Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Monday 6 February 2023

Late fifteenth century Scandinavian Court cuisine


Evidence about life at the Danish Court in the time of King Hans of Denmark who reigned from 1481 until his death in 1513, and who was the brother of Queen Margaret, the consort of King James III of Scots, has emerged from the remains of his flagship the Gribshunden which caught fire in 1495 off what is now the Swedish coast, but was then part of Denmark, whilst the King was using it as his base in an attempt to secure his authority in Sweden. I posted about the discovery and archaeological investigation of the remains of the ship in a post last September at A fifteenth century King’s flagship.


King Hans from the memorial tablet now in St Knud’s Cathedral in Odense by Claus Berg.

Image: Wikiwand
 
The website Unofficial Royalty has an illustrated biography of the King at Hans, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Wikipedia has a biography of King Hans ( aka  John ) at John of Denmark. There is also an account of the ship on Wikipedia which can be seen at Gribshunden.

The latest finds to be revealed are the rich variety of spices which were in the hold. As the articles below point out their presence shows how King Hans expected to be able to dine in the state befitting his position as ruler. They also make the point that this was a court and a country that was definitely part of the contemporary international trade network in luxury goods.


A 2020 article from the Copenhagen Post recounts the story of the loss of the ship, its archaeology and evidence for another luxury royal food on board in the form of a sturgeon. The article can be read at The Post. That story about the sturgeon is also to be found in an article in The Guardian at King's trophy fish found preserved in centuries-old Danish shipwreck

Fil:Kung Hans av Danmark.jpg

King Hans of Denmark and Norway, and of Sweden. A detail from the carved altarpiece by Claus Berg for the King’s funerary chapel, and now in St Knud’s Cathedral in  Odense.

Image: Wikipedia 

King Hans who died almost exactly 510 years ago was the last King of Denmark not to have the regnal name of Christian or Frederick which have alternated ever since with the obvious exception of the present Queen. 


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