Ludvig Munk
Ludvig Ludvigsen Munk | |
|---|---|
 A 16th-century portrait of Ludvig Monk (oil), in the Portrait Collection atFrederiksborg Palace | |
| Governor-general of Norway | |
| In office 1577–1583 | |
| Monarch | Frederick II |
| Preceded by | Povel Huitfeldt |
| Succeeded by | Axel Gyldenstjerne |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1537 (exact date unknown) Vejle,Denmark |
| Died | 8 April 1602 Funen,Denmark |
| Occupation | Junker |
| Known for | Nobleman |
Ludvig Ludvigsen Munk(1537 inVejle– 8 April 1602 at Nørlund castle,Funen) was aDanishofficial and Count. He was also referred to asLudvig Ludvigsen Munk von Schleswig-HolsteinandLudvig Munk til Nørlund.[1]
Career
[edit]He was aJunkerat the royal court in 1561. Subsequently, he served in the Navy and participated in theNorthern Seven Years' War(1563–70) both at sea and on land. Along with his stepfatherChristoffer Sydney,he was taken prisoner in theBattle of Axtorna(inHalland) on 20 November 1565, but soon regained his liberty. He moved toTrondheim,Norwayin 1571, and served there as the Lord ofTrøndelag,JemtlandandHerjedalenuntil 1577. Then he relocated toAkershus FortressinOsloand served asGovernor-general of Norwayfrom 1577 to 1583. After 1583 he became the District Governor and feudal overlord of:Hedmark(1587), thenLister(1588–89) andTrøndelag(1589–96).[1]
His service as a feudal overlord was noted for controversy. While he served as Lord of Trøndelag in 1573, he and his officials exceeded their rights and collected taxes or appropriated lands beyond that allowed by law. The residents sent a committee led by Rolv Halvardsson toCopenhagento appeal Munk's judgments to KingFrederick II,as was their ancient right. Although Munk's judgments were overturned, Munk ignored the king's written direction to redress the grievances and instead imprisoned and hanged all members of the committee.[2]DuringKing Christian'stour of Norway in 1596, this and other abuses were reported to the king, who dismissed Munk from office, banished him to his estates inJutlandand forced him to pay a heavy fine.[3][4][5]Lockhart indicates Ludvig Munk's Jutland estates were forfeited to the king posthumously.[6]
Personal life
[edit]At the approximate age of 52, he married the 17-year-oldEllen Marsvin(1572–1649) of Lundegaard and Ellensborg on 29 June 1589. He and Ellen had a daughter,Kirsten Munk.in 1615 Kirsten entered into amorganatic marriagewith the widowed KingChristian IV of Denmark.She had twelve children with Christian IV, among them the famous CountessLeonora Christina Ulfeldt.[3]
References
[edit]- ^abNjåstad, Magne."Ludvig Munk".Norsk biografisk leksikon(in Norwegian).Retrieved13 April2009.
- ^Gjerset, Knut (1915).History of the Norwegian People, Volumes II, page 159.The MacMillan Company.Retrieved13 April2009.
- ^abGjerset, Knut (1915).History of the Norwegian People, Volumes II, page 185.The MacMillan Company.Retrieved13 April2009.
- ^Sörensen, Sigvart (1899).Norway.P.F. Collier & Son.
- ^Stagg, Frank Noel (1953).The Heart of Norway.George Allen & Unwin, Ltd.Retrieved13 April2008.
- ^Lockhart, Paul Douglas (2007).Denmark, 1513-1660: the rise and decline of a Renaissance monarchy.Oxford University Press.ISBN978-0-19-927121-4.Retrieved13 April2008.