Manderup Parsberg


Manderup Parsberg was a Danish nobleman and politician who was member of the Royal Privy Council to King Christian IV of Denmark. As a student at the University of Rostock, he participated in a duel against his third cousin Tycho Brahe in which he cut off most of his nose. The two later became good friends, and he married Tycho's distant cousin Anne Pedersdatter Brahe. Parsberg was lord to Hagesholm.
Henrik Ramel, Manderup Parsberg, Henrik Belou and Nicolaus Theophilus were ambassadors Scotland in 1586. James VI appointed Sir James Melville of Halhill, William Schaw, and the Laird of Segie to be their companions. Melville described the events of the embassy. At Dunfermline Palace they discussed the disputed ownership of the Orkney Islands. It was also rumoured they discussed the king's marriage. They were not treated in the usual manner but had to pay their own expenses, and when they were to travel to St Andrews the promised horses were late. At St Andrews they suffered some abuse organised by supporters of the pro-French faction. A leading courtier, James Stewart, Earl of Arran, who had served in Sweden was a ringleader. The English ambassador Edward Wotton helped them because England and Denmark were allies, and told them privately that James VI had criticised Danish customs and their king Frederick II. According to Melville, the Danish envoys considered leaving Scotland, but he persuaded them to continue and spoke to James VI in their favour. When the mission was concluded, the ambassadors were supposed to receive gifts of gold chains but these were not ready.
When, in a funeral oration for Brahe, an allusion was made to their unfortunate duel, Parsberg protested and sought redress through King Christian, stating that they had been good friends from that time onward, and that the injury Brahe suffered had been accidental, in the course of a fair fight. On this basis he wished the reference to be removed from the oration.