BARNEKOW, CHRISTIAN HANSSON [SSNE 1482]

Surname

BARNEKOW

First name

CHRISTIAN HANSSON

Title/rank

ENVOY, COLONEL

Nationality

DANE

Social status

GENTRY

Education

UNIVERSITY

Text source

Christian Barnekow spent time in England between 1584-1586 to improve his English. He became a member of the Danish council (the Rigsraad) in 1590. He received acreditation as a diplomatic secretary on 26 June 1594 travelling to Scotland, England, the Netherlands and Sweden. He was acting as secretary either with or to Sten Bille with whom he travelled. After this trip to Scotland Barnekow was in receipt of much correspondence from the Stuart court, from James VI, his queen and other members of the nobility, in particular James Melville who in August 1595 wrote to Barnekow complimenting him on his last embassy to Scotland which was "very agreeable to the whole Scottish nation". Queen Anna of Scotland wrote to Barnekow in March 1595 affirming her affection for him and sent letters from her secretary Fouler. In 1597 he travelled with Arlid Huitfeldt to the Queen of England. That year he also served as royal commander at Lundegard. In 1599 he was the regional governor for Malmo (then still part of Denmark). From 1603-9 he was the commander at Landskrona castle and in 1612 served as a military colonel during the Kalmar war between Denmark-Norway and Sweden. He died that year

Extract from a letter written in French from De Heile to Barnekow, 23 September 1598, London:Having received [?] from the Chancellor Fries and Mr Witfeld regarding the reply the English ambassadors received at Copenhagen recently, the queen felt abused, the merchants were screaming vengeance against you, and Doctor Parkins wants to be sent back to console the merchants. (Wieselgren, pp.106-7)Extract from a letter in French allegedly from King James VI, 22 December 1594:The situation in Scotland is more peaceful than when Barnekow visited; however Bothwell joined the Papists in a rebellion and we sent an army to destroy their houses and the leaders of the rebellion are now in hiding far from Scotland.(Wieselgren, pp.109-110)

E. Marquard, Danske Gesandter og Gesandtskabspersonale indtil 1914 (Copenhagen, 1952); T. Riis, Should Auld Acquaintance be Forgot (Odense, 1988), II, p.280; P. Wieselgren, (ed.), Dela Gardiska Archivet, part 5 (Lund, 1834), pp.99, pp.106-121.

Service record

DENMARK-NORWAY, ENGLAND

Arrived 1584-01-01

Departed 1586-12-31

Capacity MISC, purpose MISC

DENMARK-NORWAY, SCOTLAND

Arrived 1594-06-26

Departed 1594-12-31

Capacity SECRETARY, purpose DIPLOMACY

DENMARK-NORWAY, LUNDEGARD

Arrived 1597-01-01, as COMMANDER

Departed 1597-12-31, as COMMANDER

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY

DENMARK-NORWAY, ENGLAND

Arrived 1597-08-01

Departed 1597-12-31

Capacity AGENT, purpose DIPLOMACY

DENMARK-NORWAY, MALMO

Arrived 1599-01-01, as REGIONAL GOVERNOR

Departed 1599-12-31, as REGIONAL GOVERNOR

Capacity GOVERNOR, OFFICER, purpose MILITARY

DENMARK-NORWAY, LANDSKRONA CASTLE

Arrived 1612-01-01, as COMMANDER

Departed 1612-12-31, as COMMANDER

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY