Beinta Broberg

Bente Christine Broberg, known as Beinta Broberg, (1667 – 15 February 1752), is perhaps the best known woman from the history of the Faroe Islands. She has been the inspiration for novels and a film.

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In folklore

In tradition and saga, Beinta is called Illa Beinta (wicked Bente), and is given the blame for the death of her first two spouses and the insanity of the third, as a bad employer for her servants, and as a witch. Contemporary documents describes her only indirectly, and does not confirm how true or false the popular image of her is or how active she was in the events of her life.

Biography

Beinta was born in Tórshavn, the daughter of Peder Sørensen and Birgitte Marie Jensdatter Bøgvad, who belonged to the Danish upper class of officials on the islands. She was married three times: in 1695 to vicar Jónas Jónasen (1660–1700) of Viðareiði, 1702 to vicar Niels Gregersen Aagaard (1672–1706) of Miðvágur in Vágar, and 1706 to vicar Peder Ditlevsen Arhboe (1675–1756), of Vágar. Her last spouse was deposed as vicar after conflicts with his parish in 1718. It seems, that he was mentally ill. After this, they lived in poverty in Vágar.

She had one son and three daughters.

In art

See also

References