Enevold De Falsen
Encyclopedia
Enevold de Falsen was a Danish-Norwegian lawyer
, poet
, actor
and statesman
.
most of the 2500 descendants of Enevold de Falsen have been traced and computed in database by a living member of the family. To understand why the family played a significant role over more than a century, it is useful to also follow the female lineages. Good documentation on Enevold de Falsen may be found in Store Norske Leksikon
. or in Bricka's Dansk Biografisk Lexikon
.
Enevold's great-grandfather, Falle Pedersen (1625–1702) was born at Vejböl, Haderslev
, Jylland, Denmark
. He acquired the property Östrup gaard, Sjælland not too far from Copenhagen
.
A son of Falle Pedersen, Enevold de Falsen (1695–1761) became mayor of Copenhagen and Enevold and one of his brothers, Johan Eschild, were ennobled in 1758. In the following generation, Christian Magnus Falsen
(1719–1799), also a lawyer, as his father, was appointed in 1765 as a high official in Norway
and he died in Oslo
, Norway in 1799.
in 1777 at the age of 22.
In 1781 Enevold de Falsen married Anna Henrikka Petronelle Mathiesen (1762–1825), who was active at the theatre in Kristiania (modern Oslo
). They became parents of seven children, the famous statesman Christian Magnus Falsen
(1782–1830), the navy officer (later admiral) Jørgen Conrad de Falsen
, the county governor Carl Valentin de Falsen (1787–1852), Hagbarth de Falsen (1791–1836) and 3 daughters. As a consequence of a scandal
, Enevold de Falsen was 'offered' a high official post in Northern Norway, but he could not stand the isolation, and after less than 3 years in Lofoten
, he returned to Copenhagen in 1791, where he immediately found an employment as judge. In 1802 he returned to Kristiania and became in 1803 one of the highest officials.
In Norway he became a much loved cultural personality for his interest for theatre
. He wrote many plays, translated Molière
from French and was an appreciated actor himself. Falsen was against the death penalty except for majesty insult and perduelles. This opinion he advertised in the case against Marit Sivertsdatter from Strinda
.
In 1807 he became a member of the temporary body (Regjeringskommisjonen) that acted as a cabinet for Norway. With him were Charles August, Crown Prince of Sweden
(Prince Charles August) and Gebhart Moldtke. England
threatened Denmark–Norway and in August 1807 attacked Copenhagen and forced a capitulation upon Denmark in September. The commission, responsible for supplies from abroad, had a hard job to avoid starvation
in Norway.
because he was totally worn-out and depressive. Numerous citizens followed his coffin on 22 November to his grave at Gamle Aker Kirkegård. In recent years, both his son, Christian Magnus Falsen and Enevold de Falsen are officially remembered with speeches on 17 May, day of the signature of the Norwegian constitution.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and statesman
Statesman
A statesman is usually a politician or other notable public figure who has had a long and respected career in politics or government at the national and international level. As a term of respect, it is usually left to supporters or commentators to use the term...
.
Family
The family 'de Falsen' has been extensively documented. A family book was published in 1915 by Conrad Falsen, living descendants carrying the name Falsen are listed in Danmarks Adels Aarbog andmost of the 2500 descendants of Enevold de Falsen have been traced and computed in database by a living member of the family. To understand why the family played a significant role over more than a century, it is useful to also follow the female lineages. Good documentation on Enevold de Falsen may be found in Store Norske Leksikon
Store norske leksikon
Store norske leksikon, abbreviated SNL, is currently the second most comprehensive contemporary Norwegian language encyclopedia. The SNL was created in 1978 when the two publishing houses Aschehoug and Gyldendal merged their encyclopedias and created the company Kunnskapsforlaget. The name...
. or in Bricka's Dansk Biografisk Lexikon
Dansk biografisk leksikon
Dansk biografisk leksikon is a Danish biographical dictionary that has been published in three editions...
.
Enevold's great-grandfather, Falle Pedersen (1625–1702) was born at Vejböl, Haderslev
Haderslev
Haderslev is a town and municipality on the east coast of the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. Also included is the island of Årø as well as several other smaller islands in the Little Belt. The municipality covers and has a population of 56,414 . Its mayor is Jens Christian Gjesing,...
, Jylland, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. He acquired the property Östrup gaard, Sjælland not too far from Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
.
A son of Falle Pedersen, Enevold de Falsen (1695–1761) became mayor of Copenhagen and Enevold and one of his brothers, Johan Eschild, were ennobled in 1758. In the following generation, Christian Magnus Falsen
Christian Magnus Falsen
Christian Magnus Falsen was a Norwegian constitutional father, statesman, jurist, and historian. He was an important member of the constitutional assembly and was one of the writers of the constitutional laws....
(1719–1799), also a lawyer, as his father, was appointed in 1765 as a high official in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and he died in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway in 1799.
Life
Enevold de Falsen became bachelor at the age of 10 and a judge at the Norwegian court at ChristianiaChristiania
-Places:* Christiania or Kristiania, names of Oslo * Freetown Christiania , a self-proclaimed autonomous neighborhood of Copenhagen, Denmark* Christiania Township, Minnesota, a township in Jackson County...
in 1777 at the age of 22.
In 1781 Enevold de Falsen married Anna Henrikka Petronelle Mathiesen (1762–1825), who was active at the theatre in Kristiania (modern Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
). They became parents of seven children, the famous statesman Christian Magnus Falsen
Christian Magnus Falsen
Christian Magnus Falsen was a Norwegian constitutional father, statesman, jurist, and historian. He was an important member of the constitutional assembly and was one of the writers of the constitutional laws....
(1782–1830), the navy officer (later admiral) Jørgen Conrad de Falsen
Jørgen Conrad de Falsen
Jørgen Conrad de Falsen was a Danish naval officer who, despite being plagued by ill health, saw duty throughout the Gunboat War with Britain during the Napoleonic Wars, and who rose eventually to the rank of rear admiral...
, the county governor Carl Valentin de Falsen (1787–1852), Hagbarth de Falsen (1791–1836) and 3 daughters. As a consequence of a scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
, Enevold de Falsen was 'offered' a high official post in Northern Norway, but he could not stand the isolation, and after less than 3 years in Lofoten
Lofoten
Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...
, he returned to Copenhagen in 1791, where he immediately found an employment as judge. In 1802 he returned to Kristiania and became in 1803 one of the highest officials.
In Norway he became a much loved cultural personality for his interest for theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
. He wrote many plays, translated Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
from French and was an appreciated actor himself. Falsen was against the death penalty except for majesty insult and perduelles. This opinion he advertised in the case against Marit Sivertsdatter from Strinda
Strinda
Strinda is a former municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The area encompassed the eastern part of the present-day municipality of Trondheim south and east of the main city center all the way southeast to the lake Jonsvatnet.-History:...
.
In 1807 he became a member of the temporary body (Regjeringskommisjonen) that acted as a cabinet for Norway. With him were Charles August, Crown Prince of Sweden
Charles August, Crown Prince of Sweden
Charles August was a German prince. He is best known for serving as Crown Prince of Sweden briefly in 1810, adopted by Charles XIII, before his sudden death from stroke. Earlier, he had been a general in the Royal Danish Army as well as the Danish Governor-general of Norway...
(Prince Charles August) and Gebhart Moldtke. England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
threatened Denmark–Norway and in August 1807 attacked Copenhagen and forced a capitulation upon Denmark in September. The commission, responsible for supplies from abroad, had a hard job to avoid starvation
Starvation
Starvation is a severe deficiency in caloric energy, nutrient and vitamin intake. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually, death...
in Norway.
Death
On 16 November 1808, on his wife's birthday, he left the theater in the evening by a day of stormy weather, and was found dead in Björvika (Oslofjorden) the next day - presumably a suicideSuicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
because he was totally worn-out and depressive. Numerous citizens followed his coffin on 22 November to his grave at Gamle Aker Kirkegård. In recent years, both his son, Christian Magnus Falsen and Enevold de Falsen are officially remembered with speeches on 17 May, day of the signature of the Norwegian constitution.