Ditlev Gothard Monrad

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Ditlev Gothard Monrad

Council President of Denmark
In office December 31, 1863 – July 11, 1864
Preceded by	Carl Christian Hall
Succeeded by	Christian Albrecht Bluhme

Born	November 24, 1811
Died	March 28, 1887

Ditlev Gothard Monrad (November 24, 1811 – March 28, 1887) was a Danish politician and bishop of Lolland-Falster. He is one of the pioneers of the making of a constitutional Denmark after 1848. As Council President 1863-1864 he was the Danish state leader during the disastrous Second War of Schleswig against the German Confederation - led by Otto von Bismarck and the ensuing peace negotiations which resulted in the Peace of Vienna.
After this war a depressed and disillusioned Monrad emigrated to New Zealand. After sending his sons to Nelson and other districts of New Zealand to scout for land, he chose to settle in Palmerston North in the North Island of New Zealand. He bought 482 acres of land at Karere Block. He lived first in a small hut, later he erected a timber house and started clearing bushland. He and his family farmed cows and sheep. Monrad helped the New Zealand Company to find suitable settlers from Scandinavia and he helped many Danish immigrants to find land to settle on. Most notably in the area of Dannevirke.
His work was disturbed by Māori rioters, Hauhaus under chief Titokowaru. Monrad buried his belongings and went with the family to Wellington and then went back to Denmark in 1869. His sons Viggo and Johannes later returned to Karere to become farmers.

Before leaving New Zealand he presented a precious collection of sketches and etchings by old European masters, e.g. Rembrandt, Rubens, Dürer og van Dyck to the New Zealand Government. They are now part of the collection at the national museum of New Zealand - Te Papa and are occasionally on display there.

Monrad Intermediate is a Palmerston North intermediate school named after Ditlev Gothard Monrad.

Political offices
Preceded by New office	Kultus Minister of Denmark 22 March 1848 – 15 November 1848	Succeeded by Johan Nicolai Madvig
Preceded by Carl Christian Hall	Kultus Minister of Denmark 6 May 1859 – 2 December 1859	Succeeded by Vilhem August Borgen
Preceded by Vilhem August Borgen	Kultus Minister of Denmark 24 February 1860 - 31 December 1863	Succeeded by Christian Thorning Engelstoft
Preceded by Johan Christian von Jessen	Interior Minister of Denmark 24 February 1860 – 15 September 1861	Succeeded by Peter Martin Orla Lehmann
Preceded by Carl Christian Hall	Council President of Denmark 31 December 1863 – 11 July 1864	Succeeded by Christian Albrecht Bluhme
Preceded by Carl Emil Fenger	Finance Minister of Denmark 31 December 1863 – 11 July 1864	Succeeded by Christian Nathan David