Vibeke Jensdatter facts for kids

Vibeke Jensdatter (born October 17, 1638 – died October 17, 1709) was a very successful Danish businesswoman. She was a merchant and owned a lot of land. She became one of the most successful business people in her country.

Early Life and Family

Vibeke Jensdatter was the daughter of Jens Nielsen. He was a city manager and passed away in 1659. Her mother was Maren Jensdatter. In 1656, Vibeke married Laurids Christensen Friis. He was also a city manager and a merchant from the city of Ribe. Laurids Friis was born in 1619 and died in 1659.

Becoming a Business Leader

Vibeke became a widow in 1659. After her husband's death, she took over his business. She became one of only four women in Ribe to run an export business. This means she sold goods from Denmark to other countries. She was very good at business. By 1664, she had made a lot of money. She was the fourth biggest house owner in Ribe. After building her fortune, she decided to retire from the export business.

Land Ownership and Later Years

In 1678, Vibeke Jensdatter started a new business. She became a landowner. This meant she bought and managed large areas of land. In 1686, she bought a large estate called Vardho. The previous owner was Vibeke Pallesdatter Rosenkrantz. She was the widow of a nobleman named Erik Krag. She was also the mother of Baron Frederik Krag.