Occupation: Parish Clergyman (Præst)
Reference: KG2 note
Jens Hansen Sode is believed to have come from the Danish province of
Skåne. He was a student in Landskrona in 1629 and was rector of the
Rønne latin-school, afterwards was parish clergyman for Hasle-
Rutsker from 1632 until his death. He owned Krogholm, 32. Slg. in
Rutsker parish. He died in 1654 of plague; in 1654 plague killed 133
in Hasle and 230 people in Rutsker parish. It is notable that four
of his sons, circa 1670, were priests at the four Bornholm Round-
Churches. Though the name of his wife is not recorded, it is known
that she was the widow of Mikkel Olufsen. On the losses of Danish
territories during the lifetime of Jens Hansen Sode: The Swedes had
declared war on Danmark in 1643, invaded Jylland and Skåne and on
June 29, 1644 defeated the Danish fleet. In the resulting "Treaty of


Brømsebro" of 1645, Danmark ceded to Sverige/Sweden the provinces
Jæmtland and Hærjedalen, the islands Åsel and Gotland, and the
province Halland - the latter for thirty years (however, it was never


returned). Later Skåne, Blekinge, and Bohus, all Danish provinces for


hundreds of years, were lost to Sverige as a result of the "Peace of
Roskilde", signed in 1658. The old territory of Skåne now comprises
the counties (län) of Malmøhus and Christiansstad. On the history of
the Lutheran Church in Danmark: The Reformation penetrated the
Scandinavian countries in the early 1500s. The introduction of
Protestantism was supported by merchants and peasants, and by devout


priests who had become followers of Martin Luther. King Frederik 1.
(reigned 1523-1533), who became quite religious in his later years,
strongly promoted the establishment of the Lutheran Church. He
allowed the leading Danish religious reformer, Hans Tavsen, to
preach in the church at Viborg and ordered many Catholic churches in
the region destroyed, despite violent protests. It was King
Christian 3. (reigned 1534-1559), son of Frederik 1., who established


the state Lutheran Church in Danmark. With the support of the
Rigsråd - his advising council of lay members - the king ordered all
Catholic property turned over to the crown and declared the Lutheran
Church the national church of Danmark with the king as its head.
From 1660 to 1849, a period of absolute monarchy in Danmark, all
Danes were compelled to profess the Lutheran faith.