet and has a recognized status in Denmark, a monarchy, but its real privileges have been abolished....
, member of the Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
realm council (Riksråd) and the foremost representative of King Christian III of Denmark
Christian III of Denmark
Christian III reigned as king of Denmark and Norway. He was the eldest son of King Frederick I and Anna of Brandenburg.-Childhood:...
in Norway.
Biography
Lunge was born in Denmark in 1486. His parents were Vincens Iversen Dyre til Tirsbæk (died earlier than 1497) and Kirsten Tygesdatter Lunge (died earlier than 1529). He studied at the University of LeuvenOld University of Leuven
The Old University of Leuven is the name historians give to the university, or studium generale, founded in Leuven, Brabant , in 1425, and closed in 1797, a week after the cession to the French Republic of the Austrian Netherlands and the principality of Liège by the Treaty of Campo Formio.When...
in Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
. He returned to Denmark in 1518 with a doctoral degree in philosophy and canon law. In 1521 he became a professor of law and rector of the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
.
Vincens Lunge was married to Margrete Nilsdatter (ca. 1495–1565), one of the five daughters of Chancellor and Lord High Steward of Norway Nils Henriksson
Nils Henriksson
Nils Henriksson was a Norwegian knight, landowner, National Counselor and Lord High Steward of Norway who married Ingerd Ottesdatter ....
. Her mother was Ingerd Ottesdatter
Inger, Lady of Austraat
Inger, Lady of Austraat [Rømer] was her era's wealthiest landowner in Norway, a daughter and ultimate heiress of the Younger Rømer family of Norway, a political intriguer , and her fame was the inspiration for Henrik Ibsen's somewhat fanciful play Lady Inger of...
, a member of the Rømer family of Norway who was one of the wealthiest landowner in Norway. Dating from property disputes, Ingerd Ottesdatter had become an enemy of the Olav Engelbrektsson
Olav Engelbrektsson
Olav Engelbrektsson was the last Catholic Archbishop of Norway. As well as being a religious leader, Olav was also a political figure;...
, the powerful Archbishop of Nidaros.
Early in the reign of King Frederick I of Denmark
Frederick I of Denmark
Frederick I of Denmark and Norway was the King of Denmark and Norway. The name is also spelled Friedrich in German, Frederik in Danish, and Fredrik in Swedish and Norwegian...
, Lunge was sent to Northern Norway to enforce the reign of the new king. Lunge acquired Kronstad Hovedgård
Kronstad Hovedgård
Kronstad Hovedgård is a Manor house and mansion in the city of Bergen, Norway. It is located in the borough of Årstad on the south shore of the bay of Store Lungegårdsvannet...
and the estate Lungegården near Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
. In 1524, at meeting of the Riksråd, Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson sponsored requirements to force the newly elected King Frederick I to accept a charter with terms designed to maintain Norway's independence - no foreigners were to be captain of a fortress or lord of a fief
Fiefdom
A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...
, the king was not to impose taxes without the council's consent, the king was not to infringe on the Catholic Church's rights in Norway and the king was to rule Norway only through native-born or married-in Norwegians who resided in Norway. All the king's orders and arrangements were declared invalid until he had signed the coronation charter
Håndfæstning
Håndfæstning , Håndfestning , Handfeste , were names for documents issued from the 13th to the 17th century in Scandinavia and Germany , e.g. the charters that were signed by Danish and Norwegian kings, and sometimes also by Swedish kings...
(Håndfæstning).
In 1533, the election of King Christian III of Denmark
Christian III of Denmark
Christian III reigned as king of Denmark and Norway. He was the eldest son of King Frederick I and Anna of Brandenburg.-Childhood:...
triggered the Count's Feud
Count's Feud
The Count's Feud , also called the Count's War, was a civil war that raged in Denmark in 1534–36 and brought about the Reformation in Denmark...
(Grevefeiden), a civil war that raged from 1534–1536 pitting Roman Catholic forces against the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
movement within Denmark and Norway. The relationship with Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson gradually worsened. This resulted in numerous conflicts between them, which included as well as Ingerd Ottesdatter. In 1535, Lunge traveled to Trondheim to negotiate peace in the conflict. During January 1536, Lunge was murdered by the allies of Archbishop Engelbrektsson. As described in the Diplomatarium Norvegicum
Diplomatarium Norvegicum
Diplomatarium Norvegicum is a series of books containing the texts of documents and letters from Norway older than 1590, verbatim and in the original language. The series consists of 22 volumes, containing the texts of approximately 20,000 documents....
, the actual murder of the earl was said to have taken place at the hands of Archbishop Engelbrektsson's cousin, Kristoffer Trondson. Admiral Trondson was head of a fleet which had been in conflict with Danish vessels.
Legacy
This dramatic events surrounding the death of Vincens Lunge are memorialized today in an annual opera sponsored by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture, titled Olav Engelbrektsson, which takes place at Steinvikholm CastleSteinvikholm Castle
Steinvikholm Castle is an island fortress on the Skatval peninsula near Stjørdal, in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The castle was built over seven years, from 1525 to 1532, for Norway's last Catholic archbishop, Olav Engelbrektsson....
outside of Trondheim.
In Bergen today, many landmarks are still associated with Vincens Lunge. From the name of his estate Lungegården, two well known lakes in Bergen go by the name Lille Lungegårdsvannet
Lille Lungegårdsvannet
Lille Lungegårdsvannet is a small lake in the city centre of Bergen, Norway. The octagon-shaped lake was formerly connected to Store Lungegårdsvannet, but the strait between the two was removed in 1926....
and Store Lungegårdsvannet
Store Lungegårdsvannet
Store Lungegårdsvannet is a bay located in the city and municipality of Bergen, Norway. The bay separates the city centre, located in the borough of Bergenhus, from the southern boroughs of the city, Årstad, Fana and Ytrebygda...
. In addition a street in Bergen is named Vincens Lunges Gate.