Education
Monrad studied theology and became a Lutheran minister, while beginning to participate in politics.
Diplomat Prime Minister of Denmark
Monrad studied theology and became a Lutheran minister, while beginning to participate in politics.
Monrad"s father, Otto Sommer Monrad, an attorney, suffered from mental illness, and spent some years in institutions. He died in 1863. He became editor of the Liberal publication, Foedrelandet, in 1840, and was leader of the National Liberal Party and spearheaded the movement towards a constitutional Denmark after 1848, the year in which he became a bishop. As Council President (1863-1864), he was the Danish state leader during the early part of Second Schleswig War, against the German Confederation led by Otto von Bismarck, which resulted in the Peace of Vienna.
After this war, a depressed and disillusioned Monrad emigrated to New Zealand.
He bought 482 acres (195 km2) of land at Karere Block. He first lived in a small hut and then erected a timber house and started clearing bushland.
He and his family farmed cows and sheep. Monrad helped the New Zealand Company to find suitable settlers from Scandinavia and helped many Danish immigrants find land to settle on, most notably in the area of Dannevirke.
Monrad buried his belongings and went with the family to Wellington and then went back to Denmark in 1869.
Before leaving New Zealand, he presented to the New Zealand government a precious collection of sketches and etchings by old European masters such as Rembrandt, Rubens, Albrecht Dürer and van Dyck. They are now part of the collection at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa and are occasionally on display there. Monrad Intermediate is a Palmerston North intermediate school named after Monrad.
In the following year, he became a member of Parliament and was Minister of Church Affairs in the new government. His work was disturbed by Māori rioters, members of the Hauhau cult under Chief Titokowaru.
