Iver Rosenkrantz was born at
Rosenholm Castle (
Rosenholm Slot) in
Hornslet, Denmark. He was the son of Erik Rosenkrantz til Rosenholm (1612–1681) and his third wife Margaret Krabbe til
Vemmetofte (1640–1716). His father was a nobleman and statesman who died when Iver was aged 7. Iver's mother hailed from the province of Scania (Skåne) which was ceded to the Swedes in 1658. Iver's maternal grandfather
Iver Krabbe was a prominent politician and army man, one-time governor of Norway. Iver Krabbe and his wife (young Iver's grandmother), Karen Marsvin, settled in Denmark after the cession of Scania, but young Iver still had two aunts and an uncle in what was now southern Sweden. Iver's uncle, Baron
Jørgen Krabbe of Krogholm (now
Krageholm), was very fond of him. Unfortunately, Jørgen Krabbe was executed by the Swedes in 1678, in the midst of the
Scanian War. Iver received a rigorous education. In 1691 he came to
Copenhagen to attend the Knight Academy (
Ridderakademi). Three years later he took a trip abroad returning in 1697. In January 1698, he was appointed
chamberlain (
Kammerjunker) to
Princess Sophia Hedwig (1677–1735). ==Career==