Clan Forbes Beyond Scotland, Denmark

Between 1400 and 1500 many seafaring Scots explored northern Europe and Scandinavia. Merchants traded goods particular in the low countries, in Prussia, in Poland, in Scandinavia, and in the coastal region of the Baltic Sea. The waterways here are still some of the busiest in the world.

Northern Europe in the 1400s, showing the extent of the Hanseatic League

In the strait between Denmark and Sweden, The Sund (Øresund), the period between 1426 and 1857 was particularly busy and lucrative for merchants. The region included the Swedish provinces under Denmark: Scania (Skåne) present day in southwestern Sweden, Halland and Blekinge, and the archdiocese of Lund (until the Reformation in 1536) which was also under Denmark until 1658. Despite a fee, The Sound Dues, for using the waterways collected by the Danish Crown as a significant source of income, trading was still very profitable for merchants.

Here were some of the larger Scottish colonies formed, and we find some of the earliest Forbeses in Northern Europe. Particularly in the narrow passages, the northeastern part of Denmark, in Elsinore (Helsingør) and across the strait, The Sund, in Helsingborg trade grew and communities formed. Likewise further southeast, in Copenhagen called Hafnia at the time and across The Sund in Malmö. Scots worked as seafaring merchants, traders, small merchants, weavers, tailors, butchers, and so forth. Some very successful and influential in their local communities, while others were struggling.

The Sund (Øresund), Denmark 15th and 16th century

William Forbes (b- 1561)

In Elsinore (Helsingør), Denmark we find one of the earliest documented Forbes. The church St. Olai in Elsinore was the church used by the Scots. William Forbes ‘Willum’ born before 1470/1475 with roots in Forbes of Petzlego settled with his wife Helene Thomasdotter. He arrived as a merchant and later became a Councilman in Elsinore.

In 1501 William Forbes’ occupation was listed as merchant in the church Vor Frue located in Ålborg, Ålborghus, a city from where many ships connected to other coastal cities.

William Forbes married Johanne Thomasdotter and they had at least two children, including a daughter Karine Forbes born the latest 1517/1522. They had another daughter Margrethe Villumsdatter who died about 1590.

Karine Forbes married the mayor of Elsinore and the Bailiff of Bergenhus Henrik Mogensen Rosenvinge -of Danish-Norwegian noble family. He was the son of Mogens Jensen who was the secretary of Prince Christian (1481-1559), a monarch under the Kalmar Union and reigned as King of Denmark and Norway from 1513 until 1523. He was briefly King of Sweden from 1520 until 1521. As king of Denmark and Norway, he was concurrently Duke of Schleswig and Holstein in joint rule with his uncle Frederick. This is significant in tracing early Forbes in Northern Europe as name variants occur in the Kingdom. However, disputes over the Kalmar Union with its territories trade led to rebellion and the Dano-Swedish War (1512-1520). It was Christian II who had raised the Sund fees which affected trade between Sweden and the Hanseatic towns. As a consequence, Lübeck and Danzig joined the newly independent Sweden in war against Denmark.

In the third attempt made in 1520 with a large army of French, German and Scottish mercenaries under Christian II proved successful. It was Christian II’s successor, Frederick I (Reign 1523-1533), who granted William Forbes the land in Falsterbro.

In 1529 William Forbes received land by the king (Frederick I, b. 1471 - d. 1533) from the Danish crown in Falsterbro, in Scania (Skåne). Later, after his wife’s death, he moved across the Sund to Elsinore.

In 1560 he is listed as resident of Helsingborg, Skåne. Willum Forbes died in 1561 in Elsinore, the widow of Johanne since her death in 1549 in Helsingborg, Skåne.

Willum Forbes’s son in law, the husband of Karine Forbes corresponded with Master Duncan Forbes in Scotland and facilitated the armorial bearing granted by Robert Formann in Edinburgh in June 3, 1561 who issued a declaration that Karine's father, ‘Blessed Willum Forbes in Helsingborg’, was freeborn by the honorable house of Petzlego. The description states that this was a blue shield, red rose, three bear heads, on helmet the crest a demi savage, crossed arms with club in hand. As thus it is established that this William Forbes settled in Denmark and his descendants formed one of the first Forbeses blood lines in Denmark.

Timeline:

• before 1470/1475 William Forbes born in Scotland; Pitsligo was a coastal parish in the historic county of Aberdeenshire

• 1501 registered in Ålborg as a merchant (Denmark)

• latest 1517/1522 daughter Karine Forbes born

• 1529 William Forbes received Danish Crown’s land Falsterbro, Skåne (Denmark, now Sweden)

• latest 1540 daughter Karine Forbes married nobleman Henrik Mogensen Rosenvinge

• 1549 wife Helene Thomasdotter died in Helsingborg, Skåne (Denmark, now Sweden)

• 1560 William Forbes listed as resident of Helsingborg, Skåne (Denmark, now Sweden)

• 1561 Willum Forbes died in Elsinore (Denmark)

• 1561 armorial bearing, Pitsligo, granted for William Forbes

by MissPalin

(Sources: Helsingør in Sundtoldtiden 1426-1857)

Read about more Forbeses abroad here https://www.clan-forbes.org/beyond-scotland