17th-century

Henrik Müller by Albert Haelwegh

In the late 16th century, the name Aagaardene (plural) referred to two farms located adjacent to the stream Halleby Å. They were later merged into one estate under the name Aagaard. Henrik Müller expanded the estate with a farm that had previously belonged to Ågerup. He was one of the largest landowners in the country of his time. In 1660, Aagaard was incorporated a manor in return for Müller's loans to the state during the Second Northern War.^[1]

The estate Lejregaard was also established by Müller. The two estates were after his death both passed to his daughter, Drude Müller. She married Thomas von Fincke, who was out of a wealthy noble family from Sønderjylland. He served as prefect of Bornholm and died in a riding accident at Hammershus in 1677. Aagaard was therefore passed on to their son Henrik von Fincke.^[2] His widow, Karen Gyldensparre, ceded it to their son-in-law Rasmus Melvin, the owner of Nørager.^[2]

18th-century

William Lorentz Williamsen Hammond

Charlotte Hammond, néeHagerup

In 1721, Melvin sold Aagaard to Lars Benzon. In 1725 Benzon sold the estate to his brother, Jacob Benzon, who would later become Governor-General of Norway. A third brother, Peder Benzon, became the owner of the estate in 1731.^[2]

After Peder Bensezon's death, Aagaard was sold at auction to Major-General Peter Scavenius for 18,000 Danish rigsdaler. His widow, Helle Benzon, a more distant relative of the previous owners, kept the estate after his death two years later.

In 1753, Aagaard was acquired by the Norwegian merchant William Hammond for 30,000 rigsdaler.^[2] Hammond was born in Trondheim as the son of English-born merchant Walliam Hammond Sr.. He was married to Lovise Charlotte Hagerup, daughter of Bishop of Trondheim Eiler Hansen Hagerup.

Pierre Paul Ferdinand Mourier.

Frederikke Christiane Mourier, née Herbst

In 1762, Aagaard was acquired by kommerceråd Hans Lindholm for 52,000 rigsdaler. Lindholm was already the owner of the estate Jerstrup,

In 1781, Lindholm sold the estate for 59,750 rigsdaler to Christian Linddam.^[2]

Pierre Paul Ferdinand Mourier purchased Aagaard for 70,000 rigsdaler in 1787. He had a background as a naval officer but had more recently worked for the Danish Asiatic Company in Canton. After his return to Denmark in 1785, he had been appointed as member of fabriksdirektionen, a subcommittee of the Commercial College (Kommerskollegiet), tasked with improving the productivity of the royal manufacturies. He now retired to his estate where he improved the management of the estate considerably and expanded it with the farm Søgaard.

On 18 December 1796, Mourier sold Aagaard for 112,500 Danish rigsdaler and moved back to Copenhagen. He then acquired Bjerregaarden in Valby and nearby farms. The new owner of Aagaard was Chancellery secretary Iver Qvistgaard.^[3]

The Moltke family

Carl Emil Moltke

On 20 December 1803, Qvistgaard sold Aagaard for 165,000 rigsdaler to Bjelke and Joachim Moltke for 165,000 rigsdaler. Carl Emil Moltke, Joachim Moltke, acquired it the following year. He had embarked on a career in the diplomacy and therefore spent most of his time abroad, serving as Danish envoy in Stockholm, the Hague and London, but settled on the estate after his retirement from diplomacy in 1822. He bought Nørager in 1837 and spent most of his time on his second estate during the last part of his year. He was a member of Roskilde Provincial Assembly (Roskilde Stænderforsamling) in 1835-46.^[4]

Carl Emil Moltke's son, Ernst Moltke, an only child, inherited Aagaard, Nørager and Conradinelyst after his father in 1858. He, too, preferred Nørager to Aagaard.^[2]

The Hellemann family

Adam Georg Ernst Henrik Moltke transferred Aagaard's tenant farms to Nørager in 1865. Aagaard, Søgaard, a number of houses and the churches in Gørlev and Helsinge were sold to J. Hellemann. The estate is still owned by his descendants.^[2]