Niels Krag (1550 – 14 May 1602), was a Danish academic and diplomat. Krag was a Doctor of Divinity, Professor at the University of Copenhagen, and historiographer Royal.Karen Skovgaard Pederson, Historiography at the court of Christian IV (Museum Tusculanum, 2002), pp. 110-112.
Mission to Scotland In August 1589 the Danish council decided that Peder Munk, Breide Rantzau, Dr Paul Knibbe, and Niels Krag would accompany Anne of Denmark, the bride of James VI, to Scotland. After several mishaps, poor weather, and "contrary winds" they decided to stay at Oslo over the winter.Alan Stewart, The Cradle King: A Life of James VI & I (Pimlico, 2004), p. 109: Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 10 (Edinburgh, 1936), pp. 150, 164.
In May 1593 Krag travelled to Scotland with Steen Bille. Anne of Denmark came aboard their ship at Leith on 31 May, with her ladies in waiting, including the two sisters Marie Stewart, Countess of Mar and Henrietta Stewart, Countess of Huntly. She gave the sailors a gift of 100 gold crowns.Michael Pearce, 'Anna of Denmark: Fashioning a Danish Court in Scotland', The Court Historian, 24:2 (2019), pp. 138-151, p. 150: Calendar of State Papers Scotland, vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 94 no. 63: Acta Legationis Scotica, see external links.
Their mission was primarily to accept the lands of Dunfermline Abbey given to Anne as a "morning gift" by her husband, James VI of Scotland, recently re-confirmed in the Parliament of Scotland. They negotiated with John Maitland of Thirlestane who had held some of the lands.Annie I. Cameron, Calendar of State Papers: 1593-1595, vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 696. Krag and Bille visited the dowry lands as Peder Munk had done in 1590.Thomas Thomson, The Historie and Life of King James the Sext (Edinburgh, 1825), p. 269.Thomas Thomson, Memoirs of his own life by James Melville (Edinburgh: Bannatyne Club, 1827), pp. 413–414.
In Edinburgh, they were lodged in the Canongate at John Kinloch's house close to Holyrood Palace.Thomas Thomson, Memoirs of his own Life by Sir James Melville of Halhill (Edinburgh, 1827), p. 415. The last week in July was occupied by the aftermath of an attack on Holyrood by the Earl of Bothwell.Alexander Courtney, James VI, Britannic Prince: King of Scots and Elizabeth's Heir, 1566–1603 (Routledge, 2024), pp. 139–141. Krag recorded the events in a Latin journal of their embassy and in a separate memorandum. James VI had to explain the circumstances of Bothwell's appearance at Holyrood to them in a meeting with the Privy Council in the Tolbooth.Annie I. Cameron, Calendar of State Papers: 1593-1595, vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1936), p. 704.
They left the Scottish court on 6 August 1593, escorted to Leith by the queen and the royal councilors.Thomas Thomson, The Historie and Life of King James the Sext (Edinburgh, 1825), p. 269. Giacomo Castelvetro, an Italian author presented Krag with a manuscript of Italian proverbs and their explanations, with a personal dedication to "Nicolò Crachio", bound in vellum with gold tooling.Anders Toftgaard, A. (2015), '"Måske vil vi engang glædes ved at mindes dette". Om Giacomo Castelvetros håndskrifter i Det Kongelige Bibliotek', Fund Og Forskning I Det Kongelige Biblioteks Samlinger, 50: See external links. James VI gave Krag a lengthy Latin letter of recommendation or testimonial with a grant of noble arms.See external links. A few weeks later a lion arrived in Edinburgh as a present from Christian IV with a German lion-keeper, Wilhelm Fröhlich.William Dunn Macray, 'Report on Archives in Denmark', 47th Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records (London, 1886), pp. 30-3, 37 The lion, a gift to Christian from the King of Poland, was tame enough that it could led around by two boys.William Dunn Macray, 'Report on Archives in Denmark', 46th Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records (London, 1886), p. 35.
London in 1598 In 1598 James Young, the son of the Scottish diplomat Peter Young stayed with Krag while his father and David Cunningham travelled to Rostock and Gustrow, seeking military support to put James VI on the throne of England, in the event of the death of Queen Elizabeth. Their instructions suggested that Elizabeth was in increasingly poor health.Thomas Riis, Should Auld Acquaintance be Forgot, vol. 1 (Odense, 1988), p. 129, citing Bodleian Library, MS Smith 77, pp.117-8, Peter Young to Jacob Bording & Joachim Bassewitz, 2 September 1598; Auld Acquaintance, vol. 2 (Odense, 1988), p. 289: Michael Pearce, "Riddle's Court, Banquet and Diplomacy in 1598", History Scotland Magazine, 12:4 (July/August, 2012), pp. 20–27.Annie I. Cameron, Warrender Papers, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1932), pp. 358-380
Krag was sent to England as the ambassador of Christian IV of Denmark, and was given instructions concerning shipping, English pirates and the Iceland fisheries.Thomas Rymer,Foedera, vol. 16 (London, 1715), pp. 350-35: HMC Salisbury Hatfield, vol. 14 (London, 1923), pp. 84-5. In London his household included his followers, with Simon van Salingen, the Danish king's merchant, and Harman Rose, a Danish apothecary, and Peter van Heil, the king's agent in London and Proctor to the Duke of Brunswick. Krag hosted feasts for the Scottish ambassador, a German baron, Heinrich Langerman, Alderman of the Steelyard, and some academics, where a great abundance of wine was consumed.HMC Salisbury Hatfield, vol. 14 (London, 1923), pp. 92-3.
He had his first audience with Elizabeth on 17 December 1598 at Whitehall Palace. Elizabeth had heard from her ambassadors, Christopher Perkins and Edward, Lord Zouche, that the Scottish envoys in Denmark and Germany had discussed her age and health, and she complained about these "lewd reports of our valetudinary state". Copies of the Scottish ambassadors' instructions make specific reference to the queen's failing health.John Duncan Mackie, Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 13 (Edinburgh 1969), pp. 223 no. 167, 365 no. 293, 367 no. 294.
The dancing queen
On 6 January 1599 Krag saw Elizabeth dance with the Earl of Essex at Whitehall Palace.Steven Veerapen, The Wisest Fool: The Lavish Life of James VI and I (Birlinn, 2023), p. 204. Krag noted in his journal, "she was invited by the earl of Essex to dance, first excusing herself to me with a joke: then, she danced in a high style following him."Niels Krag, "Relation om Englandsreje 1598-1599", Nye Danske Magazin, vol. 4 part 3, item 16, (Copenhagen, 1823), pp. 173-216, at p. 187 (Latin): William Dunn Macray, 'Report on the Royal Archives in Denmark', 45th Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records: Appendix II (London, 1885), pp. 33, 53-55 Elizabeth said to Krag, in reference to the activities of the Scottish ambassadors in Denmark and Germany who were canvassing for support for James VI in the event of her death;Steven Veerapen, The Wisest Fool: The Lavish Life of James VI and I (Birlinn, 2023), p. 204."You might congratulate me because so many years have passed, though asked to renounce my kingdom, I am not yet so infirm, but can still dance like this, and do other things, despite my wasted body" she added, "Mark this; I would have you reprove the Scots envoys"Michael Pearce, "Riddle's Court, Banquet and Diplomacy in 1598", History Scotland, 12:4 (July/August 2012), p. 25: Niels Krag, "Relation om sit gesandskab til England 1598-1599", Nye Danske Magazin, vol. 4 part 3, item 16, (Copenhagen, 1823), p.187
John Chamberlain heard that Elizabeth was "very richly and freshly attired" on this occasion, possibly meaning she wore a "tire", a ribboned head-dress.Sarah Williams, Letters of John Chamberlain (London, 1861), p. 38.Norman Egbert McClure, The Letters of John Chamberlain, 1 (Philadelphia, 1939), p. 62. Surprisingly, the Earl of Essex was said to walk with a stoop, and that so far from being a good dancer, he was "no graceful goer".Thomas Birch, Memoirs of Queen Elizabeth, vol. 2 (London, 1754), p. 486 citing Reliquiae Wottonianae (London, 1672), pp. 170-1.
This was not the only occasion when Elizabeth danced before a diplomat or envoy to make a point about her age and life expectancy. Godfrey Goodman mentions her dancing in private for Roger Aston whenever he delivered letters from Scotland.William Barclay Turnbull, Letters of Mary Scots (London, 1845), pp. ii-iii: A. W., Court and Character of King James (London, 1817), p. 2. During the visit of Virginio Orsini, Duke of Bracciano, she danced a galliard to show the "vigour of her old age".John S. Brewer, The Court of King James the First by Godfrey Goodman, vol. 1 (London, 1839), pp. 17-8: Walter Scott, Secret History, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1811), p. 318 (Anthony Weldon) Chamberlain also mentioned the "measures and galliards" the queen danced for Orsini in January 1601.Sarah Williams, Letters of John Chamberlain (London, 1861), p. 99. The French diplomat André Hurault de Maisse, who came in November 1597,Thomas Birch, Memoirs of Queen Elizabeth, vol. 2 (London, 1754), pp. 364, 372. said she tapped her feet in time to the music while her ladies danced on 6 January 1598, and had learnt high dancing in the Italian manner.Barbara Ravelhofer, The Early Stuart Masque: Dance, Costume, and Music (Oxford, 2006), pp. 29–30: Lucien Anatole Prévost-Paradol, Elisabeth et Henri IV: Ambassade de Hurault de Maisse (Paris, 1858), p. 192. Her maids called her "the Florentine". De Maisse said her walking could be like "half dancing", but did not see her dance in person.G. B. Harrison & R. A. Jones, De Maisse Journal (London, 1931), pp. 29, 94-5.
The Scottish diplomat James Sempill heard from Lord Hunsdon in September 1599 that Elizabeth insisted on riding rather than using a coach or litter, and had recently danced a Spanish "pavie to a whissil tabourier" at Hampton Court to demonstrate her continuing vitality.William Fraser, Memoirs of the Maxwells of Pollok, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1863), p. 36
Later life and legacy Jon Jakobsen Venusinus became Court Historian after the death of Niels Krag in 1602.
Krag's son, Iver Krag, was a student at St Andrews University in 1610 and 1611.Thomas Riis, Should Auld Acquaintance be Forgot, vol. 2 (Odense, 1988), p. 289.
References
External links KRAG CRAGIUM, NIELS NICOLAUM (SSNE 1480) Manuscript by Giacomo Castelvetro written in Edinburgh for Niels Krag, 'Il Significato D'Alquanti belli et vari proverbi dell'Italica Favella' Acta Legationis Scotica, 1593: A journal of the Danish embassy (Latin). Rigsarkivet Diploma for Niels Krag by James VI, 1 August 1593, British Library Harley MS 7004 (Latin)