User:SvareJM/Sandbox/DK

Since the 1500s the organization of administrative jurisdictions in Denmark has changed many times. The purpose, function, and designation of each of these changes is described in this article.

Len to 1662
During Medieval times Denmark was organized into areas called Lens. Each len was associated with a castle and had some of the surrounding herreder (districts) attached. Each len was under the supervision of a government appointed Lensmand who managed the King's affairs within the Len.

Lens were divided into three types: regnskabslen (accounting), afgiftslen (taxation) and tjenestelen (service). In an accounting len (also called fadeburslen), the lensmand received an annual fee for managing the fief, while the rest of the fief's income went to the Crown. In a afgiftslen, the lensmand had to provide a certain sum in money and kind to the treasury (rentekammer) and could keep the rest of the fief's income. A tjenestelen was awarded to a lensmand in exchange for their service and was exempt from taxation. When King Frederik III introduced the absolute monarchy in 1660 there were 49 len.

1662-1793
On 16 February 1662 the len were reorganized into 48 Amter. Most of the amt had similar boundaries to the original len. The main difference was that the amtmand did not have military authority as the lensmand had.

Alphabetical List
• 4

1793-1970
In 1793 Denmark was reorganized into 24 counties. The organization of Danish records in the FamilySearch Catalog is based upon this time period.

Alphabetical List
• 4

1970-2006
In 1970 Denmark was reorganized into 15 counties.

Alphabetical List
• 4

2007 Reorganization
On 1 January 2007 the counties were reorganized into five regions. Their official names are:
 * Region Hovedstaden
 * Region Sjælland
 * Region Nordjylland
 * Region Midtjylland
 * Region Syddanmark