Adam Abraham von Gaffron und Oberstradam (11 October 1665 – 11 May 1738) was a member of the Silesian ancient noble family, Gaffron.

Service in the Life Guards

In 1683, von Gaffron joined the Danish Life Guards. Between 1689 and 1691, he accompanied the Hjaelpetropperne and Nederlanderne battalions to

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. He was wounded at the

Battle of Steenkerke The Battle of Steenkerque, also known as ''Steenkerke'', ''Steenkirk'' or ''Steinkirk'' was fought on 3 August 1692, during the Nine Years' War, near Steenkerque, then part of the Spanish Netherlands but now in modern Belgium A French force ...

in 1692, and in the battle at Helsingborg in 1710. In the 1713 campaign in North Germany he proved a brave and skilful commander. In 1717 he commanded reinforcements sent to

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

. With the death of Charles XII of

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

on 30 November 1718, he was directed to Röros to block the way for Army Corps under Lieutenant General Carl Gustaf Armfeldt on their retreat back to Sweden. In the summer of 1719 he became the Commander of the so-called "smaalenske 'Corps, which advanced into Swedish Bohuslan.

Promotions

Second Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

, 1690 *

Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

, 1692 * Kaptajnlöjtnant (Junior Captain) 1696 * Kaptajn (Captain) 1697 *

Major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

of the Granaderkorps (

Grenadier A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word '' grenade'') was originally a specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in battle. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when grenadiers were recruited fr ...

Corps) * “Karakteriseret“ Colonel, 1706 *

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

of the third Danish regiment of the Imperial Service (Austria), 1707 * Head of the Royal Danish Marine Corps, 1707 * Commander of the Grenadier Corps, 1710 * Major-General, 1712 * Commander of Norway, 1719 * Commander of the Danish Nyborg Castle, 1720.

Post-military career

Gaffron formed a good relationship with the burghers of Nyborg and was appointed to

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

in 1734. In the same year he was appointed by Frederik IV King of Denmark to be Governor of the Danish

Island An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

Fyn Funen ( da, Fyn, ), with an area of , is the third-largest island of Denmark, after Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy. It is the 165th-largest island in the world. It is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 469,947 as of ...

. He was awarded the Danish collar of the order of Dannebrogen in 1730.

Family life

Gaffron married Christine Charlotte Trolle (1685–1760), daughter of the Minister of State

Herluf Trolle Herluf Trolle (14 January 1516 – 25 June 1565) was a Danish naval hero, Admiral of the Fleet and co-founder of Herlufsholm School (''Herlufsholm Skole og Gods''), a private boarding school at Næstved on the island of Zealand in Denmark. ...

of Snedinge. They had eight children of which two sons both became

officers An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

in the Danish service. One of his sons, Balle Marimilian, returned to Silesia after inheriting the Castle of Haltauf and Kunern from his aunt.Nyborg, Denmark: Opl. Fra B.B – Prot. i Praste Ark. Fol. 143. – No 101 Fol. 243; No 145. Fol. 157 i Raadh. He died in 1738 and was buried in Noble Chapel of the Vor Frue Church in Nyborg on 23 June 1738.

References

* Genealogisches Handbuch des Adels, GHda 1978, Volume IV. *

Almanach de Gotha The ''Almanach de Gotha'' (german: Gothaischer Hofkalender) is a directory of Europe's royalty and higher nobility, also including the major governmental, military and diplomatic corps, as well as statistical data by country. First published ...

1921, 1926 and 1940. * C.A. Sapherson; "The Danish Army 1699-1715". * Lars-Eric Höglund och Åke Sallnäs; "The Great Northern War 1700-1721, Uniforms and Colours", * Georg Brochmann, Blaker og Sørum historielag, 2004 "Skansen og Stolen" * Archiv – Personalhist. Tidskr. 2 R 1 Pag. 269. – Pont Atl. 6 Pag. 770). "Hist. Tidsskr. 3 R 6 Pag 461- Kopibog i kirke Ark. 1738." * Nyborg, Denmark: Opl. Fra B.B – Prot. i Praste Ark. Fol. 143. – No 101 Fol. 243; No 145. Fol. 157 i Raadh.

Service in the Life Guards

Promotions

Post-military career

Family life

References

Other links