The Oldenborg Horn
The cursed drinking horn is a real gem in the collection at Rosenborg Castle.
Do you know the legend of the Oldenborg Horn? Read the story about how Otto, the first Count of Oldenborg, ended up with the cursed drinking horn.
A drinking horn for quenching your thirst
In 989, when Otto, the first Count of Oldenborg, was out hunting with his men, he felt thirsty and cried out, ‘Oh, God! I wish I had something to drink!’ According to legend, an elf maiden immediately appeared and offered him a full drinking horn for him to quench his thirst. After examining the contents more closely, Count Otto grew suspicious and refused to drink. The elf maiden said, ‘Drink, Mylord! If you don’t, your county will be destroyed.’ However, Otto suspected mischief and poured out the drink. A few drops that hit his horse singed the animal’s fur. When the elf maiden saw this, she demanded her horn back, but Count Otto rode off with the drinking horn and brought it to his castle in Oldenborg.
Could the curse be real?
In fact, the horn was not made until around 1400, but still, it is quite the origin story. The Oldenborg Horn is first described in the late 16th century, and it has been in the possession of the Danish Crown since 1663. The Danish royal family is a branch of the House of Oldenborg. In 1690, Christian V transferred the horn to the Royal Danish Kunstkammer (a gallery of art and curiosities) in Copenhagen. The drinking horn has always remained a treasured item, described as a real gem. Many important guests have been offered a drink from it. However, they all felt that the drink had a curious taste. One guest was so startled by the taste that he accidentally dropped the horn on the floor, so that it broke. Maybe the elf maiden’s curse was effective after all, on a smaller scale?
Today, the Oldenborg horn is kept in the Treasury under Rosenborg Castle, safe and dry.
