Jacob (Jakob) Frederik Scavenius (12 September 1838 - 26 November 1915) 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 ...

landowner and politician. He was a member of

Folketinget The Folketing ( da, Folketinget, ; ), also known as the Parliament of Denmark or the Danish Parliament in English, is the unicameral national legislature (parliament) of the Kingdom of Denmark—Denmark proper together with the Faroe Islands a ...

from 1865 to 1901 and served as Minister of Education from 1880 to 1891.

Early life and education

Scavenius was born on 12 September 1838 in

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 ...

, the son of

Peder Brønnum Scavenius Peder Brønnum Scavenius (6 January 1795 - 4 December 1868) was a Denmark, Danish landowner and politician. He was the owner of Gjorslev on the Stevns Peninsula, Klintholm Manor, Klintholm on Møn and Petersgaard at Vordingborg. He was an also inv ...

and Charlotte S. Meincke (1811–72). He graduated from

Metropolitanskolen Metropolitanskolen ("The Metropolitan School") was a school in Copenhagen, Denmark founded in 1209 by the Bishop , and for centuries one of the most prestigious schools in the country. History The school was founded in 1209 next to the Church of ...

in 1857 and earned a degree in economics (cand. polit.) in 1867. He then went on a journey to Germany, Austria, Spain and France.

Property

Scavenius inherited

Gjorslev Gjorslev is a cruciform medieval castle located 17 km south-east of Køge, on the Stevns Peninsula, Stevns Municipality, some forty kilometres south of Copenhagen, Denmark. Originally owned by the Bishop of Roskilde, it is considered one of ...

in 1868.

Political career

Scavenius was first elected for

in 1865. He served as Minister of Education from 24 August 1880 to 6 July 1891.

Personal life

Scavenius married Louise Sophie Castonier (4 September 1844 6 November 1920) on 21 June 1865. She was a daughter of lieutenant colonel in the

Danish West Indies The Danish West Indies ( da, Dansk Vestindien) or Danish Antilles or Danish Virgin Islands were a Danish colonization of the Americas, Danish colony in the Caribbean, consisting of the islands of Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saint Thomas ...

Frederik Julius Christian Castonier (1804–67) and Annie Catharine O'Ferral (1813–78). He was the father of Harald Scavenius. He died on 26 November 1915 and is buried at Holtug Cemetery.

Honours

* Cross of Honour, 1864 * Knight in the Order of the Dannebrog, 1878 * Commander of the 2nd Class, 1881 * Commander of the 1st Class, 1884 * Grand Cross, 1888 * Medal of Merit in Fold, 1903

References

19th-century Danish politicians 19th-century Danish landowners 20th-century Danish landowners University of Copenhagen alumni Grand Crosses of the Order of the Dannebrog Scavenius family 1838 births 1915 deaths Danish Kultus Ministers Politicians from Copenhagen Members of the Folketing {{Denmark-politician-stub