Kongsdal

History

The estate's origins lie in the late 12th century, when Sorø Abbey established a home farm called Undløse on land given by Bishop Absalon in 1180. The farm was later expanded with tenant farms until it covered most of the parish and surrounding villages. In 1205, Sorø Abbey exchanged Undløse with the Hvide family for Pedersborg on Lolland, and the estate remained with members of the Hvide family for generations. The most prominent owner was Marsk Stig Andersen, who renamed it Tygestrup in 1280.

After his conviction for the murder of Erik Klipping in 1286, his holdings were confiscated, but a 1309 settlement returned Tygestrup to his son Anders Stigsøn. This son, Stig Andersen, later took part in an unsuccessful rebellion against Valdemar IV and was forced to give Tygestrup to Antvorskov Abbey in 1361. Following the Reformation in 1536, the Crown confiscated Tygestrup and managed it as a royal fief.

In 1587, Frederick II ceded Tygestrup to Peder Reedtz in exchange for land elsewhere. Reedtz, who had come to Denmark during the Northern Seven Years' War and gained the king's favor, expanded the estate through barters with the king. Upon his death in 1667, the estate passed to his son Frederik Reedtz, who also enlarged it through his two marriages and served as a member of the Privy Council and lensmand of Vordingborg Castle. Frederik's son, Peder Reedtz, inherited in 1659 and spent most of his time at the royal court, becoming Chancellor to Frederick III in 1667, by which time Tygestrup was a very large estate.

Did You Know?

• The estate's soil type is Cambisols (CM), which are moderate soils that at shallow depths show color or structure changes different from the parent soils.
• The forest on the estate is classified as cold-deciduous forest within the Cool Temperate Moist Forest of the Holdridge Bioclimatic Zone.