Riddersalen (The Knight´s Hall)

The manor’s magnificent ballroom was, until the Palace was built in 1845, Norway’s largest and most splendid. It is designed for dances and concerts – with fantastic acoustics. The room is mainly used for larger dinners, but it has also been used for concerts, theatrical performances, and lectures during the company’s time.

The hall, together with the Reception, shows how Hafslund Manor gained its position as ‘the country’s unequivocally most beautiful castle building’. The furniture, which we know was made for the hall, was possibly designed by architect Lillie, approx. 1790.

Owner portraits, west wall

Werner Nielsen

Werner Nielsen arrived in Norway in 1658. In Denmark, he was a scribe for Jørgen Rosenkrantz at Sorø Academy, but due to unrest related to the war against Sweden in 1658, he had to find new work and became bailiff for the new governor of Lista, Admiral Lauritz Galtung in 1658. As bailiff and Galtung’s proxy, he became a merchant in Farsund and signed the Absolute Monarchy Treaty in 1661 on behalf of the city of Kristiansand. When Governor Galtung died in 1661, Nielsen moved to Christiania, became a merchant, and eventually a councilman there in 1664. After a personal scandal in Christiania, he married Helvig Jensen, the daughter of a district judge, in Fredrikstad, became vice-district judge, and eventually district judge. Werner Nielsen was an assistant councilor in the Supreme Court from at least 1691 to 1695.

Helvig Nielsen

Her mother was the daughter of a well-known councilman and district judge family from Fredrikstad. Her father was district judge and owner of Borregaard, Christen Jensen (1604–1683), originally from Aalborg in Denmark. Her mother was Maren Mikkelsdatter Tyrholm, born 1604, died. 1680. She was closely related to Mads Lauritsen Tyrholm, a councilman in Fredrikstad, who in turn was the brother of former district judge Niels Lauritsen Tyrholm. She married Werner Nielsen, a councilman in Christiania, later district judge in Fredrikstad and assessor in the Supreme Court.

Hartvig Huitfeldt

Hartvig Huitfeldt (born August 12, 1677, at Fredriksten, died June 2, 1748, in Fredrikstad) was a Danish-Norwegian officer and owner of Hafslund between 1741 and 1748, brother of Admiral Iver Huitfeldt and Henrik Jørgen Huitfeldt, and father of Matthias Wilhelm Huitfeldt.

He was born at Fredriksten Fortress in Halden, where his father, Colonel Tønne Huitfeldt, died a month later. Together with two of his brothers, Huitfeldt trained (around 1692-98) in the French army with the regiment Royal Danois, commanded by Christian Gyldenløve and Frands Juul. This was the start of a brilliant military career that ended with Frederik IV giving him his bust in diamonds to wear around his neck, an honor otherwise only bestowed upon Tordenskjold, Christian Carl Gabel, and Poul Vendelbo Løvenørn. In 1740, he was transferred to commandant in Fredrikstad, a position he held until his death on June 2, 1748. He was made a White Knight in 1728, Lieutenant General in 1733, and General in 1746.

Hartvig Huitfeldt (born August 12, 1677, in Halden, died June 2, 1748, in Fredrikstad) was a Lieutenant General, commandant of Fredrikstad Fortress from 1740-1748, and Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog. He was the son of the commandant of Fredriksten Fortress, Colonel Tønne Huitfeldt.

Arnt Niels Werenskiold

Niels Werenskiold was the eldest of Werner Nielsen’s four sons. Niels Wernersen traveled to Copenhagen and Leiden to study law. As the eldest son, he inherited Hafslund Manor and was ennobled in 1697; the year after, he married Elisabeth de Tønsberg. She was the daughter of Mathias de Tonsberg (1638-1705), Chief Justice and Diocesan Governor, and Anna Cathrine Mechlenburg (1649–1745). He owned Hafslund when it was at its largest, with extensive landed estates and enormous forest areas up through Østerdalen, with the Glomma river as a connecting link. He eventually became county governor, Knight of the Dannebrog (White Knight), privy councilor, assessor in the Supreme Court, and received visits from two absolute monarchs at Hafslund, Frederik IV in 1704 and Christian VI in 1733.

Karen de Werenskiold Huitfeldt

She was the daughter of privy councilor Niels Werenschiold of Hafslund (1669–1741) and Elisabeth de Tønsberg (1673–1742). On September 15, 1719, she married the officer Hartvig Huitfeldt in Marstrand, with Tordenskjold and Frederik IV present. With Huitfeldt, she had children Sophie Rigborg Huitfeldt (1723–1776) and Matthias Wilhelm Huitfeldt (1725–1803). She sold Hafslund Manor jointly with her son, Mathias Huitfeldt, to Peter Elieson in 1754. In 1755, Karen became dame de l’union parfaite, and from 1757–1767, she was chief mistress of the robes to Queen Juliane Marie. She died at the manor in Næstved, and her body was brought to Norway. Here, she was buried with her husband in the Werenskiold—Huitfeldt burial chapel, built in 1753 in the cemetery by Skjeberg church.

Owner portraits, east wall

Maren Juel

At the age of 22, Maren Juel married the paymaster and timber merchant Peder Holter (1723–1786) in 1771. Holter had built up a large estate complex, which included Stubljan and Hvitebjørn estates by Bunnefjorden, their main residence, as well as Losby in Lørenskog and Borregaard in Østfold. In 1775, Holter also bought Hafslund, but the couple only visited briefly. Maren Juel and Peder Holter had no children, and when her husband died in 1786, she inherited all his properties.

In 1791, Maren Juel married again, this time to the jurist Ole Christopher Wessel, brother of the poet Johan Herman Wessel. The couple probably intended to move to Hafslund and planned a major renovation, but Wessel died just three years later in 1794.

In 1796, she married the poor but noble Marcus Gjøe Rosenkrantz. Maren Juel’s third husband was the magistrate president in Christiania, but eventually resigned to become a full-time estate owner. In 1800, the couple moved to Hafslund with Rosenkrantz’s daughter. Marcus Gjøe Rosenkrantz took over the management of Maren Juel’s many properties. Eventually, the couple sold Borregaard, Stubljan, and Hvitebjørn. At Hafslund, Rosenkrantz became county governor of Smaalenene county and a conservatively oriented estate owner who did not always manage Hafslund optimally.

Maren Juel died childless in 1815 and bequeathed her properties to nephews and nieces in both Norway and Sweden. Her estate was so large and complex that the settlement took 30 years to complete.

Marcus Gjøe Rosenkrantz

Rosenkrantz was a highly respected official and held numerous positions and offices: Magistrate President in Christiania, County Governor of Smaalenene in 1804, Government Commissioner in 1807, Diocesan Governor in 1810, Director of Norway’s Rigsbank in 1813. He served as a cabinet minister and Member of Parliament for several terms, and as President of the Lagting. He helped found the Society for the Welfare of Norway and was one of the largest contributors to the establishment of the University of Norway in 1811.

Peder Holter

Peder Holter (born 1723, died November 1, 1786, in Christiania) was a merchant in Christiania and an official. He was the son of chaplain in Odalen Anders Holter (1691–1731) and Anna Mortensdatter Leuch (1693–1754). On December 24, 1771, he married Maren Juel (1749–1815). Holter became a student in Christiania in 1741 and started as a merchant some time later. In 1757, he became chief war commissioner. From 1760 to 1774, he was paymaster, and from 1773, general war commissioner.

Ole Christopher Wessel

Ole Christoffer Wessel (born January 12, 1744, in Vestby, died December 26, 1794) was a judge advocate general and colonel. He was the son of chaplain and later parish priest of Vestby parish and dean Jonas Wessel (1707–1785) and Lena Maria Schumacher (1715–1789). He was first married to Helene Barcklay (approx. 1762–1826), daughter of auction director in Christiania Peter Henrik Barcklay and Emerence Carlsen. This marriage ended in Norway’s first legal divorce. On March 9, 1791, he married Maren Juel for the second time. Wessel became a student in Christiania in 1761 and earned a law degree. 1770. From 1771, he was an assessor at the Court of Appeals and City Court in Copenhagen, and from 1775, at the Supreme Court. In 1776, he became judge advocate general in Norway. He was a member of the General Quartering Commission from 1777 to 1794. In 1788, he was promoted to colonel. In 1776, he was granted the rank of Justice Councilor, and in 1790, Privy Councilor.

Peter Elieson (1727–1773)

Peder Elieson (1727–1773), Justice Councilor and owner of Hafslund Manor. Son of timber merchant Iver Elieson from Drammen. With the fortune inherited from his father, he bought Hafslund from Karen de Werenskiold Huitfeldt and her son Mathias Huitfeldt, both of whom moved to Copenhagen to pursue careers at court.

Elieson was a timber merchant and trader. In addition to the Hafslund enterprise, which included land and forestry, timber floating and sawmilling, plank export, and shipping, he helped establish the Herrebøe faience factory outside Halden.

Iver Elieson (1755–1775)

Iver Elieson became blind after a smallpox vaccination and also suffered from epilepsy. He died shortly after his parents.

Karen Elieson (1760–1823)

Karen Elieson was the eldest daughter of Peter and Anna Elieson. She was interested in theater like her mother and lived for a time in London with her husband, Peter Collett.

Anna Cathrine Elieson (1762–1824)

Anne Cathrine was born at Hafslund and was eleven years old when she lost her parents. She married the merchant Søren Horster in Christiania. She was considered less gifted.

Martine Elieson (1764–1826)

Martine Christine Sophie Elieson (1764–1826) Marriage: Married February 5, 1783, to her cousin John Collett (1758–1810), son of James Collett and Karen Pedersdatter Leuch. The couple lived many years in London, and when they moved back to Norway, they received Ullevoll farm as a gift from her foster father, Bernt Anker. Anker had previously profited greatly from the sale of Hafslund, and this large gift may have been a kind of repayment for her share of Hafslund. The couple had no children.

Peter Elieson (1770–1833)

Peter Petersen Elieson (1770–1833) Born December 29, 1770, at Hafslund in Skjeberg, Østfold. Died June 7, 1833. He was raised by his maternal uncle, Johan Collett, in Copenhagen from the age of seven. Peter bought the large farm Evje in Rygge in 1792 and was active as a farmer and official.

Anna Collett Elieson (1731–1772)

Anna Collett Elieson (1731–1772), daughter of Peter Collett. She grew up with her sister in Copenhagen and was married there to Peter Elieson. 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. Mathia was also married twice, first to Morten Leuch of Bogstad and second to Bernt Anker. The 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. At Hafslund, she was involved in the rebuilding of Hafslund and hosted actively and socially. The gatherings at Hafslund were well-known, especially the Christmas parties.

Peter Elieson and Anna Collett had five children together.

Peter and Anna Elieson died within a short period, leaving five children. After their parents’ death, the children became minors and were assigned guardians. Peder Holter of Borregaard, who was Peter Elieson’s cousin, and Bernt Anker, who was Anna Collett’s brother-in-law, were appointed as their guardians. Later, Peder Holter bought Hafslund Manor.

Despite the early passing of their parents, it appears that the children fared well under the care of their guardians and relatives.

Other paintings

Peter Elieson full-length in uniform

Peter Elieson depicted in the Flateby uniform.

Anna Elieson full-length in a dress

Anna Collett in front of an avenue, presumably from Hafslund Park.

Furniture

Mirror with console table, 6 pieces. Louis XVI (copy)

The six console tables with mirrors are copies of six of the eight that stood in the hall from the latter half of the 18th century, when Johan Fahne resided at Hafslund – first as Peder Holter’s proxy and later as owner, until Consul Faye’s daughter married. All eight tables with mirrors remained here until Consul Faye’s daughter Sophie married Severin Didrik Cappelen in the 1850s and moved to Holden farm near Ulefoss. All eight mirrors and tables are still found at Holden.

Chairs, 12 pcs, Gustavian (copy)

The white-painted chairs with painted gold decor are exact Holden copies made by Arneberg. They have probably been in the hall, at least at Hafslund, and help to showcase the Knight’s Hall as authentically as possible.

Chairs, 8 pcs, Louis Seize style