Famous freebooter, or privateer

by Eric Nielsen

“Skipper,” or “Captain” Clement, or Klement, last name was Andersen, was a “famous freebooter,” or privateer, who had served for a time as a vice-admiral under Frederick I, and then had fought for 10 years against enemies of Christian II, especially the Hanseatics, as a freebooter, scoring well known exploits in this capacity. He was joined forces with by the pirate Norrby in 1526.

Captain Clement played an important role in the “Count’s War,” a civil war which broke out in May,1534 and lasted until 1535. Captain Clement was a loyal champion of Christian II, and in this capacity became the right-hand man of Count Christopher of Oldenborg, who was acting as the champion of Christian II in a struggle over the succession to the Danish throne.

Captain Clement became the popular leader of the Northern Jutland peasants, and defeated the nobles’ army at the Battle of Svenstrup. However, Clement’s peasant forces lacked artillery to successfully follow-up their early successes, and they were defeated in battle at Aalborg, by forces under the command of Johan Rantzau, when Clement was badly wounded. Although the wounded Clement escaped from Aalborg, he was thereafter betrayed to the enemy, who first imprisoned and then executed him by drawing and quartering him, along with other peasant leaders.