| Notes |
- http://medievaldanishfamilies.blogspot.com/2009/08/family-kaasdansk-biografisk-lexicon.html
Kaas, Jens 1516-78, a brother of Bjørn Kaas; it seems
that he together with Bjørn had a turbulent life abroad
in warfare. When a third brother Jørgen Kaas, caused
by a crowd in the city Lüneburg, had committed a kill in
1552, he was executed in the same city, although king
Christian III interceded for him ; the two brothers
declared open war against the city,and now it was the
city, who had to ask the king for help, so that he
could admonish the brothers to keep a peace.
Jens Kaas soon returned to his homeland, for in
1555-58 he was a vasal at Viskum len.(vasalry) When
the war with Sweden approached, Jens Kaas was sent
out to recruit lansquenets,but soon his experience in
warfare and his skills had a far more important use,
since he was entrusted with the important border
fortification Elsfborg which the Swedes had taken in
1564. It was a very difficult task; the castle was
ramshackled and with too few people, provisions
and munitions; furthermore were often mutinies
among the lansquenets, who quarrelled over lack
of pay; but Jens Kaas showed equal to the task,
and in spite of all efforts, the enemy did not succeed
in taking back Elfsborg. Hans Skovgård wrote already
in 1565 to hr. Mogens Gyldenstierne: "I sandhed
Jens Kaas gjør som en god Karl, man burde ikke at
forlade ham". (meaning that Jens Kaas should have
all the assistance he could get; he did his task so
well). So they succeeded in relieving him before it
was too late. Not until November 1569 left Jens
Kaas Elfsborg; he then had become the leader of
all the lansquenets, and in the end of the war
he led some expeditions into Sweden.
The last years of his life he spent in quiet. In 1567
he had got a lensbrev (vasalry) at Gudumlund, which
he in 1573 bought from the Crown; besides he owned
Vorgård in Hellum herred, which his mother's niece fru
Anne Bjørn had willed to him , and which his brother
Bjørn inherited after him. He had some large vasalries
too; Silkeborg 1573-77 and Aalborghus from 1577
until his death, 14. December 1578. Jens Kaas lived in
a childless marriage with Margrethe Lange, a sister of
the alchymist Erik Lange. She married Knud Brahe 1584,
and died in 1622.
After Thisets Danish text: grethe bachmannDansk Biografisk Lexicon,
Carl Frederik BrickaProject Runeberg.
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