Gyldenkrantz
Gyldenkrantz was a Danish and Norwegian noble family.
History
Before the ennoblement
Joachim Christian Gertsen Geelmuyden (born on 1 February 1730 in Nordhordaland, † in 1795) grew up in Bergen in conditioned circumstances belonging to a family of officials. His father was a priest and an official, and his grandfather was a merchant. The Geelmuyden family was originally from the Netherlands.
Joachim Geelmuyden attended the Cathedral School of Bergen in 1746, and he continued in 1749 with theology studies. By 1752 he had also completed law studies, but without graduating.
Subsequently Joachim Geelmuyden made a speed-career. In 1754 he became Vice-City Manager of Bergen. He continued in 1755 as Notarius publicus. In 1758 he was General Manager of Customs in Bergen and Stavanger. In 1760 he became Doctor juris by the University of Copenhagen. In 1765 he became General Commissary of War, and in 1766 he finally became City Manager of Bergen.
Joachim Geelmuyden married in 1753 Elisabeth Both (born on 22 June 1731, † on 6 May 1800), together with whom he had the son Hans Both Joachimsen Geelmuyden (born on 10 July 1759, † on 8 May 1813).
Joachim Geelmuyden was a wealthy man, owning properties in Bergen as well as Damsgård Main Farm.
After the ennoblement
On 29 January 1783 Joachim Geelmuyden and his family were ennobled under the name Gyldenkrantz.
Their son Hans Gyldenkrantz entered a relationship with Frederikke Louise von Linstow (born on 27 June 1759, † on 20 August 1788), who was the daughter of Hartvig Christoph von Linstow and Cathrine Eleonore Fredrichsdatter Lohmann in Bergen. The couple got the son Joachim Christian Gyldenkrantz the younger (1786–1845).
The family became patrilineally extinct after some generations.
Name
Gyldenkrantz means Golden Wreath. A such is seen in the first field of the family's coat of arms.
Coat of arms
Description: In the first of four fields, on a red shield a golden laurel wreath. In the second field, on a blue shield three (one over two) six-pointed golden stars. In the third field, on a green shield a brown hart rampant. In the forth field, on a golden shield seven (four over three) silver balls. On the helm a noble coronet, and up from the coronet a brown hart rampant. Supporters: a bear to the dexter and a wolf to the sinister.
Before the ennoblement, Joachim Gyldenkrantz used the Geelmuyden arms, which display on a green shield a brown hart rampant three (one over two) six-pointed golden stars.
See also
Literature
- A. Thiset og P.L. Wittrup: Nyt dansk Adelslexikon, Copenhagen 1904
- Sven Tito Achen: Danske adelsvåbener, Copenhagen 1973
- Dansk biografisk lexikon: Gyldenkrantz, Joachim Christian Geelmuyden
External information
- Skeel.info: Gyldenkrantz Coat of Arms