Friedrich von Alefeld

Frederik von Ahlefeldt (1623 - 7 July 1686) was a Danish landowner and statesman. He was Grand Chancellor during the reign of King Christian V.

Biography

Ahlefeldt was born and grew up on the estate Søgård Manor, east of Kliplev in Sønderjylland, Denmark. His father was Frederik Ahlefeldt til Søgaard in Sønderjylland. At age twenty, he was endowed with abundant funds and sent on an educational tour of Europe, where over a six-year period he studied at universities in Jena, Bologna, Paris and Amsterdam.

He married into an influential family in 1656 by wedding Countess Margarethe Dorothea Rantzau (1641-1665), only daughter of Count Christian Rantzau of Breitenburg (1614–1663), governor of the Duchy of Holstein and one of Denmark's richest men.

In 1657 he became Land Council and General Commission Commissioner and served in a diplomatic capacity to the state of Brandenburg and the Duke of Gottorp. In 1660 he was sent to England in a similar capacity, and there ended a trade and friendship treaty in February 1661. After his return, he was appointed to Statholder in Copenhagen, a judge, and finally a steward in the court of the Governor of Dithmarschen. Fredrik Ahlefeldt til Gråsten owned Gråsten Manor as well as estates at Søgård, Ballegård and Herningsholm in Herning. He spent most of his time at Gråsten.

On October 11, 1663, he received the Order of the Elephant. In 1672, he became county governor of the county of Langeland. In 1670s and subsequent to the fall of Christoffer Gabel (1617–1673), Ahlefeldt became the leading minister of the government, but in 1673 was replaced by Peder Schumacher Griffenfeld (1635-1699). Following the arrest and trial Griffenfeld, he was made the chancellor from 1676 until his death in 1686.