Jacob Severin

Jacob Sørensen Severin (27 October 1691 – 21 March 1753) was a Danish merchant who held a trade monopoly on Greenland from 1733 to 1749.

Biography

He was born in Sæby, Denmark, to Søren Nielsen (c. 1655–1730) and his wife Birgitte Ottesdatter. His father was later magistrate (byfoged) of the community.

After attending school to the age of 15, he married at age 22 a woman over forty years his senior, Maren Nielsdatter,

The failure of the Bergen Greenland Company (Det Bergen Grønlandske Compagnie) operated by Hans Egede and of the royal colony in Greenland established by Claus Paarss allowed Severin to convince the new King Christian VI and his council to grant his company a full monopoly over trade with the Greenland settlements, a right King Frederick IV had previously withheld for fear of antagonizing merchants of the Dutch Republic.^[2][3]

The Greenland monopoly ran from 1733 and was renewed in 1740. Severin received the right to fly the

Severin married the second time in 1735 to Birgitte Sophie Nygaard of Resen (1704–1739). The same year he purchased Dronninglund Castle from diplomat Carl Adolph von Pless (1747–1810). The estate included a forest subsequently used to equip his ships. A third marriage in 1742 to his niece Mary Dalager required a royal license.

In 1749, Severin returned the monopoly, which the king then bestowed on the General Trade Company. Severin then focused his business on trade with Norway. Owing to his friendship with the missionary Paul Egede; however, Severin remained connected to the Greenland mission work throughout his life.

Jacob Severin was one of the most respected, influential and wealthy merchants of Copenhagen. He died on 21 March 1753 at Dronninglund Castle, his estate valued at 9,000 rixdollars, and was buried at Dronninglund Church (Dronninglund Kirke).^[5]

External links

• "Jacob Severin in Pictures" (in Danish)
• "Jacob Severin" Danish Biographical Dictionary. (in Danish)

References