# Claus Bille

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**Claus Bille** (ca. 1490 – 4 January 1558 at [Lyngsgård](/source/Lyngsg%C3%A5rd), [Scania](/source/Scania)) was a Danish landlord and statesman.

## Early life

Claus was born as the youngest son of a [Danish nobleman](/source/Danish_nobility), Steen Basse Torbensen Bille of Søholm (1446–1520) and his wife, Margrethe [Rønnow](/source/R%C3%B8nnow) (1450–1490).

## Biography

He was a major estate owner, knight (the highest rank of Danish nobility), fief lord of [Båhus Castle](/source/Bohus_Fortress) and a member of both the Norwegian and the Danish [Councils of the Realm](/source/Riksr%C3%A5d). He was an important participant in the [Stockholm Bloodbath](/source/Stockholm_Bloodbath), when he together with [Søren Norby](/source/S%C3%B8ren_Norby) arrested the [Swedish nobility](/source/Swedish_nobility). He was a first cousin of [Eske Bille](/source/Eske_Bille), and the [Bille family](/source/Bille_(noble_family)) became the most politically powerful noble family of Denmark during his lifetime.

## Personal life

Claus was married to Elisabeth Ulfstand (1502–1540), daughter of [Knight](/source/Knight) and [Admiral](/source/Admiral) Jens Holgersen Ulfstand (1450–1523) and his first wife, Margrethe Arvidsdatter [Trolle](/source/Trolle) (1475–1523). Bille was the father of [Beate Clausdatter Bille](/source/Beate_Clausdatter_Bille) and thus the maternal grandfather of the astronomer [Tycho Brahe](/source/Tycho_Brahe).[1] Direct notable descendants include British actress [Judi Dench](/source/Judi_Dench) and French and Danish lawyer Steen Andersen Oluf Bille (b. 1964).

## References

1. [Bille, Claus](https://runeberg.org/dbl/2/0222.html), in *[Dansk biografisk Lexikon](/source/Dansk_biografisk_Lexikon)*

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