Ludvig Munk
Encyclopedia
Ludvig Ludvigsen Munk was born in 1537 in Vejle
, and died 8 April 1602 at Nørlund Slot (Nørlund castle) in Funen
. He was a Danish-Norwegian official and Count. He was the son of Ludvik Munk (1500-1537), and is also referred to as Ludvig Ludvigsen Munk von Schleswig-Holstein and Ludvig Munk til Nørlund.
He was a Junker
at the royal court in 1561. Subsequently he served in the Navy and participated in the Northern Seven Years' War
(1563–70) both at sea and on land. Along with his stepfather Christoffer Sydney, he was taken prisoner in the Battle of Svarterå (in Halland
) on 20 November 1565, but soon regained his liberty. He moved to Trondheim
, Norway
in 1571, and served there as the Lord of Trøndelag
, Jemtland
and Herjedalen until 1577. Then he relocated to Akershus Fortress
in Oslo
and served as the Danish-Norwegian Governor-general of Norway
from 1577 to 1583. After 1583 he became the District Governor and feudal overlord of: Hedmark
(1587), then Lister (1588–89) and Trøndelag
(1589–1599).
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 to Copenhagen
to appeal Munk's judgments to King Frederick II of Denmark
, 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. During King Christian's
tour of Norway in 1596, this and other abuses were reported to the king, who dismissed Munk from office, banished him to his estates in Jutland
and forced him to pay a heavy fine. Lockhart indicates Ludvig Munk's Jutland estates were forfeited to the king posthumously.
At the approximate age of 52, he married the l7-year-old Ellen Marsvin
(1572–1649) of Lundegaard and Ellensborg on 29 June 1589 and their union produced a daughter, Kirsten Munk
(1598–1658); in 1615 Kirsten entered into a morganatic marriage
with the widowed King Christian IV of Denmark
. Kirsten bore the king twelve children, among them the famous Countess Leonora Christina Ulfeldt, and Kirsten's children intermarried with the nobility of Denmark.
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...
, and died 8 April 1602 at Nørlund Slot (Nørlund castle) in Funen
Funen
Funen , with a size of 2,984 km² , is the third-largest island of Denmark following Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy, and the 163rd largest island of the world. Funen is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 454,358 inhabitants . The main city is Odense, connected to the...
. He was a Danish-Norwegian official and Count. He was the son of Ludvik Munk (1500-1537), and is also referred to as Ludvig Ludvigsen Munk von Schleswig-Holstein and Ludvig Munk til Nørlund.
He was a Junker
Junker
A Junker was a member of the landed nobility of Prussia and eastern Germany. These families were mostly part of the German Uradel and carried on the colonization and Christianization of the northeastern European territories during the medieval Ostsiedlung. The abbreviation of Junker is Jkr...
at the royal court in 1561. Subsequently he served in the Navy and participated in the Northern Seven Years' War
Northern Seven Years' War
The Northern Seven Years' War was the war between Kingdom of Sweden and a coalition of Denmark–Norway, Lübeck and the Polish–Lithuanian union, fought between 1563 and 1570...
(1563–70) both at sea and on land. Along with his stepfather Christoffer Sydney, he was taken prisoner in the Battle of Svarterå (in Halland
Halland
' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , on the western coast of Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat.-Administration:...
) on 20 November 1565, but soon regained his liberty. He moved to Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, Norway
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...
in 1571, and served there as the Lord of Trøndelag
Trøndelag
Trøndelag is the name of a geographical region in the central part of Norway, consisting of the two counties Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag. The region is, together with Møre og Romsdal, part of a larger...
, Jemtland
Jämtland
Jämtland or Jamtland is a historical province or landskap in the center of Sweden in northern Europe. It borders to Härjedalen and Medelpad in the south, Ångermanland in the east, Lapland in the north and Trøndelag and Norway in the west...
and Herjedalen until 1577. Then he relocated to Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress or Akershus Castle is a medieval castle that was built to protect Oslo, the capital of Norway. It has also been used as a prison.- Construction :...
in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and served as the Danish-Norwegian Governor-general of Norway
Governor-general of Norway
The Governor-general of Norway, styled Rigsstatholder in Danish or Riksståthållare in Swedish, both meaning 'Lieutenant of the realm' , was the appointed head of the Norwegian Government in the absence of the Monarch....
from 1577 to 1583. After 1583 he became the District Governor and feudal overlord of: Hedmark
Hedmark
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Akershus. The county administration is in Hamar.Hedmark makes up the northeastern part of Østlandet, the southeastern part of the country. It includes a long part of the borderline with Sweden, Dalarna County and Värmland County. The...
(1587), then Lister (1588–89) and Trøndelag
Trøndelag
Trøndelag is the name of a geographical region in the central part of Norway, consisting of the two counties Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag. The region is, together with Møre og Romsdal, part of a larger...
(1589–1599).
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 to Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
to appeal Munk's judgments to King Frederick II of Denmark
Frederick II of Denmark
Frederick II was King of Denmark and Norway and duke of Schleswig from 1559 until his death.-King of Denmark:Frederick II was the son of King Christian III of Denmark and Norway and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg. Frederick II stands as the typical renaissance ruler of Denmark. Unlike his father, he...
, 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. During King Christian's
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
tour of Norway in 1596, this and other abuses were reported to the king, who dismissed Munk from office, banished him to his estates in Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
and forced him to pay a heavy fine. Lockhart indicates Ludvig Munk's Jutland estates were forfeited to the king posthumously.
At the approximate age of 52, he married the l7-year-old Ellen Marsvin
Ellen Marsvin
Ellen Marsvin was a Danish noble, landowner and county administrator. She was the mother-in-law of King Christian IV of Denmark as the mother of Kirsten Munk....
(1572–1649) of Lundegaard and Ellensborg on 29 June 1589 and their union produced a daughter, Kirsten Munk
Kirsten Munk
Kirsten Munk was a Danish noble, the second spouse of King Christian IV of Denmark, and mother to twelve of his children.- Early life and Morganatic marriage:...
(1598–1658); in 1615 Kirsten entered into a morganatic marriage
Morganatic marriage
In the context of European royalty, a morganatic marriage is a marriage between people of unequal social rank, which prevents the passage of the husband's titles and privileges to the wife and any children born of the marriage...
with the widowed King Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
. Kirsten bore the king twelve children, among them the famous Countess Leonora Christina Ulfeldt, and Kirsten's children intermarried with the nobility of Denmark.