Occupation: Mayor (Borgmester) of Rønne.

Peder Hansen Kofoed was a Captain, council member, and later mayor of


Rønne. From a document dated April 24, 1625 it can be seen that he
did not use the Kofoed insignia, but rather his own initials (P.K.)
as his seal - this can be seen in Bornholm's Lehns registry of 1624-
25, archives Gehejmeark. He was among those who surrendered Bornholm
to the Swedish General Wrangel, who was a veteran of the Thirty
Years' War, in 1645 and for this he was later banished from the
kingdom. 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 of Jæmtland and Hærjedalen, the islands
of Åsel and Gotland, and the province of Halland, the latter for
thirty years (however, it was never returned). Unfortunately for
Peder Kofoed, Danmark managed to keep Bornholm - and thus he was
judged a traitor for not having fought hard enough to keep Bornholm
for Danmark. Peder Hansen Kofoed took refuge in Lübeck, where he died


within a few years. It is known that in the summer before his death
his third eldest son, Jens Pedersen Kofoed, went to visit him in
Lübeck and found him a broken man. After his death his widow
Elisabeth Madsdatter Ravn received a royal letter, dated June 5,
1649, in which she and her children were granted forgiveness for the
crimes of Peder Kofoed. The widow is known to have lived an
exemplary lifestyle after the banishment of her husband, even so the
deeds of her husband and brothers-in-law were not soon forgotten on
Bornholm. He had been a wealthy man, the owner of numerous farms,
including: Sandegård and Fynegård in Knudsker parish, Bjørnegård,
Vintregård and Skadegård in Nyker parish, Kyllingegård near Stenseby
in Bodilsker parish, Heslegård in Østerlars, the Sose farms in
Vestermarie, Myregård estate in Nylarsker, and one farm in Hasle
township. Elisabeth Madsdatter Ravn purchased the farm Juelsgård (aka


Julegård) in Åker parish and lived there with her children after her
husband's banishment from the country. Elisabeth had to struggle to
hang onto her families land possessions; but with the help of her
son, Jens Pedersen Kofoed, a court case was fought, and the judgement


found in her favour. Of their 15 children, eight have been
identified, the other seven probably having died in childhood.
Julegård, 14. Vdg., is in an area known as Strandby; which is a
region along Åker parish's beach-front, it was densely populated -
hense the name: strand=beach, by=town. On two seperate epitaphs in
Rønne Church can be found the following inscriptions: In the original


old danish: "Allene Gud til ære og Kirken til ziirlighed, er dette
epitaphium bekostet og opsat af ærlige, højt agtbare, velviise og
velfornemme mand, Peder Koefoed, fordum borgmester i Rønne, tillige
med sin elskelige hustru, ærlige og gudfrygtige matrone, Elisabeth
Mads Ravnsdatter, hvilket begge kom udi ægteskab, som var 29 År 11
mdr. og 7 dage, velsignet med 15 børn, 9 sønner og seks døtre, indtil


Gud, almægtigste den 24. december 1648, hannem ved døden hjemkaldede,


udi sin alders 50. År, 6 mdr. og 9 dage."
Translated to english:
"To honour God and the Church this epitaph has been commissioned and
mounted by the honest, well-born and highly respected, wise and
nobleman Peder Koefoed, former mayor of Roenne, together with his
loving wife, the honest and God-fearing matron Elisabeth Mads Ravn's
daughter. Who became man and wife in a marriage lasting 29 years, 11
months and 7 days. A marriage blessed with 15 children - 9 sons and
6 daughters, until God the all-mighty on December 24, 1648 called him


home, his being 50 years, 6 months and 9 days old." Over top of the
epitaph is the coat-of-arms of Peder Kofoed and his wife Elisabeth.
The second dated 1685, in the original old danish: "Gud til ære og
kirken til ziirath, haver den ærlige og gudfrygtige matrone
Elisabeth, salig borgmester Peder Koefoeds efterladte, ladet dette
epitaphium staffere og bepryde, sig, sine og andre til godt eksempel.


Anno 1685." Translated to english: "To honour God and the Church,
the honest and God fearing matron Elisabeth, widow of the deceased
mayor Peder Koefoed, has raised this epitaph to honour herself and
her family and others, and to be a good example. In the year 1685."
(Source for some of the above: "Bornholm beskrivelse", Thura,
page133.)