Christian Barnekow (1556–1612)

Christian Barnekow (24 January 1556 – 21 February 1612) was a Danish noble man, extensive traveller and diplomat.

Biography

Barnekow was rich by birth and owned several estates, including Birkholm (now Løvenborg), Tølløse, Vittskövle Castle in Scania (now part of Sweden) and a farm in Copenhagen.

He spent nearly 16 years of his early life travelling throughout Europe and the Middle East, including a three-year journey in the Holy Land and Egypt. He spent six years at the Universities of Jena and Ingolstadt and two years at the University of Padua. After his return he became a diplomat for the Danish king, with further travels in Scotland, England, Poland and Brandenburg.

Probably in 1591 he gave his autograph to Dietrich Bevernest, writing a Spanish proverb, "Qui no ci cança, nunca alcança", meaning "those who never grow weary will achieve".[1]

On 12 July 1594 he came to Scotland with Steen Bille for the baptism of Prince Henry at Stirling Castle. When they arrived Anne of Denmark left Edinburgh for Falkland Palace because Holyrood Palace was not magnificent enough. James VI had an audience with them on 15 July, and after a few days arranged for them to lodge in private houses in Lothian because he could not afford to host them.[2] Barnekow and his colleague Steen Bille brought necklaces for Anne of Denmark and Prince Henry, and James VI gave them gold chains, which were heavier than those made for the ambassadors from the dukes of Mecklenberg and Brunswick.[3]

In March 1595 Father James Myreton, a Jesuit priest, and brother of the Laird of Cambo, was detained at Leith and brought to James VI. He said he was sent from the Pope and Cardinal Cajetan. He brought a jewel from the Cardinal that depicted the Crucifixion made of gold, crystal, and bone, which James VI gave to Anne of Denmark.[4] The incident was of some significance and was reported to Barnekow, who commented that James VI did not have strong links with Rome.[5]

In September 1597 Barnekow and Arild Huitfeldt were ambassadors in London and lodged in Fenchurch Street in the house of Alderman Houghton or the Customer Master Smith. Their mission concerned the Sound tolls. They returned the insignia of the Order of Garter that had belonged to Frederick II of Denmark. Queen Elizabeth made a joke at their expense on her birthday, 7 September. After their audiences in London they came to Scotland.[6]

Hans Poulsen Resen, professor of theology, who held the funeral session for Barnekow on 26 March 1612 in Elsinore, notes in his writings that Barnekow brought back with him many rare things, which he had found in foreign countries; unfortunately they have all disappeared.

A Halland tale says that Barnekow was killed in 1612 during the Kalmar War, near Skjellinge Hede, when he gave King Christian IV of Denmark, who was trapped by the Swedish, his horse, so he could escape. The Swedish then killed him. The tale originates in 18th century literature and is doubted today.

Sources

Buhl, Marie-Louise, et al.: The Danish Naval Officer, Frederik Ludvig Norden, The Royal Danish Academy of Sciences and Letters, Copenhagen, 1986. ISBN 87-7304-168-8
Salmonsens konversationsleksikon

Leonard Forster, Das Album Amicorum von Dietrich Bevernest (Amsterdam, 1982), p. 41.
Annie I. Cameron, Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 376-7, 382, 385.
Thomas Rymer, Foedera, vol. 16 (London, 1715), p. 263: Miles Kerr-Peterson & Michael Pearce, 'James VI's English Subsidy and Danish Dowry Accounts', Scottish History Society Miscellany XVI (Woodbridge, 2020), pp. 77-8, 87.
Annie I. Cameron, Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 556-579.
Maureen M. Meikle, 'Once a Dane, Always a Dane', Court Historian, 24:2 (August 2019), p. 174, citing University of Lund, Christian Barnekow archiv, Letters A 2.1.
William Acres, Letters of Lord Burleigh to his son Robert Cecil (Cambridge, 2017), p. 272: Nichols, John, Progresses and Public Processions of Elizabeth, vol. 3 (London, 1823), pp. 419-420: Elizabeth Goldring, Faith Eales, Elizabeth Clarke, Jayne Elisabeth Archer, John Nichols's Progresses and Public Processions of Queen Elizabeth: 1596-1603, vol. 4 (Oxford, 2014), p. 57.

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[1] Leonard Forster, Das Album Amicorum von Dietrich Bevernest (Amsterdam, 1982), p. 41.

[2] Annie I. Cameron, Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 376-7, 382, 385.

[3] Thomas Rymer, Foedera, vol. 16 (London, 1715), p. 263: Miles Kerr-Peterson & Michael Pearce, 'James VI's English Subsidy and Danish Dowry Accounts', Scottish History Society Miscellany XVI (Woodbridge, 2020), pp. 77-8, 87.

[4] Annie I. Cameron, Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 556-579.

[5] Maureen M. Meikle, 'Once a Dane, Always a Dane', Court Historian, 24:2 (August 2019), p. 174, citing University of Lund, Christian Barnekow archiv, Letters A 2.1.

[6] William Acres, Letters of Lord Burleigh to his son Robert Cecil (Cambridge, 2017), p. 272: Nichols, John, Progresses and Public Processions of Elizabeth, vol. 3 (London, 1823), pp. 419-420: Elizabeth Goldring, Faith Eales, Elizabeth Clarke, Jayne Elisabeth Archer, John Nichols's Progresses and Public Processions of Queen Elizabeth: 1596-1603, vol. 4 (Oxford, 2014), p. 57.