The Swedish nobility (Swedish: Adeln or Ridderskapet och Adeln , Knighthood and Nobility) has historically been a legally and/or socially privileged class in Sweden , and part of the so-called frälse (a derivation from Old Swedish meaning free neck ). The archaic term for nobility, frälse , also included the clergy, a classification defined by tax exemptions and representation in the diet (the Riksdag ). Today the nobility does not maintain its former legal privileges although family names, titles and coats of arms are still protected. The Swedish nobility consists of both "introduced" and "unintroduced" nobility, where the latter has not been formally "introduced" at the House of Nobility ( Riddarhuset ). The House of Nobility still maintains a fee for male members over the age of 18 for upkeep on pertinent buildings in Stockholm.
48-820: (Redirected from Ehrensvard ) Ehrensvärd is the name of a Swedish noble family and may refer to: Johan Jacob Ehrensvärd (1666–1731), Swedish colonel Augustin Ehrensvärd (1710–1772), Swedish military architect, a lieutenant colonel in the artillery Carl August Ehrensvärd (1745–1800), Swedish naval officer, painter, author, and neo-classical architect Carl Ehrensvärd (1713–1770), Swedish politician Gustaf Johan Ehrensvärd (1746–1783), Swedish writer. Brother of Carl August Ehrensvärd and half brother to Carl Fredrik Ehrensvärd Carl August Ehrensvärd (1749–1805), Swedish general and diplomat Carl Fredrik Ehrensvärd (1767–1815), Swedish Freiherr, convicted of involvement in
96-552: A 1762 act): a helm with an open visor, a coronet showing rank, a medallion and the use of supporters. Modern Swedish law makes no distinctions on the basis of nobility. Outside Sweden, Saint Bridget (1303–1373) became known as the Princess of Nericia , which appears to have been a noble, rather than a royal title, since she was not the daughter of a king. Amnesty Amnesty (from Ancient Greek ἀμνηστία ( amnēstía ) 'forgetfulness, passing over')
144-552: A 1762 royal act; commoners using open visors or "noblemen's shield" (Adelig Sköld) are subjected to a fine. When an association called Ofrälse och löske mäns samfund för bruk af öppne hjälmar (Commoners' and vagabonds' society for the use of open visors) petitioned the Swedish government for amnesty (Swedish: abolition ) in regards to violations of the 1762 act, the petition was not tried nor granted. The Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden ruled, in 2013, that, since no one has
192-476: A castle and financed troops, then the castle was theirs, but the troops were expected to serve as a part of the army of the realm. In Sweden, there never existed serfdom . Hence, nobility was basically a class of well-off citizens, not owners of other human beings. In the Middle Ages and much of the modern age, nobles and other wealthy men were landowners, as well as lords of peasants and servants. Members of
240-409: Is defined as "A pardon extended by the government to a group or class of people, usually for a political offense; the act of a sovereign power officially forgiving certain classes of people who are subject to trial but have not yet been convicted." Though the term general pardon has a similar definition, an amnesty constitutes more than a pardon, in so much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of
288-538: Is different from Wikidata All set index articles Swedish nobility Belonging to the nobility in present-day Sweden may still carry some informal social privileges, and be of certain social and historical significance particularly among some groups. Sweden has, however, long been a modern democratic society and meritocratic practices are supposed to govern all appointments to state offices by law. No special privileges, in taxation or otherwise, are therefore given to any Swedish citizen based on family origins,
336-560: The Latinized form of their birthplace (e.g. Laurentius Petri Gothus , from Östergötland ). Later merchants and other social groups discarded the formerly used family names (such as patronymic surnames ). Instead they adopted high-sounding Latin surnames. Another subsequent practice was the use of the Greek language , with the ending of - ander (the Greek word for man ). The use of surnames
384-607: The Middle Ages when the nobility frälse was divided into lords in the Privy Council, knights and esquires. Until 1719 the three classes voted separately, but in the Age of Liberty all classes were voting together with one vote for each family head (Swedish: huvudman ). This made the vast majority of the untitled nobility in power, for example officers and civil servants were represented. In 1778 Gustav III restored
432-620: The Order of the Sword . No more commander families were introduced in the House of Knights after 1809, and thereafter also the class voting was abolished and the nobility was then voting as during the Age of Liberty. A Swedish duke ( hertig ) has almost always been of royal status and counted as such. The exception in medieval times was Bengt Algotsson . Two men were also created princes ( furstar ) in
480-712: The Prussian amnesty of August 10, 1840; the general amnesty proclaimed by the Emperor Franz Josef I of Austria in 1857; the general amnesty granted by President of the United States , Andrew Johnson , after the American Civil War (1861–1865), in 1868, and the French amnesty of 1905. Amnesty in U.S. politics in 1872 meant restoring the right to vote and hold office to ex-Confederates, which
528-497: The living (at the time of publication) unintroduced noble families resident in Sweden. Five of these families have titles as Princes, Dukes or Marquis, the others as Counts and Barons. Most unintroduced noble families, however, are untitled, similar to the introduced families. Some of these families, or their titled branches, have since become extinct. Surnames in Sweden can be traced to the 15th century, when they were first used by
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#1732772481117576-417: The surname Ehrensvärd . If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name (s) to the link. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ehrensvärd&oldid=1066690774 " Category : Surnames Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description
624-711: The 18th century: Fredrik Vilhelm von Hessenstein and Vilhelm Putbus but neither were introduced. Following the elevation of a commoner into nobility by the Swedish monarch , the new nobleman had to seek introduction in order to be a fully recognised member of the House of Nobility (Riddarhuset), a term that also refers to its function as a chamber in the Riksdag of the Estates , the Swedish Parliament. In 1866
672-505: The 1920s. By then the last tax exemption privileges had also been abolished. However, some minor privileges remained until 2003, including the right to be beheaded by sword, when the law granting these noble privileges was completely abolished and the government no longer has the right to call the heads of families to be assembled in session. The prerogatives of nobility today are limited to protection of noble titles and certain elements and styles used in their coats of arms (this according to
720-499: The Class of Esquires were elevated to the Class of Knights. Some ancient noble families: At the coronation of Eric XIV in 1561, Swedish nobility became formally hereditary for the first time upon the creation of the higher titles of Count (greve) and Baron (friherre) . The House of Knights was organized in 1626. The grounds for introduction into this chamber became either birth into an "ancient" noble family or ennoblement by
768-567: The Gentry ( Frälse ), i.e., priests and nobles. The names of these were usually in Swedish, Latin, German or Greek. The adoption of Latin names was first used by the Catholic clergy in the 15th century. The given name was preceded by Herr (Sir), followed by a Latinized form of patronymic names. Starting from the time of the Reformation , a common naming practice among the clergy was to use
816-479: The Kansas City ban on pit bulls. Advantages of using amnesty may include avoiding expensive prosecutions (especially when massive numbers of violators are involved), prompting violators to come forward who might otherwise have eluded authorities, and promoting reconciliation between offenders and society. An example of the latter was the amnesty that was granted to conscientious objectors and draft evaders in
864-474: The Nobility was formally separated from government and incorporated as a separate institution, governed by statutes handed down by the monarch (from 1975: the government). This last link to the government and state was abolished in 2003. The Palace of the Nobility served as official representation for the nobility and was regulated by the Swedish government , but this regulation ceased completely in 2003, as have
912-437: The United States. A controversial issue in the United States is whether illegal immigrants should be granted some form of amnesty. It is proposed that illegal immigrants be able to come forward and immediately receive probationary status. California Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said an amnesty program like the one the federal government undertook in 1986 would be ill-advised today. "It backfired big-time. It sent
960-451: The case of the earliest recorded amnesty, that of Thrasybulus at Athens , the thirty tyrants and a few others were expressly excluded from its operation; and the amnesty proclaimed on the restoration of Charles II of England did not extend to those who had taken part in the execution of his father. Other famous amnesties include: Napoleon 's amnesty of March 13, 1815, from which thirteen eminent persons, including Talleyrand , were exempt;
1008-476: The classes and class voting and at the same time he reformed the Class of Knights. Originally this class only contained family descendants of Privy Councillors and was the smallest class of the three classes. But Gustav III also introduced in this class the 300 oldest families in the Class of Esquire and also the " commander families", who are of the descendants of commanders of the Order of the North Star and
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#17327724811171056-416: The clergy with respect to their exemption from tax. Generally, the nobility grew from wealthier or more powerful members of the peasantry, those who were capable of assigning work or wealth to provide the requisite cavalrymen. These became knights, councilors and castle commanders. The background for this was that the old system of a leiðangr fleet and a king constantly on travel through the realm (between
1104-473: The crown. The " Reduction " of 1655 and 1680, however, brought land back into the crown's possession. Historically all members of a noble family were generally titled. If the family was of the rank of a Count or a Baron, all members received that title as well. However, following the new Instrument of Government from 1809, a change was made more in line with the British system so that, for later nobility, only
1152-427: The enemy no longer exists which had attracted their support but a significant number remains in flight from authorities. In 1718, when a general pardon was offered to pirates by the British, its advocates hoped it would dissuade recipients from entering Spanish service while the countries were at war . Amnesty is often used to encourage people to turn in contraband , as in the case of China's gun restrictions, or
1200-420: The estates of Uppsala öd ) had by this time become outmoded. The crown 's court and castles were now to be financed through taxes on land. Soon it was agreed that the king should govern the realm in cooperation with a Privy Council (or Royal Council), in which the bishops and the most distinguished magnates (i.e. the most prominent contributors to the army) participated. When critical decisions were necessary,
1248-506: The exceptions being the monarch and other members of the royal family . In 1902, Sven Hedin became the last person, other than members of the royal family , to be ennobled in Sweden. Since 1974, the monarch is only permitted to confer titles of nobility on members of the royal family. As of 2004 there were about 619 existing noble families in Sweden, with about 28,000 members. They are classified as counts (46 families), barons (124 families) and untitled nobility (449 families). Until 2003
1296-537: The first in 1886, the second in 1912, and the third in 1935; it came out most recently in 2010. An association of unintroduced nobility, Sveriges Ointroducerade Adels Förening , private club with no official standing, was founded in 1911. Several branches of the House of Bernadotte have chosen to become members of this association, as a result of members of the royal family being denied the use of Swedish titles upon marrying non-royals, but being granted foreign ( Luxembourgish or Belgian ) titles. Carl Johan Bernadotte
1344-610: The first known being from 1360. The somewhat loose cut-off date or rather rule of thumb for what constitutes ancient Swedish nobility is therefore set to during mid 14th century but no later than 1400. Some Swedish ancient families are still extant at the Swedish House of Nobility or the Finnish House of Nobility ; some have been further elevated from Class of Esquires to Class of Knights or to titled nobility ( count or baron ). In 1778 all ancient noble families in
1392-454: The head of the family would hold the title (if there is one). There are a few families where these systems overlap such that the vast majority are nobles pre-1809 without title, while the heads of the families have been elevated to count or baron after 1809. The vast majority of noble families are still of the old kind where all members are regarded as nobles. No hereditary title of nobility has been granted since 1902, when explorer Sven Hedin
1440-436: The many wars fought by Sweden, the crown needed some means of rewarding its officers, and since the royal coffers were not without end, ennoblement and grants of land were useful substitutes for cash payments. During the 17th century, the number of noble families grew by a factor of five. In less than a century, the nobility's share of Swedish land ownership rose from 16% to over 60%, which led to considerably lower tax revenue for
1488-732: The most serious crimes of international law (or crimes of the Jus Cogens which include genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression ). Courts have rejected amnesties for such crimes, such as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the Special Court for Sierra Leone . But scholars have suggested that there should be room for amnesties which were imperative necessities to achieve peace and accompanied by effective Truth and Reconciliation Commissions. One particular case
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1536-787: The murder of Gustav III in 1792 and sentenced to death. Married to Thomasine Christine Gyllembourg-Ehrensvärd (1773–1856), Danish author, born in Copenhagen. Gustaf Karl Albert August Ehrensvärd (1787–1860), Swedish colonel Albert Ehrensvärd (1821–1901), Swedish politician Albert Ehrensvärd (1867–1940), Swedish diplomat Carl August Ehrensvärd (1858–1944), Swedish admiral, politician and sea minister 1907–1911 Gösta Ehrensvärd (1885–1973), Swedish admiral Gösta Ehrensvärd (1910–1980), Swedish chemist Augustin Ehrensvärd (1887–1968), Swedish civil servant Carl August Ehrensvärd (1892–1974), Swedish general [REDACTED] Surname list This page lists people with
1584-459: The nobility utilized their economic power and sometimes also other powers to have small-farm owners sell their lands to manor lords, so landowning centralized gradually more in the hands of the noble class. For extended periods, the commander of Viborg at the Novgorod /Russian front did, in practice, function as a margrave , keeping all the crown's income from the fief to use for the defense of
1632-446: The nobility was regulated by a government statute, but in that year the statute was lifted so that governmental sanction and legal regulation of the nobility was discontinued. The House of Nobility is now a private institution, run as any private corporation under civil commercial law, and is owned by its members. Today, the only privilege of the nobility is the right to use a helm with an open visor in their coats of arms, this according to
1680-522: The offense. Amnesty is increasingly used to express the idea of "freedom" and to refer to when prisoners can go free. Amnesties, which in the United Kingdom may be granted by the crown or by an act of Parliament , were formerly usual on coronations and similar occasions, but are chiefly exercised towards associations of political criminals, and are sometimes granted absolutely, though more frequently there are certain specified exceptions. Thus, in
1728-505: The privileges. The membership roster is published every three years. The institution of Swedish (and Finnish) nobility dates back to 1280, when it was stated by King Magnus III in the Decree of Alsnö that magnates who could afford to contribute a mounted soldier to the cavalry were to be exempted from tax - at least from ordinary taxes - just as the clergy already had been. The archaic Swedish term for nobility, frälse, also included
1776-504: The realm's eastern border. But despite heavy German influence during the medieval period, the elaborate German system with titles such as Lantgraf, Reichsgraf, Burggraf and Pfalzgraf was never applied in Sweden. Swedish ancient nobility ( Swedish : uradel ) is the term used for families whose de facto status as nobility was formalised by the Ordinance of Alsnö in 1280. These noble families have no original patents of nobility ,
1824-551: The right to amnesty, the government's decision did not concern anyone's civil rights according to the European Convention on Human Rights , and could thus not be examined by the court. Swedish nobility is organized into three classes according to a scheme introduced in riddarhusordningen ( Standing orders of the House of Knights) 1626 The two last classes contains the so-called untitled nobility (Swedish: obetitlad adel ). The division into classes has roots in
1872-475: The sovereign. Consequently, genealogy flourished. The Lord High Chancellor, Axel Oxenstierna , was the architect of the Instrument of Government of 1634 , which laid the foundation of modern Sweden. It guaranteed that all government appointments were to be filled by candidates from the nobility, a move which helped mobilize support for, rather than opposition to, a centralized national government. Due to
1920-717: The wake of the Vietnam War in the 1970s, in an effort by President Jimmy Carter to heal war wounds, given that both the war and the draft were over. Amnesty can at times raise questions of justice. An example was the Ugandan government's offer not to prosecute alleged war criminal Joseph Kony , in hopes that further bloodshed would be avoided. David Smock noted, "The downside of it is the impunity that it implies; that people can commit atrocities and say that they will only stop if they are given amnesty..." Controversies also raise towards amnesties given to alleged perpetrators of
1968-417: The whole frälse was summoned to the diets . Swedish nobility had no hereditary fiefs . In the case where a noble was granted a castle belonging to the crown, his heirs couldn't later claim their ancestors' civil or military rights. The lands of the magnates who constituted the medieval nobility were their own and not "on lease" from a feudal king. If they by their own means or exploitation of peasants built
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2016-486: Was achieved by act of Congress. Those were true amnesties, pardoning past violations without changing the laws violated. An amnesty may be extended when the authority decides that bringing citizens into compliance with a law is more important than punishing them for past offenses. Amnesty after a war helps end a conflict. While laws against treason, sedition, etc. are retained to discourage future traitors during future conflicts, it makes sense to forgive past offenders, after
2064-937: Was chairman of the association for many years. According to the Nordisk Familjebok : The first counts and barons, created in 1561 by Eric XIV : John III granted the first baronial titles accompanied by territorial grants (earlier titles elevated the family's hereditary estate to comital or baronial status): Charles IX created only one: (he made Svante Bielke and Nils Bielke barons without grant of entailed lands) Gustav II Adolf granted: Christina granted: Charles X Gustav granted: Charles XI granted: The following titled families of high nobility are included in Kalender öfver i Sverige lefvande ointroducerad adel (1886–1899), Sveriges ointroducerade adels kalender (1912–1944), and/or Kalender över Ointroducerad adels förening (1935–), which are directories of
2112-755: Was ennobled by the King (that honor was hereditary, but he left no heirs). Since 1975 the Swedish monarch and government no longer have the right to ennoble or to confer knighthoods and orders on Swedes. Titles are still given to members of the Swedish royal house where princes and princesses are made non-hereditary dukes or duchesses of selected provinces, but these are honorary titles within that house, not titles of nobility. Unintroduced families could use their titles, if they had any, and noble elements and styles in their coats of arms. There has never been legislation in Sweden preventing anyone from purporting to belong to nobility. The recognition of such noble status in society
2160-737: Was in Uruguay: the controversial Law on the Expiration of the Punitive Claims of the State pretended to put an end to unsolved issues deriving from 12 years of civic-military dictatorship ; local human rights organizations challenged that law and called a referendum in 1989 which confirmed the law by 56% of the popular vote. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 —signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on November 6, 1986—granted amnesty to about 3 million illegal immigrants in
2208-439: Was of a social, not a legal, nature, as has all Swedish nobility become since it was separated from the government more recently. Sweden has had a significant number of unintroduced noble families (as of 2010 comprising 99 living families and around 450 individuals), several of which have been historically prominent. The families fall into four groups: Three successive almanach series of unintroduced nobility have been published;
2256-552: Was still quite uncommon in the 17th century among the nobility and the educated class. Furthermore, the concept of hereditary surnames was also limited to a few families. When a family was ennobled, it was usually given a name—just as with lordships of England and other Western European countries. This was a period which produced a myriad of two-word Swedish-language family names for the nobility (very favored prefixes were Adler -, "eagle"; Ehren -, "honor"; Silfver -, "silver"; and Gyllen -, "golden"). The regular difference with Britain
2304-479: Was that it became the new surname of the whole house, and the old surname was dropped altogether. The noble estates are not abolished in Sweden , but their privileged position has been weakened step by step since 1680. The nobility's political privileges were practically abolished by the reformation of the Riksdag of the Estates in 1866, and the last rights of precedence to certain governmental offices were removed in
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