Christoffer Gabel (6 January 1617 – 13 October 1673) was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

statesman.

Biography

He was born on 6 January 1617 at

Glückstadt Glückstadt (; da, Lykstad) is a town in the Steinburg district of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is located on the right bank of the Lower Elbe at the confluence of the small Rhin river, about northwest of Altona. Glückstadt is part of the ...

.Bruun (2008), p.110Bricka (1891), p.512 His father, Wulbern or Waldemar Gabel, originally a cartographer and subsequently recorder of Glückstadt, was killed at the

siege A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition warfare, attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity con ...

of the fortress there, by the

German Imperial Army The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (german: Deutsches Heer), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the l ...

, in 1628. Nothing is known of Christoffer's youth, but it is certain he received a university education. Christoffer's name is first recorded in 1639, as overseer and accountant at the court of the

Archbishop of Bremen This list records the bishops of the Archdiocese of Bremen, Roman Catholic diocese of Bremen (german: link=no, Bistum Bremen), supposedly a suffragan of the Archdiocese of Cologne, Archbishopric of Cologne, then of the bishops of Bremen, who were ...

, Duke Frederick. When the duke ascended the

Danish throne The monarchy of Denmark is a constitutional institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom includes Denmark proper and the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The Kingdom of Denmark was alre ...

as King

Frederick III of Denmark Frederick III ( da, Frederik; 18 March 1609 – 9 February 1670) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death in 1670. He also governed under the name Frederick II as diocesan administrator (colloquially referred to as prince-bi ...

, Gabel followed him to

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

as his private secretary and man of business,Artikel: Enevælden
Danmarkshistorien.dk,

Aarhus University Aarhus University ( da, Aarhus Universitet, abbreviated AU) is a public research university with its main campus located in Aarhus, Denmark. It is the second largest and second oldest university in Denmark. The university is part of the Coimbra Gr ...

holding great influence over the irresolute king.Bricka (1891), p.513 During the brief interval of peace between

King Charles X Charles X (born Charles Philippe, Count of Artois; 9 October 1757 – 6 November 1836) was King of France from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. An uncle of the uncrowned Louis XVII and younger brother to reigning kings Louis XVI and Loui ...

's first and second attack upon Denmark, Gabel was employed in several secret missions to

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 ...

; and he took part in the intrigues which resulted in the autocratic revolution of 1660. While not the originator of the revolution, he was certainly the chief intermediary between Frederick III and the

Conjoined Estates Hans Svane (Svaning) (27 March 1606 – 26 July 1668) was a Danish statesman and clergy member of the Church of Denmark. He was a professor at the University of Copenhagen from 1635 and Bishop of the Diocese of Zealand from 1655 until his death. ...

in the mysterious conspiracy which established absolutism in Denmark.Bricka (1891), p.514 His activities won the king's lifelong gratitude. He was enriched, ennobled, and in 1664 made governor of Copenhagen.Bricka (1891), p.515 From 1660 to 1670 he was regarded as the most influential figure at court,Bricka (1891), p.516 and very largely employed in financial and diplomatic affairs. During this period he carried out a pro- French foreign policy, while his domestic policy was affected by laziness and corruption.Bricka (1891), p.517 When Frederick III died, in February 1670, Gabel's power was at an end. The new ruler,

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 ...

did not favour him, and accusations against Gabel poured in from every quarter.Bricka (1891), p.518 When, on 18 April 1670, he was dismissed, there was no public sympathy for a man who had grown wealthy in a time of widespread poverty. He was stripped of all titles and privileges, except the financial control of the

Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic island group and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. They are located north-northwest of Scotland, and about halfway bet ...

. He spent his remaining time in Copenhagen, and died on 13 October 1673 and was buried in St. Peter's Church.Thiset (1893) p.141

Sources

*Christian Bruun, "Gunde Rosenkrantz: Et Bidrag Til Danmarks Historie Under Frederik Den Tredie", 2008,
Google Books edition
*

Carl Frederik Bricka Carl Frederik Bricka (10 July 1845 – 23 August 1903) was a Denmark, Danish archivist, historian and biographer. Biography Carl Bricka was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. His father, Frederik Vilhelm Theodor Bricka (1809-79), was a medical ...

, "Dansk biografisk Lexikon : Volume V : Faaborg - Gersdorff", Copenhagen, 189
Online edition
*Anders Thiset, "

Danmarks Adels Aarbog Danmarks Adels Aarbog (''Yearbook of the Danish Nobility'') is an annual – now tri-annual – publication that details the genealogies, titles, and coats of arms of Danish and Norwegian noble families. It was first published in 1884, making it ...

: Volume X,

Dansk Adelsforening Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

, 1893 * *Dansk Biografisk Leksiko
Online Edition

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gabel, Christoffer 1617 births 1673 deaths 17th-century Danish politicians 17th-century Faroese people