Anna Koldings

Who was Anna Koldings?

Anna Koldings was an alleged Danish witch. She was one of the main suspects in the witch trial of Copenhagen the summer of 1590, which were held as a parallel to the famous North Berwick Witch trials in Edinburgh in Scotland.

In the spring of 1590, James VI returned from Oslo after marrying Anne, daughter of the King of Denmark-Norway. The Danish court at that time was greatly perplexed by witchcraft and the black arts, and this must have impressed on the young King James. The regal voyage back from Denmark was beset by storms. "In the summer of 1590 a great witch hunt was instituted in Copenhagen. One of the first victims was Anna Koldings, who under pressure divulged the names of five other women, one of whom was Mail the wife of the burgomaster of Copenhagen. They all confessed that they had been guilty of sorcery in raising storms which menaced Queen Anne's voyage and that they had sent devils to climb up the keel of her ship. In September two women were burnt as witches at Kronborg" James heard news from Denmark regarding this and decided to set up his own tribunal.

The winter of 1589, Princess Anne of Denmark was sent to marry king James VI of Scotland.