Mikkel Mikkelsen
Encyclopedia
Mikkel Mikkelsen (DOB - DOD) was a Fiscal
and Governor-General
ad interim of St. Thomas
in the Danish West Indies
, from 27 February 1686 to 29 June 1686. Little is known about his life, aside from his short term as Governor during the turbulent early days of company rule.
When the rule of Gabriel Milan
, and his imprisonment of former Governor Adolph Esmit
had become a problem for the Danish West India Company
in 1686, it was decided that Mikkelsen was to be sent as a commissioner to settle the difficulties.
Mikkelsen left Copenhagen
on 15 October 1685, arriving fully armed on 24 February 1686 on board the same Fortuna that had brought Milan to St. Thomas. In the meantime, Milan, warned from Copenhagen by his son Ferdinand, had secured (or "cajoled" as Westergaard puts it ) the plantationers of St. Thomas into putting up resistance against Mikkelsen, the "rascal".
A three day parley followed, as Mikkelsen attempted to negotiate with an armed Milan. Finally, after making it clear to Milan that his actions could cause him to be held liable for rebellion, and that his mean were leaving him, Mikkelsen managed to talk him to returning to Copenhagen.
Esmit and his wife, along with others of Milan's prisoners were extracted from the prison and boarded the Fortuna along with Milan.
Mikkelsen's task was now to collect evidence of Milan's misconduct for the trial in Copenhagen, and acted as de facto Governor of the island from this day. According to exchanges with West India Company Director Albert Gyllensparre, the proceedings were quite heated, as both Esmit and Milan would accuse each other, shouting and screaming.
On 29 June 1686, they started making preparations to return to Copenhagen, and Christopher Heins
was inserted as Governor-General. The Fortuna left St. Thomas on 5 July 1686, and arrived in Copenhagen on 12 October 1686, where the trial started almost immediately.
Fiscal
Fiscal usually refers to government finance. In this context, it may refer to:* Fiscal deficit, the budget deficit of a government* Fiscal policy, use of government expenditure to influence economic development...
and Governor-General
Governor-General
A Governor-General, is a vice-regal person of a monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription. Depending on the political arrangement of the territory, a Governor General can be a governor of high rank, or a principal governor ranking above "ordinary" governors.- Current uses...
ad interim of St. Thomas
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...
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 27 February 1686 to 29 June 1686. Little is known about his life, aside from his short term as Governor during the turbulent early days of company rule.
When the rule of Gabriel Milan
Gabriel Milan
Gabriel Milan was Jewish governor of the Danish West Indies from 7 May 1684 to 27 February 1686. Though he mainly went by the name of 'Gabriel Milan', he identified himself as Don Franco de Tebary Cordova in his correspondence with King Frederick III of Denmark...
, and his imprisonment of former Governor Adolph Esmit
Adolph Esmit
Adolph Esmit was governor of St. Thomas in the Danish West Indies from 1683 to 1684, and again from 1687 to 1688. He was born in Holstein. His older brother Nicolai Esmit preceded him as governor of St. Thomas.-Biography:...
had become a problem for the Danish West India Company
Danish West India Company
The Danish West India Company or Danish West India-Guinea Company was a Danish chartered company that exploited colonies in the Danish West Indies. It was founded as the Danish Africa Company in 1659 in Glückstadt by a German Hendrik Carloff and two Dutchmen Isaac Coymans and Nicolaes Pancras....
in 1686, it was decided that Mikkelsen was to be sent as a commissioner to settle the difficulties.
Mikkelsen left 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 15 October 1685, arriving fully armed on 24 February 1686 on board the same Fortuna that had brought Milan to St. Thomas. In the meantime, Milan, warned from Copenhagen by his son Ferdinand, had secured (or "cajoled" as Westergaard puts it ) the plantationers of St. Thomas into putting up resistance against Mikkelsen, the "rascal".
A three day parley followed, as Mikkelsen attempted to negotiate with an armed Milan. Finally, after making it clear to Milan that his actions could cause him to be held liable for rebellion, and that his mean were leaving him, Mikkelsen managed to talk him to returning to Copenhagen.
Esmit and his wife, along with others of Milan's prisoners were extracted from the prison and boarded the Fortuna along with Milan.
Mikkelsen's task was now to collect evidence of Milan's misconduct for the trial in Copenhagen, and acted as de facto Governor of the island from this day. According to exchanges with West India Company Director Albert Gyllensparre, the proceedings were quite heated, as both Esmit and Milan would accuse each other, shouting and screaming.
On 29 June 1686, they started making preparations to return to Copenhagen, and Christopher Heins
Christopher Heins
Christopher Heins was a lieutenant and interim Governor-General of The Danish West Indies during two short periods, respectively 29 June 1686 to March 1687 and from October 1688 to 1689...
was inserted as Governor-General. The Fortuna left St. Thomas on 5 July 1686, and arrived in Copenhagen on 12 October 1686, where the trial started almost immediately.