Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann

Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann was a Danish merchant and famous slave trader who owned several large sugar plantations in the Danish West Indies.

Although he was of humble origins and began his life as a simple river boatman, Heinrich Carl died as the wealthiest man in Denmark. He was active in triangular trade exchanging alcohol and foodstuffs from his Danish estates and weapons produced at his factory at Hellebæk for African slaves that worked at his plantations. He was very successful in that enterprise and was regarded one of the wealthiest plantation owners in the Caribbean at the time. With the money from trade he acquired land and real estate in Denmark, as well as the political influence in the country and he served as a financial advisor to the Danish sovereign. His fortune was additionally augmented from supplying leather uniforms for the soldiers of the Prussian king Frederick the Great during the Seven Years’ War. At the time of his death, Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann was the wealthiest man in Denmark.