Brother Jacob Dacian, Jacob the Dane or in Latin Jacobus de Dacia, was a Danish Franciscan monk (Copenhagen c. 1484 – Michoacan, Mexico, 1566). He also called himself "Jacobus Gottorpius" referring to the royal estate of Gottorp. During his life he achieved fluency in eight languages. He achieved fame amongst the Indians of Michoacan for being a righteous and helpful man towards his flock. His relics, now lost, were kept for a long time by the Indians of Tarecuato who still celebrate his birthday every year.
A royal heir?
The Danish historian Jørgen Nybo Rasmussen (Rasmussen 1974) argues that Jacob was the illegitimate son of King John I of Denmark and the younger brother of King Christian II of Denmark. This interpretation is not shared by all historians but it is also the basis for the novel "Brother Jacob" by Danish author Henrik Stangerup. Key arguments in the case for Jacob's royal lineage are the fact that he described himself as coming from Gottorp, the estate of the Danish Kings Christian I and John, that he had an excellent education normally reserved for higher nobility, and that he seemed to enjoy protection from the higher political forces. It was also common for the younger sons of royalty to enter into the clergy since they could not inherit the throne.
Restul povestii il gasiti aici, pe wikipedia.
