Canutus Hahn
Encyclopedia
Canutus Hahn was a Swedish clergyman who served as bishop of Lund 1680-1687.
Hahn was born on 13 November 1633 in Skye in Uråsa parish (Kronoberg County), son of a farmer Abraham Knutsson Hahn. He went to school in Kalmar and Växjö, enrolled at the universities of Greifswald in 1652 and studied there and at Wittenberg and Rostock until 1654. He enrolled at Uppsala, and graduated as a magister in 1661.
He became professor of philosophy at the gymnasium in Lund (now Katedralskolan
) in 1662, and professor of logic and metaphysics at the newly established University of Lund in 1667, and was its rector
1669-1670. Ordained a clergyman in 1671, he served as vicar in Ronneby
and Backaryd
parishes in Blekinge
1671-1679. In 1679, he was appointed vicar of Landskrona
parish and vice bishop of Lund, to assist the aging bishop Peder Winstrup
(who was also regarded as politically unreliable by the Swedish authorities). In 1680, after Winstrup's death, Hahn succeeded him as bishop of Lund (and pro-chancellor of Lund University).
Hahn has been characterized (Olsson, see below) as a man less suited to learning than to practical issues, and his main achievement was as leader of the Swedification of the provinces Skåne and Blekinge. Through the Treaty of Lund in 1679, the former Danish provinces had been allowed the right to keep their Danish laws and customs. The realization of "uniformity" in church language, liturgy and education was a violation of the treaty but the war had convinced the Swedish authorities that it was necessary to push it through in order to retain the provinces. Hahn called in an assembly of parish priests from the diocese in 1681 and convinced them to send a request to Governor-General Rutger von Ascheberg
for the realization of uniformity throughout the provinces. According to Hahn's biographer Bror Olsson, the Swedification went smoothly and was largely completed by his death in 1687.
He was appointed bishop of Växjö in 1687 but died on 29 December of that year, before he could take office.
Hahn was born on 13 November 1633 in Skye in Uråsa parish (Kronoberg County), son of a farmer Abraham Knutsson Hahn. He went to school in Kalmar and Växjö, enrolled at the universities of Greifswald in 1652 and studied there and at Wittenberg and Rostock until 1654. He enrolled at Uppsala, and graduated as a magister in 1661.
He became professor of philosophy at the gymnasium in Lund (now Katedralskolan
Katedralskolan, Lund
Katedralskolan, Lund is a school in Lund, Sweden. It was founded in 1085 by the Danish king Canute the Saint. It is the oldest school in Scandinavia and one of the oldest schools in Northern Europe.-History:...
) in 1662, and professor of logic and metaphysics at the newly established University of Lund in 1667, and was its rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
1669-1670. Ordained a clergyman in 1671, he served as vicar in Ronneby
Ronneby
Ronneby is a locality and the seat of Ronneby Municipality in Blekinge County, Sweden with 11,767 inhabitants in 2005.Ronneby is regarded as the heart of "the Garden of Sweden", and in 2005 the park "Brunnsparken" in Ronneby was voted Sweden's most beautiful park. 2006 the park was voted Europe's...
and Backaryd
Backaryd
Backaryd is a locality situated in Ronneby Municipality, Blekinge County, Sweden with 399 inhabitants in 2005....
parishes in Blekinge
Blekinge
' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , situated in the south of the country. It borders Småland, Scania and the Baltic Sea.The name "Blekinge" comes from the adjective bleke, which corresponds to the nautical term for "dead calm"....
1671-1679. In 1679, he was appointed vicar of Landskrona
Landskrona
Landskrona is a locality and the seat of Landskrona Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 28,670 inhabitants in 2005.-History:The city of Landskrona was founded at the location of Scania's best natural harbour, as a means of King Eric of Pomerania's anti-Hanseatic policy, intended to compete...
parish and vice bishop of Lund, to assist the aging bishop Peder Winstrup
Peder Winstrup
Peder Winstrup was Bishop of Lund in Scania during a period spanning both Danish and Swedish sovereignty of the region....
(who was also regarded as politically unreliable by the Swedish authorities). In 1680, after Winstrup's death, Hahn succeeded him as bishop of Lund (and pro-chancellor of Lund University).
Hahn has been characterized (Olsson, see below) as a man less suited to learning than to practical issues, and his main achievement was as leader of the Swedification of the provinces Skåne and Blekinge. Through the Treaty of Lund in 1679, the former Danish provinces had been allowed the right to keep their Danish laws and customs. The realization of "uniformity" in church language, liturgy and education was a violation of the treaty but the war had convinced the Swedish authorities that it was necessary to push it through in order to retain the provinces. Hahn called in an assembly of parish priests from the diocese in 1681 and convinced them to send a request to Governor-General Rutger von Ascheberg
Rutger von Ascheberg
Count Rutger von Ascheberg was a soldier, officer and civil servant in Swedish service, being appointed Lieutenant General in 1670, General in 1674, Field Marshal in 1678, Governor General of the Scanian provinces, in 1680, and Royal Councilor in 1681.-Biography:Ascheberg was born on the estate...
for the realization of uniformity throughout the provinces. According to Hahn's biographer Bror Olsson, the Swedification went smoothly and was largely completed by his death in 1687.
He was appointed bishop of Växjö in 1687 but died on 29 December of that year, before he could take office.