Lauritz Galtung ( - 1661) was a Norwegian nobleman and Admiral of the Dano-Norwegian joint fleet. He was ennobled in 1648 at which time his surname was changed from Galte to Galtung.[1] [2]
Lauritz Galtung was born at Torsnes in the parish of Jondal in Hordaland, Norway. His father, Lauritz Johannessen Galte, was one of the largest landowners in Hardanger. The tax-census of 1647 shows that he owned 32 farms or sections of farms in Hardanger, 13 in Sunnhordland, and 6 in Voss.He was the first in the family to have been called Galtung rather than the earlier Galte after the renewed the nobility of the family in 1648. [3] [4] [5]
Galtung was appointed as a captain in the Danish-Norwegian common fleet in 1641. In 1649, Galtung was granted oversight of the parish of Hörje at Hässleholm in Skåne. During the First Anglo-Dutch War (1652–1654), Denmark-Norway continued to conduct trade with the Dutch Republic.In May 1653, Galtung was appointed to lead a squadron of ships to guard the Norwegian coast from Bergen to Lindesnes and to protect merchant ships. During the Dano-Swedish War (1657–58), Lauritz Galtung, now as admiral, was given command of seven ships in the Baltic Sea.In 1658, Lauritz Galtung was appointed as Seignory over Lister Len (now Vest-Agder).[1]
He was first married to Danish noblewoman Clara Gere of Bjørnstrup; however she died in 1647, only a few months after the marriage. In 1650 he married again to Danish noblewoman, Barbara Grabow with whom he had six children; the first four born at Björnstorp Castle (Swedish: Björnstorp slott) in Scania and the latter two born at Huseby kongsgård in Farsund after moving to Norway in 1658 (as a result of the Danish loss of Scania by the terms of the Treaty of Roskilde). [6] [7]
Lauritz Galtung died during 1661 and was buried at Jondal Church (Jondal kyrkje).[8] [1]