In the footsteps of Ellen Marsvin

Marsvin (da) = Porpoise (eng)

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A search for the woman who in the year 1639 paid for the construction of Thurø Church



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In addition to the name on the chest says a plaque on the east wall of the crypt that it is Ellen Marsvin, who is buried here.
Even if there is no name or feature name, the small porpoises that edges the blackboard, is a clear indication of, whom the board is set to remind.







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Her marrige in 1602 with the noble Knud Rud was tactical and to aquire more land, but also to get in touch with the nobility top layer.
When she was again alone, she engaged herself in building and buying goods, and she became known as a tough businesswoman.










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By Louis Munk was Ellen's daughter Kirsten.
With political skill she saw that Kirsten was not only the king's mistress but his wife - even though the marriage legality, however, has been under discussion.
Ellen Marsvin became responsible for the upbringing of the King and Kirsten's children, and through close ties to influential daughters' husbands, she retained through life a strong position.
These agreements began on Lundegaard, close to Nr. Broby where Ellen Marsvin arranged a sumptuous feast for Chr.IV.
Here the king fell in love with Kirsten Munk and Ellen Marsvin knew how to use the king's infatuation to obtain personal financial gain.



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In the crypt beneath the alter in Nr. Broby Church in the south of Funen rest the remains of Ellen Marsvin in an oak coffin between two other chests of oak.
One of her husbands, Jens Munk, rests on the right of Ellen Marsvin and the second one, Knud Rud, rests in a coffin to the left.


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Ellen Marsvin was one of Renaissance's most powerful women.
She was the daughter of the noble young married couple George and Karen Marsvin Guildenstern.
In the age of 17, she married the 57-year-old freight-rich, and former governor of Norway, Ludvig Munk.
During his visit to the Norwegian len Ellen took over the operation of the Danish estates, and when she was widowed she managed freight operations alone.




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Among other things, she got from the king delegated Dalum Kloster, and here has been established a concrete link between Ellen Marsvin and Thurø Church, since the large crucifix in Thurø Church has hung in Dalum minster. .


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Estate Rosenvold, as seen on the left, and owned by Count Lars Rosenkrantz, has also been assigned by Chr.IV as a fief to Ellen Marsvin, as well Boller Castle near Horsens, as seen below.
When Kirsten Munk was disowned by Chr.IV, she was banished to Rosenvold.
It resented Ellen Marsvin to such an extent that she chose to leave the estate and empty it of all content, so her daughter Kirsten Munk had to manage with an empty building.
From this movement comes the bowl in the baptize fund, now in Thurø Church, so not only the church building but also two valuable parts of the furniture in the church bears witness to link back to Ellen Marsvin.

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