Niels Trolle

Niels Trolle (20 December 1599 – 20 September 1667) was a Danish nobleman who served as vice admiral under Christian IV and later as Steward of Norway from 1656 to 1661. He played a central administrative role during the Nordic War in 1657.

Trolle was born in Ringkøbing and had a brother-in-law of Gregers Krabbe and Niels Krabbe. He was the son of vassal Børge Trolle (d.1610). He studied at Herlufsholm School for 2 years, and later went on a field trip to Leipzig. Trolle returned home in 1615 only to leave again to study abroad in Giessen. After a brief visit to his home in Denmark, he studied at the University of Padua, and also in France and England.

On July 23, 1626, he married Mette Corfitzdatter Rud, who died on February 25, 1632. In 1634, Trolle was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Copenhagen Castle, and on October 16, 1636, he married Helle Rosenkrantz, daughter of Holger Rosenkrantz, at Glimminge.

Trolle was elected as a land commissioner in Zealand in 1638. He became a member of the Admiralty Court in Bremerholm in 1639. In 1643, when the Torstensson War started, he served as a General Provisioning Commissioner until the spring of 1645, when Christian IV offered him the position of Vice Admiral.

Trolle did not have the opportunity to play a major role in the war as a naval officer. Although he was ordered to aid in the defense of the island of Bornholm in June 1645, the island fell before his forces could participate, and his fleet and company were confined in the Copenhagen harbor.

In August, the Second Treaty of Bromesbro (Brømsebrofreden) was signed, and in September he participated in the ratification's exchange in Markaryd for which the fleet was unprepared. Christian IV was very angry at him for his attitude against his father, Holger Rosenkrantz, during the island of Nobels's surrender in 1646.

In 1647, he was a member of a commission to investigate the financial condition. Then in August of 1648, he followed Frederick III to tilt as the Akershus and received the Knight Battle of the King. In February of 1650, he joined the commission to report on the navy, but in January 1651, he resigned as Vice Admiral because of infirmity. He heard for Hannibal Sehested and Corfitz Ulfeldt who were opponents. After the latter case in July of 1651, he was seated on the review commission to examine deliveries to Holmen. In 1655, he became a member of the newly established Admiralty.

He was still meant for far more important business, as he had already been strongly considered to become Governor of Norway in 1651 after Hannibal Sehested fell in 1656. After Gregers Krabbe's death, he was appointed to Akershus Len instead of Roskilde. Lieutenant General Jørgen Bielke highly disliked him duet to his lack of support and inactivity during the second war with Sweden (1658 -1660). In 1660, when he was present at the great estates of the realm in Copenhagen, he was among the presidents most incensed over the king's plans. In the days approaching 10 October, he uttered the words, "It is, thus, believed that in this way we should lose our freedom?", rumors were spread among the opposition that he had been beaten by a Copenhagen. Similarly to his companions, he gave in, becoming the privy council and nobility rapporteur by inheritance Declaration on 13 October. As the hereditary elder, he carried the Imperial sword on 18 October and on 7 November, giving the new rådsed. At the same time, he endured personal difficulties caused by Colonel Jørgen Lion Klaus' attack on him. In October, they had had violent disagreements, which led to interrogations by the Royal commission. In March 1661, the Supreme Court acquitted him of all Lion Klaus' accusations and condemned his opponent to suffer as a liar. He had, however, complained that he was convicted by a court, which sat other than his right.