Worldwide Guide to Women in
Leadership
Danish Women Lensmænd (County Sheriffs)
Lensvæsenet er en ældgammel Institution, hvorved Kongerne og
Stormændene tildelte deres betroede og velfortjente Mænd Jordegods og
Pengeindtægter. Ørum Slot, der først var Krongods, siden Privateje,
blev et kongeligt Len efter 1367, da Valdemar Atterdag kom i
Besiddelse af Slottet og dets Tilliggende. Det er dog først i det l6de
Århundrede, at vi véd noget af Betydning om Lenene i Danmark, og ved
Reformationen skete der en stor Forandring, idet Kirkegodset
efterhånden blev inddraget under Kronen, og der stadig oprettedes ny
Len rundt omkring i Landet, både i Danmark og Norge. Lensmændene havde
deres Len på forskellige Vilkår. De Len, som Kongerne havde mest
Fordel af, var de såkaldte Regnskabslen eller Fadeburslen. Lensmanden
oppebar her kun en vis årlig Løn for at varetage Lenets Forretninger;
Resten, det vil sige hele Overskuddet af Driften, gik direkte i
Kongens Kasse. En anden Slags Len var Afgiftslenene, hvor Lensmanden
skulde svare en vis
Sum i Penge og Naturalier; det øvrige havde han så for sit eget
Arbejde. Endelig hører vi om en tredje Slags Len, nemlig
Tjenestelenene, der var fritaget for enhver Afgift til Kongen og
uddeltes til særlig fortjente Mænd. Når Kongen tr ængte til Penge,
lånte han af Rigets Stormænd og satte Lenene i Pant, der så blev
Pantelen, indtil Kongen atter kunde indløse
dem, eller Pantetiden var udløben. Lensmændene tog så Lenenes
Indtægter i Stedet for Renter, og i det 16de og 17de Århundrede var
mange af Lenene ofte sat i Pant, thi de ødel æggende Krige krævede
mange penge
1561-62 and 1562-72 Lensmand of Skivehus (Dowager) Magdelene Banner
1582-1611 Lensmand Karen Banner of Orlofgård
1611-13 Lensmand of Jungshoved
1612 Lensmand Vordingborg
She held Orlofgård after the death of her first
husband Gregers Ulfstand and Jungshoved after the second, Henrik Lykke.
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1644-46 Lensmand Anne Bek, Laholm (Halland)
After the death of her husband Kristen Bülow til Ingelstad
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1617-18 Lensmand Sofie Belov of Skivehus
After the death of Kristen Tot til Boltinggård.
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1613-14 Lensmand Else Bilde of Århusgård
After the death of Karl Bryske.
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1656-... Lensmand Anne Blomme of
Koldinghus
After the death of her husband Hans Schak, she was given the fief for life, but
it is not known when she died.
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1565-67 Lensmand of Fliginde Elsbet Brade (Skåne)
1595-96 Lensmand of Åkjær and Sønderlyngherred (Dowager) Birgitte Brade
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1583-1603 Lensmand of Gislumsherred and Ramsø (Dowager) Beate Brahe
She was given the fief for life as security for a lone. She was widow of Jørgen
Lykke.
1612 Lensmand Margrete Brahe, Landskrona (Skåne)
(Dowager)
She acted after the death of her husband, Kristen Bernekov.
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1549-74 Lensmand of Nøsbyholm Abele Breide (Skåne)
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1563-65 Lensmand of Stege (Acting) Susanne Bølle
She run the fief during her husband, admiral Jakob Brokkenhuus' imprisonment in
Sweden
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1548-49 Lensmand of Lundenæs (Dowager) Ingeborg Drefeld
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1515-circa 27 County Sheriff Mette Iversdatter Dyre of Hørby
Politically Influential in Sweden 1504-12
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1534-36 Lensmand of Ørum (Dowager) Kristine Friis
1583-84 Lensmand of Aalborghus (Dowager) Karen Friis
1656-58 Lensmand Sidsel Fris of Nyborg
After Mogens Kaas til Støvring
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1603-16 Lensmand Viveke Gris of Sandby (Skåne)
1608-40 Lensmand of Hørjre (Skåne)
She was widow of Peder Munk, and held the fief of Hørjre for life.
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1529-31 Lensmand of Hagenskov (Personal) Sofie Gyldenstierne
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1575-76
Dowager County Sheriff Karen Mogensdatter Gyldenstierne of Bygholm
Len and Sankt Hans Kloster Len, Denmark |
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Also known as Karen Gyldenstjerne til Stjernholm. After the death of her husband, Holger Ottesen Rosenkrantz til Boller, she administered his fief for a period. Rosenkrantz was Stadtholder in Norway, and later became military commander of the realm. She was in charge of the vast estates inherited by her two sons, until they came of age. Later also Lensmand of Snersted, which is situated in the Landscape of Skåne which became part of Sweden in 1658. She lived (1544-1613). |
1624 Lensmand Lisbet Gyldenstierne of Dragsholm
Acted after the death of her husband, Oluf Ronsensparre
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1587-95 Lensmand of Vesterstad Pernille Gøs (Skåne)
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1652-54 Lensmand Anna Margrethe von Gøtzen of
Abrahamstrup with Hornsherred
After the death of her husband, Jørgen Schult til Finstrup.
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1535-36 Dowager County Sheriff Mette Mogensdatter Gøye of Ravnsborg Len, Denmark |
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Mette Gøye was daughter of Mogens Gøye til Krenkerup and after the death of her husband, Johan Oxe til Nielstrup, she acted as County Sheriff or Lensmand until her own death one year later. Mother of one daughter, Pernille Johansdatter Oxe (b. 1530). |
Eline Gøye
Relief på ligsten fra circa 1555 af Morten Bussert i Skt. Bendts Kirke. (+ findes i ÅRHUS DOMKIRKE)
Se hende i XLIII --- Sophie Staverskov, Laurids Ebbesen Udsen, Elin Gøye og Elisabeth Arenfeldt
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1616-17 Dowager County Sheriff Mette Eriksdatter Hardenberg of Bøvling Len, Denmark |
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Just after her death, Mette Hardenberg was brought to her aunt, Birgitte Rønnow and only after 6 years she returned to her parents at Hagenskov. At the age of 19 she married the 20 year older Preben Gyldenstierne, County Sheriff of Åstrup by Hjørring. Her mother and sisters were marked by depressions and mental ilnesses and at one time she was "possessed" by an evil spirit for some weeks until she was "saved". The daughter of Erik Hardenberg and Anne Rønnow she was mother of 5 children, and lived (1569-1629). FOTO FINDES MEN MAN VED IKKE OM I ADELSHÅNDBOGEN |
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1616-17 Dowager County Sheriff Kristen Eriksdatter Hardenberg of Dalum and Strynø Len, Denmark |
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Kirsten Hardenberg was in control of the fief after her husband Axel Brade til Elvedgård, Orebygård and Eskeberjerg's death. He had served the Counts in Braunschweig, Szhwarzburg and Brandenburg and worked at court. Also former Stadtholder of Fyn, Skåne, Halland and Blekinge. 1614 var han regeringsråd. She was his second wife. With the first, Mette Gøye, he ad 6 children, and they had 4. She owned several estates in her own right, and (d. 1639). |
VEFLINGE KIrke, FYN
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1586-1626 Lensmand Beate Hvitfeld of Møllerud
and Epholt (Skåne)
1615-26 Lensmand of Lunde and St. Peders Kloster
She was widow of Knud Ulfeld and held the small fiefs as security for some
loans.
1610-1611 Lensmand Beate Hvidtfeld til Møllerød of Gersherred (Skåne)
She was Mistress of the Court of the Queen and widow of Knud Ulfeld.
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1610 Lensmand Elsebet Jul of Hammershus (Dowager)
After the death of her husband, Hans Lindenov til Øsløf
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1616 Lensmand Hilleborg Krafse of Søbygaard
Acted after the death of her husband, Mogens Gø.
1653-55 Lensmand Hilleborg Krafse of Hald
She became acting fiefholder after her husband, Frans Pogvisk til Ranvholt had
died.
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1652-58 Lensmand Karen Lange of Søbygaard
Acted after the death of her husband, Kristoffer Gø til Assendrup.
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1601-02 Lensmand Else Lindenov of Dalum
Widow of Absalon Gø til Kærstrup
1634-35 Lensmand Birgitte Lindenov, Ålborghus
After Otto Skeel.
1649-51 Lensmand Kristense Lindenov of
Hindsgavl
After her husband, Klavs Sehested til Tim og Ørslev
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1646-47 Lensmand Anne Lunge of Kalø
After the death of Jost Høg til Gjorslev
1648-49 Lensmand Margrete Lunge of Koldinghus
After her husband, Mogens Bilde til Tirsbæk died.
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1535-36 Lensmand of Gislumsherred (Dowager) Kirstine Lykke
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1542-51 Dowager County Sheriff Sophie Pedersdatter Lykke of
Holmekloster Len, Denmark |
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Sophie Lykke was married to Councillor of the Realm, Jacob Hardenberg, who died 1542. Thereafter she administered the possessions of her three young daughters together with her own lands. She was very unpopular. Her peasants protested to the king against her, and in 1557 she was convicted of illegally selling cattle. In 1560 she was given Lister Len as security for a lone, and moved to Norway. Also here the peasants complained against her, and she broke the ban against exporting timber abroad, and she lost the fief, but managed to get it back later the same year, because of her good connections. She lived (circa 1510-70). |
1604-05 Lensmand Anne Lykke of Lundegård
After Mourids Stygge til Holbækgård
1623 Lensmand of Kalundborg with Arts, Skippinge and Samsø and Lensmand of København
(Dowager) Anne Lykke
A major landowner, she took over as County Sheriff after the death of her
husband Kaj Rantzau til Rantzausholm, she lived (1614-1720).
1660-61 Lensmand Kristense Lykke of København with Smørrum, Sokkelund and Ølstykke Herred
1535-37 Lensmand of Ravnsborg (Dowager) Mette Mogensdatter Oxe
1566-? Lensmand of Broby Sidsel Oxe (Skåne)
1571-92 Lensmand of Rødinge (Skåne)
1573-74 Lensmand of Ålborghus (Dowager)
She administered Rødinge together with Beate Bille
Et epitafium for Erik Podebusk og Sidsel Oxe findes i Århus Domkirke.
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1524-31 Lensmand of Gårdsstange Ingeborg Parsberg (Skåne)
1555-56 Lensmand of Gårdsstange Sidsel Parsberg (Skåne)
1580-81 Lensmand of Gårdsstange Anne Parsberg
(Skåne)
1580-93 Lensmand of Vram, Visby, Stibberup
1580-93 Lensmand of Revinge
Married to Hans Jepsen Skovgaard til Gundestrup (1526-80), Councillor of the
Realm and Lensmand of Helsingborg.
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1532 Lensmand of Malmøhus (Dowager) Sofie Podebusk
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1532 County Sheriff Sophie Predbjørnsdatter Podebusk of Malmøhus Len (At the time part of Denmark, now Sweden) |
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After the death of her husband, Albret Jepsen Ravensberg, who had been invested with the fief in 1529 she administered the tenantcy. (d. 1540). |
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1648-49 Lensmand Anne Rammel (Skåne) (Dowager)
Took over after the death of her husband, Knud Ulfeld til Østergaard.
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1632-4.. Lensmand Karen Rachs, Kornerupgård (RASCH?)
Widow of Erik Vasspyd
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1596-99 Lensmand Margrethe Rosenkrantz
of
Hindsgavl
After Hans Johansen Lindenov
1657-58 Lensmand Edel Rosenkrantz, Landskrona
(Skåne) (Dowager)
She acted after the death of her husband, Kristen Bernekov.
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1620 Dowager County Sheriff Sophie Jørgensdatter Rostrup of Kalundborg Len, Denmark |
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Following the death of her husband, Sten Brade til Knudstrup. She was his third wife, and she had been married to Mads Sandberg til Løjstrup (d. 1597). The daughter of Jørgen Rostrup til Selleskovgård and Margrethe Skeel, she (d. 1632). |
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1530-33 Lensmand of Roskilde Vor Frue Kloster (Dowager)
Anne Rud
A major land-owner. Vor Frue Kloster mean's Our Lady's Convent. She died (1533
..............................
1604-05 Lensmand Anne Rønnow til Skousborg of
Hagenskov and Eskebjerg
1604.... Lensmand of Strynø
After Erik Hardenberg.
[FINDES I XVI...]
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1661-62 Lensmand Cathrine Sehested of
Dragsholm
Acted after the death of her husband, Sivert Urne til Raarup + Hans von
Ahlefeldt
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1601-02 Joint Lensmand Agate Sefeld of Bygholm
/SEEFELD
Took over after the death of her husband, Niels Skram til Urup together with
daughter.
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1565-85 Lensmand of Lundenæs (Dowager) Abel Skeel
Enke efter en Niels Lange (Munk)
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1653-55 Lensmand Margrethe Skeel of Stege
After Henrik Rammel.
Before 1659-6... Lensmand Anne Skeel of Ørum
Acted as local administrator after the death of her husband, Kristoffer Hvas til
Herregård.
[FINDES i 1943 - 101]
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1614-16 Lensmand Karen Skinkel of Holbæk
She was in charge of the fief after the death of her husband, Anders Dresselberg
til Vognserup.
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1601-02 Joint Lensmand Elsebet Skram of Bygholm
Acted together with her mother.
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1513-50 Lensmand of Sundsherred (Personal) Else
Tot (THOTT)
1521-47 Lensmand of Nørvangsherred and Hønberg (Personal)
1587-90 Lensmand of Åhus and Åsum Tale Tot (Skåne) THALE THOTT
En altertavle ophængt i Mariakyrkan i Helsingborg i 1583
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1540-45 County Sheriff Anne Arvidsdatter Trolle of Åsum and Elleholm Len (At the time part of Denmark, now Sweden) |
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Anne Trolle was widow of Axel Eriksen Urup til Ugerup, who was Lensmand or County Sheriff of Sölvesborg etc. until his death. After his death she was in charge of the two fiefs in Skåne, which was incorporated in Sweden in 1658. |
1601-02 Lensmand Elisabeth Trolle of Dalby (Skåne)
Acted after her husband, Gabriel Sparre, had died.
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1551-52 Lensmand of Kalundborg (Dowager) Sidsel
Ulfstand
1552-circa 75 Lensmand of Villandsherred (Dowager) Sidsel Ulfstand
A major landowner. (died circa 1575)
1563-64 Lensmand of Svaløv Else Ulfstand (Skåne)
1567-? Lensmand of Rørum Else Ulfstand (Skåne)
She administered Rørum together with Tale Ulfstand
1600-01 Lensmand Mette Ulfstand of Lykå and Sølvitsborg
(Blekinge) and Høgby and Vefre (Skåne) (Dowager)
After the death of her husband, Knud Grubbe
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1563-87 Lensmand of Søfed Margrete Ugerup (Skåne)
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1658 Lensmand Anne Vind of Kronborg
She acted after the death of her husband, Arent von der Kuhla
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1589-94 Lensmand of Nederby Anne Pedersdatter (Skåne)
1606-07 Lensmand Adel Hansdatter of Sorø
After Anders Kristensen
1616-40 Lensmand Karen Andersdatter of Hven
She was the mistress of King Christian 4. in the years 1613-16 and mother of two
daughters, who died in infancy, and the son; Hans Ulrik Gyldenløve with him.
(d. 1673)
1618-19 Lensmand Anne Hansdatter of Kronborg
She acted after the death of her brother, Kristen Hansen (Baden) til Nørård.
1624-? Lensmand Kirsten Hansdatter of
Kullegaard (Skåne)
She was widow of Bernd Vacke
1629-42 Lensmand Dorote Hansdatter of Sællemarksgård
with Samsø
After Jakob Brun
1652-? Lensmand Elsbet of Kullegaard (Skåne)
She was widow of Thomas Jakobsen.
NORWAY
1603-04 Dowager County Sheriff Anne Brok of
Onsø
After er husband, Erik Mortensen (Mormand) had died.
1607-08 Dowager County Sheriff Birgitte Brun of Frølands Skibrede and Ejdsberg Sogn
1617-18 Dowager County Sheriff Jutte
Gyldenstjerne of Verne Kloster and Ingedals Skibrede
She acted as fiefholder after the death of her husband, Kristoffer von der
Grøben til Fitseband.
1618-19 Dowager County Sheriff Sofie Oldeland
of Brunla and Numedalen
After her husband, Kasper Markdanner, had passed away.
1618-... County Sheriff Else Galde of Verne
Kloster and Ingedals Skibrede
The fief was given to her and her husband, Siverd Gabrielsen (Akeleje) til
Krengerup and Kambo for the duration of their lifetimes.
1634-35 Dowager County Sheriff Margrete von der
Lühe of Ryfylke, Jøderen and Dalerne (Stavangers Len)
After the death of her husband,
Jørgen Brockenhuus til Sebberkloster.
1641-42 Dowager County Sheriff Maren Skram of
Mariæ Kirkes Provsti (Oslo)
After the death of her husband, Hartvig Hvitfeldt til Skjelbred.
1651-52 Dowager County Sheriff
Dorote Bjekke of Bakke Kloster
After the death of her husband, Daniel Bildt til Morland.
1651-52 Dowager County Sheriff
Margrete Huidtfeldt of Dragsmark Koster
After her husband, Thomas Dyre til Sundsby, had died.
1655-56 Dowager County Sheriff Dorote Daa of
Akershus
After the death of her husband, Gregers Krabbe til Torstedlund.
1656-59 County Sheriff
Dorote Sehested of Halsnø Kloster and Hardanger Len
After the death of her husband, Peder Juel, she was given control of the fief for
two years.
Dorothea Christensdatter Sehested
Last update 030307