Search

Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen: Otto Sperling the younger’s Latin biography of Leonora Christina (ca. 1690) Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen: The Danish antiquarian Otto Sperling the younger (1634‑1715) worked for most of his life on a manuscript titled ‘De foeminis doctis’, now in the collection of the Royal Library, shelfmark GKS 2110 quarto, which containedshort biographies of a total of 1,399 learned women from all ages and nations (cf. Fund og Forskning, 2012, pp. 187‑212). One of these is Leonora Christina (1621‑1698), the daughter of Christian IV and his morganatic wife, Kirsten Munk, and a major figure in Danish literature thanks to her prison narrative Jammers Minde and her so-called ‘French Autobiography’. Sperling’s Latin biography focuses on her literary achievements and contains information not found elsewhere. It has been known to scholarship for generations, and a partial translation from the eighteenth century exists in manuscript, but the text has never been published, probably because it consists of 24 pieces distributed over 18 different pages between pp. 306 and 401 of vol. I of the manuscript. It is here edited and translated into Danish for the first time, and it is argued that Sperling composed it on the basis of a series of interviews with the ageing Leonora Christina after her release from prison in 1685. In other words, Sperling functioned as Leonora Christina’s ghostwriter, and the text should really be considered autobiographical and placed alongside the Jammers Minde and her French Autobiography as an authentic expression of her personality.

Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen: Otto Sperling the younger’s Latin biography of Leonora Christina (ca. 1690) Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen: The Danish antiquarian Otto Sperling the younger (1634‑1715) worked for most of his life on a manuscript titled ‘De foeminis doctis’, now in the collection of the Royal Library, shelfmark GKS 2110 quarto, which containedshort biographies of a total of 1,399 learned women from all ages and nations (cf. Fund og Forskning, 2012, pp. 187‑212). One of these is Leonora Christina (1621‑1698), the daughter of Christian IV and his morganatic wife, Kirsten Munk, and a major figure in Danish literature thanks to her prison narrative Jammers Minde and her so-called ‘French Autobiography’. Sperling’s Latin biography focuses on her literary achievements and contains information not found elsewhere. It has been known to scholarship for generations, and a partial translation from the eighteenth century exists in manuscript, but the text has never been published, probably because it consists of 24 pieces distributed over 18 different pages between pp. 306 and 401 of vol. I of the manuscript. It is here edited and translated into Danish for the first time, and it is argued that Sperling composed it on the basis of a series of interviews with the ageing Leonora Christina after her release from prison in 1685. In other words, Sperling functioned as Leonora Christina’s ghostwriter, and the text should really be considered autobiographical and placed alongside the Jammers Minde and her French Autobiography as an authentic expression of her personality.

Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen: Otto Sperling the younger’s Latin biography of Leonora Christina (ca. 1690) Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen: The Danish antiquarian Otto Sperling the younger (1634‑1715) worked for most of his life on a manuscript titled ‘De foeminis doctis’, now in the collection of the Royal Library, shelfmark GKS 2110 quarto, which containedshort biographies of a total of 1,399 learned women from all ages and nations (cf. Fund og Forskning, 2012, pp. 187‑212). One of these is Leonora Christina (1621‑1698), the daughter of Christian IV and his morganatic wife, Kirsten Munk, and a major figure in Danish literature thanks to her prison narrative Jammers Minde and her so-called ‘French Autobiography’. Sperling’s Latin biography focuses on her literary achievements and contains information not found elsewhere. It has been known to scholarship for generations, and a partial translation from the eighteenth century exists in manuscript, but the text has never been published, probably because it consists of 24 pieces distributed over 18 different pages between pp. 306 and 401 of vol. I of the manuscript. It is here edited and translated into Danish for the first time, and it is argued that Sperling composed it on the basis of a series of interviews with the ageing Leonora Christina after her release from prison in 1685. In other words, Sperling functioned as Leonora Christina’s ghostwriter, and the text should really be considered autobiographical and placed alongside the Jammers Minde and her French Autobiography as an authentic expression of her personality.

Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen: Otto Sperling the younger’s Latin biography of Leonora Christina (ca. 1690) Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen: The Danish antiquarian Otto Sperling the younger (1634‑1715) worked for most of his life on a manuscript titled ‘De foeminis doctis’, now in the collection of the Royal Library, shelfmark GKS 2110 quarto, which containedshort biographies of a total of 1,399 learned women from all ages and nations (cf. Fund og Forskning, 2012, pp. 187‑212). One of these is Leonora Christina (1621‑1698), the daughter of Christian IV and his morganatic wife, Kirsten Munk, and a major figure in Danish literature thanks to her prison narrative Jammers Minde and her so-called ‘French Autobiography’. Sperling’s Latin biography focuses on her literary achievements and contains information not found elsewhere. It has been known to scholarship for generations, and a partial translation from the eighteenth century exists in manuscript, but the text has never been published, probably because it consists of 24 pieces distributed over 18 different pages between pp. 306 and 401 of vol. I of the manuscript. It is here edited and translated into Danish for the first time, and it is argued that Sperling composed it on the basis of a series of interviews with the ageing Leonora Christina after her release from prison in 1685. In other words, Sperling functioned as Leonora Christina’s ghostwriter, and the text should really be considered autobiographical and placed alongside the Jammers Minde and her French Autobiography as an authentic expression of her personality.

Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen anmelder: Nicolaus Steno. Biography and Original Papers of a 17th Century Scientist.Edited and Translated by Troels Kardel and Paul Maquet, Springer,Heidelberg, Dordrecht, London, New York 2013, 739 sider, ill., ISBN978-3-642-25078-1, €83,29 (e-bog), €106,95 (indbundet). Henrik Horstbøll anmelder: Kristian Jensen: Revolution and the Antiquarian Book. Reshaping the Past, 1780-1815. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2011, 318 sider.ISBN 978-1-107-00051-3. Jesper Düring Jørgensen anmelder: Michael H. Clemmesen: Det lille land før den store krig. De danske farvande, stormagtsstrategier, efterretninger og forsvarsforberedelser omkring kriserne1911-13. Syddansk Universitet/Syddansk Universitetsforlag, Odense,2012. 557 sider, ISBN 978-87-7674-617-9 Lisbeth Bonde anmelder: Erik Aschengreen, Anne Middelboe Christensen og Kirsten Sørensen:Dansen i spejlet. John R. Johnsens balletfotos. Det Kongelige Bibliotek ogGads Forlag, København 2012, 342 sider, ill. ISBN 978-87-12-04687-5,Kr. 349. Niels D. Lund anmelder: Jesper Düring Jørgensen: Den smilende kamæleon. Karl Larsen (1860-1931) – Digter, journalist, militarist. Danish Humanist Texts and Studies, 47.Det Kongelige Bibliotek og Museum Tusculanums Forlag, København2013, 593 s. , illustreret. ISBN 978-87-635-4080-3. Claus Woschenko: J.P.E. Hartmann: Klaverværker/Piano Works/Klavierwerke. Udg. af/Hrsg.von Niels Krabbe. Det Kongelige Bibliotek: Dansk Center for Musikudgivelse.2012. Vol. 1-2. i-lii, 328 s.; liii-lxxxviii, ss. 329-652. Fol. (J.P.E.Hartmann: Udvalgte Værker/Selected Works/Ausgewählte Werke. Udg. afHartmann Udgaven, Det Kongelige Bibliotek/Publ. by The HartmannEdition, The Royal Library / Hrsg. von der Hartmann-Ausgabe, Diekönigliche Bibliothek. Hovedredaktør/Editor-in-chief/Redaktionsleiter:Niels Krabbe. Serie III, bind 1-2/Series III, Vol. 1-2/Serie III, Band1-2). ISMN 979-0706763-12-5 & 979-0706763-13-2. Kr. 1.600

Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen anmelder: Nicolaus Steno. Biography and Original Papers of a 17th Century Scientist.Edited and Translated by Troels Kardel and Paul Maquet, Springer,Heidelberg, Dordrecht, London, New York 2013, 739 sider, ill., ISBN978-3-642-25078-1, €83,29 (e-bog), €106,95 (indbundet). Henrik Horstbøll anmelder: Kristian Jensen: Revolution and the Antiquarian Book. Reshaping the Past, 1780-1815. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2011, 318 sider.ISBN 978-1-107-00051-3. Jesper Düring Jørgensen anmelder: Michael H. Clemmesen: Det lille land før den store krig. De danske farvande, stormagtsstrategier, efterretninger og forsvarsforberedelser omkring kriserne1911-13. Syddansk Universitet/Syddansk Universitetsforlag, Odense,2012. 557 sider, ISBN 978-87-7674-617-9 Lisbeth Bonde anmelder: Erik Aschengreen, Anne Middelboe Christensen og Kirsten Sørensen:Dansen i spejlet. John R. Johnsens balletfotos. Det Kongelige Bibliotek ogGads Forlag, København 2012, 342 sider, ill. ISBN 978-87-12-04687-5,Kr. 349. Niels D. Lund anmelder: Jesper Düring Jørgensen: Den smilende kamæleon. Karl Larsen (1860-1931) – Digter, journalist, militarist. Danish Humanist Texts and Studies, 47.Det Kongelige Bibliotek og Museum Tusculanums Forlag, København2013, 593 s. , illustreret. ISBN 978-87-635-4080-3. Claus Woschenko: J.P.E. Hartmann: Klaverværker/Piano Works/Klavierwerke. Udg. af/Hrsg.von Niels Krabbe. Det Kongelige Bibliotek: Dansk Center for Musikudgivelse.2012. Vol. 1-2. i-lii, 328 s.; liii-lxxxviii, ss. 329-652. Fol. (J.P.E.Hartmann: Udvalgte Værker/Selected Works/Ausgewählte Werke. Udg. afHartmann Udgaven, Det Kongelige Bibliotek/Publ. by The HartmannEdition, The Royal Library / Hrsg. von der Hartmann-Ausgabe, Diekönigliche Bibliothek. Hovedredaktør/Editor-in-chief/Redaktionsleiter:Niels Krabbe. Serie III, bind 1-2/Series III, Vol. 1-2/Serie III, Band1-2). ISMN 979-0706763-12-5 & 979-0706763-13-2. Kr. 1.600

Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen anmelder: Nicolaus Steno. Biography and Original Papers of a 17th Century Scientist.Edited and Translated by Troels Kardel and Paul Maquet, Springer,Heidelberg, Dordrecht, London, New York 2013, 739 sider, ill., ISBN978-3-642-25078-1, €83,29 (e-bog), €106,95 (indbundet). Henrik Horstbøll anmelder: Kristian Jensen: Revolution and the Antiquarian Book. Reshaping the Past, 1780-1815. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2011, 318 sider.ISBN 978-1-107-00051-3. Jesper Düring Jørgensen anmelder: Michael H. Clemmesen: Det lille land før den store krig. De danske farvande, stormagtsstrategier, efterretninger og forsvarsforberedelser omkring kriserne1911-13. Syddansk Universitet/Syddansk Universitetsforlag, Odense,2012. 557 sider, ISBN 978-87-7674-617-9 Lisbeth Bonde anmelder: Erik Aschengreen, Anne Middelboe Christensen og Kirsten Sørensen:Dansen i spejlet. John R. Johnsens balletfotos. Det Kongelige Bibliotek ogGads Forlag, København 2012, 342 sider, ill. ISBN 978-87-12-04687-5,Kr. 349. Niels D. Lund anmelder: Jesper Düring Jørgensen: Den smilende kamæleon. Karl Larsen (1860-1931) – Digter, journalist, militarist. Danish Humanist Texts and Studies, 47.Det Kongelige Bibliotek og Museum Tusculanums Forlag, København2013, 593 s. , illustreret. ISBN 978-87-635-4080-3. Claus Woschenko: J.P.E. Hartmann: Klaverværker/Piano Works/Klavierwerke. Udg. af/Hrsg.von Niels Krabbe. Det Kongelige Bibliotek: Dansk Center for Musikudgivelse.2012. Vol. 1-2. i-lii, 328 s.; liii-lxxxviii, ss. 329-652. Fol. (J.P.E.Hartmann: Udvalgte Værker/Selected Works/Ausgewählte Werke. Udg. afHartmann Udgaven, Det Kongelige Bibliotek/Publ. by The HartmannEdition, The Royal Library / Hrsg. von der Hartmann-Ausgabe, Diekönigliche Bibliothek. Hovedredaktør/Editor-in-chief/Redaktionsleiter:Niels Krabbe. Serie III, bind 1-2/Series III, Vol. 1-2/Serie III, Band1-2). ISMN 979-0706763-12-5 & 979-0706763-13-2. Kr. 1.600

Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen anmelder: Nicolaus Steno. Biography and Original Papers of a 17th Century Scientist.Edited and Translated by Troels Kardel and Paul Maquet, Springer,Heidelberg, Dordrecht, London, New York 2013, 739 sider, ill., ISBN978-3-642-25078-1, €83,29 (e-bog), €106,95 (indbundet). Henrik Horstbøll anmelder: Kristian Jensen: Revolution and the Antiquarian Book. Reshaping the Past, 1780-1815. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2011, 318 sider.ISBN 978-1-107-00051-3. Jesper Düring Jørgensen anmelder: Michael H. Clemmesen: Det lille land før den store krig. De danske farvande, stormagtsstrategier, efterretninger og forsvarsforberedelser omkring kriserne1911-13. Syddansk Universitet/Syddansk Universitetsforlag, Odense,2012. 557 sider, ISBN 978-87-7674-617-9 Lisbeth Bonde anmelder: Erik Aschengreen, Anne Middelboe Christensen og Kirsten Sørensen:Dansen i spejlet. John R. Johnsens balletfotos. Det Kongelige Bibliotek ogGads Forlag, København 2012, 342 sider, ill. ISBN 978-87-12-04687-5,Kr. 349. Niels D. Lund anmelder: Jesper Düring Jørgensen: Den smilende kamæleon. Karl Larsen (1860-1931) – Digter, journalist, militarist. Danish Humanist Texts and Studies, 47.Det Kongelige Bibliotek og Museum Tusculanums Forlag, København2013, 593 s. , illustreret. ISBN 978-87-635-4080-3. Claus Woschenko: J.P.E. Hartmann: Klaverværker/Piano Works/Klavierwerke. Udg. af/Hrsg.von Niels Krabbe. Det Kongelige Bibliotek: Dansk Center for Musikudgivelse.2012. Vol. 1-2. i-lii, 328 s.; liii-lxxxviii, ss. 329-652. Fol. (J.P.E.Hartmann: Udvalgte Værker/Selected Works/Ausgewählte Werke. Udg. afHartmann Udgaven, Det Kongelige Bibliotek/Publ. by The HartmannEdition, The Royal Library / Hrsg. von der Hartmann-Ausgabe, Diekönigliche Bibliothek. Hovedredaktør/Editor-in-chief/Redaktionsleiter:Niels Krabbe. Serie III, bind 1-2/Series III, Vol. 1-2/Serie III, Band1-2). ISMN 979-0706763-12-5 & 979-0706763-13-2. Kr. 1.600

Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen anmelder: Nicolaus Steno. Biography and Original Papers of a 17th Century Scientist.Edited and Translated by Troels Kardel and Paul Maquet, Springer,Heidelberg, Dordrecht, London, New York 2013, 739 sider, ill., ISBN978-3-642-25078-1, €83,29 (e-bog), €106,95 (indbundet). Henrik Horstbøll anmelder: Kristian Jensen: Revolution and the Antiquarian Book. Reshaping the Past, 1780-1815. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2011, 318 sider.ISBN 978-1-107-00051-3. Jesper Düring Jørgensen anmelder: Michael H. Clemmesen: Det lille land før den store krig. De danske farvande, stormagtsstrategier, efterretninger og forsvarsforberedelser omkring kriserne1911-13. Syddansk Universitet/Syddansk Universitetsforlag, Odense,2012. 557 sider, ISBN 978-87-7674-617-9 Lisbeth Bonde anmelder: Erik Aschengreen, Anne Middelboe Christensen og Kirsten Sørensen:Dansen i spejlet. John R. Johnsens balletfotos. Det Kongelige Bibliotek ogGads Forlag, København 2012, 342 sider, ill. ISBN 978-87-12-04687-5,Kr. 349. Niels D. Lund anmelder: Jesper Düring Jørgensen: Den smilende kamæleon. Karl Larsen (1860-1931) – Digter, journalist, militarist. Danish Humanist Texts and Studies, 47.Det Kongelige Bibliotek og Museum Tusculanums Forlag, København2013, 593 s. , illustreret. ISBN 978-87-635-4080-3. Claus Woschenko: J.P.E. Hartmann: Klaverværker/Piano Works/Klavierwerke. Udg. af/Hrsg.von Niels Krabbe. Det Kongelige Bibliotek: Dansk Center for Musikudgivelse.2012. Vol. 1-2. i-lii, 328 s.; liii-lxxxviii, ss. 329-652. Fol. (J.P.E.Hartmann: Udvalgte Værker/Selected Works/Ausgewählte Werke. Udg. afHartmann Udgaven, Det Kongelige Bibliotek/Publ. by The HartmannEdition, The Royal Library / Hrsg. von der Hartmann-Ausgabe, Diekönigliche Bibliothek. Hovedredaktør/Editor-in-chief/Redaktionsleiter:Niels Krabbe. Serie III, bind 1-2/Series III, Vol. 1-2/Serie III, Band1-2). ISMN 979-0706763-12-5 & 979-0706763-13-2. Kr. 1.600

Sebastian Olden-Jørgensen anmelder: Nicolaus Steno. Biography and Original Papers of a 17th Century Scientist.Edited and Translated by Troels Kardel and Paul Maquet, Springer,Heidelberg, Dordrecht, London, New York 2013, 739 sider, ill., ISBN978-3-642-25078-1, €83,29 (e-bog), €106,95 (indbundet). Henrik Horstbøll anmelder: Kristian Jensen: Revolution and the Antiquarian Book. Reshaping the Past, 1780-1815. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2011, 318 sider.ISBN 978-1-107-00051-3. Jesper Düring Jørgensen anmelder: Michael H. Clemmesen: Det lille land før den store krig. De danske farvande, stormagtsstrategier, efterretninger og forsvarsforberedelser omkring kriserne1911-13. Syddansk Universitet/Syddansk Universitetsforlag, Odense,2012. 557 sider, ISBN 978-87-7674-617-9 Lisbeth Bonde anmelder: Erik Aschengreen, Anne Middelboe Christensen og Kirsten Sørensen:Dansen i spejlet. John R. Johnsens balletfotos. Det Kongelige Bibliotek ogGads Forlag, København 2012, 342 sider, ill. ISBN 978-87-12-04687-5,Kr. 349. Niels D. Lund anmelder: Jesper Düring Jørgensen: Den smilende kamæleon. Karl Larsen (1860-1931) – Digter, journalist, militarist. Danish Humanist Texts and Studies, 47.Det Kongelige Bibliotek og Museum Tusculanums Forlag, København2013, 593 s. , illustreret. ISBN 978-87-635-4080-3. Claus Woschenko: J.P.E. Hartmann: Klaverværker/Piano Works/Klavierwerke. Udg. af/Hrsg.von Niels Krabbe. Det Kongelige Bibliotek: Dansk Center for Musikudgivelse.2012. Vol. 1-2. i-lii, 328 s.; liii-lxxxviii, ss. 329-652. Fol. (J.P.E.Hartmann: Udvalgte Værker/Selected Works/Ausgewählte Werke. Udg. afHartmann Udgaven, Det Kongelige Bibliotek/Publ. by The HartmannEdition, The Royal Library / Hrsg. von der Hartmann-Ausgabe, Diekönigliche Bibliothek. Hovedredaktør/Editor-in-chief/Redaktionsleiter:Niels Krabbe. Serie III, bind 1-2/Series III, Vol. 1-2/Serie III, Band1-2). ISMN 979-0706763-12-5 & 979-0706763-13-2. Kr. 1.600

The history of Danish political thought is a neglected field of study. This is due to scholarly traditions as well as to the lack of “great texts.” The present article presents a Danish manuscript mirror of princes, Alithia, written in 1597 by Johann Damgaard and presented to King Christian 4. The text itself is neither original nor of exceptional literary merit, but the King liked it and discussed it chapter by chapter with the author. In other words: Damgaard’s Alithia seems to have hit the bull’s eye of political correctness and royal taste. This makes it an interesting source for Danish political culture in the decades around 1600. It represents a synthesis of humanist and reformation ideology where humanism has determined the form while the contents is mostly traditional Christian kingship in the protestant tradition. An exploration of Damgaard’s sources reveals that Damgaard’s text represents a sofisticated writing up of material found in two earlier manuscript mirror of princes by Jens Skafbo from 1590 and 1592 respectively. Skafbo, on the other hand, compiled his mirror of princes on the basis of Paulus Helie’s Danish adaption (printed 1534) of Erasmus of Rotterdam’s Institutio principis christiani and diverse other texts mainly from the 1580’s. This plagiarism, as modern eyes would see it, was typical of the age. The interesting point is the thorough stylistic and ideological twist towards humanism that Damgaard gave his text. A last interesting point is that these mirrors of princes were not destined for the King alone. In more modest and shortened manuscript editions they circulated among the higher nobility. In one such edition of Damgaard’s Alithia one finds a paragraph with no parallel in the King’s version. It describes the relation between King and realm by means of a parable about a lion (the king) and a unicorn (the realm). If the lion behaves peace is assured, but if the lion offends the unicorn it will throw him out by means of its sharp and stro

The history of Danish political thought is a neglected field of study. This is due to scholarly traditions as well as to the lack of “great texts.” The present article presents a Danish manuscript mirror of princes, Alithia, written in 1597 by Johann Damgaard and presented to King Christian 4. The text itself is neither original nor of exceptional literary merit, but the King liked it and discussed it chapter by chapter with the author. In other words: Damgaard’s Alithia seems to have hit the bull’s eye of political correctness and royal taste. This makes it an interesting source for Danish political culture in the decades around 1600. It represents a synthesis of humanist and reformation ideology where humanism has determined the form while the contents is mostly traditional Christian kingship in the protestant tradition. An exploration of Damgaard’s sources reveals that Damgaard’s text represents a sofisticated writing up of material found in two earlier manuscript mirror of princes by Jens Skafbo from 1590 and 1592 respectively. Skafbo, on the other hand, compiled his mirror of princes on the basis of Paulus Helie’s Danish adaption (printed 1534) of Erasmus of Rotterdam’s Institutio principis christiani and diverse other texts mainly from the 1580’s. This plagiarism, as modern eyes would see it, was typical of the age. The interesting point is the thorough stylistic and ideological twist towards humanism that Damgaard gave his text. A last interesting point is that these mirrors of princes were not destined for the King alone. In more modest and shortened manuscript editions they circulated among the higher nobility. In one such edition of Damgaard’s Alithia one finds a paragraph with no parallel in the King’s version. It describes the relation between King and realm by means of a parable about a lion (the king) and a unicorn (the realm). If the lion behaves peace is assured, but if the lion offends the unicorn it will throw him out by means of its sharp and stro

The history of Danish political thought is a neglected field of study. This is due to scholarly traditions as well as to the lack of “great texts.” The present article presents a Danish manuscript mirror of princes, Alithia, written in 1597 by Johann Damgaard and presented to King Christian 4. The text itself is neither original nor of exceptional literary merit, but the King liked it and discussed it chapter by chapter with the author. In other words: Damgaard’s Alithia seems to have hit the bull’s eye of political correctness and royal taste. This makes it an interesting source for Danish political culture in the decades around 1600. It represents a synthesis of humanist and reformation ideology where humanism has determined the form while the contents is mostly traditional Christian kingship in the protestant tradition. An exploration of Damgaard’s sources reveals that Damgaard’s text represents a sofisticated writing up of material found in two earlier manuscript mirror of princes by Jens Skafbo from 1590 and 1592 respectively. Skafbo, on the other hand, compiled his mirror of princes on the basis of Paulus Helie’s Danish adaption (printed 1534) of Erasmus of Rotterdam’s Institutio principis christiani and diverse other texts mainly from the 1580’s. This plagiarism, as modern eyes would see it, was typical of the age. The interesting point is the thorough stylistic and ideological twist towards humanism that Damgaard gave his text. A last interesting point is that these mirrors of princes were not destined for the King alone. In more modest and shortened manuscript editions they circulated among the higher nobility. In one such edition of Damgaard’s Alithia one finds a paragraph with no parallel in the King’s version. It describes the relation between King and realm by means of a parable about a lion (the king) and a unicorn (the realm). If the lion behaves peace is assured, but if the lion offends the unicorn it will throw him out by means of its sharp and stro

The history of Danish political thought is a neglected field of study. This is due to scholarly traditions as well as to the lack of “great texts.” The present article presents a Danish manuscript mirror of princes, Alithia, written in 1597 by Johann Damgaard and presented to King Christian 4. The text itself is neither original nor of exceptional literary merit, but the King liked it and discussed it chapter by chapter with the author. In other words: Damgaard’s Alithia seems to have hit the bull’s eye of political correctness and royal taste. This makes it an interesting source for Danish political culture in the decades around 1600. It represents a synthesis of humanist and reformation ideology where humanism has determined the form while the contents is mostly traditional Christian kingship in the protestant tradition. An exploration of Damgaard’s sources reveals that Damgaard’s text represents a sofisticated writing up of material found in two earlier manuscript mirror of princes by Jens Skafbo from 1590 and 1592 respectively. Skafbo, on the other hand, compiled his mirror of princes on the basis of Paulus Helie’s Danish adaption (printed 1534) of Erasmus of Rotterdam’s Institutio principis christiani and diverse other texts mainly from the 1580’s. This plagiarism, as modern eyes would see it, was typical of the age. The interesting point is the thorough stylistic and ideological twist towards humanism that Damgaard gave his text. A last interesting point is that these mirrors of princes were not destined for the King alone. In more modest and shortened manuscript editions they circulated among the higher nobility. In one such edition of Damgaard’s Alithia one finds a paragraph with no parallel in the King’s version. It describes the relation between King and realm by means of a parable about a lion (the king) and a unicorn (the realm). If the lion behaves peace is assured, but if the lion offends the unicorn it will throw him out by means of its sharp and stro

The history of Danish political thought is a neglected field of study. This is due to scholarly traditions as well as to the lack of “great texts.” The present article presents a Danish manuscript mirror of princes, Alithia, written in 1597 by Johann Damgaard and presented to King Christian 4. The text itself is neither original nor of exceptional literary merit, but the King liked it and discussed it chapter by chapter with the author. In other words: Damgaard’s Alithia seems to have hit the bull’s eye of political correctness and royal taste. This makes it an interesting source for Danish political culture in the decades around 1600. It represents a synthesis of humanist and reformation ideology where humanism has determined the form while the contents is mostly traditional Christian kingship in the protestant tradition. An exploration of Damgaard’s sources reveals that Damgaard’s text represents a sofisticated writing up of material found in two earlier manuscript mirror of princes by Jens Skafbo from 1590 and 1592 respectively. Skafbo, on the other hand, compiled his mirror of princes on the basis of Paulus Helie’s Danish adaption (printed 1534) of Erasmus of Rotterdam’s Institutio principis christiani and diverse other texts mainly from the 1580’s. This plagiarism, as modern eyes would see it, was typical of the age. The interesting point is the thorough stylistic and ideological twist towards humanism that Damgaard gave his text. A last interesting point is that these mirrors of princes were not destined for the King alone. In more modest and shortened manuscript editions they circulated among the higher nobility. In one such edition of Damgaard’s Alithia one finds a paragraph with no parallel in the King’s version. It describes the relation between King and realm by means of a parable about a lion (the king) and a unicorn (the realm). If the lion behaves peace is assured, but if the lion offends the unicorn it will throw him out by means of its sharp and stro