Henrik Brockenhuus


Henrik Adam Brockenhuus was a Danish-Norwegian courtier, landowner and local administrator on Zealand. He owned the estates of Jungshoved, Oremandsgaard and Nysø and serv as prefect of Vordingborg county from 1767 to 1776 and of the Diocese of Zealand from 1776 to 1787.

Early life

Brockenhuus was born in Vang, just outside Hamar, in Norway. He was the son of colonel Jørgen Otto Brockenhuus and his second wife Bertha Magdalene Brockenhuus. As a young man he became a close friend of crown prince Frederick.

Career and property

He was appointed to hofjunker in 1744, then stable master for the crown prince and squire in 1745 and finally chamberlain in 1752.
In 1761, he purchased the estate of Jungshoved and Oremandsgaard near Præstø from the king. A few years later he also purchased Nysø Manor. In 1767, he was appointed to prefect of Vordingborg County and in 1776 he became prefect of the Diocese of Zealand as well as curator of Vemmetofte. He was appointed to entlediget in 1787.

Awards

In 1760, he was created a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog. In 1767, he was awarded the Ordre de l'Union Parfaite. In 1773, he was created a Knight in the Order of the Elephant.
In 1760, he was awarded the title of Gehejmeråd. Ub 1779, he was awarded the more prestigious title of ''Gehejmekonferensråd''

Personal life

In 1757, Brockenhus married to Hedevig Sophie Elisabeth Holstein-Ledreborg. She was a daughter of Datter af Lensgreve Johan Ludvig von Holstein-Ledreborg, til Ledreborg and Hedevig Christiansdatter Vind. They were the parents of two sons and a daughter. Their elder son Frederik Brockenhuus settled with his Italian wife in Naples where he served as Danish envoy. The younger son Johan Ludvig Brockenhuus served as overhofmester. The daughter Vibeke Margrethe Brockenhuus was married to lord chamberlain and director of the Royal Danish Theatre Adam Wilhelm von Hauch.