Claus Daa (6 or 10 April 1579 – 30 March 1641) was a Danish
admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...
,
nobleman
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...
and landowner. He served as Admiral of the Realm from 1631 and was awarded the
Order of the Elephant
The Order of the Elephant () is a Denmark, Danish order of chivalry and is Denmark's highest-ranked honour. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional monarchy in ...
Zealand
Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...
, Denmark. He was the son of Oluf Daa (1547-1600) by his wife Dorthe Henriksdatter Faa née Friis (1543-1618). He went to school in
Sorø
Sorø () is a town in Sorø municipality on the island of Zealand (Denmark), Zealand in east Denmark with a population of 8,433 (2025).
and at age 12 went abroad to further his education. He spend most of the time in
Geneva
Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...
. He returned to Denmark for
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 and 330 days is the longest in Scandinavian history.
A member of the H ...
's coronation in 1596 but travelled to Switzerland and France the following year where he stayed until 1559. He was a courtier (''Hofsinde'') at the royal court from 1600 to 1603. He became a Lieutenant in the
heavy cavalry
Heavy cavalry was a class of cavalry intended to deliver a battlefield charge and also to act as a Military reserve, tactical reserve; they are also often termed ''shock cavalry''. Although their equipment differed greatly depending on the re ...
of Jutland in 1609, served with honour in the
Kalmar War
The Kalmar War (1611–1613) was fought between Denmark–Norway and Sweden. Though Denmark-Norway soon gained the upper hand, it was unable to defeat Sweden entirely. The Kalmar War was the last time Denmark-Norway successfully defended its '' ...
and was appointed to ''Ritmester''. In 1625, he became a member of the Privy Council. In 1626, he was a war commissioner in Germany and a delegate to the Peace Meeting in Brunsvig but had to return to Denmark in August after falling ill.
In 1630, he was one of the members of the Privy Council that endorsed the king to reach a settlement with Hamburg. On 25 July he was appointed to ''Rigsadmiral''. On 6 August he commanded the fleet that left Copenhagen to make an assault on the Hamburg fleet that blocked
Glückstadt
Glückstadt (; ) is a town in the Steinburg district of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is located on the right bank of the Lower Elbe at the confluence of the small Rhin river, about northwest of Altona. Glückstadt is part of the Hamburg ...
. The battle began on 4 September and resulted in a withdrawal of the Hamburg ships.
In 1631, Daa and Frederik Günther were sent to
the Hague
The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...
. He was to mediate between
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
and the
Dutch Republic
The United Provinces of the Netherlands, commonly referred to in historiography as the Dutch Republic, was a confederation that existed from 1579 until the Batavian Revolution in 1795. It was a predecessor state of the present-day Netherlands ...
with
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
and negotiate with a British envoy about a continued alliance between Denmark-Norway and Great Britain and the payment of subsidies.
In 1637, he became general commissioner for Zealand. In 1640, he was once again admiral for the fleet. He died in 1641.
Property
Daa was a major landowner. He owned Borreby, Ravnstrup and Holmegaard on
Zealand
Zealand ( ) is the largest and most populous islands of Denmark, island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size) at 7,031 km2 (2715 sq. mi.). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 Januar ...
, Fravgdegaard on
Funen
Funen (, ), is the third-largest List of islands of Denmark, island of Denmark, after Zealand and North Jutlandic Island, Vendsyssel-Thy, with an area of . It is the List of islands by area, 165th-largest island in the world. It is located in th ...
and Bonderup in
Jutland
Jutland (; , ''Jyske Halvø'' or ''Cimbriske Halvø''; , ''Kimbrische Halbinsel'' or ''Jütische Halbinsel'') is a peninsula of Northern Europe that forms the continental portion of Denmark and part of northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein). It ...
. He constructed a new main building at Holmegaard in 1635.
In 1606, he acquired Skivehus. In 1613, he exchanged Skivehus for Trondhjemgaard in Norway. It was exchanged for
Vestervig
Vestervig is a village in Vestervig Parish in Denmark, located in Thisted municipality in North Denmark Region (until December 31, 2006; Sydthy municipality, Viborg County). Vestervig has a population of 561 (1 January 2025).Dragsholm in 1624.
Personal life
He married Dorthe Henriksdatter Below (1588-1609) on 22 April 1604. After her death, he then married Ingeborg Valdemarsdatter Parsberg (1592-1641) on 2 May 1613.
He had 11 children:
* Dorte Clausdatter Daa (1 March 1614, Trondheimgård — 19 December 1616, Trondheimgård) (Age 2 år)
* Claus Daa, (born 1615)
* Valdemar Daa (15 May 1616, Trondheimgård — 15 February 1691, Viborg)
* Dorte Clausdatter Daa (14 July 1617, Trondheim — 28 May 1675)
* Hilleborg Clausdatter Daa (21 December 1618, Trondheimgård — 7 February 1662, Espe)
**married N.N. Daa (30 January 1620, Borreby — 30 January 1620, Borreby Slot)
* Christian Daa (30 January 1620 — 20 February 1620)
* Ide Clausdatter Daa (24 November 1622, Lerkenfeldt Gods, — 5 April 1668, Marsvinholm Slott)
* Christian Daa (c. 1623—1673)
* Jørgen Daa (1624 — 30 jun. 1652, Assens)
* Beate Clausdatter Daa (2 April 1625, Dragsholm Slot — died after 1672)