thumb|250px|Peder Skram memorial at Østbirk Church

Peder Skram (died 11 July 1581) was a Danish naval officer.

Biography

Skram was born between 1491 and 1503, on his father's estate at Urup near Horsens in Jutland, Denmark.

He participated in military service during the Swedish War of Liberation in the service of King Christian II.

He first saw service in the Swedish war at the Battle of Brännkyrka during 1518.

In 1521 during the Battle of Uppsala, he prevented the capture of Danish nobleman Mogens Gyldenstierne. For his services in this war he was rewarded with an estate, where he settled for a time with his young consort Elsebe Krabbe, daughter of nobleman Tyge Krabbe (ca. 1474–1541).

During the Count's Feud (), Skram was sent by the Danish government to assist Gustavus Vasa, then in alliance with Christian III against the partisans of Christian II, to organize the untried Swedish fleet. Although the point is still obscure, Skram seems to have shared the chief command with Swedish Admiral Mans Some. Skram greatly hampered the movements of the Hanseatic fleets who fought on the side of Christian II; captured a whole Lübeck squadron off Svendborg, and prevented the attack on Copenhagen by Lübeck. But the incurable suspicion of Gustavus Vasa minimized the successes of the allied fleets throughout 1535. Skram's services were richly rewarded by Christian III, who knighted him at his coronation, granted him a seat on the

Council of State and endowed him with ample estates.

Skram then retired from active service to his estate at Laholm in Halland, which was twice (1565–1568) unsuccessfully besieged by the Swedes and died at Urup on 11 July 1581. He is buried at Østbirk Church, which was once part of Urup estate in Horsens.

References

Other sources

  • Briand de Crèvecoeur, Emmanuel (1950) Peder Skram, Danmarks Vovehals (København : Gyldendal)
  • Larsen, Alex (1893) Dansk-Norske Heltehistorier ((København : J. Jørgensen & Co. )