As a cadet in 1698 he served on a convoy with HDMS Hvide Falk to Portugal, and in 1699 to 1700 was in foreign service (which power not recorded), before being commissioned as a junior lieutenant on 30 January 1700. He later served on ships-of-the-line Prins Georg, and on promotion to senior lieutenant in 1703 in Prins Carl on the Danish royal tour of Norway.
