an outspoken Danish nationalist, doubtless he also used this as a propaganda asset. A severe weakening of his rule was linked to his financial mismanagement and growing corruption. He showed no understanding of the plight of the peasants, and he abolished most of the reforms of Struensee. Though a provincial himself, Guldberg totally favoured the capital at the expense of the provinces. The deaths and removals of some of his government colleagues including Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann (1724–1782) and Andreas Peter Bernstorff (1735–1797) enlarged his field of activity, but also made him more vulnerable to critics. An economic downturn after the end of the American Revolutionary War undermined his popularity, but more importantly like his royal employers Queen Dowager Juliana Maria and Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark, he had fallen badly out with the Crown Prince (afterwards Frederick VI) whose growing opposition he seems to have ignored. In April 1784, just as he had been appointed a minister, he was forced to resign following the Crown Prince's coup d'état. He was then reduced to the rank of senior official (amtmand) until 1802. He retired to Hald Manor (Hald Hovedgaard) in Viborg which he had purchased in 1798. Personal life He was first married in 1762 with Cathrine Marie Nørlem (1736-1763), daughter of trustee at Bygholm Peder Jensen Nørlem (1680-1738 ) and Christentze Hansdatter Lessow (1701-1769). He was married a second time in 1769 to Lucie Emmerentze Nørlem (1738-1807), sister of his first wife. He was the father of military officer Julius Høegh-Guldberg (1779–1861) and grandfather of artist Emmerik Høegh-Guldberg (1807–1881). Ove Høegh-Guldberg had a number of direct descendants, including his namesake, the Australian biologist Ove Hoegh-Guldberg. See also Guldberg's hymnal References Other sources Sven Cedergreen Bech, 1965 Politikens Danmarkshistorie, vol. 9 Jens Vibæk, 1964 Politikens Danmarkshistorie, vol. 10 Ole Feldbæk, 2003 Gyldendal og Politikens Danmarkshistorie, vol. 9 Edvard Holm, 1906 Danmark-Norges Historie vol. 5 1731 births 1808 deaths People from Horsens Government ministers of Denmark 18th-century Danish people Danish nobility Danish educators