Blåtårn (in English: ''Blue Tower'') was a

tower A tower is a tall Nonbuilding structure, structure, taller than it is wide, often by a significant factor. Towers are distinguished from guyed mast, masts by their lack of guy-wires and are therefore, along with tall buildings, self-supporting ...

Copenhagen Castle Copenhagen Castle () was a castle on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It was built in the late 14th century and was located at the site of the current Christiansborg Palace. History In 1167, Bishop Absalon (c. 112 ...

, the

Danish royal family The Danish royal family is the dynastic family of the monarch of Denmark. While some members of the Danish royal family hold the title of ''Prince(ss) of Denmark'', descendants of Margrethe II additionally bear the title '' Count(ess) of Monpe ...

's palace in Copenhagen, Denmark. The tower was used as a

dungeon A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably derives more from the Renaissance period. An oubliette (fr ...

and has been known as such in history. It is not known when the tower was built, but it is known to have existed during the reign of King John I of Denmark (reign 1481-1513). It existed from at least the late 15th century until destroyed in 1731-32.

History

Many famous people were imprisoned in ''Blåtårn'' during its history. In the 1520s, a large number of Swedish prisoners were taken there after the Swedish rebellion against Denmark and the subsequent declaration of Swedish independence, notably the renowned heroine

Christina Gyllenstierna Christina Nilsdotter Gyllenstierna of Fogelvik (Swedish: ''Kristina'' or ''Kerstin'': 1494 – January 1559, Hörningsholm Castle) was a Swedish noblewoman. She was married to the Swedish regent Sten Sture the Younger, and led the Swedish ...

and female members of the

House of Vasa The House of Vasa or Wasa was a Dynasty, royal house that was founded in 1523 in Sweden. Its members ruled the Kingdom of Sweden from 1523 to 1654 and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1587 to 1668. Its agnatic line became extinct with t ...

, Sweden's ruling dynasty. In the chronicle of the son of

Margareta Eriksdotter Vasa Margareta Eriksdotter Vasa (1497 – 31 December 1536), also called ''Margareta Vasa'' and ''Margareta of Hoya'', was a Swedish noblewoman, sister of King Gustav I of Sweden. Between 1525 and 1534, she commanded Vyborg Castle on several occasio ...

Per Brahe the Elder Per Brahe the Elder (1520–1590) was a Swedish statesman. Brahe was the son of Joakim Brahe (died 1520 in the Stockholm Bloodbath) and Margareta Eriksdotter Vasa, the sister of Gustav I of Sweden, Gustav Eriksson Vasa, who became King of Swede ...

(who was with her during the captivity) the captivity of the Swedish noblewomen in Denmark were described: "They were much deprived of food and drink .. Hardly given enough each day to keep their lives but they worked to be fed": King Gustav I of Sweden used their treatment in captivity in his propaganda against Christian II and claimed that the Danish monarch starved the women and children who only survived by the mercy showed them by the queen of Denmark,

Isabella of Austria Isabella of Austria (''Isabel''; 18 July 1501 – 19 January 1526), also known as Elizabeth, was born an Archduchess of Archduchy of Austria, Austria and Infanta of Castile from the House of Habsburg, and subsequently became List of Danish consor ...

. Whatever the truth of this, it is confirmed that many of the imprisoned women and children died, among them Margareta's mother Cecilia, sister Emerentia and cousin Magdalena, though the cause of death are given as the plague, at that point used to classify a number of different illnesses.Tegenborg Falkdalen, Karin, Margareta Regina: vid Gustav Vasas sida :

n biografi över Margareta Leijonhufvud (1516-1551) N, or n, is the fourteenth letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages, and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...

Setterblad, Stockholm, 2016 Perhaps its best known prisoner was

Leonora Christina Ulfeldt Leonora Christina, Countess Ulfeldt, born "Countess Leonora Christina Christiansdatter" til Slesvig og Holsten (8 July 1621 – 16 March 1698), was the daughter of King Christian IV of Denmark and wife of the Steward of the Realm, the traitor ...

(a daughter of

Christian IV of Denmark Christian IV (12 April 1577 – 28 February 1648) was King of Denmark and King of Norway, Norway and List of rulers of Schleswig-Holstein, Duke of Holstein and Schleswig from 1588 until his death in 1648. His reign of 59 years and 330 days is th ...

and wife of the Danish statesman-''cum''-traitor,

Corfitz Ulfeldt Count Corfits Ulfeldt (10 July 1606 – 20 February 1664) was a Danish statesman known for his collaboration with Sweden during and after the 1657-1658 Dano-Swedish War, for which he is considered one of the most notorious traitors in Danish ...

), who was imprisoned here at the behest of the Queen-Mother, Sophia of Brunswick, between 1663 and 1685, during which she wrote several works, including her famous autobiography '' Jammers Minde''.

Other prisons of the same name

After 1732, the same name was also used for a

gaol A prison, also known as a jail, gaol, penitentiary, detention center, correction center, correctional facility, or remand center, is a facility where people are imprisoned under the authority of the state, usually as punishment for various cri ...

in Copenhagen near Frederiksholm channel; that building was torn down in 1848. A tower of

Sønderborg Castle Sønderborg Castle ( German: ''Schloss Sonderburg''; ) is located in the town of Sønderborg, Denmark on the island of Als in South Jutland. It houses a museum focusing on the history and culture of the area. The castle is located in the middle ...

, where the deposed king

Christian II of Denmark A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...

was imprisoned, has also been known by this name, but was demolished in 1755.

Famous prisoners of Blåtårn

Margareta Eriksdotter (Vasa) Margareta Eriksdotter Vasa (1497 – 31 December 1536), also called ''Margareta Vasa'' and ''Margareta of Hoya'', was a Swedish noblewoman, sister of King Gustav I of Sweden. Between 1525 and 1534, she commanded Vyborg Castle on several occasio ...

, sister of King

Gustav I of Sweden Gustav Eriksson Vasa (12 May 1496 – 29 September 1560), also known as Gustav I, was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death in 1560. He was previously self-recognised Protector of the Realm ('' Riksföreståndare'') from 1521, during the on ...

. *

Cecilia Månsdotter Cecilia Månsdotter Eka (c. 1476–1523) also called ''Cecilia of Eka'', was a Swedish noblewoman. She was the spouse of Erik Johansson Vasa and mother of King Gustav I of Sweden. Biography Cecilia was born around 1476 in Eka, Lillkyrka, whi ...

, mother of King

. *

Sigrid Eskilsdotter (Banér) Sigrid Eskilsdotter (Banér) (died 1527) was a Swedish noble, the mother of the Swedish regent Christina Gyllenstierna and the maternal grandmother of King Gustav Vasa of Sweden. Biography Sigrid Eskilsdotter was the daughter of Eskil Isak ...

, grandmother of King Gustav I of Sweden. * Märta Eriksdotter (Vasa), sister of King

. * Emerentia Eriksdotter (Vasa), sister of King

. *

, Swedish noble and the defender of Stockholm *

Torben Oxe Torben Oxe (died 29 November 1517) was a Danish nobleman and a member of an aristocratic family. Early life Oxe was the son of Johan Oxe of Tordsø and Inger Torbensdatter Bille. Both his father and grandfather had served as Danish Councillors ...

, Danish noble and governor of

* Knud Pedersen Gyldenstjerne, Danish Councillor of State *

Joachim Rønnov Joachim was, according to Sacred tradition, the husband of Saint Anne, the father of Mary (mother of Jesus), and the maternal grandfather of Jesus. The story of Joachim and Anne first appears in the Gospel of James, part of the New Testament apoc ...

, Bishop of

Diocese of Roskilde The Diocese of Roskilde () is a diocese within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark. The seat of the Bishop is Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde. History The Diocese of Roskilde was formed in 1922 when the Diocese of Zealand was divided into ...

, daughter of King

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Blatarn Buildings and structures in Copenhagen Defunct prisons in Denmark History of Copenhagen