Cay Friedrich von Reventlow

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Cay Friedrich Graf von Reventlow (born November 17, 1753 in Paris ; † August 6, 1834 in Altenhof ) was a Danish diplomat and landowner in Altenhof near Eckernförde .

Life

Cay Friedrich Graf von Reventlow came from the noble Schleswig-Holstein family Reventlow and was the eldest of the four sons of the real Privy Councilor and Lord Chamberlain Detlev von Reventlow . In 1767 his father was made a Danish liege count . His brother Friedrich Karl von Reventlow (1755–1828) was also a diplomat in the Danish service and landowner at Gut Emkendorf . Both brothers studied at the University of Göttingen from 1769 to 1773 .

From 1780 to 1784 Reventlow was Royal Danish Ambassador to Madrid , from 1787 to 1793 Ambassador to Stockholm , from 1794 to 1802 head of the Royal Library and Art Chamber in Copenhagen . In 1797 he followed his father-in-law, Andreas Peter von Bernstorff, into the office of head of the German law firm in Copenhagen. As spokesman for the Schleswig-Holstein knighthood , Reventlow and his brother Friedrich Karl tried to enforce their tax privileges against the Danish king. Because this project failed, Cay Friedrich von Reventlow resigned his state offices in 1802 and retired to his Altenhof estate .

After Bernstorff's reforms were completed, Reventlow was appointed governor of the Duchy of Lauenburg by the Danish king . When Reventlow accepted the office of governor and landdrosten of the Duchy of Lauenburg, which had been won for Denmark, in 1816 , he began to spread the Bible. As a Christian he promoted the work of the Lauenburg-Ratzeburg Biblical Society founded in 1816 and was its president for almost twenty years. He was the last representative of the Danish-German aristocracy around Andreas Peter von Bernstorff.

In 1775 he became an honorary member of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences . In 1816 he was awarded the Dannebrogden and the Elephant Order .

His grave is in the church cemetery in Sarau , Segeberg district .

family

Cay von Reventlow was first married to Wilhelmine Magdalene Ulrike Countess von Bernstorff (born October 10, 1766 in Gartow, † May 10, 1787 in Copenhagen, daughter of Joachim Bechtold von Bernstorff (1734-1807)). His second marriage was on April 24, 1797 in Copenhagen, Emilie Louise Henriette Countess von Bernstorff (born October 7, 1776 in Copenhagen; † November 26, 1855 in Preetz, daughter of the Danish Minister of State Andreas Peter Graf von Bernstorff ). Both wives were cousins ​​and granddaughters of Andreas Gottlieb the Younger von Bernstorff (1708–1768).

From the second marriage there are three sons and a daughter:

Reventlow brothers
  1. Eugen (born November 27, 1798; † November 28, 1885), inherited Altenhof ;
  2. Gottfried (born May 30, 1800; † April 26, 1870), lawyer, most recently President of the Court Court in Ratzeburg;
  3. Theodor (born July 19, 1801 in Christiansholm near Copenhagen, † February 4, 1873 in Jersbek);
  4. Maria Emilia (April 28, 1811 - March 1, 1883).

Awards

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Peter Godzik (Ed.): History of the North Elbian Bible Societies. 2004, p. 21 f. pkgodzik.de (PDF; 411 kB).
  2. ↑ a b c d e Wilhelm Swalin: Det danske Statsraad, 1800-1881: Biographiske data. Stockholm 1881, p. 4.
  3. ↑ a b Cf. Claus Bjørn : Cay Reventlow . In: Svend Cedergreen Bech , Svend Dahl (eds.): Dansk biografisk leksikon . Founded by Carl Frederik Bricka , continued by Povl Engelstoft. 3. Edition. tape 12 : Rasmussen – Scavenius . Gyldendal, Copenhagen 1982, ISBN 87-01-77482-4 (Danish, biografiskleksikon.lex.dk ).
personal data
SURNAME Reventlow, Cay Friedrich von
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Reventlow, Cay Friedrich Graf von (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Danish diplomat and landowner
DATE OF BIRTH November 17, 1753
PLACE OF BIRTH Paris
DATE OF DEATH August 6, 1834
Place of death Altenhof