Reinhard Iselin

Reinhard Iselin (4 August 1714 – 10 April 1781) was a Swiss-born Danish merchant, shipowner and industrialist. He was ennobled with rank of baron in 1776.

Early life and education

Born in Basel, Iselin was the son of brazier Johan Ludvig Iselin (1676–1745) and his second wife Margaretha Schrotberger (died 1755). Iselin completed an apprenticeship before travelling first to Cologne and then Copenhagen in 1740,

Career

In Copenhagen, Iselin initially worked for the Fabritius og Wever trading house. Nine years later he established his own trading house under the anme Reinhard Iselin & Co. which soon grew to be one of most important in Copenhagen. Iselin was involved in many of the chartered companies of the time and served as director of the Danish Asiatic Company from 1759 to 1769. He was also active in the Danish Africa Company which was founded at the initiative of Count Johann Hartwig Ernst von Bernstorff. He belonged to the circle of merchants that Bernstorff relied on for state loans.^[1]

Iselin' was also involved in several industrial enterprises. In 1754, he was one of the founders of a textile mill and later that same year he obtained a royal license to establish a Calico textile manufactury at the Christiansholm estate. In 1772, he took over Outerloo's tannery in Adelgade and he also operated a large sugar refinery. Iselin also owned approximately two fifth of inFroland's iron works at Arendal.

Holdings

Iselin owned Rosendal and Rosenbænget at Copenahgen and a country house (now Gramlille) in Kongens Lyngby. He also acquired two estates at Vordingborg from the state.

Family

Iselin married his former employer Michael Fabritius' daughter Anna Elisabeth in the German Reformed Church in Copenhagen on 2 February 1752. They had four children. Their two sons died in an early age. Their daughter Mini married count Chr. Fr. E. Rantzau. Their daughter Lisa married chamberlain and county governor Antoine de Bosc de la Calmette.

In accordance with his wishes, his widow established two stamhuse for their daughters in 1781, Iselingen and Rosenfeld (named after the family's home town, Rosenfeld in Württemberg). Anna Elisabeth Iselin (née Fabritius) married Johan Frederik Classen in 1783.

Honours

Iselin was given title of Etatsråd in 1766 and Konferensråd in 1769. In 1776, Iselin was ennobled with title of baron (friherre).

References