Christian Conrad, Count of Danneskiold-Samsøe

Who was Christian Conrad, Count of Danneskiold-Samsøe?

Christian Conrad Sophus, Landgrave of Danneskjold-Samsøe was a Danish councillor, board member, landowner and magistrate.

He was the son of Frederick Christian Danneskiold-Samsøe and his second wife Frederikke Louise von Kleist. When he was just over 3.5 years old, he lost his father. In 1785, the poet and priest Christian Andersen Lund became his supervisor. In 1792, when he was still a minor, he joined the Council of Samsøe County and the board of Gisselfeld Abbey. We can infer his plans from the fact that in 1792-1793, he made a long journey abroad and drew up a new set of corvée rules for Gisselfeld Abbey, in which the position of the peasants was much improved. He embraced new legislation for rural affairs and went further than the law required. He encouraged forestry and horticulture on his domains. He gradually acquired more estates, in Holmegaard, Ravnstrup, Næsbyholm, Bavelse, Nordfeld and Aalebæksgaard and Rosendal. To facilitate transportation of timber from his forest at Næsbyholm, he canalized the Suså River from Bavelse to Næstved. This "Danneskiold Canal" was opened on 11 September 1812.

In 1808 he became prefect of Præstø County; he retained this position until his death. He initiated various public works, such as a port at Karrebaeksminde, a hospital in Naestved, etc. In 1799 Christian led the drafting of a new charter for Gisselfeld Abbey. in which access to monastery was eased by reducing the monetary deposit required, while the number of nuns was increased. He also enlarged the convent business by allowing girls from all social classes into the abbey school system for an annual fee. Until 1821, the monastery had only accepted ladies from noble families as nuns. In that year, Christian added a department for the daughters of commoners.