Kristoffer Throndsen
Encyclopedia
Kristoffer Throndsen posthumously also with the family name Rustung, was a squire
, admiral
, feudal overlord in Norway
and Denmark
, privateer
captain and pirate. Kristoffer served Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson
, the interregnum leader of Norway, in the years ending the Kalmar Union
.
Kristoffer is famous for playing a role in the last years before the reformation in Norway, firstly as head of the national fleet, defending Norway from attacking Danish ships; also, notably, for having murdered Vincent Lunge, a Danish nobleman sent to Bergen in 1537 to enforce the Norwegian annexation by Denmark, by Danish King Christian III
. This dramatic moment in Norwegian history is memorialized today in an annual "midnight opera" sponsored by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture, titled Olav Engelbrektsson, which takes place on the premises of the castle, outside of Trondheim
.
Kristoffer appealed for pardon from Christian III, (probably for the murder) but also, notably, for his pirating of the Norwegian coast under foreign flags, whereby he attacked Danish ships and installations in Norway after 1536. He was granted a post under the Danish crown, which badly needed a naval leader; He served for several years as a naval admiral in the Danish fleet, then later as a Royal Danish Consul
to the King, in Copenhagen.
His most famous child was Anna Throndsen
, known in Norway as "the Scottish Lady" (Skottefruen). Anna is famous in modern-day Norway, for her time spent in the court of Mary Queen of Scots, during her marriage to James Hepburn, Lord Bothwell
.
, a village in Western Norway. His ancestry or even who his parents were has not been widely established, although many theories have been suggested. The closest to contemporary sources primarily consist of two 17th century ancestry charts which says his parents were Trond Sigurdsson Rustung of Seim and Karen Koll of Nessa.
Since these persons are not known from any contemporary sources however, the question has been largely left undisclosed.
After moving to Trondheim
around 1527 he became something of a right hand for archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson
, the last catholic
archbishop in Norway, and was a loyal support of his until 1537. Some have speculated that Kristoffer possibly was the nephew of Olav Engelbrektsson, primarily supported by a somewhat ambiguous source in which Mary of Austria, Queen of Hungary call Kristoffer his blutverwonter frundt ("relative by blood"), although the theory have been assisted by further circumstances.
In the same year, a pirate, Klement, came to Bergen where he captured the clergy as hostages. Vincens Lunge
, the feudal overlord of Bergenhus at the time then formed a fleet, and also received aid from the archbishop who sent Kristoffer with a few ships. Lunge was however soon startled by rumours of the Danish king deposing the feudal lord of Akershus
, and wanted Kristoffer to stay for his defence for a while. Kristoffer however became impatient, and eventually got himself accused of piracy after boarding Dutch, Scottish and English tradingships. James V of Scotland
demanded the release of the ships Bonaventura and Pheyther from Vincens Lunge. Lunge then demanded that the stolen goods should be replaced or the guilty being executed, with Olaf Lang and Kristoffer being most to blame. When Kristoffer arrived in Bergen, he and his men was soon arrested, only to find himself and most of his men escaping from prison one early morning.
The relationship between Vincens Lunge and the Catholic archbishop gradually worsened during the 1530s, resulting in numerous conflicts between them, as well as Inger, Lady of Austraat
. Before this happened, Kristoffer had been in the top reach of Dano-Norwegian politics. In 1531, Kristoffer and the archbishop changed their loyalty from Frederick I
to Christian III
, resulting in conflicts which led to Kristoffer being forced to withdraw to Steinvikholm Castle
, of which he likely was the lord for a few years. Lunge in 1535 traveled to Trondheim
to negotiate peace in the conflict. With increasing tensions, it was soon however declared that Lunge and three other members were to be executed, and Kristoffer and his men soon went on and killed Lunge.
Kristoffer was then sent to capture Lunge's estate in Bergen
, but was betrayed and imprisoned in Bergenhus Fortress
. Not long after however, Kristoffer was exchanged for the diplomat Eske Bille who had been captured earlier by the archbishop. In 1536 Kristoffer arrived in Burgundy to help them against the Danes, and returned to Trondheim with a few ships. He could not help the luck of the archbishop however, and in 1537 they fled Trondheim for the Netherlands
, barely managing to escape.
titled "Christoph von Trundheim, Marskalk in Norweger" from Frederick II, Count Palatine of the Rhine
. Under protection from Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
, and Mary of Burgundy
, he got involved in Charles V's war against France. One time he left from Veere
in Zeeland
with three ships, and ended up taking nine ships from the French.
He settled in Emden
and became good friends with Count Enno II of East Frisia. Under his protection, he raided the Norwegian coast many times, including Utstein Abbey and Stavanger bispegård in 1539. During this time he boarded many tradingships, and though the Danish king sent scouts after him he was never caught.
Around 1542-43 he got pardoned by Christian III of Denmark
after he had applied for it, and was engaged as a naval officer, which Denmark-Norway had a desperate need for. As Kristoffer had risen to fame, the kings advisors had advised the king to pardon him if he was to join them. At first he only had charge of a small ship with a crew of 20 people, however after only three months, he advanced to admiral
, titled Admiral of the Kingdoms (Rigernes Admiral). When he was admiral he was in charge of 40 ships with a crew of 5000 people. At the time he was the only Norwegian with a leader position in the navy. His missions included sailing to Iceland
to calm down a small rebellion, and later fighting with his fleet in the Northern Seven Years' War
against the Swedish admiral Jacob Bagge.
Kristoffer died in 1565 at around the age of 65, and is probably buried in the Church of Kvinnherad
.
of Trondheim
– also attributed with the Schanke name (which he is not contemporaneously known by, and which his own seal seem to contradict).
Kristoffer had eight known children together with Karen:
, was common in the Netherlands
in the 16th and 17th century, suggesting that Kristoffer changed his name according to this Dutch trend.
His name is denoted with the letters K and T in his seal. In his seal there is a coat of arms
, and it is uncertain if he created this coat of arms himself or if it was inherited from his ancestors. The coat of arms is repeated in several heraldic
books, such as that of his descendant Nicolas Bergh.
Squire
The English word squire is a shortened version of the word Esquire, from the Old French , itself derived from the Late Latin , in medieval or Old English a scutifer. The Classical Latin equivalent was , "arms bearer"...
, admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
, feudal overlord in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Denmark
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...
, privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
captain and pirate. Kristoffer served Archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson
Olav Engelbrektsson
Olav Engelbrektsson was the last Catholic Archbishop of Norway. As well as being a religious leader, Olav was also a political figure;...
, the interregnum leader of Norway, in the years ending the Kalmar Union
Kalmar Union
The Kalmar Union is a historiographical term meaning a series of personal unions that united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway , and Sweden under a single monarch, though intermittently and with a population...
.
Kristoffer is famous for playing a role in the last years before the reformation in Norway, firstly as head of the national fleet, defending Norway from attacking Danish ships; also, notably, for having murdered Vincent Lunge, a Danish nobleman sent to Bergen in 1537 to enforce the Norwegian annexation by Denmark, by Danish King Christian III
Christian III of Denmark
Christian III reigned as king of Denmark and Norway. He was the eldest son of King Frederick I and Anna of Brandenburg.-Childhood:...
. This dramatic moment in Norwegian history is memorialized today in an annual "midnight opera" sponsored by the Norwegian Ministry of Culture, titled Olav Engelbrektsson, which takes place on the premises of the castle, outside of Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
.
Kristoffer appealed for pardon from Christian III, (probably for the murder) but also, notably, for his pirating of the Norwegian coast under foreign flags, whereby he attacked Danish ships and installations in Norway after 1536. He was granted a post under the Danish crown, which badly needed a naval leader; He served for several years as a naval admiral in the Danish fleet, then later as a Royal Danish Consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
to the King, in Copenhagen.
His most famous child was Anna Throndsen
Anna Throndsen
Anna Tronds , known in English as Anna Throndsen and posthumously as Anna Rustung, was a Dano-Norwegian noblewoman. In English and Scots history, Anna Throndsen is most known for her marriage with James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell , a man who later married Mary, Queen of Scots...
, known in Norway as "the Scottish Lady" (Skottefruen). Anna is famous in modern-day Norway, for her time spent in the court of Mary Queen of Scots, during her marriage to James Hepburn, Lord Bothwell
James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell
James Hepburn, 1st Duke of Orkney , better known by his inherited title as 4th Earl of Bothwell, was hereditary Lord High Admiral of Scotland. He is best known for his association with and subsequent marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots, as her third husband...
.
Early life
Kristoffer was probably born sometime around the year 1500 in Seim, KvinnheradKvinnherad
Kvinnherad is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. The parish of Kvindherred was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Fjelberg, most of Varaldsøy and parts of Skånevik merged with Kvinnherad on 1 January 1965.The municipality is the 5th in size in Hordaland...
, a village in Western Norway. His ancestry or even who his parents were has not been widely established, although many theories have been suggested. The closest to contemporary sources primarily consist of two 17th century ancestry charts which says his parents were Trond Sigurdsson Rustung of Seim and Karen Koll of Nessa.
Since these persons are not known from any contemporary sources however, the question has been largely left undisclosed.
The Reformation and turmoil
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
around 1527 he became something of a right hand for archbishop Olav Engelbrektsson
Olav Engelbrektsson
Olav Engelbrektsson was the last Catholic Archbishop of Norway. As well as being a religious leader, Olav was also a political figure;...
, the last catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
archbishop in Norway, and was a loyal support of his until 1537. Some have speculated that Kristoffer possibly was the nephew of Olav Engelbrektsson, primarily supported by a somewhat ambiguous source in which Mary of Austria, Queen of Hungary call Kristoffer his blutverwonter frundt ("relative by blood"), although the theory have been assisted by further circumstances.
In the same year, a pirate, Klement, came to Bergen where he captured the clergy as hostages. Vincens Lunge
Vincens Lunge
Vincens Lunge was a Danish noble, member of the Norwegian realm council and the foremost representative of King Christian III of Denmark in Norway.-Biography:...
, the feudal overlord of Bergenhus at the time then formed a fleet, and also received aid from the archbishop who sent Kristoffer with a few ships. Lunge was however soon startled by rumours of the Danish king deposing the feudal lord of Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
, and wanted Kristoffer to stay for his defence for a while. Kristoffer however became impatient, and eventually got himself accused of piracy after boarding Dutch, Scottish and English tradingships. James V of Scotland
James V of Scotland
James V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
demanded the release of the ships Bonaventura and Pheyther from Vincens Lunge. Lunge then demanded that the stolen goods should be replaced or the guilty being executed, with Olaf Lang and Kristoffer being most to blame. When Kristoffer arrived in Bergen, he and his men was soon arrested, only to find himself and most of his men escaping from prison one early morning.
The relationship between Vincens Lunge and the Catholic archbishop gradually worsened during the 1530s, resulting in numerous conflicts between them, as well as Inger, Lady of Austraat
Inger, Lady of Austraat
Inger, Lady of Austraat [Rømer] was her era's wealthiest landowner in Norway, a daughter and ultimate heiress of the Younger Rømer family of Norway, a political intriguer , and her fame was the inspiration for Henrik Ibsen's somewhat fanciful play Lady Inger of...
. Before this happened, Kristoffer had been in the top reach of Dano-Norwegian politics. In 1531, Kristoffer and the archbishop changed their loyalty from Frederick I
Frederick I of Denmark
Frederick I of Denmark and Norway was the King of Denmark and Norway. The name is also spelled Friedrich in German, Frederik in Danish, and Fredrik in Swedish and Norwegian...
to Christian III
Christian III of Denmark
Christian III reigned as king of Denmark and Norway. He was the eldest son of King Frederick I and Anna of Brandenburg.-Childhood:...
, resulting in conflicts which led to Kristoffer being forced to withdraw to Steinvikholm Castle
Steinvikholm Castle
Steinvikholm Castle is an island fortress on the Skatval peninsula near Stjørdal, in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The castle was built over seven years, from 1525 to 1532, for Norway's last Catholic archbishop, Olav Engelbrektsson....
, of which he likely was the lord for a few years. Lunge in 1535 traveled to Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
to negotiate peace in the conflict. With increasing tensions, it was soon however declared that Lunge and three other members were to be executed, and Kristoffer and his men soon went on and killed Lunge.
Kristoffer was then sent to capture Lunge's estate in Bergen
Bergen
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, but was betrayed and imprisoned in Bergenhus Fortress
Bergenhus Fortress
Bergenhus fortress is a fortress located in Bergen, Norway. Bergenhus fortress is located in the entrance to the harbor in Bergen. This is one of the oldest and best preserved castles in Norway.-History:...
. Not long after however, Kristoffer was exchanged for the diplomat Eske Bille who had been captured earlier by the archbishop. In 1536 Kristoffer arrived in Burgundy to help them against the Danes, and returned to Trondheim with a few ships. He could not help the luck of the archbishop however, and in 1537 they fled Trondheim for the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, barely managing to escape.
Later years
The next years, Kristoffer operated as a privateer, with a letter of marqueLetter of marque
In the days of fighting sail, a Letter of Marque and Reprisal was a government licence authorizing a person to attack and capture enemy vessels, and bring them before admiralty courts for condemnation and sale...
titled "Christoph von Trundheim, Marskalk in Norweger" from Frederick II, Count Palatine of the Rhine
Frederick II, Elector Palatine
Frederick II, Count Palatine of the Rhine , a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty, was Prince-elector of the Palatinate from 1544 to 1556.- Biography :...
. Under protection from Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
, and Mary of Burgundy
Mary of Burgundy
Mary of Burgundy ruled the Burgundian territories in Low Countries and was suo jure Duchess of Burgundy from 1477 until her death...
, he got involved in Charles V's war against France. One time he left from Veere
Veere
Veere is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands, on Walcheren island in the province of Zeeland.-Population centres :Aagtekerke , Biggekerke , Domburg , Gapinge , Grijpskerke , Koudekerke , Meliskerke , Oostkapelle , Serooskerke , Veere , Vrouwenpolder , Westkapelle...
in Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
with three ships, and ended up taking nine ships from the French.
Emden
Emden is a city and seaport in the northwest of Germany, on the river Ems. It is the main city of the region of East Frisia; in 2006, the city had a total population of 51,692.-History:...
and became good friends with Count Enno II of East Frisia. Under his protection, he raided the Norwegian coast many times, including Utstein Abbey and Stavanger bispegård in 1539. During this time he boarded many tradingships, and though the Danish king sent scouts after him he was never caught.
Around 1542-43 he got pardoned by Christian III of Denmark
Christian III of Denmark
Christian III reigned as king of Denmark and Norway. He was the eldest son of King Frederick I and Anna of Brandenburg.-Childhood:...
after he had applied for it, and was engaged as a naval officer, which Denmark-Norway had a desperate need for. As Kristoffer had risen to fame, the kings advisors had advised the king to pardon him if he was to join them. At first he only had charge of a small ship with a crew of 20 people, however after only three months, he advanced to admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
, titled Admiral of the Kingdoms (Rigernes Admiral). When he was admiral he was in charge of 40 ships with a crew of 5000 people. At the time he was the only Norwegian with a leader position in the navy. His missions included sailing to Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
to calm down a small rebellion, and later fighting with his fleet in the Northern Seven Years' War
Northern Seven Years' War
The Northern Seven Years' War was the war between Kingdom of Sweden and a coalition of Denmark–Norway, Lübeck and the Polish–Lithuanian union, fought between 1563 and 1570...
against the Swedish admiral Jacob Bagge.
Kristoffer died in 1565 at around the age of 65, and is probably buried in the Church of Kvinnherad
Kvinnherad
Kvinnherad is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. The parish of Kvindherred was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Fjelberg, most of Varaldsøy and parts of Skånevik merged with Kvinnherad on 1 January 1965.The municipality is the 5th in size in Hordaland...
.
Family
Kristoffer was married to Karen Knutsdatter, whose full name is revealed from a 1569 court case. The same ancestry charts which makes the claim for Kristoffer's parents, also hold Karen with the family name Schanke, and her father as Knut Pedersen, archdeaconArchdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
of Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
– also attributed with the Schanke name (which he is not contemporaneously known by, and which his own seal seem to contradict).
Kristoffer had eight known children together with Karen:
- EnnoEnno "Brandrøk"Enno "Brandrøk" Tronds was a nobleman, mercenary and adventurer, son of Norwegian-born privateer and admiral Kristoffer Trondson. The origin of his nickname "Brandrøk" is uncertain, but may have originated from his mercenary career.-Early years:Born in East Frisia, in present day Germany, Enno...
; the only son, made a living as a highwaymanHighwaymanA highwayman was a thief and brigand who preyed on travellers. This type of outlaw, usually, travelled and robbed by horse, as compared to a footpad who traveled and robbed on foot. Mounted robbers were widely considered to be socially superior to footpads...
before being executed. Married a trader's daughter from Danzig, but left no descendants. - AnnaAnna ThrondsenAnna Tronds , known in English as Anna Throndsen and posthumously as Anna Rustung, was a Dano-Norwegian noblewoman. In English and Scots history, Anna Throndsen is most known for her marriage with James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell , a man who later married Mary, Queen of Scots...
(nicknamed Skottefruen); married the Scottish admiral James Hepburn, 4th Earl of BothwellJames Hepburn, 4th Earl of BothwellJames Hepburn, 1st Duke of Orkney , better known by his inherited title as 4th Earl of Bothwell, was hereditary Lord High Admiral of Scotland. He is best known for his association with and subsequent marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots, as her third husband...
. (Noting that Scots history records her inaccurately as a mistress; Norwegian history otherwise.) - Kristine; married Torbjørn Olavsen Nes.
- Magdalene; married the væpner (squireSquireThe English word squire is a shortened version of the word Esquire, from the Old French , itself derived from the Late Latin , in medieval or Old English a scutifer. The Classical Latin equivalent was , "arms bearer"...
) Erik Eriksen Orm of Vatne and Valvatne, and left many descendants. Their granddaughter was the mother of admiral Lauritz GaltungLauritz GaltungLauritz Galtung was a Norwegian nobleman of the Galtung-family who was educated in the military, and became Admiral of the Dano-Norwegian joint fleet. He was employed Seignory over Lister len in 1658.- Biography :...
. He was third great grandfather of the Russian national poet Alexander Pushkin. - Dorthea (in Scottish sources called Dorthie Trunsie); married Sir William Stewart of Lutherie, Lord Lyon King of ArmsLord Lyon King of ArmsThe Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that country, issuing new grants of arms, and serving as the judge of the Court of the Lord Lyon, the oldest...
. - Else; first married to Jon Haard (the Elder) of Gjersvik, secondly to Axel Frederiksen Fridag, senior judge in Bergen, and finally to Anders Mowatt of HugolandAnders Mowatt of HugolandAnders Mowatt of Hugoland , also known as Andrew, was an admiral of the Danish Navy in service of Christian IV of Denmark.-Biography:There is a mystery surrounding Andrew’s parents and family...
. - Maren; married Olav Jonson Theiste of Bjelland (in Kvinnherad). One notable descendant was the lawman Nicolas Bergh.
- Margrethe; first married to Danish nobleman Jørgen Pedersen Staur of Hervik (in ØlenØlenØlen is a former municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.It was created on 1 July 1916 by a split from Fjelberg. Before 1 January 2002, Ølen belonged to the county of Hordaland....
) and secondly to Amund Lauritzen/Lassesen Dal of Sandvik and Malkenes. Left many descendants.
Rustung name
Kristoffer never used the family name "Rustung" himself (a name he has later been popularized by), as it is rather a late 17th century Danish invention of currently unknown origins. Contemporary naming of him, by others and himself, consist of various spelling variations of "Christoffer Trondsson". He is known to have written his signature "Christoffer Trundsß", suggesting that he himself was the origin of the family name "Tronds" which many of his daughters is known to have used. Such a creation of family names, by shortening the patronymPatronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
, was common in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in the 16th and 17th century, suggesting that Kristoffer changed his name according to this Dutch trend.
His name is denoted with the letters K and T in his seal. In his seal there is a coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
, and it is uncertain if he created this coat of arms himself or if it was inherited from his ancestors. The coat of arms is repeated in several heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
books, such as that of his descendant Nicolas Bergh.