the construction of gammel estrup was started around 1490 by nobleman lave eskesen brock (died 1503) who built a moated fortress on the site. but it was his great-grandson, eske brock (1560-1625) who rebuilt and modernized the manor. eske brock was a nobleman and close friend of king christian iv to whom he also served as a minister. through brock's detailed diaries we know a great deal about how a rich nobleman lived at that time. the brock family, who owned the manor until 1625, also had a number of other estates in the area. the building then passed into the hands of the equally rich skeel family who maintained ownership until 1926.