Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve

Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve
Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve portraied by Wolfgang Heimbach
Born	20 July 1638(1638-07-20) Bremen, Germany
Died	17 April 1704(1704-04-17) (aged 65) Hamburg, Germany
Resting place	Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen
Nationality	German-Danish
Known for	Gyldenløve War Gyldenløbe's Mansion Reforms
Spouse	Marie Grubbe
Awards	Order of the Elephant

Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve, Count of Laurvig (20 July 1638 – 1704) was a statesman and the leading Norwegian general in the Scanian War, whose Norway-related portion is conventionally named "the Gyldenløve War", after him. He was the illegitimate son of King Frederick III of Denmark and Norway by Margarethe Pape.^[1]

Early life

Gyldenløve was born in Bremen, Germany, the illegitimate son of Prince Frederick, later King Frederick III of Denmark, who was at the time Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen and coadjutor of the Bishopric of Halberstadt. His mother was Margrethe Pape who was made Baronesse of Løvendal by King Christian IV in 15 September that same year.

When his father became King of Denmark in 1648, Ulrik Frederik assumed the name Gyldenløve which was used by illegitimate sons of Danish kings.

During the first half of the 1650s, he traveled in Europe, visiting both France, Italy and Spain. On 21 August 1655 he became a naturalised Danish noble.^[2]

Military career

Civil career and holdings in Norway

Herregården Manor House - Larvik Museum

The coat of arms of the Count of Laurvig

In 1664 Gyldenløve was appointed Statholder (viceroy) to Norway. He studied conditions in Norway very carefully, and became a strong advocate for many important reforms, such as a simplified tax system and the establishment of a Court of appeals in Norway separate from the one in Denmark. He is also remembered for his role in the construction and improvement of nine fortresses along the Swedish border.

Gyldenløve took part in the 17th-century Dano-Swedish wars where he was particularly successful at the Battle of Nyborg on 14 November 1659. In 1666, he became commander-in-chief of the Norwegian army which was victorious in the Scanian Wars (1675–1679).

In 1671, Gyldenløve founded the city of Laurvig (modern-day Larvik), and was named Count of Laurvig. In Larvik, he is remembered for the construction of its main church as well as Herregården (Manor House), which is still one of the largest wooden structures in Norway.^[3]

Gyldenløve implemented Hannibal Sehested's reforms on taxation, defence and justice and protected the tenant farmers. He was also active in Danish politics from 1670 in association with Peder Griffenfeld.

Career and holdings in Denmark

The construction of Gyldenløves Palace in Copenhagen, later to be known as Charlottenborg Palace, began on 3 April 1672 when Frederick III laid the first stone for his illegitimate son.

Family

Count Ulrik Frederik married thrice: once to the famous Marie Grubbe, from whom he divorced in 1670. His two first marriages ended in divorces. According to contemporary stories, he also had an amorous relationship with count Peder Griffenfeld, who went on to become a leading statesman in Denmark-Norway.

Through his daughter countess Charlotte Amalie af Laurvig, and her daughter Countess Frederikke Louise Danneskiold-Samsø, count Ulrik Frederik became the ancestor of the Dukes of Augustenborg and thus for example of Frederick VIII, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein.

See also

• Gyldenløve

References

1. ^ Biography of Ulrik Fredrik Gyldenløve (Dansk biografisk Lexikon 1887-1905)
2. ^ "Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve" (in Danish). Stamtavler over danske adelsslægter. http://finnholbek.dk/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I9330&tree=2. Retrieved 2011-10-16. 
3. ^ Herregården (Norway Attraction0

Other sources

• A History of Norway by Karen Larson, Princeton University Press, 1948
• The History of the Norwegian People by Knut Gjerset, MacMillan, 1915
• Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve by O. v. Munthe af Morgenstierne, Munskgaard, 1944 (in Danish).

External links

• Herregården at Larvik Museum official website

Persondata
Name	Gyldenlove, Ulrik Frederick
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1638
Place of birth
Date of death	1704
Place of death