SVANE [or SVANING], HANS (1606-1668), Danish states man and ecclesiastic, was born on March 27, 16o6, at Horsens, where his father, Hans Riber, was burgomaster. His mother Anne was a daughter of the historian Hans Svaning, whose name, sub sequently altered to Svane, he adopted. After seven years' resi dence abroad Svane became professor of Oriental languages at the university of Copenhagen. In 1646, he turned to theology. He became bishop of Sjaelland in 1655. As a theologian he belonged to the severely orthodox Lutheran school. At the rigsdag of 166o he played an important political role. He proposed that only members of the council of state should be entitled to fiefs and that all other estates should be leased to the highest bidder whatever his social station. At a hint from the king he tried to get the royal charter abolished and the elective monarchy trans formed into an hereditary monarchy. The clerical deputies fol lowed him in a serried band, as the burgesses followed Nansen, and the bishop's palace was one of the meeting-places for the camarilla which abetted absolutist designs of Frederick III.
It was on Svane's motion (Oct. 8) that the Commons agreed "to offer his majesty the crown as an hereditary crown." Svane quashed the timid attempt of the more liberal minded of the deputies to obtain from the king some sort of a constitution. He proposed the erection of a consistorial college for managing all the temporal affairs of the church, including education and poor relief, anticipating to some extent the modern ministries of educa tion and public worship, which unfortunately was not adopted. The privileges which he obtained for the clergy increased the independence of the Danish Church in difficult times. Svane died on July 26, 1668, in his 62nd year.