Worldwide Guide to Women in Leadership
Female Heads of Danish Eccleastical Instutions
A number of Lutheran chapters for noble ladies were founded in the late 17th and early 18th century. They were significant landowners and very influential in their local "realms"

See also Denmark Heads

Chapter of Vallø (Vallø Adelige Stift, Vallø Stift, Vallø Kloster) The Lutheran chapter for noble unmarried ladies was founded by Dowager Queen Sofie Magalene in 1738. The Abbess had to be of royal birth and the three successive Abbesses of Vallø exercied both Eccleastical and secular authority from 1728 to 1810. After 1810 the chapter has been lead by the Dechaness

1738-43 Abbess Friederike von Würtemberg-Neuenstadt
Dowager Queen Sofie Magdalene had desided to turn the County of Vallø, which was part of her dowry, into a chapter for ladies of the high nobility. The abbesses had authority in the Stift and possesed jus vocandi - the right to appoint the priests in the 17 churches within its territory. Friederike was daughter of Duke Friederich August von Württemberg-Neuenstadt.

1738-57 Dechaness Beata Henriette von Reuss-Plauen
She was daughter of Imperial Councillor, Baron Rudolph Caspar von Söhlenthal, and Chief Lady of the Court of Princess Louise (Hofmesterinde). She lived (1696-17579

1748-82 Abbess Louise Sophie Friederike af Slesvig-Holsten-Sønderborg-Glücksborg
Used the title; Heiress to Norway, Duchess to Slesvig-Holsten, Glücksborg, Stormarn and Ditmarsken. She possed both secular and ecclesiastical authority in the whole of the chapter, though the founder, Dowager Queen Sofie Magdalene had secured herself the right of veto for life. Louise Sopie lived (1711-82).

1758-68 Dechaness Anna Margaretha von Schmettau
Daughter of Privyl Councillor Peter von Brandt and widow of Privy Councillor and Envoy Frederik Vilhelm von Schmettau. Chief Lady of the Court of Prince Frederik. She lived (1685-1768).

1773-76 Dechaness Margaretha Maria Thomasine Numsen
She was daughter of Major General Johan Peter von Ingenhaef and widow of Fieldmarchal, Privy Councillor Michael Numsen, and lived (1705-76)

1776-85 Dechaness Eleonora Louisa Caroline Knuth
Daughter of Privy Councillor Joachim Christopher Moltke and widow of Privy Councillor, Stiftamtmand, Count Eggert Christopher Knuth. She lived (1728-85)

1782-1810 Abbess Sophie Magdalene af Slesvig-Holsten-Sønderborg-Glücksborg
The chapter (stift) influenced both Church, shools, roads, bridges, inns, mills, forestry, care of the poor and sick. The Stift is still a major landowner. It was desided not to appoint new Abbesses after her death, and the Dechaness became the leader of the Chapter.

1785-93 Dechaness Frederikke Louise Holck-Winterfeldt
Daughter of Count Adam Ahlefeldt and widow of Privy Councillor, Count Gustav Frederik Holck-Winterfeldt til Wintersborg. Chief Lady of the Court of Dowager Queen Juliane-Marie (Overhofmesterinde). She never stayed at Vallø, and lived (1736-85)

1793-98 Dechaness Marie Elisabeth Moltke
Daughter of Privy Councillor Baron Verner Rosenkrantz til Villestrup and widow of Privy Councillor Anton Heinrich Molkte, and lived (1742-98)

1799-1809 Dechaness Charlotte Elisabeth Henriette Holstein
Daughter of Baron Inn- und Knyphausen and widow of Privy Councillor, Chief Master of the Hunt Count Christian Frederik Holstein til the County of Ledreborg.

1810-11 Dechaness Henriette Sophie von Düring
She was daughter of the Hannoveran Lieutenant General ernst Friederich von Rheder and wido of Friederich Ernst Christoph von Düring. She resigned and never lived in the chapter. In the 1810s the Chapter developped from an exclusive institution for the daughters of the highest nobility to a "life insurance" for unmarried daughters of the Danish nobility. She lived (1752-1819)

1811-39 Dechaness Lucie Charlotte Sehested Juul
Daughter of Count Christen Scheel and widow of Christinan Sehestedt Juul til Raunhold. She died as Chief Lady of the Court of Dowager Queen Marie Sophie Frederikke, and lived (1765-1839)

1840-65 Dechaness Margrethe Vilhelmine von Schmettau
Daughter of Privy Councillor Christian Ludvig Stemann and widow of Count Gottfried Vilhelm Christian von Schmettau and lived (1780-1865)

1865-93 Dechaness Sophie Amalie Bardenfledt
It was not until the 1860’s, that Vallø started to sell it's farmhouses making many farmers and "husmænd" came to own their own farms. The castle burned almost to the ground an the 86 year old leader of the convent fled her chambers in her nightgown. She was widow of Carl Emil Bardenfleth (Geheimekonferentsråd and Kammerherre) and daughter of Count Gottfried von Schmettau. She lived (1810-93)

1893-1904 Acting Dechaness Marie Winfrida Bangemann Huygens
Daughter of the Dutch Ambassador, C.D.E.J. Bangemann Huygens. (d. 1904)

1904-08 Acting Dechaness Komtesse Juliane Pauline Sofie Knuth
She resigned from the post.

1908-21 Acting Dechaness Karen Elisabeth Marie Christine Wichfeldt
She resigned from the post.

1921-32 Dechaness Anna Sophie Margrethe Emanuella Sponneck
In 1919 the special privilleges for "fidelkomier" was abolished but Vallø and the Chapter for Noble Ladies of Vemmetofte were allowed to continue as special foundations. She was widow of Geheimekonferentsråd, Kammeherre, Envoy, Count of the Realm Frederik Vilhelm Sponneck and daughter of Kammerherre, CountKnud Brockenhuss-Schack. She lived (1859-1932).

1932-43 Dechaness Margrethe Caroline Augusta Julie Danneskiold-Samsøe
She was wido of Count Christian Valdemar Danneskjold-Samsøe and daughter of Baron Carl Juel-Brockendorff to the Barony of Schellenborg and Stamhuset Thorseng, Hindemae and Hollufgaard, and lived (1867-1943).

1943-46 Acting Dechaness L.H. de Seréne d'Acqueria
She lived (1867-1949)

1946-48 Dechaness E.T. Moltke, née Countess Danneskiold-Samsøe
She lived (1869-1948)

1948-65 Dechaness Benedicte Moltke
In 1958 the chapter bought a car a replacement for the coach that had been used until then. She was widow of Count F.C. Moltke and daughter of Count K.A.V.Knuth and ived (1893-1986)

1965-68 Dechaness Edele Sophie Charlotte Elisabeth Ahlefeldt-Laurvig
Widow of Count J. Ahlefeldt-Laurvig and daughter of Kammerherrre H.C.F.V. Cederfeld de Simonsen and lived (1893-1984)

1968-? Acting Dechaness Ella Adelaide Wichfeld
From 1976 the Chapter was open for widows or divorcees and later also for non-nobles. Normally known as Addi, she was daughter of Kammerherre N.H. F. Wichfeldt and unmarried. She lived (1898-2001).

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Before 2004- Dechaness Beke Reventlow
Widow of Christian Benedict Frederik Reventlow, Fifecount of Reventlow of the Counties of Sandberg and Christianssæde (1915-84), and daughter of Baron Julius Ahlefeldt-Lauwervig-Lehn and Edele Cederfeld de Simonsen, she is mother of two daughters and a son. (b. 1921-).

 

Other chapters for noble ladies. They were less important than Vallø but signficant landowners.

Vemmetofte kloster (Chapter for Noble Ladies 1735-1976)
Founded by Princess Sophie Hedvig af Danmark (Title in Danish was priorinde på Vemmetofte)

.....1768.... Prioress von der Osten

........ Ida Sophie Leth
(b. 1754-)

Untill 1877 Anna Teilman
She lived (1809-77),

Until 1886 Prioress Caroline Moltke née von der Maase
She lived (1827-86).

Until 1911 Vilhelmine Marie von Bardenfleth
She lived (1833 -1911)

........Prioress Gerda Helene Tuxen
Former Headmistriss of Comtesse Moltke's Shool for Girls. She lived (1879-1963).

1951-67 Karen Bardenfleth
Former Missionary, she lived (1892-1972)

............

Støvringgaard Kloster
Baronesse Christine Fuirens willed the estate of Støvringgaard to be made into a chapter of noble lady in 1735 , inhabited by noble unmarried ladies 1760-1981.

Prioress

............

Roskilde Kloster
Margrethe Ulfeldt and Berte Skeel founded the first chapter for noble ladies in 1669. It merged with the Det Adelige Jomfrukloster i Odense in 1974 and is still a selv-owning foundation, though not inhabited by noble ladies any more.

1692-1733 Prioress Mette Reedtz

1699-1720 Patronesse Berte Ottesdatter Skeel til Holbæksgaard, Skovgaard og Selsø
Also known as Birthe, she was joint leader of the Chapter for noble ladies with Margrethe Ulfeldt. She was the wife of Nils Rosenkrant til Stougaard and as her own children had died, she created the estate of Holbækgård as a fidecommis for her nice, Charlotte Amalie Mogensdatter Skeel in 1700 and aquired local jurisdiction for the estate (birkeret) the following year. Charlotte Amalie was married to Christian Ludvig von Plessen and had inherited the fidecommis of Fussingø after the death of her father, Mogens Skeel, in 1894. Berthe was daughter of Otto Skeel, and lived (1614-1720).

1699-1703 Patronesse Margrethe Knudsdatter Ulfeldt til Totterup
Married to General Admiral-Lieutenant and Privy Councillor Niels Juel til Valdemar Slot, Eriksholm og Totterupholm (1629-97) and lived (1641-1703).

1703-35 Patronesse Vibeke Nielsdatter Juel
Also known as Wibiche , she became Joint Leader of the Capter together with her brother and sister after the death of her mother, Margrethe Ulfeldt. After their death she continued to run the chapter. She was first married Christian Bielke and then to Gregers Juel, with whom she had 6 children. She lived (1672-1735).

1703-22 Patroness Sophie Nielsdatter Juel
Took over the patronage of her mother, Margrethe Ulfeldt together with her sister, after the death of her brother. She marrried Niels Kragh, was mother of 3 children, and lived (1664-1722).

1720-37 Patroness Birgitte Ottosdatter Skeel
Took over the patronage of her sister, Berthe Skeel, with her husband, Otto Eriksen Krabbe, she had one daughter, Charlotte Amalie Krabbe (1689 - 1709), and 1732 she got the permision to leave the post of Patroness of the Skeel-family to her niece, Charlotte Amalie Skeel and her husband, Iver Rosenkrantz, . She lived (1669-1737)

1737-63 Patroness Charlotte Amalie Christendatter Skeel
Took over the patronage after the death of her aunt, Birgitte Skeel and inherited the fidecommis of Holbækgård from her and had already . She married  She was daughter of Christen Skeel and his second wife, Charlotte Amalie Plessen,  and married to Chancellor Iver Rosenkrands til Rosenholm og Rygaard (1674-1745), and inherited the estates of Eegholm and Krabbesholm from Birgitte. She lived (1700-63).


Odense Kloster (Adelige Jomfrukloster)
The chapter was founded by Karen Brahe, one of the country's richest ladies and most learned persons of her time.

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Until 1913 Prioress Vilhelmine Charlotte Henriette Louise Baronesse Schaffalitzky de Muckadell
She lived (1840-1913).

Maribo Kloster
The chapter was reestablished as a Lutheran Chapter for Noble ladies in 1556, and became an exteremely rich landowner and the Abbess functioned more or less as a local County Sheriff (Lensmand). The Abbess was granted the jurisdiction of those who lived at the estates of the Chapter and 1539 over the City of Maribo and surroundings. This ment that she had the right to appoint the judge (birkedommer) and recieved the income from the costs of the proceedings and fines. She managed the City of Maribo jointly with the Conferror (Konfessoren) The Chapter (protestantiske jomfrustiftelse) was abolished in 1621.

14...Margrethe Eriksdatter Krummedige
She was (b. 1400-?)

Around 1535 Anne Joachimsdatter Hardenberg

1556 Ellen Andersdatter Gøye til Kilegård
Abbedisse i Maribo kloster

Until 1562 Mette Marsvinsdatter
The chapter-ladies did not live a very diciplined life and as the Abbess, she was rebuked by king Frederik 2. for not keeping the house in order.

1562-85 Margrethe Urne
She entered the chapter in 1542 and "reigned as Abbess ably and well like no other abbess before or after her".

ca. 1585-96 Sophia Gyldenstjerne
She refused to follow the directives of both Frederik 2 and his son Christian 4 and was therefore deposed.

1596-1602 Margrethe Pedersdatter Norby
She was married to Jørgen Bryske, but they divorced and in 1564 she entered the convent.




 

Last update 04.04.08