The Hunt of King Frederik II of Denmark: Structures and Rituals

Abstract

The court hunt provided relaxation and vigorous sport in the open air, but it could also be a powerful engine of economic growth. King Frederik II of Denmark and Norway demonstrated this when he reorganized his entire domain to serve the needs of a particular kind of royal hunt. But what was the Great Hunt (storjagt, Hauptjagen) at a northern court of the late sixteenth century? When did this form of hunting make the transition from a fiercely dangerous field sport into a safe and secure public ritual of domination over nature? That question remains elusive.