Otte Brahe
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Otte Brahe [Otte̩ ˈb̥ʁɑːʊ] (c. 1517 – May 9 1571), was a Danish (Scanian) nobleman who is best known for his son, Tycho Brahe.
Life
Family life
Brahe married Beate Bille in 1544. Both the Brahes and the Billes were among the most powerful noble families in Denmark during their lives. Both families owned farms, forests, and land as well as very nice homes in several Danish cities including Copenhagen. Both families controlled many fiefs. Together they built a brick castle at Knudstrup that was completed in 1550. Their first child was a daughter, Lizbeth. This was followed by twin boys on December 14 1546. However, one of the twins died before being baptized and named. The other was named Tyge (after Brahe's father). It is for their son Tyge that Brahe is best known as he became a famous astronomer and took on the name Tycho Brahe as a teenager. Strangely, their son Tyge was kidnapped by Brahe's older brother, Jørgen, in 1555. Tycho later wrote: "without the knowledge of my parents [Jørgen took] me away with him while I was in my earliest youth. He supported me generously during his lifetime."[#endnote_1] While Jørgen took Tyge without their permission, it does not appear that Brahe and his wife did much to get him returned. Together, they had twelve children, eight of which survived childhood. Brahe was not enthusiastic about any of his five sons learning Latin, the language of education at the time, considering it a waste of time. Instead, he arranged for them to become military leaders, perhaps by working on court manners, horsemanship, and sword fighting.[#endnote_2]Political life
The Brahe family was powerful. At one point, in a bid to expand his estate at Knudstrup, he burned the crops of seven farmers and chased them into the forest. Brahe was a close ally of the Danish king. Later in Brahe's life he became governor of Helsingborg castle (probably due to the influence of Peder Oxe). From 1563 he was a member of the Rigsraad oligarchy (about 20 members) that ruled Denmark.Death
Brahe fell very ill in Denmark in late 1570, Brahe later died in May 1571 leaving Bille a widow. Included in his estate were 500 farms, 60 cottages, 14 mills, Knutstrup Castle, manor houses in the country, and houses in Copenhagen. His estate was not fully settled until 1574.Bibliography
References
- page 16, 18, & 26
- ↑ page 106
- ↑ page 13
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