JUEL, Jens, jool, yens, Danish statesman: b. 15 July 1631; d. 1700. He joined the suite of Count Christian Rantzau, with whom he visited Vienna and Ratisbon in 1652. Five years later Juel was sent as minister to the Polish court. Here he was not successful in deterring King John from making a separate treaty with Sweden. On Juel's return to his native country he was made privy councillor. About this time the misunderstanding between his uncle, Hannibal Sehested and Frederick III was composed and Juel's prospects were en hanced thereby. As his uncle's representative he negotiated the Peace of Copenhagen with Charles X. From 1660 to 1668 Juel was Danish minister to Sweden. Griffenfeldt, the chan cellor, was a great admirer of Juel and on two occasions (1672 and 1674) sent the latter on special missions to Sweden with the avowed object of cementing closer relations between Sweden and Denmark but really to form an alliance with the former. Juel admired his chancellor's policy, which aimed at the weaken ing of Sweden and so forming a just balance between her and Denmark. Juel desired by all means to avoid a war with Sweden, the latter state being far the superior of Denmark in military strength. Despite his endeavors the unfortunate Scanian war broke out in 1675 and lasted for four years. At its close Juel was one of the Danish representatives who signed the peace treaty at Lund. At that con
ference he still aimed at the formation of an alliance with Sweden and afterward followed out this policy even bringing about the marriage of Charles XI and Ulrica Leonora, daughter of King Christian V. In 1680 Juel's plans for an amicable understanding with Sweden were upset by the death of Gyllenstjerna, the Swedish statesman who shared his views. In 1697 Juel represented his country at the coronation of Charles XII at which time he concluded a new treaty with Sweden. Juel was the shrewdest diplomatist of his time, taking for his motto: °We should wish for what we can gee' He was greatly worried over the state of his coun try which he regarded as placed at the mercy of the Great Powers, a mercy as tender then as now! He opposed the establishment of an elastic political system and did all in his power to advance commerce and industry. The emancipation of the serfs Juel thought im practicable and about the only reforms he championed were a few petty changes in the agricultural system. He showed himself a faith ful friend by remaining steadfast to Griffen feldt in the latter's days of adversity. Consult article ("Juel" in Bricka, 'Dansk biografisk lexikon' (Copenhagen 1887 et seq.).