Danehof

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Danehof, (Eng. transl. Danish Court) the name of the Danish medieval parliament that played a certain role between ca 1250 and 1413.

The precondition of the Danehof is – like that of the haandfæstning - the growing power and opposition among the Danish magnates after 1250. They wanted limitations of the royal power, especially of its right of legislation and taxation, and the political weakness of the royal house in this period seems to have promoted its development.

Of the details of the establishing and form of the Danehof surprisingly little is known. It had to be gathered on a “central place” which was often Nyborg Castle on Funen but nothing is known of elections or procedures. Its members seem to have consisted only by magnates and noblemen. The king had to consult this parliament before he took greater steps especially of economic character but in several cases the kings ignored the Danehof omitting to summon it. By the creation of the first haandfæstning 1282 there were made more severe rules of keeping the rules, but in reality the “hof” was only summoned at special occasions.

The disasters and chaos in Denmark during the 14th century did not strengthen the authority of the Danehof and step by step it was ousted by not only the royal power but also by the Council of the state (Rigsraadet), the permanent inner circle of magnates that controlled the king.

Probably because of the lack of a strong Medieval Danish middle class the Danehof never developed a House of Commons like in England and when it faded away at the start of the 15th century it was long ago reduced to a forum of which decisions already made were presented. Just like the haandfæstning it did not emerge into a true democratic instrument.