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Biography
Berte Skeel (1644–1720), was a Danish noble, philanthropist and the manager of a pension for noble children. In 1699, she founded the Roskilde Adelige Jomfrukloster, which has been referred to as the first Protestant abbey for noblewomen in Denmark.
Berte Skeel was born to riksråd Christen Skeel (d. 1659) and Birgitte Rud (d. 1653). In 1662, she married the noble Niels Rosenkrantz (d. 1676) and had four children who all died in childhood. As a widow, she accepted children from the nobility of both genders as pensioners for money. She was known for her charity: she managed soup kitchens for the poor, paid the fees of her tenants when they were unable to, and started several charitable foundations.
In 1699, she founded the Roskilde Adelige Jomfrukloster in companionship with Margrethe Ulfeldt.