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Jonas Charisius or Carisius (1571-1619) was a Danish physician, politician, and ambassador.


Background

He studied medicine at Padua and Heidelberg and obtained a doctorate, before embarking on a political career in 1598. In April 1599 Charisius was included as a physician in Christian IV's voyage to the north of Norway, Nordkapp (Bjørnøya), and towards Russia. After this, he served Christian IV primarily as a diplomat.


Career diplomat

Charisius was involved in a diplomatic discussion at
Bremen Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (german: Stadtgemeinde Bremen, ), is the capital of the German state Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (''Freie Hansestadt Bremen''), a two-city-state consis ...
in 1602, where English shipping, fishing issues, and access to the
Sound toll The Sound Dues (or Sound Tolls; da, Øresundstolden) were a toll on the use of the Øresund, or "Sound" strait separating the modern day borders of Denmark and Sweden. The tolls constituted up to two thirds of Denmark's state income in the 16th a ...
were discussed. The other Danish negotiators were
Manderup Parsberg Manderup Parsberg (24 December 1546 – 11 November 1625) was a Danish nobleman and politician who was member of the Royal Privy Council to King Christian IV of Denmark. Student life As a student at the University of Rostock, he participated in a ...
and Arnold Witfield (Arild Huitfeldt). One of the English diplomats, Stephen Lesieur sent a portrait of Elizabeth I to Christian IV of Denmark. A meeting to discuss the same issues scheduled at
Emden Emden () is an independent city and seaport in Lower Saxony in the northwest of Germany, on the river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia and, in 2011, had a total population of 51,528. History The exact founding date of E ...
in April 1600 had been abandoned after the English envoys failed to turn up. In February 1603, Alexander Covert and a merchant Richard Lewis, representing the Eastland Company, were sent to Denmark for a follow-up meeting about the passage of English ships through the Sound with Charisius and the others. Charisius arrived in London in November 1610 and was lodged with Paul Fourry. He received a
diplomatic gift A diplomatic gift is a gift given by a :diplomat, politician or leader when visiting a foreign country. Usually the gift is reciprocated by the host. The use of diplomatic gifts dates back to the ancient world and givers have competed to outdo e ...
of a gold chain. The Danish party included a tailor, 10 musicians, 15 trumpeters, and a drummer. He returned to London in August 1611 with news of the
storming of Kristianopel The Storming of Kristianopel occurred on 26 June 1611, during the Kalmar War. Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden led an assault from the camp in Högsby in Småland on Kristianopel in Blekinge. The Swedes managed to siege the fortified city and went in ...
and the Kalmar War, seeking military aid. He visited Sir Robert Cecil and Anne of Denmark, the wife of James VI and I, who was at Oatlands. James was reluctant to meet him while he was on progress, but Carisius got an audience at Beaulieu in Hampshire. Amongst other matters, Charisius told King James that Christian IV recommended and supported the planned marriage of his daughter Princess Elizabeth (1596-1662) to
Frederick V of the Palatinate Frederick V (german: link=no, Friedrich; 26 August 1596 – 29 November 1632) was the Elector Palatine of the Rhine in the Holy Roman Empire from 1610 to 1623, and reigned as King of Bohemia from 1619 to 1620. He was forced to abdicate both r ...
(1596-1632). James told one of his Scottish courtiers, Viscount Fenton, to send this news to Sir Robert Cecil. The Duke of Bouillon had already proposed this marriage. James was pleased with the idea that Christian IV would now "deal in that business" and wanted Cecil to speak about the plans with "Doctor Jonas". The wedding took place on 14 February 1613. Anne of Denmark seems not to have been keen on this marriage for her daughter. Charisius returned to London. On 11 September, King James sent him a stag that he killed while hunting at
Wanstead Wanstead () is a town in East London, England, in the London Borough of Redbridge. It borders South Woodford to the north, Redbridge, London, Redbridge to the east and Forest Gate to the south, with Leytonstone and Walthamstow to the west. It is ...
. The Venetian ambassador in London, Antonio Foscarini, noted in October 1611 that Charisius was successful in his mission, due in part to the influence of Anne of Denmark, who was able to secure private audiences with the king for Danish diplomats, in this case at Hampton Court. Charisius returned to London in January 1612, asking for military support. He told Foscarini that Christian IV intended to support the weaker faction in Sweden in the conflict between
Gustavus Adolphus Gustavus Adolphus (9 December Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates">N.S_19_December.html" ;"title="Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Old Style and New Style dates">N.S 19 December">Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="/now ...
and John II Casimir Vasa, in order to further his own territorial interests and ambitions, which included establishing the Danish crown as a
hereditary monarchy A hereditary monarchy is a form of government and succession of power in which the throne passes from one member of a ruling family to another member of the same family. A series of rulers from the same family would constitute a dynasty. It is h ...
and joining the Holy Roman Empire. King James allowed him to have 100 small cannons, and subsequently sent
Lord Willoughby Baron Willoughby of Parham was a title in the Peerage of England with two creations. The first creation was for Sir William Willoughby who was raised to the peerage under letters patent in 1547, with the remainder to his heirs male of body. A ...
and troops to Denmark. Christian IV commissioned Willoughby to raise a company of 1,500 foot soldiers, as Colonel-General of his English forces. Recruits included William Cromwell, a son of Oliver Cromwell of Hinchingbooke. Charisius spent three months in Germany in 1618 and returned to Denmark via The Hague in November. Dudley Carleton heard that Christian IV hoped Danish ships would not molested by the Dutch Republic or Dutch East India Company in the East Indies. Charisius had been asked to recruit ship's officers in the Netherlands to serve in the new Danish East India Company. He came to London in 1619 via The Hague, where he left letters for the Dutch Republic, one concerning the East Indies trade. In London he lodged with Paul Fourrey again. Following the death of Anne of Denmark, another Danish diplomat, Andrew Sinclair, joined him on 2 April 1619. They wrote to the Marquess of Buckingham asking him to obtain an audience with King James for them. Charisius bought paintings and musical instruments for Christian IV in the Netherlands, and in 1619 sent him portraits of King James and the late Anne of Denmark. Charisius promoted the career of the artist Pieter Isaacsz, a former pupil of
Hans von Aachen Hans von Aachen (1552 – 4 March 1615) was a German painter who was one of the leading representatives of Northern Mannerism. Hans von Aachen was a versatile and productive artist who worked in many genres. He was successful as a painter of pr ...
, who returned to Denmark to become a court painter in 1614. On one occasion, Charisius left London without receiving a customary diplomatic gift from King James. Robert Anstruther wrote to him that he had arranged for a gold chain to be given to Andrew Sinclair for him. In 1602, Charisius married Anna, a daughter of the physician Petrus Severinus or
Peder Soerensen Peder Sørensen (1542–1602), widely known by his Latinized name, ''Petrus Severinus'', was a Danish physician, and one of the most significant followers of Paracelsus. His works include the major treatise ''Idea medicinae philosophicae'' (Ideal o ...
(died 1602). Their son Peder Charisius also became a diplomat. He died in Denmark in November 1619.''Dansk Biografisk Leksikon'', vol. 3 (Copenhagen, 1979), pp. 216-217.


References


External links


CHARISIUS, JONAS: SSNE 1105
{{DEFAULTSORT:Charisius, Jonas Ambassadors of Denmark to England 16th-century Danish physicians 17th-century Danish diplomats People of the Kalmar War 1571 births 1619 deaths