Early history

Tybjerggaard is one of the oldest manor houses in Denmark. Its history dates back to the 13th century when it was owned by Jens Sjællandsfar. In 1325 it was passed on to his daughter, Margrete, the widow of Henrik Eberstein. Their daughter, Cecilie Eberstein, married another member of the Eberstein family.

Basse and Godov

Tybjerggaard was later acquired by Peder Basse. His grandson Steen Basse died in 1448 as the last male member of the Basse family. His sister Sophie Basse, was married to Peder Godov. Steen Basse left Tybjerggaard to the brother-in-law on condition that they would name a son after him. Tybjerggaard remained in the Godov family un 1485.

Changing owners

Over the next centuries, its ownership was generally shared between multiple owners. This came to an end when Jacob Andersen Bjørn in the 1490s married Margrete Poulsdatter. Bjørn was also the owner of Voergaard and Støvringgaard but died shortly after the wedding.

After his death Margrethe managed the estates for many years, but she lived mostly at Støvringgård. Their son Anders died unmarried in 1536. The daughter Dorte Bjørn was married twice—first time to Christopher Hak of Egholm and second time to Oluf Glob of Vellumgård—but there were no children in either marriage After her death in circa 1562 the estate went to her cousin Anne Bjørnsdatter's children. The cousin was married to Niels Kaas. Tybjerggaard went to their son Bjørn Kaas while his brothers, Niels and Erik Kaas, inherited Støvringgård. Bjørn Kaas was also the owner of Staarupgård and lensmann of Vordingborg Castle. His son, Gabriel Kaas, ceded Tybjerggaard to Frederik Quitzow in exchange for other property in 1596. Quitzow had no children either and Tybjerggaard was therefore passed on to his wife's niece, Pernille Banner, who was married to Esge Krafse. Pernille Banner's eldest son, Erik Banner, had bought out his four brothers after their mother's death.^[1]

In 1672, Tybjerggaard was acquired by Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve. A few years later he sold it to Peter Brandt who in turn sold it to the Crown.

Christian V granted Tybjerggaard to Adam Levin Knuth. In 1689, he sold it back to the crown. It was then ceded to Margrete Wilders as payment of an old debt to her late husband, the merchant rederik Werdelmann (died 1687). Wilders were involved in a number of unsuccessful lawsuits to try to get arrears out her husband's old customers. She died on the estate in 1709. She left it to her niece, Margrete von Heinen, whose husband, Willum Braem. an infantry lieutenant, died in Austria in October that same year. She later married Georg Lepel. After her death in 1717, he converted the main building into a hospital for blind and invalids of the parish.^[2]

In 1824, Lepel sold Tybjerggaard to Frederik von Maase. His widow, Conradine Sophie Rostgaard, sold the estate to Peder West in 1735. .

Tyge Rothe

Thyge Rothe

In 1763, Tybjerggaard was acquired by Tyge Rothe. He had become wealthy through his recent marriage to Karen Bjørn, the only child of the late merchant and shipyard-owner Andreas Bjørn. He gave up his position in the Colonial Administration Authority (Generaltoldkammeret) to concentrate on managing the estate. Four of Rothe's six children were born at Tybjerggaard. Among these were the later Governor General of the Danish West Indies Carl Adolph Rothe and civil servant and Supreme Court justice Christian Hjørn Rothe.

Johann Friedrich Struensee appointed him as head of the new Finanskollegium's Department of Agriculture in 1771 but it was dissolved after Struense's fall from power and instead appointed as Country Governor in Segeberg. After nine months he was also dismissed from this post. He then settled on the Tubjerggaard estate and committed the rest of his life to his writings. He introduced many improvements in the management of the estate and started the implementation of the new agricultural reforms. His son, Andreas Bjørn Rothe, sold Tybjerggaard.

Neergaard and Steinmann families

August Schiøtt: Frederik, Steinmann

In 1804, Tybjerggaard was acquired by Jacob Neergaard. He was the sixth child of Johan Thomas de Neergaard, the owner of Ringsted Abbey, Merløsegaard and Kærup, who had been ennobled under the name de Neergaard in 1780. His wife, Sophie Magdalene Dinesen[1], was a daughter of Anders Ninesen at Gyldenholm Manor.

Tybjerggaard in 1870

Jacob de Neergaard died in 1833. In 1835, his widow brought Tybjerggaard into her second marriage with Peter Frederik Steinmann, who had previously been married to her late husband's younger sister Johanne (Hanne) de Neergaard (1792-1824).

Peter Frederik Steinmann's son by his first wife, who was also named Peter Frederik Steinmann, inherited Tybjerggaard in 1866. He was also a military officer and had served in the Second Schleswig War. In 1874–75, he briefly served as Minister of War in the Cabinet of Fonnesbech. He gad been married to Anne Elisabeth Johanne Schulin, Comtesse of Frederiksdal, but she had already died in 1947. Steinmann survived her by 47 years. Their son, again named Peter Frederik Steinmann, succeeded his father on the estate in 1894. His widow, Marie, a daughter of the naval officer, politician and editor Johan Cornelius Tuxen, lived on the estate until her death in 1952