Skibby Chronicle

The Skibby Chronicle (Danish: Skibby-krøniken) is a Danish Latin chronicle from the 1530s found in the church of Skibby in North Zealand. It is anonymous but according to all historians the author is the outstanding humanist Poul Helgesen (Latin: Paulus Helie). Formally the work covers the period 1047-1534, but the main part is about the reigns of Christian II and Frederick I.

The work is a sometimes very personal description of Danish history during the last decades of Catholicism, marked by the author’s sympathy for and (mainly) antipathy against the political actors. Especially his portrait of Christian II is a very subjective one, affected by his negative attitude to the king’s anti-aristocratic policy and his use of violence. Also Frederick I, regarded by Helgesen as a traitor to the Catholic cause, is harshly treated. The description ends abruptly during the Count’s War, perhaps because of Helgesen’s death.

Formally the chronicle is built up very much like the annals, which means that great and small events are often mentioned together – deaths among the local clergy alternating with battles and wars – but it often contains valuable material. For instance, the nobility’s letter of complaint over Christian II is repeated.

In general the chronicle reflects the author’s bitterness, sorrow and frustration because of the course of events. His hot temper often breaks through, invectives and personal injuries reveal a man who was deeply engaged in the struggle. His hatred toward the Protestant agitators is just as outspoken as is his contempt and indignation at the last Catholic bishops and their behaviour. In spite of this subjectivity, the chronicle makes an interesting picture of pre-Reformation Denmark viewed through the eyes of a disillusioned Reform Catholic.

The original manuscript was found 1650, walled in behind the altar of the Church of Skibby. It was printed in Latin 1773 and translated into Danish 1890-1891.