Jacob Ulfeldt (1535 – 8 October 1593) was a Danish diplomat and member of the Privy Council from 1565. He is mostly known for his very troubled diplomatic journey into Russia in 1578 during which he concluded an unfavourable treaty with Tsar Ivan IV (1530–1584) that brought him to disgrace at home. His bitter attempts of getting satisfaction only damaged his case. However, his account of his Russian travels (published by Melchior Goldast in Latin during 1608) is still considered a main source of Danish-Russian relations as well as of 16th-century Russia. He was the father of Jacob Ulfeldt (1567–1630).

Early life and education

Ulfeldt was the son of Knud Ebbesen Ulfeldt and Anne Eriksdatter Hardenberg. He studied at

Louvain Leuven (, , ), also called Louvain (, , ), is the capital and largest city of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipality itself comprises the sub-municipalities of ...

in 1551 and

Wittenberg Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is the fourth-largest town in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, in the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany. It is situated on the River Elbe, north of Leipzig and south-west of the reunified German ...

in 1554.

Diplomatic career

Ulfeldt entered the state service in 1562. In 1566, he became a member of the Rigsrådet. He is mostly known for his very troubled diplomatic journey into

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

in 1578 during which he concluded an unfavourable treaty with Tsar Ivan IV (1530–1584) that brought him to disgrace at home. His bitter attempts of getting satisfaction only damaged his case.

Property

Ylfeldt's wife brought the estate Bavelse into the marriage. In 1566, Ulfeldt inherited Kogsbølle 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

Selsø Selsø (''Selsø Slot'') is a historic manor house located near Skibby, on the Hornsherred peninsula, Frederikssund Municipality, some west of Copenhagen, Denmark. The estate traces its history back to the 13th century. The current main building ...

in Hornsherred. He constructed new main buildings on all three estates. He purchased Dronninglund Castle 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 ...

in 1563 but sold it again in 1568.

Personal life

Ulfeldt was married to Anne Jakobsdatter Flemming (1544-1570) and had three sons; Mogens Ulfeldt (1569–1616), Jacob Ulfeldt (1567–1630) and Corfitz Ulfeldt (1559–1614). Mogens Ulfeldt reached the rank of Admiral of the Realm. Jacob Ulfeldt was a diplomat and chancellor of King

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 ...

Legacy

Ylfeldt's account of his Russian travels (published by Melchior Goldast in Latin during 1608) is still considered a main source of Danish-Russian relations as well as of 16th century Russia.

References

Other sources

*''Dansk Biografisk Leksikon'', vol. 15, Copenh. 1984. *

External links

''Hodoeporicon Ruthenicum''
(The Voyage to Russia), by Dr Rima Greenhill, Stanford University. ucd.ie * Nobiliss. Et Strenvissimi Eqvitis Dani, Iacobi Vlfeldii, Domini in Vlsfeldtzholm Et Selsovia &c. Regii Danorum Consiliarij
Legatio Moscovitica Siue Hodoeporicon Rvthenicvm
: In Qvo De Rvssorvm, Moschorvm Et Tatarorvm, Regionibus, Moribus, Religione, Gubernatione, & Aula Imperatoria quo potuit compendio & eleganter exsequitur. Francofvrti, Apud Matthævm Merianvm. M. DC. XXVII. (Book title of second edition in Latin from 1627), worldcat.org

(Ulfeldt's journey into Russia.) This page includes Ulfeldt's account in Latin along with a translation into Danish. - crassus.dk (in Danish)
Danish Impressions of Russia in 1578.
A Comparative Analysis of Three Travel Descriptions (Jacob Ulfeldt, his Priest and NN), by John H. Lind (U. of Copenhagen) {{DEFAULTSORT:Ulfeldt, Jacob 1535 births 1593 deaths 16th-century Danish diplomats 16th-century Danish politicians 16th-century Danish writers 16th-century Danish nobility 16th-century memoirists Danish memoirists Jacob, 1535