Lucas Debes
Lucas Jacobsøn Debes (1623 in
Biography
Debes was born at Stubbekøbing of the island of Falster in Denmark. He graduated from school at Slagelse in 1647. He came to the Faroe Islands in 1652 as a curate. The next year he became a parish vicar in Suðurstreymoy and later he became the new head of the Latin school in Tórshavn. He was both well-educated and hard-working, and the school improved considerately during his time there. After he settled in Tórshavn he married Anne Rasmusdatter, widow of his predecessor, in accordance with local Faroese tradition. However, since his predecessor had left behind him not only a widow but also nine children, it meant that money was very scarce and therefore he was often in debt. This in turn meant that he owed money to the local trading monopoly.[2]
In 1658 Debes went on a journey to Copenhagen. The reason was a dispute between Debes and the bailiff Johannes Heidemann. Although an official war manifesto was never declared, Denmark and Sweden were at war. Therefore, in mid-journey the ship was taken over by the Swedes. Debes now became a prisoner in Gothenburg. Luckily, through his fine knowledge and preaching, Debes managed to win the trust of the commandant. This meant that Debes was released the following year. After his release he successfully reached Copenhagen according with his original plans. After his returned to the Faroe Islands, he was made a deputy rural dean.[3]
When King
Historical contribution
Debes has become best known for his book about the Faroe Islands, Færoæ et Færoa reserata, first published in Danish in 1673. It is one of the earliest books ever written about the Faroe Islands. It is an historical and scientific according, which also includes the first map of the Faroe Islands.[6]
Legacy
In the novel
Works and translations
- Færoæ & Færoa reserata: Det er Færøernis oc færøeske Indbyggeris beskrifvelse, udi hvilcken føris til liuset adskillige naturens hemeligheder, oc nogle antiqviteter, som her til dags udi mørcket hafve været indelugt, oc nu her opladis / alle curieuse til velbehagelighed, sammenskrefven oc forklaret aff Lucas Jacobsøn Debes. Copenhagen: 1673
- Færoæ & Færoa reserata, Einars Prent og Forlag, Tórshavn 1963 (reprint)
- Færoæ, & Færoa reserata: That is a description of the islands & inhabitants of Foeroe: being seventeen islands subject to the King of Denmark, printed by F. L. for William Iles, London 1676 (408 p.)
- Natürliche und Politische Historie der Inseln Färöe, worinnen die Luft, Grund und Boden, Gewässer, Thiere, Vögel, Fische, usw. das Naturel, die Gewohnheiten, Lebensart der Einwohner dieser Inseln und ihre Verfassung beschrieben werden F.C. Pelt, Kopenhagen und Leipzig 1757 (German translation)
- Natürliche und Politische Historie der Inseln Färöe. Aus dem Dänischen übersetzt von C. G. Mengel, Kopenhagen / Leipzig 1757. Neu herausgegeben, kommentiert und mit einem Nachwort versehen von Norbert B. Vogt. Mülheim a. d. Ruhr: 2005 (annotated reprint)
References
- ^ "Lucas J. Debes (1623-1675)". snar.fo. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
- ^ "Debes, Lucas Jacobsen, 1623-75". Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
- ^ "Lucas J. Debes (1623-1675)". snar.fo. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
- ^ Steffen Heiberg. "Christoffer Gabel". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon, Gyldendal. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
- ^ Carl Frederik Bricka. "Gabel, Christoffer, 1617-73, Statholder". Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
- ^ Carl Frederik Bricka. "Debes, Lucas Jacobsen, 1623-75". Dansk biografisk Lexikon. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
- ^ "1965 William Heinesen, The Faroe Islands: Det gode håb". The Nordic Council. Retrieved August 1, 2018.