Peder Hersleb

Peder Hersleb was a Norwegian-Danish clergyman who served as Bishop of Christiania from 1731 to 1737 and Bishop of Zealand from 1737 to 1757..

Biography

Hersleb was born at Steinkjer in Nordre Trondheim county, Norway, the son of Christopher Hersleb and Sophie Borch. He became a student at Trondheim in 1703 and received a bachelor's degree in 1704, taking his theological examination in 1707. In 1713, he was awarded a master's degree from the University of Copenhagen.
In 1714, he was appointed a military chaplain. In 1718 he was called to minister at Gunslev on the island of Falster, but the same year he was appointed priest at Frederiksborg Castle and vicar in Hillerod and Roskilde. In 1725, he moved to Copenhagen as priest in the Danish royal court. In 1727, he was a member of the Mission College and co-director of Waisenhuset Orphanage School which he inaugurated in spring 1728. He served as Bishop of the Diocese of Oslo from 1731 to 1737. He published several collections of sermons.
In 1737, he was elected Bishop of Diocese of Sjælland. His daughter, Frederikke Louise Hersleb, married Ludvig Harboe, who worked with him in the diocese. Hersleb died in 1757 and was buried in the cemetery of the Church of Holmen. Ludvig Harboe was appointed to replace him as Bishop.