Jørgen Friis

[1] Friis was a member of that small class of upper nobility whose had access to the highest positions in Denmark-Norway, including membership on the riksråd.

His family was part of an early noble line from southern Jutland, which has been traced back to at least the mid 1300-century, based on the earliest recording of their coat-of-arms.

The family belonged to the leading noble circles in Jutland, and Jørgen Friis had an upbringing that was common for young men of his standing.

His second marriage was to Else Bjørnsdatter (1558–1594), daughter of national counselor Bjørn Andersen (1532–1583) and Sidsel Truidsdatter Ulfstand (died 1561).

Friis served as Governor-general of Norway until 1608, when he returned to Denmark, where he was granted the far less labor-intensive Seilstrup fief, which he held until his death.

Friis had to pledge that we would "listen and pay diligent heed to the complaints of the common people and help them secure justice.

The Danish-Norwegian administrators found it absolutely necessary to recast the old Norwegian law, which was written in old Norse and difficult for them to interpret and apply.

Under the eye of the king, the commission work quickly, and the new law book, which was printed in 1604, entered into force in January 1605 under the name, KONG CHRISTIAN DEN FJERDES NORSKE LOVBOG af 1604.