Peder Munk of Estvadgård (1534–1623), was a Danish navigator, politician, and ambassador, who was in charge of the fleet carrying

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I. She was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and List of English royal consorts, Queen of Engl ...

to Scotland. The events of the voyage led to witch trials and executions in Denmark and Scotland.

Career

Peder Munk was the son of Ludvig Munk (d. 1537) and Kirstin Pedersdatte Lykke. He was born at Lønborggård, Lønborg,

Ringkøbing Ringkøbing (older spelling ''Ringkjøbing'') is a town in Ringkøbing-Skjern Municipality in Central Denmark Region, Region Midtjylland on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula in west Denmark. It has a population of 9,830 (1 January 2025).

, Denmark, on 22 April 1534. Peder's younger brother Ludvig Munk was also a sailor and a soldier, whose daughter Kirsten Munk married

Christian IV of Denmark Christian IV (12 April 1577 – 28 February 1648) was King of Denmark and King of Norway, Norway and List of rulers of Schleswig-Holstein, Duke of Holstein and Schleswig from 1588 until his death in 1648. His reign of 59 years and 330 days is th ...

in 1615. Peder Munk's main estate from 1566 was Estvadgård in Skive Kommune. In 1575, Peder Munk was made Admiral of Denmark, the Admiral of the Realm or 'Rigsadmiral'; in 1588, he was made one of the council, the Rigsraadet of regents for Christian IV. Peder Munk is said to have provided a miniature warship for the young king in a Jutland lake. On 20 August 1589, Peder Munk and others accepted an agreement at

Helsingør Helsingør ( , ; ), classically known in English as Elsinore ( ), is a coastal city in northeastern Denmark. Helsingør Municipality had a population of 63,953 on 1 January 2025, making it the 23rd most populated municipality in Denmark. Helsin ...

over the rule of the islands

Orkney Orkney (), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but locals now consider it outdated. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland, ...

from the Scottish ambassador George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal, as part of the marriage arrangements of

James VI of Scotland James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...

and

, a sister of Christian IV.

Mission to Scotland

In August 1589, the Danish council decided that Peder Munk, Breide Rantzau, Dr Paul Knibbe, and Niels Krag would accompany Anne of Denmark, the bride of James VI, to Scotland. Peder sailed on 5 September with Henrik Knudsen Gyldenstierne, admiral of the fleet, and 18 ships. Munk and Henrik Gildenstern sailed with a Danish fleet including the ''Gideon'', ''Josaphad'' or ''Josafat'' their flagship, ''Samson'', ''Joshua'', ''Dragon'', ''Raphael'', ''St Michael'', ''Gabriel'', ''Little Sertoun'' (''Lille Fortuna''), ''Mouse'', ''Rose'', the ''Falcon of Birren'', the ''Blue Lion'', the ''Blue Dove'' (''Blaa Due'') and the ''White Dove'' (''Hvide Due'').

Winter in Norway

There were two accidents on the ships at Copenhagen involving exploding cannons. The fleet was delayed by adverse and contrary winds. They first stopped at a safe haven in Norway, "Gamel Sellohe", where the leaking ''Gideon'' was repaired, then at Flekkerøy. The ''Samson'', ''St Michael'', and the ''Joshua'' returned to Copenhagen. In Scotland, James waited for his bride at Seton Palace in

East Lothian East Lothian (; ; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a Counties of Scotland, historic county, registration county and Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921. In ...

. He worked up his feelings into a sonnet, ''A complaint against the contrary wyndes that hindered the Queene to com to Scotland from Denmarke''. A ferry boat on the Forth collided with another vessel in a storm drowning all its passengers, including Jane Kennedy who was to join the queen's household. There was an inquiry and trial about this incident, but later in 1590 this disaster and the accidents of the royal voyages were attributed to witchcraft. James VI sent the Scottish diplomat William Stewart with John Skene and

Peter Young Peter or Pete Young may refer to: Sports * Peter Dalton Young (1927–2002), English rugby union player * Peter Young (cricketer, born 1961), Australian cricketer * Pete Young (born 1968), American baseball player * Peter Young (rugby league) (fl. ...

to Anna in Norway. They sailed from Flekkerøy to Copenhagen and told Henrik Ramel (Ramelius) of the predicament facing the Danish fleet. At

, Jørgen Rosenkrantz and Christoffer Valkendorf asked for the Regent's and Council's advice, and wrote to Anna of Denmark asking if she would return to Denmark, but they realised the Scottish envoys and George Keith, 5th Earl Marischal wanted her to continue her journey or stay at Oslo. Meanwhile,

Steen Bille Steen Bille (1565–1629) was a Danish councillor and diplomat. He was the son of Jens Bille and Karen Rønnow, and is sometimes called "Steen Jensen Bille". His father compiled a manuscript of ballads, Jens Billes visebog. As a young man Bille ...

, William Stewart, and Andrew Sinclair brought Anna's letters in French from Flekkerøy to Edinburgh on 10 October, describing the delay and four or five failed attempts to cross the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...

, and saying she would stay in Norway. James VI decided to sail to Norway and escort her back to Denmark.

Scotland and the queen's dower lands

James VI and Anne of Denmark returned to Scotland on 1 May 1590 with the remainder of the Danish fleet. Munk, Breide Rantzau, and Steen Brahe came as ambassadors. On their arrival at Leith, James VI presented the skipper of Munk's ship, the pilots, trumpeters, violers and kettle drummers with forty gold rose noble coins, accounted from his dowry. Peder Munk was given a jewel. Before Anne's coronation in Edinburgh, Peder Munk travelled to view and take formal possession of the lands which James VI had given Anne of Denmark as a "

morning gift Dower is a provision accorded traditionally by a husband or his family, to a wife for her support should she become widowed. It was settlement (law), settled on the bride (being given into trust instrument, trust) by agreement at the time of t ...

". This gift was confirmed by the presentation of a special charter with the royal seal and the seals of representatives of the

Parliament of Scotland In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

and the Scottish burgh towns. Munk went first to Rossend Castle the home of Sir Robert Melville, and stayed at Wemyss Castle. On 12 May they visited

Falkland Palace Falkland Palace, in Falkland, Fife, Scotland, is a royal palace of the Scottish kings. It was one of the favourite places of Mary, Queen of Scots, who took refuge there from political and religious turmoil of her times. Today it is under th ...

, then his party stayed the night with the

Earl of Morton The title Earl of Morton was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1458 for James Douglas of Dalkeith. Along with it, the title Lord Aberdour was granted. This latter title is the courtesy title for the eldest son and heir to the Earl of Morton. ...

at the Newhouse of

Lochleven Castle Lochleven Castle is a ruined castle on an island in Loch Leven, in the Perth and Kinross local authority area of Scotland. Possibly built around 1300, the castle was the site of military action during the Wars of Scottish Independence (1296–1 ...

. Next, on 13 May, they went to

Dunfermline Palace Dunfermline Palace is a ruined former Scottish royal palace and important tourist attraction in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. It is currently, along with other buildings of the adjacent Dunfermline Abbey, under the care of Historic Environmen ...

and then after a night at

Niddry Castle Niddry Castle is a sixteenth-century tower house near Winchburgh, West Lothian, Scotland. It is situated near the Union Canal (Scotland), Union Canal, and between two large oil shale bings, or waste heaps. Historically it was known as Niddry Se ...

, on 14 May,

Linlithgow Palace The ruins of Linlithgow Palace are located in the town of Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland, west of Edinburgh. The palace was one of the principal residences of the monarchs of Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland in the 15th and 16th ce ...

. At each palace, the lawyer John Skene read out the details of the property, then Munk was given a handful of earth and stone, the traditional Scottish ceremony of transferring ownership or "

sasine Sasine in Scots law is the delivery of Feudalism, feudal property, typically land. Feudal property means immovable property, and includes everything that naturally goes with the property. For land, that would include such things as buildings, tre ...

". Back in Edinburgh, on 17 May, the day of the queen's coronation, Munk, Steen Brahe, and Breide Rantzau walked with Anne of Denmark down the aisle of

Holyrood Abbey Holyrood Abbey is a ruined abbey of the Canons Regular in Edinburgh, Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1128 by David I of Scotland. During the 15th century, the abbey guesthouse was developed into a List of British royal residences, royal r ...

on her left side, and the English ambassador Sir Robert Bowes walked on the right. They were followed by Bowes's wife Eleanor Musgrove, the Countess of Mar, Margaret Douglas, Countess of Bothwell, and Jean Kennedy Countess of Orkney who carried the train of the queen's gown and cloak. On 18 May, Munk and Lord Hamilton escorted Anne of Denmark into St Giles during the ceremony of her entry into the town. The town of Edinburgh held a banquet a few days later for the Danish envoys and the king and queen. It was held in the house of the master of the mint, Thomas Aitchisoun, at the foot of Todrick's Wynd. The organiser was John MacMorran who had the room hung with tapestry, hired musicians, and arranged a guard of honour carrying

halberd A halberd (also called halbard, halbert or Swiss voulge), is a two-handed polearm that was in prominent use from the 13th to 16th centuries. The halberd consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on a long shaft. It may have a hook or ...

s. The goldsmith

Thomas Foulis Thomas Foulis (floruit, fl. 1580–1628) was a Scottish goldsmith, mine entrepreneur, and royal financier. Thomas Foulis was an Edinburgh goldsmith and financier, and was involved in the mint and coinage, gold and lead mining, and from May 1591 t ...

provided gold chains as diplomatic gifts for Munk and the other Danish envoys.

Witch trials

After his return to Denmark, Peder Munk became involved in litigation with

Christoffer Valkendorff Christoffer Valkendorff (1 September 152517 January 1601) was a Danish-Norwegian statesman and landowner. His early years in the service of Frederick II brought him both to Norway, Ösel and Livland. He later served both as Treasurer and '' St ...

, treasurer and governor or

Stadtholder In the Low Countries, a stadtholder ( ) was a steward, first appointed as a medieval official and ultimately functioning as a national leader. The ''stadtholder'' was the replacement of the duke or count of a province during the Burgundian and ...

of Copenhagen, about equipping the fleet and defective ships in October 1589. Some women were accused of witchcraft in the

Copenhagen witch trials The Copenhagen witch trials of 1590 was the first major witch trial in Denmark. It resulted in the execution of seventeen people by burning. It was closely connected to the North Berwick witch trials in Scotland. Background In the winter of 15 ...

, raising storms or sabotaging the ships intended to carry Anne to Scotland.

Anna Koldings Ane Koldings (also called Anne or Anna Koldings; died 1590) was an alleged Danish Realm, Danish witch. She was a main defendant in the Copenhagen witch trials held during the summer of 1590, which were held as a parallel to the famous North Berwick ...

and others were executed for gathering in Karen Vævers's house to infest the keels of the ships with little devils, Pil-Hesteskou and Smuk (Arrow-Horseshoe and Pretty), smuggled onto the ships in barrels. News of the arrest of five or six women in Copenhagen reached Edinburgh by 23 July 1590. The English ambassador Robert Bowes wrote, "It is advertised from Denmark, that the Admiral there has caused five or six witches to be taken in Copenhagen, upon suspicion that by their witchcraft they had stayed the Queen of Scots voyage into Scotland, and sought to have stayed likewise the King's return." In October 1590, the Danish diplomat Dr Paul Knibbe or Knibius wrote to Daniel Rogers in London that Peder Munk's fleet had been threatened by witches led by Margrete the wife of Jakob Skiber, consul in Copenhagen. Munk accompanied the accused couple to their trial and sentencing. Margrete was burnt and the possessions of Jakob were confiscated. In Scotland, several people were accused of trying to sink the royal ships by magic in the

North Berwick witch trials The North Berwick witch trials were the trials in 1590 of a number of people from East Lothian, Scotland, accused of witchcraft in the St Andrew's Auld Kirk in North Berwick on Halloween night. They ran for two years, and implicated over 70 peopl ...

. The "articles of dittay" indicting

Agnes Sampson Agnes Sampson (died 28 January 1591) was a Scottish healer and purported witch. Also known as the "Wise Wife of Keith", Sampson was involved in the North Berwick witch trials in the later part of the sixteenth century. Background Sampson live ...

of witchcraft include raising winds to prevent the queen sailing to Scotland. The safe delivery of James VI and Anne of Denmark from the "conspiracy of witches" was celebrated at the baptism of their son Prince Henry at

Stirling Castle Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most historically and architecturally important castles in Scotland. The castle sits atop an Intrusive rock, intrusive Crag and tail, crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill ge ...

in August 1594.

Scotland in August 1591

The "Admiral of Denmark" is said to have returned to Scotland as ambassador in August 1591 with a train of 200 followers. He spoke to James VI about the disagreements between Anne of Denmark and the

Chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

John Maitland of

Thirlestane Thirlestane Castle is a castle set in extensive parklands near Lauder in the Borders of Scotland. The site is aptly named Castle Hill, as it stands upon raised ground. However, the raised land is within Lauderdale, the valley of the Leader Wat ...

Marshal of Denmark

On 29 July 1590, Munk was with Christian IV and his mother

Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow (''Sophia''; 4 September 1557 – 4 October 1631) was List of Danish royal consorts, Queen of Denmark and List of Norwegian royal consorts, Norway by marriage to Frederick II of Denmark. She was the mother of King ...

in the palace of Koldinghus at

Kolding Kolding () is a Denmark, Danish seaport city located at the head of Kolding Fjord in the Region of Southern Denmark. It is the seat of Kolding Municipality. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre and has numerous industria ...

. They entertained the Scottish ambassadors John Skene and William Stewart. At dinner the ambassadors were seated at one table with the king, Munk, Peder Gyldenstierne, Steen Brahe, Hak Holgersen Ulfstand, Henrik Below, and Breide Rantzau, which was a special honour for the diplomats. From 1596 to 1608, he was Marshal of the Realm or Rigsmarsk, the commander of Danish armed forces, in succession to Hak Holgersen Ulfstand (1535-1594). He married Karen Skeel (d. 1601) in 1566, a daughter of Albert Skeel and Kirsten Sandberg. Their heraldry, dated 1568, is represented in a carving at Borre kirke, on the island of

Møn Møn () is an island in south-eastern Denmark. Until 1 January 2007, it was a municipality in its own right but it is now part of the municipality of Vordingborg Municipality, Vordingborg, after merging with the former municipalities of Langeb ...

. On 29 July 1604, he married Sophie Pedersdatter Brahe (1580-1638), a daughter of Peder Jensson Brahe (d. 1610) and Margarete Albretsdatter Gøye (d. 1594). Peder Munk came to England in the retinue of Christian IV and King James gave him a gift of gilt plate on 11 August 1606. From 1589, Munk owned the manor at Sæbygård at Volstrup Sogn. The house had been built for the previous owners by Hercules (or Claus) Midow. In 1621 Munk sold Estvadgård to Johan Rantzau. Peder Munk died in 1623 at Sødringholm, Udbyhøj, a manor that he had bought in 1592, and was buried on 31 March at Volstrup Church. His widow Sophie Brahe sold Sødringholm to Gert Rantzau (1558-1627) in 1625 and made her home at Sæbygård, where she had the east wing rebuilt. Their daughter, Kirsten Munk (1608-1624), and Sophie were also buried at Volstrup. Munk had a house in Copenhagen in the Admiralgade. In 1607, Anna Busch Walker, who claimed to be a prophet, made an illustrated manuscript and presented it to Anne of Denmark. She wrote that she was the daughter of George Busch, born in Copenhagen, upon the Holm in "Peter Munckss" house, now "ritsch amirall" in Denmark. The Holm, Holmen, or Bremerholm was a former island reclaimed to make a naval base.Jürgen Beyer & Leigh Penman, 'The Petitions of a Supposed Prophetesse', Aza Goudriaan & Fred van Lieburg, ''Revisiting the Synod of Dordt: 1618-1619'' (Leiden, 2011), pp. 110-111.

References

External links

'Munk, Peder', SSNE database, S. Murdoch & A. Grosjean, University of St Andrews

Steffen Heiberg: 'Peder Munk' i ''Dansk Biografisk Leksikon'', 3. udg., Gyldendal 1979-84

'Peder Munk', Slaegten Reventlow, Genealogy with mapping

Herregaardsmuseet Saebygaard, Norjyllands Kystmuseum

P. A. Munch, 'Prindsesse Annas, Giftermaal med Kong Jacob d. 6te af Skotland', ''Norske Samlinger'', 1 (1852), pp. 450-512
{{DEFAULTSORT:Munk, Peder 16th-century Danish sailors Danish maritime navigators Ambassadors of Denmark to Scotland 16th-century Danish politicians Accusers in witch trials 1534 births 1623 deaths 17th-century Danish politicians Rigsmarsk (Denmark) Witchcraft in Scotland 16th-century Danish diplomats 17th-century Danish diplomats People of Falkland Palace