Øm Abbey (Øm Kloster) was a Cistercian monastery founded in 1172 in the Diocese of Aarhus near the town of Rye, between the lakes of Mossø and Gudensø in central Jutland, Denmark. It is one of many former monasteries and abbeys in the highland region of Søhøjlandet.
The Øm Abbey Chronicle (Øm Klosters krønike) was written by local monks from 1206 to 1267 when it abruptly ends. It documents events at the abbey during the tumultuous years. [1]
According to chronicle, Øm Abbey was founded in 1172 by Cistercian monks from Vitskøl Abbey in northern Jutland. They had first attempted to establish a house at Sabro near Aarhus but found the soil useless for farming. They moved to the area of the Sming forest near Silkeborg but found the same poor soil conditions. In 1166 they settled for a short time at the abandoned Veng Abbey, outside Skanderborg, but left in 1167 because of unresolved land disputes with local landowners. They were at Kalvø in Lake Skanderborg for four years, but the winters proved too harsh. [2] [3] The monks finally settled on a patch of land in the parish of Gammel Rye between the lakes Mossø and Gudensø, surrounded by water and marshlands.
Bishop Svend of Aarhus transferred many of his own holdings to Øm Abbey and then retired there. He was buried in front of the high altar. Abbot Michael, the twelfth abbot, was buried in the chapter room in the unfinished church. [4] Bishop Peder Elafssen of Aarhus was buried in the church in 1246, one year before it was completed.
One event which caused trouble for Øm Abbey was the suspicion that the monks harbored Abbot Arnfast of Ryd Abbey who was accused of having murdered King Christopher I of Denmark by giving him poisoned communion wine during mass at Ribe Cathedral in 1259. Abbot Arnfast was supposed to have poisoned the king for his persecution of Archbishop Jacob Erlandsen. A thorough search failed to produce Arnfast, who had fled the country. Christopher's son, King Eric V had the Cistercians banished.
In 1260 King Christopher's widow Dowager Queen Margaret Sambiria stayed at the abbey for two days with an army of 1,600 knights. The chronicle bemoans the heavy cost of such a royal visit. [5]
The next two Bishops of Aarhus, Tyge and Peder, reclaimed some of the properties given by earlier bishops. They also claimed the right of hospitality at the abbey for themselves and their followers, which angered the monks. The Cistercians continued to support Jacob Erlandsen, Archbishop of Lund in his struggle with King Eric V of Denmark. [6]
At its height in the late 15th century, the abbey consisted of the church, hospital, hospital cemetery, library, chapter house, refectory, dormitory, cloister and cloister garden, and a guest house. The abbey measured approximately 120 meters by 80 meters. It was one of Denmark's richest houses with land holdings, mills, and a well-recognized hospital.[ citation needed ]
The abbey prospered especially during and after the reign of Queen Margaret I of Denmark. By 1510 the abbey owned 250 properties all over central Jutland.
The Reformation in Denmark brought about the end of the abbey. When Denmark became officially Lutheran in 1536, the abbey was allowed to continue operating with the monks already there, but no new monks were to be admitted. In 1560 the last monk was moved to Sorø Abbey on Zealand, and the land and buildings became crown property under Frederik II. Just a year later, in 1561, Frederik II ordered the buildings to be demolished, and the stone, timber, and bricks used to extend Skanderborg Castle. The land on which the abbey had been located, was divided into four large estates in 1571.
The village of Emborg now surrounds the former site of the former abbey. Øm Kloster Museum, part of the National Museum of Denmark system, now manages the monastic patrimony of the place. Ruins of the church and the chapter hall are visible, and there exists an exhibit for visitors. [7]
Skanderborg is a town in Skanderborg Municipality, Denmark. It is situated on the north and north eastern brinks of Skanderborg Lake and there are several smaller ponds and bodies of water within the city itself, like Lillesø, Sortesø, Døj Sø and the swampy boglands of Eskebæk Mose. Just north of the town on the other side of Expressway E45, is the archaeologically important Illerup Ådal. Over time, the town has grown into a suburb of Aarhus to the north east, connected by the urban areas of Stilling, Hørning and Hasselager.
Eric V Klipping was King of Denmark from 1259 to 1286. After his father Christopher I died, his mother Margaret Sambiria ruled Denmark in his name until 1266, proving to be a competent regent. Between 1261 and 1262, the young King Eric was a prisoner in Holstein following a military defeat. Afterwards, he lived in Brandenburg, where he was initially held captive by John I, Margrave of Brandenburg.
Christopher I was King of Denmark between 1252 and 1259. He was the son of Valdemar II of Denmark by his second wife, Berengaria of Portugal. He succeeded his brothers Eric IV Plovpenning and Abel of Denmark on the throne. Christopher was elected king upon the death of his older brother Abel in the summer of 1252. He was crowned at Lund Cathedral on Christmas Day 1252.
Sorø is a town in Sorø municipality on the island of Zealand in east Denmark with a population of 8,400 (2024). It lies on the northeastern shore of Sorø Lake. The municipal council and the regional council are located in Sorø.
The former Diocese of Aarhus was a Roman Catholic diocese in Denmark, founded in the 10th century and dissolved during the Protestant Reformation. The diocese included the counties of Aarhus and Randers, the islands of Samsø and Tunø, and, after 1396, part of the county of Viborg.
The former Diocese of Børglum was a Roman Catholic diocese in Northern Jutland, Denmark. It has also been referred to as the Diocese of Vestervig or the Bishopric of Vendsyssel. The diocese included the historic districts of Vendsyssel, Hanherred, Thy, and Mors.
Løgum Abbey was a Cistercian monastery in the present town of Løgumkloster in North Schleswig, Denmark. In 1548, the monastery was closed down. The site is now occupied by Løgumkloster Church.
Ryd Abbey or Rüde Abbey was a Cistercian monastery in Munkbrarup that formerly occupied the present site of Glücksburg Castle in Glücksburg on the Flensburg Fjord in the Schleswig-Flensburg district of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
Sorø Abbey was the preeminent and wealthiest monastic house in all of Denmark during the Middle Ages. It was located in the town of Sorø in central Zealand.
Vitskøl Abbey is a former Cistercian monastery near Ranum in Himmerland in Region Nordjylland, Denmark, active from mid 12th-century until 1563, and one of the oldest existing monastic complexes in northern Europe.
Esrum Abbey, also Esrom Abbey, was the second Cistercian monastery founded in Denmark, located near Hillerød in Region Hovedstaden, on the island of Zealand (Sjælland), on the north side of the Esrum Sø near Esbønderup and Græsted.
The former Diocese of Viborg was a Roman Catholic diocese in Denmark. It was established in 1065 and was dissolved in 1536 during the Protestant Reformation.
Essenbæk Abbey was a Benedictine monastery located in Essenbæk Parish eight kilometers east of Randers and 1.7 kilometers north of Assentoft, Denmark.
Veng Abbey was one of Denmark's earliest Benedictine monasteries. It was located in the village of Veng near Skanderborg, Region of Southern Denmark. Veng Church, the former abbey church, is still in use as a parish church and is the oldest remaining in the country.
Voer Abbey was a Benedictine abbey in Voerladegård Parish in Skanderborg Municipality, Denmark. It was situated on the Gudenå River near Klostermølle, site of the former monastery mill.
Guy de Bourgogne, O.Cist., was a French monk, Abbot, and Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church.
Ring Abbey (Ringkloster) was a Benedictine nunnery in Skanderborg Municipality, Denmark. It was in operation from the 12th-century until the Danish Reformation. It was a large landowner and functioned as a girl school for daughters of the nobility.
Eskil was a bishop of the Ancient See of Aarhus in Aarhus, Denmark, who died around 1165. Eskil is mentioned for the first time in 1158 when king Valdemar I is recorded as giving Vitskøl to the Cistercian order. It is not known when Eskil was born or when he died, only that he died during a raid to Wendland c. 1165. In the church-conflict at the time Eskil, as many other bishops, and king Valdemar was on the side of the imperial pope. However, King Valdemar's policies changed and soon he supported the French side and the archbishop Eskil of Lund which he proved by donating land in the diocese to the Cistercians. The initial offering of Vitskøl proved undesirable and the Cistercians had it swapped for another property at Sminge in 1165. The monks later swapped lands again until finally they had lands at Mossø near Skanderborg, where Øm Abbey would eventually be built. The Cistercian monks brought their relics with them whenever they moved, including the body of Eskil.
Svend I was the bishop of the Diocese of Aarhus between 1166 and 1191. Svend was a warrior and crusader who participated in numerous wars and raids with the Danish king. Contemporary historian Saxo Grammaticus mentions him as belonging to the inner circle of Valdemar I and Absalon. Svend may be best known for granting the Cistercian order large gifts of land which resulted in the founding of Øm Abbey by Mossø. It is known Svend was ordained bishop no later than 1166. Svend allowed Niels of Aarhus to be buried in Aarhus' St. Nicolai Cathedral after reports of miracles around the body and in connection with the burial.
Tyge or Tuke or Tycho was bishop of the Diocese of Aarhus in Aarhus, Denmark. Tyge completed studies in Paris where he obtained a magister degree. Tyge became bishop of Aarhus with the support of Pope Urban IV and was involved in the ouster of Jacob Erlandsen, Archbishop of the Diocese of Lund. Bishop Tyge was known as a staunch supporter of the Danish kings and was for a period the de facto head of church in Denmark. Tyge died on Samsø on 23 November 1273. His successor was the former arch deacon Peder Aaby who had been Tyge's and king Eric V'a trusted supporter during the conflict with the church.
