Godske Lindenov

Who is Godske Lindenov?

Godske Christoffersen Lindenov or Lindenow was a Danish naval officer and Arctic explorer. He is most noted for his role in King Christian IV's expeditions to Greenland.

He was of the noble family Lindenov of Lindersvold, son of Christoffer Clausen Lindenov and Sophie Hartvigsdatter Plessen. Godske Lindenov was part of the escort of Prince Hans, son of Frederick II of Denmark and Norway, on his fatal 1602 journey to Moscow to marry Xenia, daughter of the tsar Boris Godunov.

Lindenov joined the Danish Royal Navy in 1605 and was the same year sent on the Hans Køning Expedition to Southern Greenland led by John Cunningham to assert Danish sovereignty. Lindenov was given command of the vessel Den Røde Løve. Lindenov landed near Atammik and brought two inuit back to Copenhagen. In the following year, Christian IV of Denmark sent him on a new expedition to Greenland with James Hall as a pilot. Five ships were sent: Trost, Den Røde Løve, Katten, Ørnen and the ex-Scottish Gilliflower. The expedition landed in Southwest Greenland and searched for silver ore, which was not found.