Peter Anker

Peter Anker (31 July 1744 – 17 April 1832) was a Norwegian diplomat, military officer and colonial general.[1]

For other people named Peter Anker, see Peter Anker (disambiguation).
Peter Anker in uniform from Tranquebar. Painting from 1912 by Harald Brun; a copy of an older original.

Biography

He was born in Fredrikshald, Norway as a son of Erik Ancher (1709–1785) and Anne Cathrine Tank (1723–1761). He was a brother of Carsten Tank Anker, and changed his surname from Ancher to Anker in 1778. He did not marry.[2]

He held the military rank of Major General, but was best known as a colonial governor for Denmark–Norway. He was the country's consul in Kingston upon Hull from 1773 to 1776. Anker was appointed Governor-general of the Danish colony at Tranquebar from 1786 to 1808. While there he collected local art and made a series of drawing and painting which are now in the Ethnographic Museum at the University of Oslo.[3]

He was appointed a knight in the Order of the Dannebrog in 1804. In 1814 he participated in the Meeting of Notables which preceded the Norwegian Constituent Assembly (however he was not a part of the Constituent Assembly).[4]

He died in April 1832 at Aker (now Oslo), Norway.[2]

References
  1. Knut Dørum. "Peter Anker". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
  2. Steinar Supphellen. "Peter Anker". In Helle, Knut (ed.). Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  3. Peter Ankers kunstsamlinger University of Oslo Kulturhistorisk museum. Retrieved January 1, 2019
  4. Leif Østby. Peter Anker – norsk generalmajor, 1744-1832 (in Norwegian). Oslo: Norsk kunstnerleksikon. Retrieved 21 June 2011.
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