Peder Oxe

At the age of twelve he was sent abroad to complete his education, and resided at the principal universities of Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy, and Switzerland for seventeen years.

On his return he found both his parents dead, and was appointed the guardian of his eleven young brothers and sisters, in which capacity, profiting by the spoliation of the church, he accumulated immense riches.

His extraordinary financial abilities and pronounced political capacity soon found ample scope in public life.

The finances were speedily put on an excellent footing, means were provided for carrying on the war to a successful issue (one of the chief expedients being the raising of the Sound Dues) and on the conclusion of peace, Oxe, as lord treasurer, not only reduced the national debt considerably, but redeemed a large portion of the alienated crown-lands.

Oxe died on 24 October 1575, after contributing more than any other statesman of his day to raise Denmark-Norway, for a brief period, to the rank of a great power in Europe.