Peder Skram
Encyclopedia
Peder Skram was a Danish
senator and naval hero, born between 1491 and 1503, at his father's estate at Urup near Horsens
in Jutland
.
He first saw service in the Swedish war of Christian II
at the battle of Brännkyrka, 1518, and at the battle of Upsala two years later he saved the life of the Danish standard-bearer
. For his services in this war he was rewarded with an estate in Norway
, where he settled for a time with his young consort Elsebe Krabbe.
During the Count's Feud
, Skram, whose reputation as a sailor was already established, was sent by the Danish government to assist Gustavus Vasa
, then in alliance with Christian III
against the partisans of Christian II, to organize the untried Swedish fleet; and Skram seems, for the point is still obscure, to have shared the chief command with the Swedish Admiral Mans Some. Skram greatly hampered the movements of the Hanseatic
fleets who fought on the side of Christian II; captured a whole Lübeck squadron off Svendborg, and prevented the revictualling of Copenhagen by Lübeck
. But the incurable suspicion of Gustavus I minimized the successes of the allied fleets throughout 1535. Skram's services were richly rewarded by Christian III, who knighted him at his coronation, made him a senator and endowed him with ample estates.
In 1555, feeling too infirm to go to sea, he resigned his post of admiral; but when the Scandinavian Seven Years' War
broke out seven years later; and the new king, Frederick II
, offered Skram the chief command, he agreed to go. With a large fleet he put to sea in August 1562 and compelled the Swedish admiral, after a successful engagement off the coast of Gotland
, to take refuge behind the Skerries
.
This, however, was his sole achievement, and he was superseded at the end of the year by Herluf Trolle
. Skram now retired from active service, but was twice (1565–1568) unsuccessfully besieged by the Swedes in his castle of Laholm
. His estates in Halland were also repeatedly ravaged by the enemy. Skram died; at an advanced age, at Urup on 11 July 1581.
Skram's audacity won for him the nickname of "Denmark's Dare-devil", and he contributed perhaps more than any other Dane of his day to destroy the Hanseatic dominion of the Baltic. His humanity was equally remarkable; he often imperilled his life by preventing his crews from plundering.
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...
senator and naval hero, born between 1491 and 1503, at his father's estate at Urup near Horsens
Horsens
Horsens is a Danish city in east Jutland. It is the site of the council of Horsens municipality. The city's population is 53,807 and the Horsens municipality's population is 82,835 ....
in 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...
.
He first saw service in the Swedish war of Christian II
Christian II of Denmark
Christian II was King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden , during the Kalmar Union.-Background:...
at the battle of Brännkyrka, 1518, and at the battle of Upsala two years later he saved the life of the Danish standard-bearer
Standard-bearer
A standard-bearer is a person who bears an emblem called an ensign or standard, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used as a formal, visual symbol of a state, prince, military unit, etc.This can either be an occasional duty, often seen as an honour , or a...
. For his services in this war he was rewarded with an estate 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...
, where he settled for a time with his young consort Elsebe Krabbe.
During the Count's Feud
Count's Feud
The Count's Feud , also called the Count's War, was a civil war that raged in Denmark in 1534–36 and brought about the Reformation in Denmark...
, Skram, whose reputation as a sailor was already established, was sent by the Danish government to assist Gustavus Vasa
Gustav I of Sweden
Gustav I of Sweden, born Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa noble family and later known simply as Gustav Vasa , was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death....
, then in alliance with 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:...
against the partisans of Christian II, to organize the untried Swedish fleet; and Skram seems, for the point is still obscure, to have shared the chief command with the Swedish Admiral Mans Some. Skram greatly hampered the movements of the Hanseatic
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
fleets who fought on the side of Christian II; captured a whole Lübeck squadron off Svendborg, and prevented the revictualling of Copenhagen by Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
. But the incurable suspicion of Gustavus I minimized the successes of the allied fleets throughout 1535. Skram's services were richly rewarded by Christian III, who knighted him at his coronation, made him a senator and endowed him with ample estates.
In 1555, feeling too infirm to go to sea, he resigned his post of admiral; but when the Scandinavian 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...
broke out seven years later; and the new 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...
, offered Skram the chief command, he agreed to go. With a large fleet he put to sea in August 1562 and compelled the Swedish admiral, after a successful engagement off the coast of Gotland
Gotland
Gotland is a county, province, municipality and diocese of Sweden; it is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. At 3,140 square kilometers in area, the region makes up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area...
, to take refuge behind the Skerries
Skerry
A skerry is a small rocky island, usually defined to be too small for habitation. It may simply be a rocky reef. A skerry can also be called a low sea stack....
.
This, however, was his sole achievement, and he was superseded at the end of the year by Herluf Trolle
Herluf Trolle
Herluf Trolle was a Danish naval hero, born at Lillö, Scania.- Early life :Herluf Trolle was born of the Trolle, a Swedish-originated family of high nobility, was son of Kirsten Herlufsdatter Skave and sir Joachim Arvidsen Trolle, Lord of Lilloe; thus grandson of justiciar Arvid Trolle, Lord of...
. Skram now retired from active service, but was twice (1565–1568) unsuccessfully besieged by the Swedes in his castle of Laholm
Laholm
Laholm is a locality and the seat of Laholm Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 5,835 inhabitants in 2005.Laholm is, despite its small population, for historical reasons often still referred to as a city...
. His estates in Halland were also repeatedly ravaged by the enemy. Skram died; at an advanced age, at Urup on 11 July 1581.
Skram's audacity won for him the nickname of "Denmark's Dare-devil", and he contributed perhaps more than any other Dane of his day to destroy the Hanseatic dominion of the Baltic. His humanity was equally remarkable; he often imperilled his life by preventing his crews from plundering.