Niels Krag (1550-1602), was a Danish academic and diplomat. Krag was a Doctor of Divinity, Professor at the

University of Copenhagen The University of Copenhagen ( da, Københavns Universitet, KU) is a prestigious public research university in Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1479, the University of Copenhagen is the second-oldest university in Scandinavia after Uppsala Unive ...

, and

historiographer Royal Historiographer Royal is the title of an appointment as official chronicler or historian of a court or monarch. It was initially particularly associated with the French monarchy, where the post existed from at least 1550, but in the later 16th and 1 ...

Mission to Scotland

In August 1589 the Danish council decided that

Peder Munk Peder Munk of Estvadgård (1534–1623), was a Danish navigator, politician, and ambassador, who was in charge of the fleet carrying Anne of Denmark to Scotland. The events of the voyage led to witch trials and executions in Denmark and Scotland ...

Breide Rantzau Breide Rantzau (13 October 1556 10 January 1618) was a German nobleman in Danish-Norwegian service. He served as ''stadtholder'' of Copenhagen from 1602. Early life He was born on 13 October 1556 at Segeberg, the son of Heinrich Rantzau, and th ...

, Dr Paul Knibbe, and Niels Krag would accompany

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I; as such, she was Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and Queen of England and Ireland from the union of the Scottish and Eng ...

, the bride of

James VI James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

, to Scotland. After several mishaps, poor weather, and " contrary winds" they decided to stay at Oslo over the winter. In May 1593 Krag travelled to Scotland with Steen Bille.

came aboard their ship at Leith on 31 May, with her ladies in waiting, including the two sisters

Marie Stewart, Countess of Mar Marie Stewart, Countess of Mar (1576-1644) was a Scottish courtier. She was the daughter of Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, a favourite of James VI of Scotland, and Catherine de Balsac. After her marriage, as was customary in Scotland, she di ...

and Henrietta Stewart, Countess of Huntly. She gave the sailors a gift of 100 gold crowns. Their mission was primarily to accept the lands of

Dunfermline Abbey Dunfermline Abbey is a Church of Scotland Parish Church in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland. The church occupies the site of the ancient chancel and transepts of a large medieval Benedictine abbey, which was sacked in 1560 during the Scottish Reforma ...

given to Anne as a "

morning gift Dower is a provision accorded traditionally by a husband or his family, to a wife for her support should she become widowed. It was settled on the bride (being gifted into trust) by agreement at the time of the wedding, or as provided by law. ...

" by her husband, James VI of Scotland, recently re-confirmed in the

Parliament of Scotland The Parliament of Scotland ( sco, Pairlament o Scotland; gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 13th century until 1707. The parliament evolved during the early 13th century from the king's council o ...

. They negotiated with John Maitland of

Thirlestane Thirlestane Castle is a castle set in extensive parklands near Lauder in the Borders of Scotland. The site is aptly named Castle Hill, as it stands upon raised ground. However, the raised land is within Lauderdale, the valley of the Leader Wate ...

who had held some of the lands. Krag and Bille visited the dowry lands as

had done in 1590. In Edinburgh, they were lodged in the Canongate at John Kinloch's house close to Holyrood Palace. The last week in July was occupied by the aftermath of an attack on Holyrood by the

Earl of Bothwell Earl of Bothwell was a title that was created twice in the Peerage of Scotland. It was first created for Patrick Hepburn in 1488, and was forfeited in 1567. Subsequently, the earldom was re-created for the 4th Earl's nephew and heir of line, F ...

which Krag recorded in a Latin journal of their embassy and in a separate memorandum. James VI had to explain the circumstances of Bothwell's appearance at Holyrood to them in a meeting with the Privy Council in the

Tolbooth A tolbooth or town house was the main municipal building of a Scottish burgh, from medieval times until the 19th century. The tolbooth usually provided a council meeting chamber, a court house and a jail. The tolbooth was one of three esse ...

. They left the Scottish court on 6 August 1593, escorted to Leith by the queen and the royal councilors.

Giacomo Castelvetro Giacomo Castelvetro (25 March 1546 – 21 March 1616) was an Italian expatriate in Europe and England, humanist, teacher and travel writer. Life Giacomo Castelvetro was born in Modena in 1546 to the banker Niccolò Castelvetro and his wife ...

, an Italian author presented Krag with a manuscript of Italian proverbs and their explanations, with a personal dedication to "Nicolò Crachio", bound in vellum with gold tooling. James VI gave Krag a lengthy Latin letter of recommendation or testimonial with a grant of noble arms. A few weeks later a lion arrived in Edinburgh as a present from

Christian IV Christian IV (12 April 1577 – 28 February 1648) was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Holstein and Schleswig from 1588 until his death in 1648. His reign of 59 years, 330 days is the longest of Danish monarchs and Scandinavian monar ...

with a German lion-keeper, Wilhelm Fröhlich. The lion, a gift to Christian from the King of Poland, was tame enough that it could led around by two boys.

London in 1598

In 1598 James Young, the son of the Scottish diplomat Peter Young stayed with Krag while his father and David Cunningham travelled to Rostock and Gustrow, seeking military support to put James VI on the throne of England, in the event of the death of Queen Elizabeth. Their instructions suggested that Elizabeth was in increasingly poor health. Krag was sent to England as the ambassador of

Christian IV of Denmark Christian IV (12 April 1577 – 28 February 1648) was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Holstein and Schleswig from 1588 until his death in 1648. His reign of 59 years, 330 days is the longest of Danish monarchs and Scandinavian mon ...

, and was given instructions concerning shipping, English pirates and the

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its s ...

fisheries. In London his household included his followers, with Simon van Salingen, the Danish king's merchant, and Harman Rose, a Danish apothecary, and Peter van Heil, the king's agent in London and Proctor to the Duke of Brunswick. Krag hosted feasts for the Scottish ambassador, a German baron, Heinrich Langerman, Alderman of the Steelyard, and some academics, where a great abundance of wine was consumed. He had his first audience with Elizabeth on 17 December 1598 at

Whitehall Palace The Palace of Whitehall (also spelt White Hall) at Westminster was the main residence of the English monarchs from 1530 until 1698, when most of its structures, except notably Inigo Jones's Banqueting House of 1622, were destroyed by fire. H ...

. She had heard from her ambassadors, Christopher Perkins and Edward, Lord Zouche, that the Scottish envoys in Denmark and Germany had discussed her age and health, and complained of these "lewd reports of our valetudinary state". Copies of the Scottish ambassadors' instructions make specific reference to the queen's failing health.

The dancing queen

On 6 January 1599 Krag saw Elizabeth dance with the

Earl of Essex Earl of Essex is a title in the Peerage of England which was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title has been recreated eight times from its original inception, beginning with a new first Earl upon each new cre ...

at Whitehall Palace. He noted in his journal, "she was invited by the earl of Essex to dance, first excusing herself to me with a joke: then, she danced in a high style following him." Elizabeth said to Krag, in reference to the activities of the Scottish ambassadors in Denmark and Germany who were canvassing for support for James VI in the event of her death;

"You might congratulate me because many years have passed, and though asked to renounce my kingdom, though someone not yet so infirm that can still dance like this, and do other things, despite my wasted body." She added, ‘"Mark this; I would have you reprove the Scots envoys."

John Chamberlain heard that the queen was "very richly and freshly attired" on this occasion, possibly meaning she wore a "tire", a ribboned head-dress. Surprisingly, the Earl of Essex was said to walk with a stoop, and that so far from being a good dancer, he was "no graceful goer". This was not the only occasion when Elizabeth danced before a diplomat or envoy to make a point about her age and life expectancy.

Godfrey Goodman Godfrey Goodman, also called Hugh; (28 February 1582 or 158319 January 1656) was the Anglican Bishop of Gloucester, and a member of the Protestant Church. He was the son of Godfrey Goodman (senior) and Jane Croxton, landed gentry living in Wale ...

mentions her dancing in private for Roger Aston whenever he delivered letters from Scotland. During the visit of

Virginio Orsini, Duke of Bracciano Virginio Orsini (September 1572 – 9 September 1615) was the second Duke of Bracciano, member of the Orsini family and knight of the order of the Golden Fleece. He was the son of Paolo Giordano I Orsini and Isabella de' Medici, and inherited h ...

, she danced a galliard to show the "vigour of her old age". Chamberlain also mentioned the "measures and galliards" the queen danced for Orsini in January 1601. The French diplomat André Hurault de Maisse, who came in November 1597, said she tapped her feet in time to the music while her ladies danced on 6 January 1598, and had learnt high dancing in the Italian manner. Her maids called her "the Florentine". De Maisse said her walking could be like "half dancing", but did not see her dance in person. The Scottish diplomat

James Sempill Sir James Sempill (1566–1626) was a Scottish courtier and diplomat. Early life James Sempill was the eldest son of John Sempill of Beltrees, and Mary Livingston, one of the "Four Marys", companions of Mary, Queen of Scots. Sempill was brought ...

heard from Lord Hunsdon in September 1599 that Elizabeth insisted on riding rather than using a coach or litter, and had recently danced a Spanish "pavie to a whissil tabourier" at

Hampton Court Hampton Court Palace is a Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwest and upstream of central London on the River Thames. The building of the palace began in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the chie ...

to demonstrate her continuing vitality.

Later life and legacy

Jon Jakobsen Venusinus became Court Historian after the death of Niels Krag in 1602. Krag's son, Iver Krag, was a student at

St Andrews University (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

in 1610 and 1611.Thomas Riis, ''Should Auld Acquaintance be Forgot'', vol. 2 (Odense, 1988), p. 289.

References

External links

KRAG CRAGIUM, NIELS NICOLAUM (SSNE 1480)

Manuscript by Giacomo Castelvetro written in Edinburgh for Niels Krag, 'Il Significato D'Alquanti belli et vari proverbi dell'Italica Favella'

Acta Legationis Scotica, 1593: A journal of the Danish embassy (Latin). Rigsarkivet

Diploma for Niels Krag by James VI, 1 August 1593, British Library Harley MS 7004 (Latin)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Krag, Niels Ambassadors of Denmark to Scotland Ambassadors of Denmark to England 1602 deaths 16th-century Danish people 1550 births 16th-century Danish diplomats 17th-century Danish diplomats