The Royal Danish Chart Archive (1784 - 1973) or Det Kongelige Danske Søkaart-Archiv was established by the Danish Crown in 1784. Impressed by the French Dépôt des Cartes de Marine, the crown recruited Captain Lieutenant Poul de Løwenørn to act as the first director of the archive. Løwenørn collected nautical charts from all parts of the world. The archive later began issuing its own charts, often improving and updating older charts. The archive was merged with the Nautical Chart Archive and Life Guard in 1973.