Rosenkrantz (noble family)

Coat of arms of the Danish noble family Rosenkrantz (Danmarks Adels Aarbog, 1906)
Heraldic shield of the Rosenkrantz coat of arms

The Rosenkrantz family (one line spelled Rosencrantz) is the name of a family which belongs to Danish, Norwegian, Swedish and German nobility. The family is known since the 14th century and belongs to the old and high nobility. It has played a prominent role in Denmark and Norway, its members having been estate owners as well as high officials.[1]

The surname appears in William Shakespeare's tragedy The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark (see Rosencrantz and Guildenstern).[2]

  1. ^ Jon Gunnar Arntzen. "Rosenkrantz". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  2. ^ (Charles Boyce (2005) Critical Companion to William Shakespeare: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work (Facts on File, Inc) ISBN 978-0816053735