He was the son of Verner Bertelsen Svale (died 1561) who was a judge on the island of Fyn in the central part of Denmark.
In 1565, he was assigned a command in the region of Solør, which shared an eastern border with Sweden.
During the Northern Seven Years' War, Swedish forces launched attacks into Eastern Norway.
Mogens Svale fought several successful battles against invading Swedish armies in this border area.
[2] Mogens Svale was married twice; 1) to Ingri Eriksdatter, widow of Oluf Tordsen, 2) with Maren Bjelke (1555-1594), daughter of Jens Tillufsson Bjelke (d. 1559) and Lucie Nilsdatter (d. 1555), daughter of Nils Henriksson (ca.