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Chap. VII.
DENMARK’S ONLY DUKE.
91
on the island bearing its name—in olden times called
Kalf-0 (island) ; the early Northmen often named these
small islands “ Calves,” their promontories “ Noses ”
(“ næs,” our “ ness”). It was a place of note once; but
we shall visit it later; and shortly after we pass near
Samsø, which in early days gave name to the only ducal
title Denmark ever possessed, in the person of the
celebrated Knud Porse.*
Christian V. in later days conferred this island on his
mistress, Mrs. Sophia Moth, whom he created Countess
of Samsø, from whom it descended to her children, the
Counts of Danneskiold-Samsø, a name well known in
England, and in the possession of that family it still
remains. It is a barren, tumulous island, on tliis side
at least—a very Kensal Green of the early Scandinavian
era. As we steamed by I wondered whether it was
under these mounds that he buried the heroes who were
slain in the far-famed battle of Pagan times. On
these summits stood till not long since huge cairns;
and a saying there was among the people that oft at
night-times fires were seen to blaze around, and a great
sound was heard over the whole island from the caverns
* Porse, Duke of Samsø, Sønder Halland, and Holbæk, was much
respected in Denmark and Sweden, for he was a quick and clever
man, as well as a noble of immense possessions, on account of which
he was created duke by Christopher II., of unlucky memory. He was
of the ancient family of Hvide—in English, plain White—a race which
has brought great men to Denmark, and bore on his shield a silver star;
he married Ingeborg, daughter of Hakon V., King of Norway, and widow
of Erik, brother of Birger King of Sweden. The title of Duke of
Samsø became extinct, for King Valdemar Atterdag refused to
confer it, after the death of Porse’s sons Hakon and Knud, on any
of the family, who from that time retired to the island of Lolland,
where they flourished for two hundred years, and became extinct in
1658 a.d.
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