Barony Rosendal (Norwegian: Baroniet Rosendal) is a historic estate and manor house situated in Kvinnherad in Hordaland county, Norway. The barony was built in the 17nth century by danish noblemen on the old estate of Norwegian noble Galte family, the current barony estate making out the historical farms of Hatteberg, Mel and Eik. History The history of Rosendal dates back to the 1650s, when the nobleman Ludvig Holgersen Rosenkrantz (1628-1685) of the of House of Rosenkrantz came to Bergen as commissioner of war for the Danish king, Frederick III. At a ball at the fortress of Bergenhus he met Karen Andersdatter Mowatt (1630-1675), sole heiress to the largest fortune in the country at the time. Her father was a great land-owner and had more than 550 farms all over the western part of Norway. They were married in 1658 and were given the farm of Hatteberg in Rosendal as a wedding present. In 1661, Ludwig Rosenkrantz started building his own country house in Rosendal and completed this in 1665. In 1678, King Christian V of Denmark gave the estate the status of a barony - the only one of its kind in Norway. Around 1850, an expansive romantic garden was laid out around the house. The inhabitants of Rosendal were important people in the cultural life of Norway. Authors Henrik Ibsen, Jonas Lie and Alexander Kielland and painters Hans Gude and Anders Askevold visited Rosendal often. The musicians Edvard Grieg and Ole Bull were guests here. Often there were concerts in Rosendal, a tradition which is still kept alive. House of Rosenkrantz Ludvig Holgersen Rosenkrantz received a baronial patent (Friherrepatent) in 1678 from King Christian V. The successive barons were: 1658–1685 Baron Ludvig Rosenkrantz (1628-1685) 1685–1691 Baron Christian Rosenkrantz 1691–1723 Baron Axel Rosenkrantz (1670-1723) House of Londemann of Rosencrone In 1749, Bishop Edvard Londemann of Rosendal received a patent of nobility under the name Londemann af Rosencrone. In 1773 he received a baronial patent, and in 1782 was also created a count. The holders of this title were: 1745–1749 Count Edvard Londeman Rosencrone (1680-1749) 1749–1811 Count Marcus Gerhard Londemann de Rosencrone (1738-1811) House of Hoff Rosencrone A member of the Hoff family in the Bohemian nobility was naturalized as a Danish-Norwegian nobleman in 1778. One Major Hans Wentzel Hoff (1636-1713), emigrated to Denmark in 1659. His son, Lieutenant Colonel Christian Hoff (1690-1746), married Maria Margrethe Londemann of Rosencrone (1711–62), daughter