Peter Tordenskjold

Vice-Admiral Peter Jansen Wessel Tordenskiold was a Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy officer. Born in Trondheim, he travelled to Copenhagen in 1704 and eventually joined the Dano-Norwegian navy, rising to the rank of vice-admiral for his actions during the Great Northern War. He won a name for himself through audacity and courage and was ennobled as Peter Tordenskiold by Frederick IV of Denmark in 1716. His greatest exploit came later that year, as he destroyed a supply fleet of the Swedish Navy at the Battle of Dynekilen, ensuring the siege of Fredriksten would end in failure. In 1720, he was killed in a duel. He ranks among the most famous naval captains in Denmark and Norway. He experienced an unusually rapid rise in rank and died when he was only 30 years old.