Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
and died in 1616 in
Skørping
Skørping is a railway town in Rebild Municipality in Region Nordjylland in the geographic region of the Jutland peninsula known as '' Himmerland'' in northern Denmark. The modern town has a population of 2,971 as of 1 January 2022;Vinstrupgård, Denmark, taking charge of the tenantry after the death of her first husband, Eggert Ulfeldt. She and Jørgen Friis were buried on the same day in 1616.
The Danish nobility of the period had secured to themselves a monopoly on a number of administrative offices; this preference continued until 1620. Jørgen Friis was a member of that small class of upper nobility whose members could aspire to the highest positions in Denmark-Norway, including membership on the national council (riksråd). He became Governor-general of Norway (''statholder'') in 1601 and initiated a major effort to revise the Norwegian law. His activity led to issuance of
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 ...
’s Norwegian Law of 1604, which as essentially a translation into Danish of the older Norwegian law of Magnus law-mender established and recorded in Norwegian in 1274 and 1276.
Early life
Friis belonged to an early noble line from southern
Jutland
Jutland ( da, Jylland ; german: Jütland ; ang, Ēota land ), known anciently as the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula ( la, Cimbricus Chersonesus; da, den Kimbriske Halvø, links=no or ; german: Kimbrische Halbinsel, links=no), is a peninsula of ...
, which has been traced back to at least the mid 1300-century, based on the earliest recording of their coat-of-arms. The family belonged to the leading noble circles in Jutland, and Jørgen Friis had an upbringing that was common for young men of his standing. As a young man he experienced military action when in 1576 he served in the king’s retinue during a campaign into
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg (; nds, label= Low German, Mękel(n)borg ) is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The largest cities of the region are Rostock, Schweri ...
.
Career
Friis followed the traditional early career path of a nobleman, with service at court and as a court
Junker
Junker ( da, Junker, german: Junker, nl, Jonkheer, en, Yunker, no, Junker, sv, Junker ka, იუნკერი (Iunkeri)) is a noble honorific, derived from Middle High German ''Juncherre'', meaning "young nobleman"Duden; Meaning of Junke ...
in 1578. In 1580s-90s he served with various smaller in Denmark, and 1595, he became a judge in North Jutland, which provided him a good knowledge of the law and its interpretation. He achieved the highest rank in 1596, when he was named to the national council (''riksråd'').
In 1601 he was granted Norway's most important fief, Akershus, as well as the position of Governor-general of Norway. Friis served as Governor-general of Norway until 1608, when he returned to Denmark, where he was granted the far less labor-intensive Seilstrup fief, which he held until his death. When he assumed the role of Governor-general (''statholder'') from Axel Gyldenstjerne,
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 ...
was present in Norway. Friis had to pledge that we would "listen and pay diligent heed to the complaints of the common people and help them secure justice."
His most important contributions were in translating and organizing the law. The Danish administrators found it absolutely necessary to recast the old Norwegian law, which was written in
old Norse
Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlemen ...
and difficult for them to interpret and apply. Moreover, there were newer laws that were not properly entered into the older documented law record. As early as 1557
Christian III
Christian III (12 August 1503 – 1 January 1559) reigned as King of Denmark from 1534 and King of Norway from 1537 until his death in 1559. During his reign, Christian formed close ties between the church and the crown. He established ...
had directed a revision of the Norwegian laws, without success. Frederick II had also directed a revision of the law in 1572, without success. Yet another royal direction to translate the laws and add provisions for fines had been addressed to the governor, Axel Gyldenstierne, in 1592.
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 ...
was one of the most remarkable of the Danish-Norwegian kings, having initiated many reforms and projects in both Denmark and Norway. He visited Norway 26 times, more times than all his predecessors combined, and became aware of the egregious abuses of the law by fief holders like
Ludvig Munk
Ludvig Ludvigsen Munk was born in 1537 in Vejle, and died 8 April 1602 at ''Nørlund Slot'' (Nørlund castle) in Funen. He was a Danish official and Count. He was the son of Ludvik Munk (1500-1537), and is also referred to as ''Ludvig Ludvigsen M ...
. In 1602 Christian IV resided in Akershus, reviewed the need to revise the laws, and the governor-general Jørgen Friis, with the support of Anders Green and various men of the law, was commanded to prepare a new law book. Under the eye of the king, the commission work quickly, and the new law book, which was printed in 1604, entered into force in January 1605 under the name, ''KONG CHRISTIAN DEN FJERDES NORSKE LOVBOG af 1604''.
Friis' work on the Norwegian law was of great importance, since it produced a law book which was better suited to conditions that existed at that time in Scandinavia. As is common with the law, it had to be updated multiple times, including revisions by
Jens Bjelke
Jens Ågessøn Bjelke (2 February 1580 – 7 November 1659) was a Norwegian nobleman who was Chancellor of Norway from 1614 to 1648, when he was succeeded by Hannibal Sehested. He was the son of Åge Bjelke and Margrethe Thott. At the time ...
, but it served as the essential source of law until it was superseded by ''kong Christian 5s Norske Lov av 1687'' ( King Christian V’s Norwegian Law of 1687).
Other interests
Most of Friis' labor went to managing the numerous fiefs for which he was responsible. He also devoted attention to his personal interests. He had inherited Krastrup manor in North Jutland from his mother. The manor house at Krastrup burned in 1612, but was restored at Jørgen Friis’ direction.
With his three wives Jørgen Friis fathered 12 children, of whom 8 were sons. One of them was chancellor Christen Friis of Kragerup (1581-1639); several of the other sons died during their educational trips in Europe.