Lisbet Bryske

Lisbet Eilersdatter Bryske (14 October 1585 – 4 December 1674) was a Danish author and landowner. She was famous for her books on coats of arms and genealogy, which were consulted, referenced, and expanded by later genealogists of the Danish nobility. She also translated German religious literature, though this work was never published.

Bryske was widowed twice and had thirteen children. She owned several estates and created the eponymous Bryskesborg estate. It was there where she lived out the later part of her life and produced much of her work. At the time of her death, she was the last surviving member of the Bryske family and was survived by only four of her children.

Early life

Lisbet Bryske was born on 14 October 1585 at Dallund on Funen to Eiler Bryske (1541–1614) and Gertrud Iversdatter Lunge (1543–1614).

She grew up at Skerrildgaard manor, which was owned by her mother and later inherited by Bryske. Until the age of 6, she was educated through catechesis. As a child, she was taught to read and write by a tutor at the estate, alongside her brother, Iuer Bryske, and sister, Maren Bryske.

Work Bryske is best known for armorial and genealogical works. At least one of her armorial works, which detailed the coats of arms of noble families, had been hand illustrated by Bryske herself. Most of Bryske's books on genaelogy focus on two Danish noble families: the Lunges family and the Thotts family. Manuscripts of these works are preserved in the National Archives in Lund and the Karen Brahe Library. Inscriptions that she made in copies of these works suggest that she had plans to completely rewrite them before her death. She was widowed for the first time when he died on 17 February 1614 in Copenhagen.

She remarried on 28 August 1616, to landowner Henrik Bille at Stjernholm. She was widowed once again when he died on 3 March 1655 at Tirsbæk, Engum parish. After the death of her second husband, she spent the remainder of her life at Bryskesborg and Tirsbæk. She died in Vejle on 4 December 1674. She had outlived nine of her thirteen children and was the last surviving member of the Bryske family.