Ingeborg Skeel
Encyclopedia
Ingeborg Skeel was a Danish
noblewoman, a major land owner and a county sheriff in the Vendsyssel
region of northern Jutland
. She resided at Voergaard
, a large estate which she expanded into a fine Renaissance
castle from 1588 to 1591. A talented business women, she personally managed her estates and held several lifelong endowments. In her own day, she had an infamous reputation for greed and cruelty but there is no historical evidence for any of the rumours associated with her name.
and Kolding
, the daughter of Niels Skeel(1480–1561) and Karen Globsdatter Krabbe (-1586). Her elder brother, Hans Skeel (1530–1565), was killed in the Battle of Svarterå
in 1565, and her younger sister, Dorte Skeel (1547–1578), died in childbirth in 1578.
On 31 August 1560, at Nygaard and in the presence of King Frederick II
, Ingeborg Skeel was married to Otte Eriksen Banner, the son of former Rigsmarsk
Erik Eriksen Banner and Mette Rosenkrantz. This brought Ingeborg Skeel to the far north of Jutland where her new husband owned Asdal in Vendsyssel
.
In 1578, after several years of negotiations, Ingeborg Skeel and her mother acquired the large Voergaard
estate from the Crown in exchange for Nygaard. The estate received status as a local judicial unit, Voer Birk, a so-called birkeret, for the parishes of Voer, Albæk og Skæve. In the 1686, after she had become a widow, Ingeborg Skeel carried out an extension of Voergaard, possibly with the assistance of master builder and sculptor Philip Brandin.
She died on 17 October 1604 at Voergaard.
and Strekhals on Mors
.
She was very active in trade with grain and other goods and in 1587 citizens of Aalborg
complained that she was guilty of unauthorized trade in the town's market rights (so-called "landprang"), and that she kept a tent at markets, selling German beer and other items.
in Skæve Church. In 1588 she established a hospital in Sæby
, although it had to close following her death due to lack of a signature from her husband on a letter of gift. In her old age she took two orphaned children of noble decent into her care.
and being in a pact with the devil. There is no historical evidence for any of the rumous associated with her name.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
noblewoman, a major land owner and a county sheriff in the Vendsyssel
Vendsyssel
Vendsyssel is the northernmost traditional district of Denmark and of Jutland. Being divided from mainland Jutland by the Limfjord, it is technically a part of the North Jutlandic Island. Vendsyssel is part of the North Denmark Region....
region of northern 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...
. She resided at Voergaard
Voergaard Castle
Voergaard Castle is a moated Renaissance manor house located 10 km north of Dronninglund on the North Jutland island in north-western Denmark.-Early history:Voergaard's recorded history goes back to 1481...
, a large estate which she expanded into a fine Renaissance
Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
castle from 1588 to 1591. A talented business women, she personally managed her estates and held several lifelong endowments. In her own day, she had an infamous reputation for greed and cruelty but there is no historical evidence for any of the rumours associated with her name.
Biography
Ingeborg Skeel was born at Nygaard between VejleVejle
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 Kolding
Kolding
Kolding is a Danish seaport located at the head of Kolding Fjord in Region of Southern Denmark . It is the site of the council Kolding Municipality. It is a transportation, commercial, and manufacturing centre, and has numerous industrial companies, principally geared towards shipbuilding...
, the daughter of Niels Skeel(1480–1561) and Karen Globsdatter Krabbe (-1586). Her elder brother, Hans Skeel (1530–1565), was killed in the Battle of Svarterå
Battle of Axtorna
The Battle of Axtorna was fought October 20, 1565 at Axtorna, a little village today in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County in western Sweden....
in 1565, and her younger sister, Dorte Skeel (1547–1578), died in childbirth in 1578.
On 31 August 1560, at Nygaard and in the presence of King Frederick II
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...
, Ingeborg Skeel was married to Otte Eriksen Banner, the son of former Rigsmarsk
Rigsmarsk (Denmark)
The Marsk, from 1536 the Rigsmarsk, was in Denmark the head of the armed forces from the beginning of the 13th century until the introduction of the absolute monarchy in the 1660s. It was the third highest office in the country after the Steward of the Realm and the Chancellor. The Rigsmarsk was...
Erik Eriksen Banner and Mette Rosenkrantz. This brought Ingeborg Skeel to the far north of Jutland where her new husband owned Asdal in Vendsyssel
Vendsyssel
Vendsyssel is the northernmost traditional district of Denmark and of Jutland. Being divided from mainland Jutland by the Limfjord, it is technically a part of the North Jutlandic Island. Vendsyssel is part of the North Denmark Region....
.
In 1578, after several years of negotiations, Ingeborg Skeel and her mother acquired the large Voergaard
Voergaard Castle
Voergaard Castle is a moated Renaissance manor house located 10 km north of Dronninglund on the North Jutland island in north-western Denmark.-Early history:Voergaard's recorded history goes back to 1481...
estate from the Crown in exchange for Nygaard. The estate received status as a local judicial unit, Voer Birk, a so-called birkeret, for the parishes of Voer, Albæk og Skæve. In the 1686, after she had become a widow, Ingeborg Skeel carried out an extension of Voergaard, possibly with the assistance of master builder and sculptor Philip Brandin.
She died on 17 October 1604 at Voergaard.
Business activities
Ingeborg Skeel was an industrious women. She seems to have personally managed her estate and her holdings were regularly expanded through new acquisitions. Voergaard alone comprised more than 300 farms. Otte Banner and Ingeborg Skeel were granted ownership of Sejlstrup for life and after Banner's death in 1575 Skeel held it alone. From 1586, she was also granted lifelong ownership of Amtofte in ThyThy (district)
Thy is a traditional district in northwestern Jutland, Denmark. It is situated north of the Limfjord, facing the North Sea and Skagerrak, and has a population of around 50,000. The main towns of Thy are Thisted, Hanstholm and Hurup....
and Strekhals on Mors
Mors (island)
Mors or Morsø is a 367.7 km2 land locked island in the shallow sound called Limfjorden in Denmark. As of 1 January 2010, it has a population of 21,800. The main town on the island is called Nykøbing Mors. Geologically Mors is unique...
.
She was very active in trade with grain and other goods and in 1587 citizens of Aalborg
Aalborg
-Transport:On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge Limfjordsbroen, an iron railway bridge Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord Limfjordstunnelen....
complained that she was guilty of unauthorized trade in the town's market rights (so-called "landprang"), and that she kept a tent at markets, selling German beer and other items.
Philantropy
She restored and partly refurnished the churches which belonged to Voergaard and Asdal. The tower of Voer Church was built by her and her husband according to an inscription in the church. She also financed the limewash frescosChurch frescos in Denmark
Church frescos or church wall paintings are to be found in some 600 churches across Denmark, no doubt representing the highest concentration of surviving church murals anywhere in the world. Most of them date back to the Middle Ages...
in Skæve Church. In 1588 she established a hospital in Sæby
Sæby
Sæby is a Danish town, with a population of 8,875 , in Frederikshavn municipality, Region Nordjylland on the northeast coast of Vendsyssel-Thy, a part of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark.-Attractions:* Sæby Harbour* Sæby Church...
, although it had to close following her death due to lack of a signature from her husband on a letter of gift. In her old age she took two orphaned children of noble decent into her care.
Reputation
As was often the case with strong and independent women of the time, Ingeborg Skeel was met with various accusations of greed, cruelty, and even witchcraftWitchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
and being in a pact with the devil. There is no historical evidence for any of the rumous associated with her name.