Both King Charles and the Princess of Wales have been discharged from hospital, while the King of Norway is on sick leave

Kensington Palace informed two days ago that the Princess of Wales, who earlier this month had been admitted to hospital for a planned abdominal surgery, had returned home to continue her recovery and that she was making good progress.

We also learned that King Charles had also left the hospital after having undergone «a corrective procedure» because of an enlarged prostate. In my blog article two weeks ago, I wrote that «The Princess of Wales certainly has the right to privacy, and the two health situations [...] are very different, but I fear that Kensington Palace's approach of openness, or lack thereof, will only lead to more speculations than necessary.» I should stress that the Princess of Wales absolutely has the right to privacy and that the public don't really need to know the reason for her surgery. I only hope that her recovery will go well and that she will soon be back making engagements. As one of the most popular members of the British royal family her public presence is very important to the institution.

The Royal Court in Oslo announced today that King Harald, who will celebrate his 87th birthday next month, is on sick leave (again) until after 2 February due to a respiratory infection.  

Denmark: The declaration of abdication

In my blog article titled Denmark: The declaration of abdication exempted from publicity published on 22 January 2024 I expressed my astonishment that the text of the declaration, which Queen Margrethe signed on 14 January 2024, was not made public. When the National Archives of Denmark wrote at its Facebook page on 19 January that the document had been received, it also informed that «The declaration of abdication is being physically kept in the National Archives and is not scanned and made public.» When asked why, the representative referred to the archives act. The same information was also given in the media, for instance at msn.com (Ritzau) 16 January 2024 and tv2kosmopol.dk 21 January 2024, so there was nothing wrong with my understanding or translation. It could be, however, that the National Archives was only commenting on the access to the original document kept in the archives and nothing else.

On 15 January 2024 I e-mailed the Danish Prime Minister's Office and asked if the declaration of abdication would be published in one way or another, referring to my interest in constitutional history and expressing my wish to read the text. As an historian specialising among others in the constitutional aspects of the monarchies, I am of course interested in the process of succession to the throne and how things are actually carried out when a monarch decides to abdicate the throne.

Today I received a reply from the PMO.  The office had generously interpreted my e-mail as a request for document access (anmodning om aktindsigt) and had decided to accomodate it. Enclosed was the scanned copy of the abdication document, including Queen Margrethe's signature.

In translation:

We, Margrethe Alexandrine Þórhildur Ingrid, by the Grace of God Queen of Denmark, hereby announce that We, with Our signature on this document, abdicate Our Throne.

[Signed.]

Given at Christiansborg Palace, 14 January 2024.

The document also say it has been «Issued in two identical copies». As I explained last week, one copy is kept by the archives of Folketinget (the Danish Parliament) and the other by Rigsarkivet (the Danish National Archives).

Besides the scanned copy of the declaration of abdication, I also received a «file overview» (aktoversigt), referring to the enclosed declaration as document no. 91/2024, that it was categorised as «internal» and that it had the id number 572976.

I am of course  very pleased that I have received the document, even though I am still wondering why the declaration was never considered for announcement in Lovtidende (the Danish Legal Gazette) or in any other form, such as at the website of the PMO. How can the declaration be deemed less important/«Lovtidende worthy» or less relevant than for instance the announcement of King Frederik's monogram? It is, as I have written earlier, after all a constitutional act which relates to who the head of state is and from when. But having now received the document, I hereby promise not to question the Danish ambitions of transparency too much in the future!

Updated on Thursday 1 February 2024 at 08:30 (minor correction to the translation of the declaration).

Royalty Digest Quarterly no. 3, 2023

The third issue of Royalty Digest Quarterly in 2023 was published some time last fall and should of course have been commented on a long time ago. There are two reasons for this lag – the first is that I focused so much on various genealogy projects last fall that I didn't blog much at all. The other is that I misplaced my copy of RDQ before I got the chance to read it. It was rediscovered in a bag I normally don't use around Christmas time. And so far this month I have written so much about the events in Denmark besides commenting on other periodicals. I now realize that I haven't commented on issue no. 2 from last year either. No, I haven't lost that copy, but I think the train has passed for commenting on it. Anyway, no. 3 has been read and it's on time to write a few words. 

Contents:

• Marlene A. Eilers Koenig: The Wedding of Gusty and Louise, pp. 1–10.
• Ted Rosvall: The Landgraves of Hessen-Homburg, pp. 11–20.
• Susan Symons: The Princesses of Hessen-Homburg, pp. 23–30.
• Elizabeth Jane Timms: Imperial Governess. Miss Throckmorton and Marie Valerie, pp. 31–41.
• Ove Mogensen: Tombs, Grave and Monuments in Romania, pp. 42–48.
• Ted Rosvall: A Double Jubilee in Sweden, pp. 49–55.
• Ted Rosvall: Royal Bustards, p. 56.
• Stephen Bunford: George III's illegitimate grandchildren, pp. 57–61.
• Coryne Hall: Little-Known ROYALS. Princess Zorka of Montenegro, pp. 62–63.
• The World Wide Web of Royalty, p. 64.

In other words plenty of articles worth reading. First one out is Marlene Koenig's article on the wedding of the then Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden to Lady Louise Mountbatten in 1923. Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf, eldest son of King Gustaf V and Queen Victoria, née Princess of Baden, had earlier been married to Princess Margaret of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, who died in 1920, only 38 years old. Margaret was the eldest daughter of the Duke of Connaught and the Duchess of Connaught, nee Princess Luise Margarete of Prussia. Lady Louise Mountbatten was born in 1889 as Princess of Battenberg, the second daughter of Prince Louise of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Battenberg, née Princess of Hesse and by Rhine. As is well known, Prince Louis relinquished his his title Prince of Battenberg and style of Serene Highness in July 1917 and anglicised his family name to Mountbatten. In November 1917 Louis was created Marquess of Milford Haven. His eldest daughter Alice, mother of Prince Philip, was already married at the time, so only the three younger children stopped using their princely titles and assumed courtesy titles as children of a British Marquess. I make a point of this because it meant that Louise was not a princess in 1923, and the Swedish Act of Succession at the time said that a a Prince would lose his rights if he married «a private man's daughter», i.e. was not a royal or equal. Lady Louise would thus come into this category, but the matter was «solved» when the British prime minister at the time confirmed that she was a member of the British Royal Family and was included in the list of precedence at the court. Obviously the understanding ot the article in the Act of Succession was stretched a bit for the marriage to go ahead without consequences. But married they were, and upon Gustaf Adolf's succession in 1950 as King Gustaf VI Adolf, Crown Prince Louise became Queen of Sweden. She died in 1965, 75 years old.

Ted Rosvall then tells the story of the Landgraves of Hesse-Homburg (or Hesse-Homburg if you like), perhaps one of the less known houses of Hesse. The last Landgrave of Hesse-Homburg was Ferdinand (1783–1866), second youngest son of Landgrave Friedrich V (1748–1820) and Landgravine Karoline, née Princess of Hesse-Darmstadt (1746–1821). His elder brothers Friedrich, Ludwig, Philipp and Gustav had also been Landgraves, but none of them left a male heir to carry on the line. Besides the short presentation the article includes 35 illustrations of family members, palaces/castles and even a map.Thankfully Rosvall has also provided a «select family tree», which is useful when reading Susan Symon's article The Princesses of Hessen-Homburg. The said princesses were the five sisters of the above-mentioned landgraves who survived childhood. All in all Friedrich V and Karoline had 15 children (An Online Gotha lists 13 of them). Symons, whos known for her book series about German palaces and castles, gives a good outline of the princesses and their marriages and offspring.

Elizabeth Jane Timms's article Imperial Governess. Miss Throckmorton and Marie Valarie is based on among others the Throckmorton papers (correspondence etc.) kept in the Warwickshire County Record Office and the court archives in Vienna. Miss Mary Throckmorton (1832–1919) was a daughter of Sir Robert George Throckmorton, 8th Baronet and his wife, Elizabeth Acton, daughter of Sir John Francis Edward Acton, Baronet of Aldenham. Miss Throckmorton served as Governess to Archduchess Marie Valerie (1868–1924), youngest child of Emperor Franz Joseph (1830–1916) and Empress Elisabeth, née Duchess in Bavaria (1837–1898), from 1869 to 1874. In this first (of two) articles on the Imperial Governess we follow the lives of Marie Valerie and her former governess through the correspondence they kept. As I have written on so many occasions, I love these articles where you read about royalty through people who were employed at a court. The article is well written and well researched. And thankfully, as already mentioned, there is a second article on the relationship between the Archduchess and her former governess.

Ove Mogensen has traveled all over the world to visit and take photographs of tombs, graves and monuments of the many royal and princely houses and have written numerousn articles about these visits in RDQ. This time we learn about the graves of various members of the Romanian royal family in and outside Romania. This sort of articles is another – and good – way to learn more about royal history. And as always well illustrated

The editor of Royalty Digest Quarterly, Ted Rosvall, has contributed to several articles in this issue. In A Double Jubilee in Sweden, we learn both about the 500th anniversary of Gustav Vasa's succession to the Swedish throne and Carl XVI Gustaf's 50th anniversary as King of Sweden. The author also gives us a short presentation of the monarchs between 1523 and 2003. In his Royal Bustards series, Rosvall then tells the story of the Swedish singer Carl-Erik Olivebring (1919–2002), who might have been the illegitimate son of King Gustaf VI Adolf (also mentioned above). Her mother was a lady-in-waiting at the Royal Court in Stockholm, Judith Cecilia Serafia Andersson (1877–1924). The official records say that his father was a farmer named Lars Ersson, b. 1844. Other than the connection to the court, there is nothing that backs up the claim, other than that the singer had an «uncanny resemblance to some of the king's sons, especially Prince Sigvard and Prince Bertil». Oh well. 

Stephen Bunford follows up with a good discussion about and outline of King George III of Great Britain and Ireland's illegitimate grandchildren.

I have earlier questioned some of che choices for the series Little-Known ROYALS written by Coryne Hall, but of course it will depend how much knowledge you have about the present and former monarchies. Princess Zorka of Montenegro (1865–1890) was the eldest daughter and child of Prince Nikola, later King Nikola of Montenegro (1841–1860–1921) and Princess, latger Queen, Milena, née Vukotic (1847–1923). She married Prince Peter Karadjordjevic (1844–1921), who became King of Serbia in 1903, but by then Zorka had been dead for 13 years. I am not sure if she had been better known if she had lived longer and become Queen. One could say that the kingdom of Serbia is better known than the smaller neighbour kingdom of  Montenegro, but again it all depends on your knowledge. I think she fits the category, and anyway, Coryne Hall tells her story well.

The genealogical news included in the The World Wide Web of Royalty column are from events in July, August and September 2023, so they are a bit old now, but such records of events can be useful nevertheless. This time the readers are given news from the Imperial, royal and princely houses of Austria, Bavaria, Bourbon-Parme, Denmark (Rosenborg), France-Orléans, Schleswig-Holstgein and Württemberg.

If you are not already a subscriber to Royalty Digest Quarterly, please consider it! Information about the magazine can be found at its editor's website Royalbooks.se. See earlier presentations of RDQ here. See also its Facebook page.

Denmark: The declaration of abdication exempted from publicity

In connection with Queen Margrethe II's abdication on 14 January 2024, I expected that the text of the declaration of abdication would be made public some way or another later the same day, or at least be announced in Lovtidende, the Danish Legal Gazette, at the first opportunity. But when it was not announced on 15 January, as I wrote about the same day, I started to wonder if the declaration was to exempted from publicity. I sent an e-mail to the Prime Minister's Office about it, but has so far not received a reply.

Last Friday, 19 January 2024, Rigsarkivet, the Danish National Archives, confirmed on it's Facebook page that the declaration had been received:

ABDIKATIONSERKLÆRINGEN – EN DEL AF DANMARKS HUKOMMELSE

Rigsarkivaren har modtaget den abdikationserklæring, som Dronningen underskrev under Statsrådet på Christiansborg Slot, hvor Kronprinsen overtog tronen som H.M. Kong Frederik 10. Vi har set frem til at modtage erklæringen, og nu har vores arkivarer registreret og lagt den i Rigsarkivets sikrede magasiner, så den er blevet en del af Danmarks hukommelse.

In translation:

THE DECLARATION OF ABDICATION – A PART OF DENMARK'S MEMORY

The National Archivist has received the declaration of abdication which the Queen signed during the Council of State at Christiansborg Palace, where the Crown Prince acceeded to the throne as H.M. King Frederik 10. We have looked forward to receiving the declaration, and now our archivists have registered and stored it in the National Archives's secured stockroom, so it has become a part of Denmark's memory. 

When someone asked to see the declaration, the reply was that «Abdikationserklæringen opbevares fysisk i Rigsarkivet og scannes og offentliggøres ikke.» («The declaration of abdication is being physically kept in the National Archives and is not scanned and made public.»). When asked why, Rigsarkivet referred to the archives act. At Rigsarkivet's website we are informed that cases (documents) concerning the Royal House have a 100 years long publication ban, so unless decided otherwise the text of the declaration of abdication will not be made public until 2124!

I know that the Danish royal house is very secretive and the admission to reading documents in the royal archives are severly restricted, but not making the declaration of abdication public, it is after all a constitutional act which relates to who the head of state is and from when, is just absurd. I am a bit surprised that the question of making the declaration public has not been debated in the Danish media and by scholars (historians, jurists, political scientists). 

By the way, Queen Margrethe signed two copies of the declaration of abdication, as seen on TV. One copy is kept by the National Archives, while the second, as far as I understand it, is kept by the archives of Folketinget, the Danish Parliament.

- - -

NB! Please see follow-up article published 31 January 2024 where the declaration of abdication is included.

Updated on Thursday 1 February 2024 at 11:00 (link to follow-up article added).

Denmark: New church prayer for the King and the royal house

Last week I wrote about Lovtidende (Danish Legal gazette) announcements related to King Frederik's accession to the Danish throne.

I have now been informed that the king during the Council of State of 14 January 2024 also decided on the new church prayer for the king and the royal house. Circulars are apparently not announced in Lovtidende, which is why I was not made aware of it. Anyway, Cirkulære om kirkebønnen for Kongen og det kongelige hus (CIR1H no. 9009 of 14 January 2024), Circular concerning the church prayer for the King and the royal house, was published at Retsinformation.dk, the Danish legal information system, on 15 January 2024.

The circular, which was addressed to bishops, deans, priests and parochial church councils, informs that «der skal bedes for Kong Frederik den Tiende, Dronning Mary, Kronprins Christian, Dronning Margrethe og hele det kongelige hus, når navne nævnes i den anordnede kirkebøn.» («one should pray for King Frederik the Tenth, Queen Mary, Crown Prince Christian, Queen Margrethe and the whole royal house when names are to be mentioned in the ordered church prayer»).

By the said royal resolution Cirkulære om kirkebønnen for Dronningen og det kongelige hus (CIR1H no. 9067 of 15 February 2018), Circular concerning the church prayer for the Queen and the royal house, was repealed. The latter circular – «der skal bedes for Dronning Margrethe II, Kronprins Frederik, Kronprinsesse Mary og hele det kongelige hus» («one should pray for Queen Margrethe II, Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary and the whole royal house when names are to be mentioned in the ordered church prayer») – came about when Prince Henrik had died and his name was left out of the church prayer. The circular of 2018 repealed the circular of 17 May 2004 by which the name of the then Crown Princess Mary, née Mary Donaldson, was added following her marriage to Crown Prince Frederik.

I heard new church prayer for the first time yesterday when I watched the broadcast of the celebratory church cervice at Aarhus Cathedral.

Corrected on Monday 22 February 2024 at 22:25 (link corrected).

Denmark: Celebratory church service at Aarhus Cathedral

Following King Frederik X's accession to the Danish throne last Sumday, a celebratory church service took place at Aarhus domkirke (Aarhus Cathedral) today at 2 p.m. Around 1000 people attended the service, including 600 people representing the official Denmark, while the other 400 were "ordinary citizens" who had got registered in advance.

The following members of the Danish Royal Family attended the church service:

• King Frederik X
• Queen Mary
• Crown Prince Christian
• Princess Isabella
• Prince Vincent
• Princess Josephine
• Queen Margrethe
• Princess Benedikte

King Frederik's first cousin once removed, Count Ingolf of Rosenborg and his wife Countess Sussie were also in attendance. The church service was officiated by Royal Chaplain-in-Ordinary and Bishop of the Diocese of Aarhus, Henrik Wigh-Poulsen. Besides the royal family, there were representatives from among others Folketinget (the Danish Parliament), the government (but not the prime minister), the Danish Royal Court, the Church of Denmark (but also representatives of other churches and other religions), the Danish Armed Forces, the Faroe Islands and Greenland and many municipalities in Denmark. The full guest list can be found here (at the website of the Diocese of Aarhus), while the program (in Danish only) can be viwed here (also at the website of the Diocese of Aarhus) or here (official website of the Danish Royal Family). The service lasted around an hour before the members of the royal family returned by car to Marselisborg Palace.

See photos from the event at the websites of Din Avis Aarhus or the Danish Royal House's Facebook page.

UK: Health issues in the royal family

Buckingham Palace informed today that King Charles is going to hospital next week to undergo "a corrective procedure" because of an enlarged prostate.

The procedure means that the king's public engagements will be postponed for a short period of recuperation. 

Shortly after this release, Kensington Palace informed that the Princess of Wales yesterday was admitted to hospital for a planned abdominal surgery. Thankfully the surgery was successful and it is expected that she will remain in hosital from 10 to 14 days before returning home to continue her recovery. As of now it is expected that she will not be able to make any public engagements until after Easter. 

The Princess of Wales certainly has the right to privacy, and the two health situations described above are very different, but I fear that Kensington Palace's approach of openness, or lack thereof, will only lead to more speculations than necessary. I wish her well and a speedy recovery.

Tjukke Slekta nr. 2, 2023

Redaksjonen for Tjukke Slekta nr. 2, 2023 ble avsluttet 9. august 2023 og ifølge et innlegg på Sør-Østerdal Slektshistorielags Facebook-side 15. august 2023 ble bladet sendt ut «i løpet av de neste dagene». Så i likhet med Tjukke Slekta nr. 1, 2023, som jeg blogget om 9. januar 2024, så jeg har hatt god tid på meg til å både lese og skrive om den seneste utgaven. Men høsten ble hektisk og i de ledige stundene prioriterte jeg diverse prosjekter på Slektshistoriewiki. Nå som Slektshistoriewiki er nede en stund på grunn av høyst nødvendige oppdateringer får jeg muligheten til å ta igjen etterslepet.

Innholdsfortegnelse for Tjukke Slekta nr. 2, 2023:

• Trond Bækkevold/Ronny Rismyhr Haugen: Fra redaksjonen, s. 3–4.
• Frode Myrheim: Harald lensmann i Øysterdalen, eit ættetal frå Deset, tvo huder og fire skinn i Deset og éi hud i Unnset, s. 5–44.
• Trond Bækkevold/Ronny Rismyhr Haugen: «Så slo jeg meg på fotografien» - fotografer i Sør-Østerdal, Hamar og Øvre Solør 1858–1925, del 8, s. 45–55.
• Martha Alme (av TB), s. 46–49.
• Torleif Østgaard (av TB og RRH), s. 50–51
• Fridthjof Wibe (av RRH), s. 52–55

I herværende utgave er det et gammelt brev satt opp på Glomstad 11. august 1465 som er avbildet. Her nevnes de eldste kjente brukerne på Deset, Bjørn Trondsson og hans sønn Sigvat Bjørnsson. Brevet er trykt i Diplomatarium Norvegicum bind 1, nr. 872 (s. 634–635). Originalen finnes i Riksarkivets diplomsamling. Med litt velvilje er det faktisk mulig å forstå det meste av innholdet.

Slike gamle brev er ikke for hvem som helst å lese, tolke og skrive om, men da er det godt at man har erfarne og dyktige slektsforskere og skribenter som kan bringe ny viten til torgs. Frode Myrheim har igjen levert en solid kildebasert artikkel om den eldre brukerhistorien på Deset i Åmot i Østerdalen. Jeg tillater meg å sitere noe av det redaktørene skriver om Myrheims artikkel: 

En liten opphopning av gamle brev som kan knyttes til Deset og Løsset (Løset) i Åmot, lar oss blant annet sette opp to søskenflokker i to påfølgende generasjoner allerede før midten av 1500-tallet. Dette er uvanlig i Østerdalen så tidlig og gjør at denne familien nok er den best dokumenterte i dalføret fra den tida. Frode Myrheim beskriver dette inngående i sin artikkel i denne utgaven av Tjukke Slekta, hvor han også vurderer mulige slektskoblinger både framover og bakover i tid. På grunnlag av jordegods trekkes også bønder i Elverum og Rendalen inn som slektninger eller mulige slektninger. Artikkelens utgangspunkt er Harald lensmann i Østerdalen, nevnt i 1524, som forsøkes innplassert i den ene søskenflokken.

Innholdet i artikkelen dekker perioden fra siste del av 1400-tallet og frem til begynnelsen av 1700-tallet. Leserne får servert 5 slektstavler, en rekke illustrasjoner, blant annet brev og segl og avskrift av brev trykket i Diplomatarium Norvegicum. Brevet avbildet på forsiden omtales fra s. 37 og fremover. Min Hoelseth-slekt kom opprinnelig fra nevnte Glomstad, men kan så langt jeg kan se ikke kobles til personene som omtales i artikkelen. Min eneste kjente kobling til Deset og «Søgarden» i Åmot er at søsteren til min 3 x tippoldefar Ole Tollefsen Holset (1789–1840), Ingeborg Tollefsdatter (1802–1860) bodde på Søgarden sammen med hennes ektemann Otter Knutsen. Det er et bilde av Søgarden på s. 14 i artikkelen, og min «claim of fame» her er at jeg stod ved siden av forfatteren da han tok bildet sankthansaften 2022!

Den andre artikkelen er altså del 8 av artikkelserien om fotografer i Sør-Østerdal, Hamar og Øvre Solør i perioden 1858 til 1925 og omhandler fotografene Martha Alme (Rena, Åmot 1881–Rena, Åmot 1959), Torleif Østgaard (Tromsø 1893–Calgary, Canada 1962) og Fridthjof Wibe (Halden 1846–Kristiania 1907). Artikkelen inneholder deres biografier og er godt illustrert. Jeg har for øvrig arvet et gammelt fotoalbum etter min oldefars søster Ingeborg Louise Hoelseth (1882–1963) og har vel minst én gang i denne bloggen skrevet at jeg burde ta en ordentlig gjennomgang av albumet, for det er mange interessante slektsbilder der, blant annet fra Folldal og Trysil. Det er jo mulig at noen av bildene kan knyttes til fotografene som er presentert i artikkelserien. Men da må jeg trekke bildene ut av lommene i albumet for å kunne studere baksiden nærmere. Det skal vel være mulig å få til bare jeg er forsiktig og systematisk nok.

Sist, men ikke minst – det er nok av interessant lesestoff også i herværende utgave, så jeg ser frem til neste utgave!

English summary: This article is about issue no. 2, 2023 of Tjukke Slekta, the newsletter of Sør-Østerdal Slektshistorielag (Sør-Østerdal Genealogical Society). The society covers the municipalities of Elverum, Engerdal, Rendalen, Stor-Elvdal, Trysil and Åmot.  

Denmark: King Frederik's first visit to Folketinget after his accession to the throne

King Frederik X and Queen Mary today made their first visit to Folketinget, the Danish Parliament, in their new roles, to mark the accession the throne yesterday. Their Majesties were accompanied by Queen Margrethe II, Crown Prince Christian, Prince Joachim and Princess Benedikte.

The Speaker of Folketinget, Søren Gade, and the Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen gave speeches. The prime minister also delivered a message from the king to the parliament.

After the meeting in the Chamber there was a reception in the Landsting Hall for members of Folketinget and invited guests. I have notg seen any guest list being published, however.

The Danish Royal Court's official website was down for most of Sunday, so I missed out on a few press releases when I published my first blog article yesterday, although some of the information was given during the TV broadcast. Now, I normally write about the things that interest me the most, so I will of course not blog about everything related to King Frederik's accession, so I will just mention – for the record – some of the information given by by the court.

The Danish Royal Court among others informed that the new king had been appointed to the highest military rank in the Army, the Navy and the Air Force respectively. As admiral and general, His Majesty is now of the same rank as the Chief of Defence. The court also gave more details about the king's full-dress uniform. The official website of the Danish Armed Forces has published an article about King Frederik and his relationship with the military, but in Danish only.

In connection with King Frederik's accession to the throne, yesterday, his three younger children – Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine – became Knights of the Order of the Elephant, but will not wear the order's insignias until they turn 18. 

According to the statutes of the order, all children of the monarch receive the order automatically, so obviously the accession day was the first opportunity. Crown Prince Christian received his on 15 October 2023 when he celebrated his 18th birthday.

Denmark: Lovtidende announcements

Lovtidende, the Danish Legal Gazette, will normally have announcements of acts and regulations etc. on all weekdays as well as on Saturdays, with the exception of Mondays, but today, Monday 15 January 2024, it had three announcements, all more or less related to the abdication of Queen Margrethe II and King Frederik X's accession to the throne yesterday. However, the declaration of abdication was unfortunately – and strangely enough? – not among them.

The first one, BEK. no. 44 of 14 January 2024, Bekendtgørelse om stadfæstelse af bevillinger m.m.(Announcement concerning confirmation of grants etc.)  [see also link to Retsinformation] merely states by a royal resolution that all privileges, concessions. grants or pardons given or confirmed during the reign of Queen Margrethe II do not have to be sent in for confirmation during the new reign, but are confirmed by the said resolution.

The second one, BEK no. 45 of 14 January 2024, Bekendtgørelse om det kongelige navnetræk (Announcement concerning the royal monogram)  [see also link to Retsinformation] regulates the new monogram of King Frederik X, as I mentioned in on of my blog articles of yesterday.

The third one, ÅBR no. 46 of 14 January 2024, Åbent brev om Kong Frederik den Tiendes tronbestigelse (Open letter concerning King Frederik the Tenth's accession to the throne) [see also link to Retsinformation], refers to the abdication and in which the king promises to work for (the) justice, progress and welfare of the Danish people.

Åbent brev om Kong Frederik den Tiendes tronbestigelse

VI FREDERIK DEN TIENDE, af Guds Nåde Danmarks Konge, gør vitterligt:

Vor kære mor, Dronning Margrethe den Anden, har den 14. januar 2024 frasagt sig tronen, og Vi har derefter i henhold til Danmarks Riges Grundlov og tronfølgeloven besteget tronen.

Idet Vi overtager det ansvarsfulde kald som Danmarks Konge, er det Vor faste beslutning inden for Danmarks Riges forfatning og love at virke for retfærd, fremgang og velfærd for det danske folk.

Det er Vort håb, at den tillid og hengivenhed, som det danske folk viste Dronning Margrethe den Anden, må blive overført på Os og give Os styrke i varetagelsen af den gerning, Vi nu indleder.

Givet på Christiansborg Slot, den 14. januar 2024

Under Vor Kongelige Hånd og Segl

FREDERIK R.

/ Mette Frederiksen

Translation:

Open letter concerning King Frederik the Tenth's accession to the throne

WE FREDERIK THE TENTH, by the Grace of God King of Denmark, make it known:

Our dear mother, Queen Margrethe the Second, abdicated the throne on 14 January 2024, and We have thereafter, in accordance with the Constitution of the Kingdom of Denmark and the Succession to the Throne Act, acceeded to the throne

As We take over the responsible calling as King of Denmark, it is Our firm decision within the Constitution and acts of the Kingdom of Denmark to work for justice, progress and welfare for the Danish people.

It is Our hope that the trust and devotion that the Danish people showed to Queen Margrethe the Second may be transferred to Us and give Us strength in carrying out the work We are now embarking on.

Given at Christiansborg Palace, 14 January 2024

Under Our Royal Hand and Seal

FREDERIK R.

/ Mette Frederiksen

Retsinformation is, by the way, the Danish legal information system.

If it was the Office of the Prime Minister's intention to let the declaration of abdication be announced in Lovtidende, it would normally, due to the chronological order, be announced before BEK no. 44, so it seems to me that the declaration will not be formally announced in the said Gazette. I really hope that the text will be made available one way or another some time in the near future, and I have asked the Office of the Prime Minister for more details in this regard.

Updated line of succession to the Danish throne

Following King Frederik X's succession to the Danish throne earlier today, the line of succession looks as follows:

1. Crown Prince Christian, b. 2005
2. Princess Isabella, b. 2007
3. Prince Vincent, b. 2011
4. Princess Josephine, b. 2011
5. Prince Joachim, b. 1969
6. Count Nikolai of Monpezat, b. 1999
7. Count Felix of Monpezat, b. 2002
8. Count Henrik of Monpezat, b. 2009
9. Countess Athena of Monpezat, b. born 2012
10. Princess Benedikte, Princess of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, b. 1944

Denmark: Congratulatory messages from Royal Europe to King Frederik X and Queen Mary

In connection with King Frederik X's accession to the throne of Denmark today, the royal couple as well as Queen Margrethe II have received messages from their royal colleagues.

Sweden

From King Carl XVI Gustaf to Queen Margrethe II, in Swedish:

In English:

Your Majesty, 

Dear cousin Daisy!

When you resign today from your high office as Queen of Denmark, I would like to express my warm thanks for the good cooperation over the years. You now enter a changed role, but the friendship between us remains intimate and constant.

As Denmark's Queen, you have been a guarantor of the closeness and affection that today prevails between our countries and houses. For this I want to thank you in particular.

On this historic day, my family and I wish you all happiness and prosperity in the future.

CARL GUSTAF R

From King Carl XVI Gustaf to King Frederik X, in Swedish:

In English:

Your Majesty,

Dear Frederik!

When you today succeeds to the Danish throne I send my and the Swedish people's congratulations to you and the people of Denmark.

To you and Queen Mary and would also express my and my family's most sincere well wishes.

This day reminds us about the historic togetherness, closeness and warmth which unite our two countries and families.

It is my hope that the already very close Danish-Swedisn relations will deepen even further in the years ahead.

CARL GUSTAF R

Norway:

The Norwegian Royal Court has issued the following message, here I only enclose the English translation:

Congratulates the new King and Queen of Denmark

His Majesty King Harald extends his warmest congratulations to Their Majesties King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark.

14.01.2024 

Your Majesties,

Dear Frederik and Mary 

My family and I wish to convey our warmest congratulations to you as Denmark’s new King and Queen. 

You are succeeding a monarch who has fulfilled her function with exceptional commitment. Her Majesty Queen Margrethe has followed her country and her people through times of joy and sorrow with warmth, wisdom and dedication. For more than 50 years she has devoted herself to Denmark – with infectious humour accompanied by deep insight and knowledge. And with the staunch support of her immediate family. The close friendship between our two families means a great deal to all of us.

Now it is your turn to carry the legacy forward, and follow Denmark into a new age. I am confident that you will flourish in your new role.

My family and I hope and pray that you will be given the strength and support that you need to carry out your calling.

Harald R

United Kingdom

King Charles sent two messages to the Danish King today, published at the British Royal Family's official X (Twitter) account:

First message:

Your Majesties,

My wife joins me in writing to convey our very best wishes on the day of your accession to the throne of the Kingdom of Denmark. I look forward to working with you on ensuring that the enduring bond between our countries, and our families, remains strong, and to working together with you on issues which matters so much for our countries and the wider world.

Charles R

Second message:

I pay tribute to the many years of service of your mother, Her Majesty Queen Margrethe II, and remember fondly the frequent visits between our countries, including our visit to Copenhagen and Elsinore in 2012.

I was delighted that Your Majesties were able to attend our Coronation last year and I much look forward to future opportunites to celebrate the close connection that unites our countries and our families.

Charles R

The Netherlands

The Dutch Royal Court has issued the following message with it's X (Twitter) account:

Today, after 52 years, Denmark has a new head of state. It is with warmth and affection that we honour Queen Margrethe for her unconditional commitment and extraordinary dedication to her country. We look forward to meeting King Frederik X and Queen Mary in their new roles and will continue to cherish the deep friendship between the Netherlands and Denmark.

– King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima and Princess Beatrix

Belgium

The Belgian Royal Court has issued the following message at it's Facebook page:

Queen Margrethe II of Denmark abdicated today in favour of her son, bringing to an end the longest reign in Danish history. For 52 years, as Sovereign, she put the interests of the Danish nation and people first. Her way of exercising the royal function and her dedication will remain an example to us all. 

The King and Queen have warm memories of each of their encounters with the Queen. They wish King Frederik X and Queen Mary of Denmark all the best in their new roles. May this new era for the Danish nation be filled with happiness and prosperity.

The Romanian Royal Family

The following statement has been published at the Romanian Royal Family's Instagram account (from Princess Margarita, Custodian of the Romanian Crown and her husband Prince Radu): 

Dear Frederik and Mary,

It is with admiration and affection that we write to you, to tell you that you are in our thoughts and in our thoughts and in our hearts today, on this so special moment of your life.

Given your talents and exemplary devotion, we know that you will find the strength and inspiration to accomplish your historic task, wisely and patiently.

We remember with pleasure the times we spent together and hope that our countries and our families will have, in the next years, many reasons to share our pride and happiness.

Margarita [and] Radu

Other houses have certainly sent their messages as well. I might return with more congratulatory messages in due time,

Denmark: King Frederik X has acceeded to the throne

What a historic day for Denmark! Queen Margrethe abdicated the throne and her eldest son Frederik was «signed in», so to speak, and proclaimed as King Frederik X of Denmark. Danish TV (DR) started to broadcast already from 9 a.m. and I have followed the main events from very early on, only abrupted by church service and dinner. I never missed out on the main events, of course.

It was a day I had never expected to see, as the abdication was an unneccessary break with the traditions in Denmark, but having said that, it must have been nice for the queen to be able to see her son on the throne. The ceremonies all went well and as expexted, and the crowds at Christiansborg Palace,  Amalienborg Palace and in the streets between them were impressive. We have witnessed a great celebration and demonstration of the Danish monarchy and the Danish Royal House. 

Queen Margrethe II signed the declaration of abdication in the Council of State room at Christiansborg Palace and left her chair to new new King Frederik X. The new Crown Prince Christian also moved to the seat his father had just left, after having fetched the walking stick for his grandmother. When Frederik had taken his seat, Queen Margrethe said «God save the King» and left the room. Both King Frederik X and his mother were visably moved, and it was all very moving to watch. We were not allowed to watch the the Council of State «live», but film coverage was made available soon after the meeting had taken place. We don't know much about what happened after Queen Margrethe had left the room, but we have learned from the Danish Royal Court's Facebook page that the new king's monogram was formally decided on. We still have to wait for the text of the declaration of abdication, however. I find it a bit strange that the document could not be published sooner, but hopefully it will be available tomorrow.

Following the Council of State the new king held a levee for a small circle of guests. Besides King Frederik and Queen Mary the following were present: 

• Crown Prince Christian, 
• Prince Joachim, 
• Jane Stephens (sister of Queen Mary), 
• Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, 
• Speaker of Folketinget (the Danish Parliament), Søren Gade 
• President of the Supreme Court, Jens Peter Christiensen, 
• Chief of Defence, General Flemming Lentfer 
• The Permanent Secretary of State, Barbara Bertelsen 
• The National Police Commissioner, Thorkild Fogde 
• The Bishop of the Diocese of Copenhagen and primus inter pares of the Church of Denmark, Peter Skov-Jakobsen, 
• Chairman of the Government of Greenland (Naalakkersuisut), Múte I.B. Egede
• Lagmand (Prime Minister( of Cabinet of the Faroe Islands (Føroya landsstýri), Aksel V. Johannesen 
• Representatives of the Danish Royal Court.

At 3 p.m. King Frederik X entered the balcony and greeted the crowd, followed by Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, who held a short speech and proclaimed the new king. Frederik IX then held a short speech on his own where he expressed his ambition to be «a unifying king of tomorrow» and presented his motto, «Forbundne, forpligtet, for Kongeriget Danmark» (which could be translated into something like «Bound together, obliged, for the Kingdom of Denmark»). King Frederik was then joined by his wife Queen Mary and their four children Crown Prince Christian, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine. When the royal family reappeared on the balcony shortly after, the king and queen even kissed, to the great joy of the crowd.

The Royal Family then returned to Amalienborg where they made a surprise appearance at the balcony of Frederik VIII’s Palace. Later, at 5 p.m., we could witness the transfer of the royal colours (the royal banners) from Christian IX’s Palace to Frederik VIII’s Palace.

All in all we witnessed a historic day. Queen Margrethe II has abdicated. Long live King Frederik X!

Updated on Monday 15 January 2024 at 18:15 (English title of one of the guests at Christiansborg was corrected).

Denmark: HM Queen Margrethe will be able to be installed as acting regent after 14 January 2024

The Danish Royal Court informed today that after her abdication on 14 January 2024, Queen Margrethe will be able to be installed as acting regent (Danish: Rigsforstander):

HM The Queen will be able to be installed as acting regent

Following the Council of State on 14 January 2024, HM The Queen can be installed as acting regent. As acting regent, The Queen will be able to perform duties as head of state when both TRH The Crown Prince and Prince Christian are prevented from doing so after 14 January, for example during stays abroad. 

Already, TRH The Crown Princess, Prince Joachim and Princess Benedikte can assume the function of acting regent and thus handle the duties as head of state.

It is the Regency Act of 1871 which regulates who will act as regent in case the king or (reigning) queen has not reacted the age of majority, or is sick or is absent from the country.

It is a wise idea that Queen Margrethe could be installed as acting regent after her abdication. If both (then) King Frederik and Crown Prince Christian are incapacitated due to illness or are abroad, and with Prince Joachim living in the USA, it is very practical that Margrethe could step in when necessary. Of course Princess Benedikte is also able to serve as acting regent, but she lives in Berleburg in Germany most of the time, so her elder sister is a more practical solution.

Tjukke Slekta nr. 1, 2023

 

Fjorårets første utgave av Tjukke Slekta, medlemsbladet til Sør-Østerdal Slektshistorielag, ble sendt ut til medlemmene i begynnelsen av august 2023, og hadde jeg hatt bedre tid sist høst hadde jeg vel kommentert utgaven langt tidligere. «Nyhetsverdien» er derfor kanskje ikke så stor lenger, men artiklene vil jo stå seg lenge, og tidsskriftet fortjener uansett litt oppmerksomhet – og foreningen flere medlemmer. 

Innholdsfortegnelse:

• Innhold, s. 3.
• Fra redaksjonen, s. 3.
• Lars Løberg: Fra Myrgården i Särna til Torgals i Ljørdalen – Anna Olsdatter Zerne, s. 4–16.
• Solveig Glesaaen: John A. Jevnaker (1887–1978) – husmannsgutten fra Øksna som satte spor etter seg, s. 17–42.
• Trond Bækkevold/Ronny Rismyhr Haugen: «Så slo jeg meg på fotografien» – fotografer i Sør-Østerdal, Hamar og Øvre Solør 1858–1925, del 7
• Anders Andersson Hjort (av TB), s. 44–48.
• Martha Harildstad (av RRH), s. 49–51. 
• Referat fra årsmøtet i Sør-Østerdal Slektshistorielag 10. mai 2023, s. 52.
• Årsberetning for Sør-Østerdal Slektshistorielag 2022, s. 53–54.
• Regnskap for Sør-Østerdal Slektshistorielag 2022, s. 54–55.

Det er altså snakk om 56 sider spekket med slektsartikler og foreningsstoff. Selv om man ikke nødvendigvis har tilknytning til slektene og personene som omtales, kan man lære mye om kildebruk, argumentasjon og hvordan man presenterer funnene sine.

Historikeren Lars Løberg er en gjenganger i bladet. Hvis ikke Slektshistoriewiki hadde vært nede for øyeblikket, ville jeg ha lenket til bibliografien hans, da den er imponerende lang. Det omtalte Ljørdalen er et dalføre og sogn lengst øst i Trysil kommune nær svenskegrensen, og Ole Lørdalen, «skattbonden i Ljørdalen», som var en ane til forfatteren, skal ifølge Trysilboka, bind 1, 1943, s. 505, ha levd fra ca. 1709 til 1787. Han var gift to ganger, og det er den første kona, Anna Olsdatter Zerne (1714–1748), artikkelen handler om, og vi må til Elverums gamle annekssogn Särna for å finne slekten hennes. På siste side av artikkelen blir anetavlen oppsummert med foreldre, besteforeldre og noen av oldeforeldrene. Som vanlig en solid metodisk gjennomgang av tilgjengelige kilder.

Den lengste artikkelen i denne utgaven er levert av Solveig Glesaaen, som også har skrevet en del for Tjukke Slekta tidligere. Forsidebildet av den tidligere husmannsplassen Jevnaker (Teppa) under Sætersmoen ved Øksna i Elverum er hentet fra Digitalt Museum. John A. Jevnaker (1887–1978), «løsungen og husmannsgutten John Jevnaker, som dro til Amerika og ble ingeniør», for å bruke redaktørens presentasjon av ham i spalten «Fra redaksjonen». Glesaaen tar utgangspunkt i Jevnakers 12 siders selvbiografi, supplerer med informasjon hun har søkt frem på norsk og amerikansk side og presenterer slektskretsen til norskamerikaneren med detaljer om slekten både på mors- og farssiden. Dette er både spennende og godt stoff!

I del 7 av bladets artikkelserie om fotografer i Sør-Østerdal, Hamar og Øvre Solør i perioden 1858 til 1925 får vi presentert Anders Andersson Hjort (1855–1902), som endte sine dager i Maine, USA, og Martha Harildstad (1871–1934), som også havnet i USA, nærmere bestemt Minnesota og til slutt Wisconsin. Hjort var født i Ljusdal, Gävleborgs län, Sverige, mens Harildstad var født i Stange. Denne artikkelserien er interessant, og et godt utgangspunkt for videre forskning hvis man ønsker å finne flere detaljer om fotografene. Det er mange Hjort-slekter i de nordiske landene og man sitter og lurer på hvor Anders Andersson tok Hjort-navnet fra. Harildstad var også en periode virksom i Sandefjord, som jeg selv vokste opp i. Hun er ellers omtalt i Torkel Fagerlis artikkel «Fotografer i Sandefjord frem til ca. 1910», publisert 2007 i Kulturminner, som er tidsskriftet til Sandar Historielag, som jeg «selvsagt» også er medlem av. Men jeg ble først medlem 2 år senere, så akkurat den artikkelen har jeg aldri lest.

For øvrig kan det nevnes at Trond Bækkevold i Åmot Historielags årbok Ved Åmøtet 2023 har fått på trykk artikkelen «Tidligere fotografer i Åmot» (s. 51–75) og som baserer seg på artikkelserien i Tjukke Slekta. Kanskje får jeg tid til å skrive litt om Ved Åmøtet 2023 senere i vinter.

English summary: This article is about issue no. 1, 2023 of Tjukke Slekta, the newsletter of Sør-Østerdal Slektshistorielag (Sør-Østerdal Genealogical Society). The society covers the municipalities of Elverum, Engerdal, Rendalen, Stor-Elvdal, Trysil and Åmot. 

Denmark: Program for the succession of the throne

The Danish Royal Court has today, 8 january 2024, published a more detailed program* for the Accession Day on 14 January 2024, when Crown Prince Frederik succeeds to the throne following the abdication of Queen Margrethe II, and the following days:

Programme for the succession of the throne

On 14 January 2024, Her Majesty The Queen steps down as Queen of Denmark and entrusts the throne to His Royal Highness The Crown Prince. The following official events mark the succession of the throne.

Sunday 14 January 

13:35 The Crown Prince Couple leave from Amalienborg

The Crown Prince Couple and HRH Prince Christian ride in a motor car from Frederik VIII’s Palace, Amalienborg to Christiansborg Palace. 

Route: Frederiksgade, Bredgade, Kongens Nytorv, Holmens Canal, Prince Jørgen’s Courtyard (link to map of the route)

13:37 HM The Queen rides in a carriage from Amalienborg

HM The Queen rides in a carriage from Christian IX’s Palace, Amalienborg to Christiansborg Palace, escorted by the Guard Hussar Regiment.

Route: Frederiksgade, Bredgade, Kongens Nytorv, Holmens Canal, Prince Jørgen’s Courtyard (link to map of the route)

14:00 Council of State at Christiansborg Palace

HM The Queen, HRH The Crown Prince and HRH Prince Christian participate together with the Government and the Council of State secretary in the Council of State.

The succession of the throne takes place during the Council of State meeting at the moment when HM The Queen has signed a declaration of her abdication.

14:15 HM Queen Margrethe’s departure from Christiansborg Palace

HM Queen Margrethe rides in a motor car to Christian IX’s Palace, Amalienborg.

Route: Prince Jørgen’s Courtyard, Holmens Bridge, Holmens Canal, Kongens Nytorv, Bredgade, St. Annæ Square, Amaliegade, Amalienborg (link to map of the route)

14:30 TM The King and Queen hold a levee for specially invited persons 

15:00 Proclamation from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace

His Majesty King Frederik X steps out on the balcony of Christiansborg Palace, after which the Prime Minister proclaims His Majesty’s accession to the throne. 

The King speaks and concludes with the motto.

15:10 Honorary cannon salute from the Sixtus Battery 

After the proclamation, 3 x 27 shots are fired from the Sixtus Battery on Holmen, Copenhagen, in salute.

15:10 The royal standard is lowered and reraised at Amalienborg

After the proclamation, the royal standard is lowered at Christian IX’s Palace and reraised at Frederik VIII’s Palace, Amalienborg.

15:30 The King and Queen ride in a carriage from Christiansborg Palace

After the proclamation, The King and Queen ride in a carriage, escorted by the Guard Hussar Regiment’s mounted squadron, from Christiansborg Palace to Frederik VIII’s Palace, Amalienborg. 

Route: Prince Jørgen’s Courtyard, Holmens Bridge, Holmens Canal, Kongens Nytorv, Bredgade, St. Annæ Square, Amaliegade, Amalienborg (link to map of the route)

17:00 Transfer of the royal colours 

Transfer of the royal colours from Christian IX’s Palace to Frederik VIII’s Palace, Amalienborg.

Monday, 15 January

10:00 Reception in the Danish Parliament

The Royal Family participates in the Danish Parliament’s celebration of the succession of the throne. During a meeting in the Chamber, the Speaker of the Parliament and the Prime Minister will deliver a speech, and in that connection, the Prime Minister offers a verbal announcement from The King to the Danish Parliament. Afterwards, The Royal Family takes part in a reception in the former Upper Chamber.

Sunday, 21 January

14:00 Celebratory church service at Aarhus Cathedral

The Royal Family participates in a celebratory church service at Aarhus Cathedral. In connection with the succession of the throne, a celebratory service is held at Aarhus Cathedral with representatives of official Denmark and representatives from the City of Aarhus. The service is led by Royal Chaplain-in-Ordinary and Bishop of the Diocese of Aarhus Henrik Wigh-Poulsen.

*The court has chosen to write "programme", while I prefer "program" ...  I keep the spelling "programme" when quoting, of course!

Luxembourg: Birth of Prince Balthazar Felix Karl of Nassau

The Grand Ducal Court of Luxembourg announced today the birth of Prince Prince Félix and Princess Claire of Luxembourg's third child, who has been named Balthazar Felix Karl:

The birth of Prince Balthazar Felix Karl

08.01.2024

It is with great joy that we announce the birth of our son.

The prince was born on 7th January 2024 at the Maternité Grande-Duchesse Charlotte.

The newborn Prince will be named Balthazar Felix Karl.

He weighs 3,220 kg and measures 50 cm.

Prince Balthazar and Princess Claire are in perfect health.

Félix and Claire

with Amalia and Liam

Prince Félix, b. 1984, is the second son of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg. Prince Félix married Claire Lademacher, b. 1985, in 2013. Their first child, Princess Amalia, was born in 2014, while their second child, Prince Liam, was born in 2016. Their child child, Prince Balthazar, was born yesterday 7 January 2024 at the Grand Duchess Charlotte Maternity Hospital (in French Maternité Grande-Duchesse Charlotte), which is a part of Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg in Luxembourg. He is the seventh grandchild of the Grand Duke of Luxembourg and no. 7 in the line of succession.

The updated line of succession to the Grand Ducal throne of Luxembourg (top ten only):

1. Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg, b. 1981)
2. Prince Charles of Luxembourg, b. 2020
3. Prince François of Luxembourg, b. 2023
4. Prince Félix of Luxembourg, b. 1984
5. Princess Amalia of Nassau, b. 2014
6. Prince Liam of Nassau, b. 2016
7. Prince Balthazar of Nassau, b. 2024
8. Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg, b. 1991
9. Prince Sébastien of Luxembourg, b. 1992
10. Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg, b. 1963

Updated on Wednesday 10 January 2024 at 13.30 (spelling of the name has been changed from Balthazar with an "s" to Balthazar with an z in the Grand Ducal Court's official communique after this blog article was published on 8 January 2024 at 19:58).

Genealogen nr. 2, 2023

Siste utgave av Genealogen, medlemsbladet til Norsk Slektshistorisk Forening (NSF), kom i posten en gang i slutten av november 2023, men jeg har ikke hatt så mange anledninger til å skrive om utgaven før nå. Jeg har rett og slett kommet på etterskudd med mine tidsskriftspresentasjoner (en særdeles hektisk høst i Lovdata samt diverse genealogiprosjekter får ta skylden), så egentlig burde Tjukke Slekta (medlemsbladet til Sør-Østerdal Slektshistorielag) fra 2023, og Royalty Digest Quarterly nr. 3, 2023 komme først, men ettersom det er NSF jeg jo er mest aktiv i – som redaktør i Slektshistoriewiki (for tiden tatt ned på grunn av sørverbytte og diverse oppdateringer), korrekturleser for og bidragsyter til Genealogen og korrekturleser for Norsk Slektshistorisk Tidsskrift – føles det mest naturlig å ta Genealogen først, så får vi se om jeg får tatt igjen etterslepet i løpet av januar måned. Det å blogge skal uansett ikke føles som en tvangstrøye, jeg skriver når jeg har lyst og har tid og overskudd.

Hvis noen lurer så er bildet av Konsmo i Audnedal i dagens Lyngdal kommune. Originalen finnes på Wikimedia Commons «Kommunesenteret Konsmo i Audnedal kommune i 1966. Bakerst i bildet Konsmo kirke fra 1802. Til høyre for den røde låven foran kirken står i dag Konsmo bedehus».

Innholdsfortegnelse:

• Lisbeth Løchen: Bruk av segl og bumerker i slektsforskning: 1500–1700-tallet i Råde, s. 5–28.
• Lars Løberg: Bjarne Hollunds (mis-)bruk av kildene, s. 29–32.
• Per Otto Ask: Maren Larsdatter Sagen, s. 33–35.
• Jørn Middelborg: Nils Ånonsson og Siri Hesteland, Spangereid, Vest-Agder og deres etterkommere., s. 36–55.
• NYHET: Norsk Slektshistorisk forening legger om fra et fysisk til et digitalt bibliotek, s. 56.
• Foreningen fyller snart 100 år, s. 57.
• Samlivet i middelalderen, s. 58–60.
• Dag Trygsland Hoelseth: Solid slektsbok om Skågset i Frosta, bokanmeldelse av Skogseth, Arvid. Slekta fra Skågset i Frosta, Steinkjer: [Privat], s. 61.
• Rune Nedrud: Viktig bok for de som har slekt i Jemtland i norsketiden, bokanmeldelse av Hansson, Georg/Holm, Olof. Gårdar och arrenden. Jämtlands och Härjedalens bygsellängder 1601-1645, Jämtlands läns fornskriftsällskap, 2023, s. 62.
• Protokoll fra Norsk Slektshistorisk Forenings årsmøte 23. mai 2023, s. 63–64.

I tillegg inneholder bladet redaktør Rune Nedruds lederartikkel s. 3–4 og en arrangementskalender på side 2. Her inviteres det blant annet til foreningens tradisjonsrike Genea-LAN (LAN-party for slektsforskere), som i 2024 går av stabelen den siste helgen i januar (27.–28. januar). 

I denne utgaven har jeg foruten ovennevnte bokanmeldelse bidratt med korrektur på brorparten av artiklene (men ikke alle). Dessuten var jeg som vanlig protokollfører på årsmøtet i mai 2023.

Jeg kommenterer bare et utvalg av artiklene denne gangen. Bjarne Hollunds artikkelserie om mulige  Benkestokker i Hordaland i stod på trykk i Genealogen (nr. 2/2020 og nr. 1 og 2/2021) og har fått nokså hard medfart i den etterfølgende diskusjonen, noe jeg oppsummerte i forrige utgave av Genealogen (nr. 1, 2023). Da skrev jeg etter Hollunds sluttkommentar: «Det gjenstår å se om Løberg og Setsaas føler seg fristet til å svare enda en gang, eller om de føler de har sagt det som bør sies i debatten.» Så har Lars Løberg levert nok et bidrag til debatten, denne gangen var det kanskje i krasseste laget. Ja, debatt skal vi ha, og kritikk må alle forfattere tåle, men nå føler jeg at selv om Løberg forsøker å ta ballen og ikke mannen, kakker han Hollund unødvendig ofte på leggen. Hollund har da også kommentert dette i Facebook-gruppen Norsk Slektshistorisk Forenings Forum 29. november 2023. Hollund ble for øvrig invitert til å gi et tilsvar på hjemmesiden genealogi.no, men jeg kan ikke se at han har gjort det ennå. Så får vi se om det dukker opp et tilsvar i neste utgave av Genealogen eller ikke. Jeg håper at debatten legges død nå, jeg kan ikke se at de involverte har så mye mer å legge til. De som har lest artiklene og satt seg inn i den etterfølgende debatten har vel for lengst konkludert.

Per Otto Ask skriver om sin oldemor Maren Larsdatter Sagen. Ettersom artikkelens tittel var litt snau så kan jeg jo legge til at Maren var født 24. desember 1844 på småbruket Ner-Sagen i Sørum, som ble besvangret under etter opphold i Kristiania og ble reddet fra skammen det var å få et barn utenfor ekteskap ved å gifte seg med en Lars Larsen Torgunrud fra Skedsmo, f. 1839. Han var altså ikke far til sønnen Ludvig som ble født senhøstes 1870. Maren og Lars fikk 8 barn sammen, deriblant forfatterens bestefar Martin. Forfatteren gjør kort rede for historien videre. Maren døde på Mellom Asak i Skedsmo i 1903.

Min kones farsslekt stammer fra Spangereid i Lindesnes kommune, og jeg har forsket en del på slekten hennes, så Jørn Middelborgs artikkel Nils Ånonsson og Siri Hesteland, Spangereid, Vest-Agder og deres etterkommere er absolutt av interesse for egen del. Spørsmålet er jo som alltid om slektskretsen som beskrives kan kobles til fruens aner bare jeg kommer langt nok tilbake i egen forskning. Middelborg skriver: «Jeg har tatt utgangspunkt i arveoppgjøret som er beskrevet i Agderkilder: Folk i Nedenes, Mandals og Lista len 1560–1611 hvor Nils er nevnt, og arvesaken som foregikk i 1663 er beskrevet basert på et skiftebrev etter Nils og Siri fra 1604, som nok er tapt. De viktigste kildene jeg har brukt har vært Agderkilder: Folk i Nedenes, Mandals og Lista len 1560–1611, manntall, skattelister, tingbøker, skifter og bygdebøker.» Middelborgs artikkel viser etterkommere i 2–4 generasjoner etter Nils og Siri. Det er så langt jeg kan se en solid artikkel som vil være av interesse for mange med røtter i området.

NSFs fysiske bibliotek vil etter hvert bli avviklet, fortelles det på side 56. Biblioteket er kostbart å drifte, og ettersom foreningen er landsdekkende er det bare et begrenset antall medlemmer som har adgang til det. Jeg har forståelse for avgjørelsen, selv om det føles sårt. Jeg elsker dette biblioteket og er vel blant dagens medlemmer som bruker det mest. Men det er en tid for alt. Digitaliseringsarbeidet har pågått i flere år og en god del av materialet vil altså bli tilgjengelig digitalt, til glede for alle medlemmene landet over. Dette vil forhåpentligvis føre til flere medlemmer også, for en del av materialet er som det står «helt unikt».

I 2026 fyller foreningen 100 år, så det kommer nok en del artikler i anledning jubileet i forestående utgaver. Herværende artikkel inneholder et utklipp av byåsjef Henrik Beers artikkel om foreningen fra Aftenpostens aftenutgave 17. desember 1926.

Det står for øvrig ikke oppført noen forfatter til artikkelen Samlivet i middelalderen, men jeg mistenker at det er redaktøren som står bak. 

Jeg har lest mange slektsbøker opp gjennom årene – noen gode og andre mindre gode. Arvid Skogseths slektsbok kommer utvilsomt i den første kategoerien. Den var en fryd å lese og som jeg skriver avslutningsvis i anmeldelsen, «Kort oppsummert så har Skogseth levert et solid og forbilledlig tilskudd til slektslitteraturen.», selvsagt først og fremst for de med tilknytning til Frosta.

Short English summary: The article covers the latest issue of Genealogen, the bi-annual newsletter of the Norwegian Genealogical Society.