Anna Svane (c. 1573–1637) was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

merchant A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as indust ...

Biography

Anna Hansdatter Svane was born at

Ribe Ribe () is a town in south-west Jutland, Denmark, with a population of 8,257 (2022). It is the seat of the Diocese of Ribe covering southwestern Jutland. Until 1 January 2007, Ribe was the seat of both a surrounding Ribe Municipality, municipali ...

, the daughter of Hans Svaning and Marine Sørensdatter Stage. Her grandfather was historian

Hans Svaning Hans Svaning (1503 – 20 September 1584) was a Danish historian. Biography Svaning was born at the village of Svaninge on Funen. He attended Vor Frue skole in Copenhagen and the University of Wittenberg graduating in 1529 and in 1533 receiving ...

(c. 1500–1584), whose surname was subsequently altered to Svane. In 1590, she was married to the mayor of

Horsens Horsens () is a city on the east coast of Jutland region of Denmark. It is the seat of the Horsens municipality. The city's population is 61,074 (1 January 2022) and the municipality's population is 94,443 (), making it the 8th largest city in De ...

, burgher merchant Hans Olufsen Riber (d. 1615). The couple had seven children, two of whom died as infants. Her daughter Anne Svane (c. 1596) was married to mayor of Horsens Ernst von Baden. One son Oluf Svane (c. 1601) became mayor of Horsens. Her youngest son

Hans Svane Hans Svane (Svaning) (27 March 1606 – 26 July 1668) was a Danish statesman and clergy member of the Church of Denmark. He was a professor at the University of Copenhagen from 1635 and Bishop of the Diocese of Zealand from 1655 until his death. ...

(1606–1668) would become Bishop of the

Diocese of Zealand The Diocese of Zealand (Danish: ''Sjællands Stift'') was a protestant diocese in Denmark that existed from 1537 to 1922. The diocese had been formed in 1537 following the Reformation of Denmark, and was dissolved in 1922 when it was divided into ...

. After the death of her spouse, she took over his business and managed his properties in Horsens. She became a leading member of the then growing wealthy Danish

burgher Burgher may refer to: * Burgher (social class), a medieval, early modern European title of a citizen of a town, and a social class from which city officials could be drawn ** Burgess (title), a resident of a burgh in northern Britain ** Grand Bu ...

class. During the sack of Jutland by German troops during the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (80 ...

in 1627–29, she fled to her son Hans in

Frisia Frisia is a cross-border cultural region in Northwestern Europe. Stretching along the Wadden Sea, it encompasses the north of the Netherlands and parts of northwestern Germany. The region is traditionally inhabited by the Frisians, a West Ger ...

. In 1631, she founded a home for poor widows called Svaneboligen at Fugholm 16 in

. The foundation was the first of its kind in Horsens and belonged to the first institutions of its kind in Denmark. Anna Svane died at Horsens in 1637 and was buried at Horsens Klosterkirke.

References

1637 deaths People from Ribe People from Horsens Danish philanthropists Danish women philanthropists Danish merchants 17th-century Danish businesspeople Year of birth uncertain 17th-century Danish businesswomen {{Denmark-business-bio-stub