
Claus Bille (ca. 1490 – 4 January 1558 at
Lyngsgård,
Scania) was a Danish landlord and statesman.
Early life
Claus was born as the youngest son of a
Danish nobleman, Steen Basse Torbensen Bille of Søholm (1446–1520) and his wife, Margrethe
Rønnow (1450–1490).
Biography
He was a major estate owner, knight (the highest rank of Danish nobility), fief lord of
Båhus Castle and a member of both the Norwegian and the Danish
Councils of the Realm. He was an important participant in the
Stockholm Bloodbath, when he together with
Søren Norby arrested the
Swedish nobility. He was a first cousin of
Eske Bille, and the
Bille family became the most politically powerful noble family of Denmark during his lifetime.
Personal life
Claus was married to Elisabeth Ulfstand (1502–1540), daughter of
Knight
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity.
The concept of a knighthood ...
and
Admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
Jens Holgersen Ulfstand (1450–1523) and his first wife, Margrethe Arvidsdatter
Trolle (1475–1523). Bille was the father of
Beate Clausdatter Bille and thus the maternal grandfather of the astronomer
Tycho Brahe.
Bille, Claus
in '' Dansk biografisk Lexikon'' Direct notable descendants include British actress Judi Dench and French and Danish lawyer Steen Andersen Oluf Bille (b. 1964).
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bille, Claus
16th-century Danish politicians
Claus
1490s births
1558 deaths
People from Skåne County
Stockholm Bloodbath