Ivar Huitfeldt
Encyclopedia
Ivar Huitfeldt was a Dano-Norwegian naval officer who was killed in action, when he commanded the ship Dannebroge during Great Northern War
1700–1721.
.
He lost his mother at the age of six and his father died six years later. Both his parents died in his childhood years and he was therefore later raised by his stepmother with whom he moved to the Norwegian area of Hurum.
At the age of 16 he sent an application to Christian V of Denmark-Norway in which Ivar Huitfeldt applied to join the navy. It was granted and he started the trainee programme of the Dano-Norwegian navy. As a part of the trainee period he first served in the Dutch fleet before later joining the French fleet.
He returned to do service in the Dano-Norwegian fleet in 1689 as a 24-year old lieutenant, but in the following year he returned to do service in the Dutch navy to get more experience. He participated in the Battle of Beachy Head
, where the Dutch-English navy was defeated by the French fleet under the command of admiral Tourville
. An admiral he served under just two years later at the Battle of La Hogue, where the French navy was defeated by a Dutch-English fleet.
In 1691 he got the title as captain in the Dano-Norwegian fleet and in 1704 he was appointed commander. This year the king also ordered Ivar Huitfeldt to take charge of the ship yard in Kristiansand
. A position he held until 1707.
at a battle in Køge Bugt in 1710. The Dano-Norwegian fleet was engaged by the Swedish fleet, and Huitfeldt's ship Dannebroge exploded after a fire on deck reached the gunpowder depot. Almost all of the 600 onboard were killed. The corpse of Ivar Huitfeldt was later found on the beach in Køge Bugt.
According to the commander in chief of the Dano-Norwegian navy, Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve
, the fire on Dannebroge was probably ignited by the cannons of the ship. Gyldenløve mentions this in his letter to the king, where Gyldenløve also regrets that a "brave and talented" officer should die in such a miserable way. Gyldenløve followed the battle from his ship Elephanten and wrote the letter at about 9 o'clock in the morning of October 5.
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
1700–1721.
Biography
Ivar Huitfeldt was born in the Norwegian town of HaldenHalden
is a both a town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The seat of the municipality, Halden is a border town located at the Tista river delta on the Iddefjord, the southernmost border crossing between Norway and Sweden.-History:...
.
He lost his mother at the age of six and his father died six years later. Both his parents died in his childhood years and he was therefore later raised by his stepmother with whom he moved to the Norwegian area of Hurum.
At the age of 16 he sent an application to Christian V of Denmark-Norway in which Ivar Huitfeldt applied to join the navy. It was granted and he started the trainee programme of the Dano-Norwegian navy. As a part of the trainee period he first served in the Dutch fleet before later joining the French fleet.
He returned to do service in the Dano-Norwegian fleet in 1689 as a 24-year old lieutenant, but in the following year he returned to do service in the Dutch navy to get more experience. He participated in the Battle of Beachy Head
Battle of Beachy Head (1690)
The Battle of Beachy Head was a naval engagement fought on 10 July 1690 during the Nine Years' War. The battle was the greatest French tactical naval victory over their English and Dutch opponents during the war...
, where the Dutch-English navy was defeated by the French fleet under the command of admiral Tourville
Anne Hilarion de Tourville
Anne Hilarion de Costentin, comte de Tourville was a French naval commander who served under King Louis XIV. He was made Marshal of France in 1693.-Military career:...
. An admiral he served under just two years later at the Battle of La Hogue, where the French navy was defeated by a Dutch-English fleet.
In 1691 he got the title as captain in the Dano-Norwegian fleet and in 1704 he was appointed commander. This year the king also ordered Ivar Huitfeldt to take charge of the ship yard in Kristiansand
Kristiansand
-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
. A position he held until 1707.
Death
Ivar Huitfeldt was killed in action during The Great Northern WarGreat Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
at a battle in Køge Bugt in 1710. The Dano-Norwegian fleet was engaged by the Swedish fleet, and Huitfeldt's ship Dannebroge exploded after a fire on deck reached the gunpowder depot. Almost all of the 600 onboard were killed. The corpse of Ivar Huitfeldt was later found on the beach in Køge Bugt.
According to the commander in chief of the Dano-Norwegian navy, Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve
Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve, Count of Samsø
Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve was a Danish navy Admiral and Governor of Iceland. He was an acknowledged illegitimate son of Christian V of Denmark and Sophie Amalie Moth.-Life:...
, the fire on Dannebroge was probably ignited by the cannons of the ship. Gyldenløve mentions this in his letter to the king, where Gyldenløve also regrets that a "brave and talented" officer should die in such a miserable way. Gyldenløve followed the battle from his ship Elephanten and wrote the letter at about 9 o'clock in the morning of October 5.