Carl Adolph Rothe
Encyclopedia
Carl Adolph Rote was a naval officer in the Danish navy and governor
of the Danish West Indies
from 1820 to 1822.
, coming to Denmark in the end of the 17th century. On January 12, 1811 he married Benedicte Ulfsparre de Tuxen (1790-1877) in Helsingør, the daughter of Louis de Tuxen and Charlotte Elisabeth Klingfeldt. The couple had no less than eight children: Louis, Anna Rosine, Andrea Bjørn, Karen, Charlotte Elisabeth, Martha Gustava, Margrethe Christine and Louise.
Rothe joined the Danish navy as a naval volunteer (cadet
) in 1778 and on April 2, 1783 he was commissioned as an officer in the rank of a Second Lieutenant
. In his naval career Rothe, fought in the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 against the British fleet, commanding the ship (pram) Nyborg. He was promoted to the rank of Captain
in 1806, and served as the second in command of the ship Prinds Christian Frederik under command of captain Carl W. Jessen from December 24, 1807. He participated in the battle of Battle of Zealand Point
on March 22, 1808, which he survived as the second in command of Prinds Christian Frederik. After that battle, in which he was wounded, he spent two months as an English prisoner of war
in Göteborg, Sweden.
He was promoted to the rank of Counter Admiral
as of April 16, 1833. From November 11, 1808 until July 25, 1814 Carl was governor of Bornholm
and Christiansø, and was the governor of the Virgin Islands
in the Danish West Indies
from 1820 to 1822. He died, 66 years old, in Copenhagen
on July 12, 1834. He is buried on Holmen
s cemetery.
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the Danish West Indies
Danish West Indies
The Danish West Indies or "Danish Antilles", were a colony of Denmark-Norway and later Denmark in the Caribbean. They were sold to the United States in 1916 in the Treaty of the Danish West Indies and became the United States Virgin Islands in 1917...
from 1820 to 1822.
Biography
He was born on December 8, 1767 in Tybjerggård on Zealand, Denmark, to parents Tyge Jesper Rothe and Karen Bjørn. The Rothe family originates from GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, coming to Denmark in the end of the 17th century. On January 12, 1811 he married Benedicte Ulfsparre de Tuxen (1790-1877) in Helsingør, the daughter of Louis de Tuxen and Charlotte Elisabeth Klingfeldt. The couple had no less than eight children: Louis, Anna Rosine, Andrea Bjørn, Karen, Charlotte Elisabeth, Martha Gustava, Margrethe Christine and Louise.
Rothe joined the Danish navy as a naval volunteer (cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
) in 1778 and on April 2, 1783 he was commissioned as an officer in the rank of a Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
. In his naval career Rothe, fought in the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 against the British fleet, commanding the ship (pram) Nyborg. He was promoted to the rank of Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
in 1806, and served as the second in command of the ship Prinds Christian Frederik under command of captain Carl W. Jessen from December 24, 1807. He participated in the battle of Battle of Zealand Point
Battle of Zealand Point
The Battle of Zealand Point was a naval battle of the English Wars and the Gunboat War. It was fought off Zealand Point by ships of the Danish and British navies on 22 March 1808 and was a British victory.-Prelude:...
on March 22, 1808, which he survived as the second in command of Prinds Christian Frederik. After that battle, in which he was wounded, he spent two months as an English prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
in Göteborg, Sweden.
He was promoted to the rank of Counter Admiral
Counter Admiral
Counter admiral is a rank found in many navies of the world, but no longer used in English-speaking countries, where the equivalent rank is rear admiral...
as of April 16, 1833. From November 11, 1808 until July 25, 1814 Carl was governor of Bornholm
Bornholm
Bornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea located to the east of the rest of Denmark, the south of Sweden, and the north of Poland. The main industries on the island include fishing, arts and crafts like glass making and pottery using locally worked clay, and dairy farming. Tourism is...
and Christiansø, and was the governor of the Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands are the western island group of the Leeward Islands, which are the northern part of the Lesser Antilles, which form the border between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean...
in the Danish West Indies
Danish West Indies
The Danish West Indies or "Danish Antilles", were a colony of Denmark-Norway and later Denmark in the Caribbean. They were sold to the United States in 1916 in the Treaty of the Danish West Indies and became the United States Virgin Islands in 1917...
from 1820 to 1822. He died, 66 years old, in 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...
on July 12, 1834. He is buried on Holmen
Holmen
Holmen is a Swedish company which bases its business in the pulp and paper industry. Holmen's main products are newsprint and magazine paper for newspapers, magazines, directories and advertising prints...
s cemetery.
Further reading
- Johnny Balsved's website about Danish Naval History (website's last update August 11th 2008 as viewed on August 14th 2008)
- Oil painting of Carl Adolph Rothe is available on the Reventlow family website. Christian Ditlev Reventlow, Slægten Reventlow (last modified July 20th 2008 as viewed on August 14th 2008)