Peder Jensen Lodehat (died 21 October 1416) was the

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

of the Diocese of Aarhus and a significant political figure in

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during the reign of Queen Margrete I. Lodehat was originally from a minor noble family in Zealand but made a career in the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

as bishop of a total of 3 dioceses. He served on the Danish Riksråd and had a role in getting Margrethe I appointed queen. Lodehat also had a central role in the creation of the Kalmar Union and may have authored the founding documents. The surname Lodehat stems from a type of hat, ''Lodehat'', featured on the family

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...

but although the family has become known under this name they likely didn't use it in their own time. In 1382 he was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Växjö, in what is today

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

. In 1386 he became bishop of the Diocese of Aarhus and was appointed to the Riksråd. In his new position he advocated strongly to have queen Margrethe I appointed the ''fuldmægtige formynder'' (all-powerful protector) of the realm. In 1395 he became bishop of the Diocese of Roskilde, the largest and most prestigious diocese in Denmark at the time. Lodehat participated in most meetings related to the Kalmar Union and in 1397 he sealed the founding ''Kalmarunionsbrevet'' (Letter of the Kalmar Union). When Margrethe I died Lodehat had her body moved to

Roskilde Cathedral Roskilde Cathedral (), in the city of Roskilde on the island of Zealand (Denmark), Zealand (''Sjælland'') in eastern Denmark, is a cathedral of the Lutheranism, Lutheran Church of Denmark. The cathedral is one of the most important churches in D ...

. In his last years he supported King Eric of Pomerania's policies towards Schleswig. Lodehat became known for building large altars in his cathedrals. In 1400 he started construction of Gjorslev Castle.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lodehat, Peder Jensen 1416 deaths 15th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Denmark Burials at Roskilde Cathedral

See also

References