Background
He was born in Stavanger to Jacob Kielland and Thora Margrethe (1827–1902), née Bendz.
He was born in Stavanger to Jacob Kielland and Thora Margrethe (1827–1902), née Bendz.
Axel Christian Zetlitz Kielland had two older brothers, one of whom died young, and three younger siblings. Axel Christian Zetlitz Kielland did not marry. He enrolled in law studies in 1871, and graduated as candidate.jur. in 1876.
He began his career first in the Ministry of Justice and the Police in 1878 and then in the Ministry of the Interior from 1881.
In 1899 he was promoted to assistant secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in 1906 he became acting deputy under-secretary of State. He was then appointed secretary in the Supreme Court in 1909.
He was also a Camerlengo, from 1903. Through his service he had been bestowed the following titles:
Knight of the Order of Leopold
Commandeur of the Légion d"honneur
Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy
Knight of the Order of the Crown of Prussia, 2nd Class
Commander of the Order of Isabel the Catholic
He retired in 1920, and died in 1924 in Kristiania.