Count Frederik of Ahlefeldt-Rixingen (; 1623 in Søgård – 7 July 1686, in Copenhagen) was a Danish landowner and statesman. By birth member of the

House of Ahlefeldt A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condit ...

, he was the first reigning Count of Rixingen. He was also

Grand Chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law co ...

during the reign of

King Christian V Christian V (15 April 1646 25 August 1699) was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 until his death in 1699. Well-regarded by the common people, he was the first king anointed at Frederiksborg Castle chapel as absolute monarch since the decree ...

Early life

Ahlefeldt was born on Søgård Manor, east of Kliplev in the Southern Jutland as the eldest child and only son of Frederik of Ahlefeldt-Seestermühe (1594-1657) and his wife and relative, Birgitte of Ahlefeldt-Graasten (1600-1632). He had one younger sister, Elisabeth von

Rumohr Rumohr is a municipality in the district of Rendsburg-Eckernförde, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europ ...

(1625-1653).

Biography

At age twenty, he was sent on an educational tour of Europe, where over a six-year period he studied at universities in Jena, Bologna, Paris and Amsterdam. In 1657, he was appointed to the Land Council as a commissioner. He also served in a diplomatic capacity to the state of Brandenburg on behalf of the

Duke of Gottorp Holstein-Gottorp or Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp () is the historiographical name, as well as contemporary shorthand name, for the parts of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, also known as Ducal Holstein, that were ruled by the dukes of Schlesw ...

. In 1660, he was sent to England in a similar capacity, and there ended a trade and friendship treaty on behalf of Denmark which was signed February 1661. After his return, he was appointed as

stadtholder In the Low Countries, ''stadtholder'' ( nl, stadhouder ) was an office of steward, designated a medieval official and then a national leader. The ''stadtholder'' was the replacement of the duke or count of a province during the Burgundian and H ...

for Copenhagen, then as a civil judge, and finally as a steward to the governor of Dithmarschen. Ahlefeldt owned Gråsten Manor, as well as estates at Søgård, Ballegård, and Herningsholm in

Herning Herning () is a Danish town in the Central Denmark Region of the Jutland peninsula. It is the main town and the administrative seat of Herning Municipality. Herning has a population of 50,565 (1 January 2022)Gråsten Gråsten (; german: Gravenstein) is a town with a population of 4,274 (1 January 2022) On October 11, 1663, he received the

Order of the Elephant The Order of the Elephant ( da, Elefantordenen) is a Danish order of chivalry and is Denmark's highest-ranked honour. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional ...

. In 1672, he became governor of the county of Langeland. During 1670s and up to the fall of Christoffer Gabel (1617–1673), Ahlefeldt was the leading minister of the government. In 1673, he was replaced by Peder Schumacher Griffenfeld (1635-1699). Following the arrest of Griffenfeld, Ahlefeldt was made chancellor again. He held that post until 1686.

Imperial County of Rixingen

He was raised ''ad personam'' in 1665 to ''Heiliger Römischer Reichsgraf'', Count of the Holy Roman Empire in immediate vassalage to the

Holy Roman Emperor The Holy Roman Emperor, originally and officially the Emperor of the Romans ( la, Imperator Romanorum, german: Kaiser der Römer) during the Middle Ages, and also known as the Roman-German Emperor since the early modern period ( la, Imperat ...

. But in 1669 he bought the County of Rixingen (later passed to the Dukes of Richelieu in 1751), thus becoming the real sovereign count. After his death, his son from his second marriage, Count Carl von Ahlefeldt, inherited the dominions of Rixingen and Mörsberg in 1686, which he later passed on to his brother-in-law, Count Friedrich Ludwig von Nassau-Ottweiler.

Marriages

On 28 December 1656, Ahlefeldt married Countess Margarethe Dorothea zu Rantzau (18 March 1642, Breitenburg26 August 1665, Itzehoe). The only daughter of

Count Christian zu Rantzau Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

(1614–1663), governor of the Duchy of Holstein and one of Denmark's richest men. Ahlefeldt and Margarethe Dorothea had two children: *

Countess Christiane von Ahlefeldt-Rixingen Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

(1659-1695); married Frederick Louis, Count of Nassau-Ottweiler and had issue *

Count Friedrich von Ahlefedt-Rixingen Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

(1662–1708); married firstly Christiane Charlotte Gyldenløve (1672-1689), an illegitimate daughter of King Christian V of Denmark and Sophie Amalie Moth, Countess of Samsøe; married secondly Countess Armgard Margareta von Reventlow (1679-1709). He didn't have issue from either marriage. On 1 December 1668 he married

Marie Elisabeth of Leiningen-Hartenburg-Dagsburg Marie may refer to: People Name * Marie (given name) * Marie (Japanese given name) * Marie (murder victim), girl who was killed in Florida after being pushed in front of a moving vehicle in 1973 * Marie (died 1759), an enslaved Cree person in Tro ...

(10 March 1648, Hartenburg13 April 1724, Augustenburg), daughter of Friedrich Emich, Count von Leiningen-Dagsburg-Hartenburg and his wife, Countess Sibylla von Waldeck (1619-1678). Ahlefeldt and Marie Elisabeth had three children: * Count Carl von Ahlefeldt-Rixingen: married Countess Ulrike Antoinette of Danneskiold-Laurvig (1686-1755) and had issue *

Countess Charlotte Sibylla von Ahlefeldt-Rixingen Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

(1672-1726); married

Count Georg Ludwig zu Solms-Rödelheim Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

(1664-1715) and had issue *

Countess Sophie Amalie von Ahlefeldt-Rixingen Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

(1675-1741); married Prince Frederick William of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg and had issue.

References

1623 births 1686 deaths 17th-century Danish people House of Ahlefeldt {{Denmark-politician-stub