Strong Women at Hafslund Manor
Throughout Hafslund’s long history, strong women have left their mark and changed the estate’s destiny, or inspired activities within and beyond the Hafslund estate’s domain. Periodically, Hafslund’s estate owners have been women, such as during Karen de Werenskiold Huitfeldt’s time, or as competent deputies during periods when their husbands’ interests diverged from being estate owners and timber merchants.
Construction-loving Noblewoman
Birgitte Bjelke (1620–died before 1674)
Birgitte Bjelke came from a wealthy and construction-loving family, and her siblings built large houses on their estates during the same period; Austråt, Elingård, Vrem, and Morland. Birgitte and her husband Daniel Bildt had the south wing of Hafslund’s main building constructed in stone. This building activity is often associated with Bildt’s marriage to Jens Bjelke’s daughter, Birgitte Bjelke, Norway’s Chancellor, around 1655.
Early Strategist and Supporter
Helvig Tyrholm Christensdatter (1653–1692)
Early in life, Helvig married Werner Nielsen and gave birth to four sons. Her mother was from the Tyrholm family, who had been timber merchants long before Werner Nielsen came to Norway. The family produced several aldermen, mayors, and chief justices. Her originally Danish husband thus entered a family culture that provided him with significant support.
Among other things, the idea of floating timber from Odalen had already been tested by the Tyrholm family’s timber merchants – something Helvig’s husband, Werner Nielsen, developed into the supply line for the Hafslund saws.
Here too, we know little about Helvig’s specific role, but as the only daughter of the contentious chief justice Christen Jensen, she was likely a woman of clear will and sharp intellect.
Business-savvy Career Woman
Karen Werenskiold (1697–1778)
Karen was the daughter of privy councilor Niels Werenskiold of Hafslund (1669–1741) and Elisabeth de Tønsberg (1673–1742). On September 15, 1719, she married officer Hartvig Huitfeldt in Marstrand, with Tordenskjold and Frederik IV in attendance. With Huitfeldt, she had children Sophie Rigborg Huitfeldt (1723–1776) and Matthias Wilhelm Huitfeldt (1725–1803).
When her husband, General Huitfeldt, died, she sought and received royal permission to live in undivided estate. She managed the farm and was the estate owner until she sold Hafslund Manor to Peter Elieson in 1754. She had probably been managing Hafslund in practice even before her husband’s death, and during her period, the timber business actually increased.
She enjoyed great trust at the Royal Court, and sought and received jus vocandi, meaning the right to appoint priests to the churches under Hafslund, which she also did. In 1749, as estate owner, she hosted Frederik V, and she must have made a very good impression on both His Majesty and, not least, his right-hand man, Count Adam Gottlob Moltke, who practically governed the kingdom.
In 1755, Karen de Werenskiold Huitfeldt was appointed Dame de l’union parfaite, a royal order given mainly to men, but also to women – most of whom were of royal lineage. From 1757–1767, she was Chief Mistress of the Robes to Queen Juliane Marie, and lived in her own apartment in Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen. The title of Chief Mistress of the Robes is the highest position achieved by a Norwegian woman in the Dano-Norwegian Realm.
Karen died at her manor in Næstved on Zealand, but her remains were brought back to Norway. Here she was buried alongside her husband in the Werenskiold-Huitfeldt burial chapel, erected in 1753 in the cemetery by Skjeberg church.
with glamour and a flair for the spectacular
Anna Collett (1731–1772)
Anna was the daughter of businessman and timber merchant Peter Collett. According to one of Hafslund’s estate legends, after the main building had burned down, she asked for a goblet and toasted to the new Hafslund. That alone speaks volumes about her great inner resources!
Anna grew up with her sister in Copenhagen, and married Peter Elieson there. Her family belonged to the inner circle of Christiania’s elite, the wealthy merchant family Collett. Her brothers and sister Mathia were involved in trade and timber. Sister Mathia’s activity as an independent businesswoman says something about what the role of women at the end of the 18th century allowed, and not least how the women in the family were raised.
Mathia, incidentally, was married twice, first to Morten Leuch of Bogstad and second to Bernt Anker. The entire family was interested in culture and art. Her sister Ditlevine was an author and writer for Norske Intelligenz-Seddeler, and a translator of works by Voltaire. Anna is believed to have been involved in the reconstruction of Hafslund.
In a well-known portrait, Anna is depicted with a drawing of Hafslund as it was rebuilt in 1761/62, and it is assumed that she, along with her brother, who also drew Bogstad, helped design Hafslund’s main building. With several decorative works in the new manor house, carried out by painters from Herrebøe, and a large dinner service made at the factory with her and her husband’s coat of arms, it is also not impossible that she was well involved in Herrebøe’s activities.
Most often, women’s contributions were informal and orally participatory, and therefore often undocumented, but nonetheless no less significant. During Anna Collett Elieson’s time, Hafslund hosted lively and social gatherings. The parties at Hafslund were well-known, especially the Christmas parties.
Norway's Richest Estate Owner
Maren Juel (1749–1815)
It is said that Maren Juel ‘haunts’ Hafslund. At the very least, we can say that after selling or moving from Hafslund, she returned several times. In her first marriage, she became an owner with her husband Peder Holter, but it is uncertain if she ever lived on the estate. The couple sold Hafslund after barely a year.
In her second marriage, she and her husband Ole Christian Wessel bought Hafslund and planned major renovations. Unfortunately, her husband died the year after the takeover, and few of the plans were realized – probably only expansions of the park grounds.
In her last marriage, however, she and her husband Marcus Gjøe Rosenkrantz, along with his daughter, moved into the manor, and she was Hafslund’s estate owner until her death. Her husband was deeply engaged in the politics of the time, both as president of the Lagting and a member of parliament, and seemed to have been occupied in Christiania with national politics.
According to Bernt Anker, probably Norway’s wealthiest timber merchant around 1800, she managed the Hafslund enterprise on her own, and indeed very well. During her time, significant changes were made to the park and garden, as well as renovations in the main building. She is said to have been an authoritative lady with a strong personality.
