CHRISTIERN

PEDERSEN (c. 1480-1554)  , Danish writer, known as the " father of Danish literature, " was a canon of the cathedral of Lund, and in 1510 went to Paris, where he took his master's degree in 1515 . In Paris he edited the proverbs of Peder Laale and (1514) the Historia danica of Saxo Grammaticus . He showed signs of the spirit of reform, asserting that the gospels should be translated into the vernacular so that the common people might understand . He worked at a continuation of the history of Saxo Grammaticus, and became secretary to Christian II., whom he followed into exile in 1525 . In Holland he translated the New Testament (1529) and the Psalms (1531) from the Vulgate, and, becoming a convert to the reformed opinion, he issued several Lutheran tracts . After his return to Denmark in 1532 he set up a printing press at Malmo . He published a Danish version (Kronike om Holger Danske) of the French romance of Ogier the Dane, and another of the Charlemagne legends, which is probably derived immediately from the Norwegian Karlamagnus saga . His greatest work, the Danish version of the Holy Scriptures, which is known generally as " Christian III.'s Bible, " is an important landmark in Danish literature . It was founded on Luther's version, and was edited by Peder Palladius, bishop of Zealand, and others . See C . Pedersen's Danske Shriller, edited by C . J .

Brandt and B . T . Fenger (5 vols.,

Copenhagen, 1850-1856) .