Anna Maria Brandel (1725–1799), was a Swedish industrialist and merchant. After the death of her husband in 1754, she became the owner of his merchant company, as well as one of the biggest

textile mill Textile Manufacturing or Textile Engineering is a major industry. It is largely based on the conversion of fibre into yarn, then yarn into fabric. These are then dyed or printed, fabricated into cloth which is then converted into useful goods ...

s in

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...

Life

Early life

She was the daughter of the merchant Samuel Schütz (1676–1740) of Gothenburg and Anna Maria Prunck and sister of Jacob Schütz (1709–1772), mayor of

Gothenburg Gothenburg (; abbreviated Gbg; sv, Göteborg ) is the second-largest city in Sweden, fifth-largest in the Nordic countries, and capital of the Västra Götaland County. It is situated by the Kattegat, on the west coast of Sweden, and has ...

and director of the

Swedish East India Company The Swedish East India Company ( sv, Svenska Ostindiska Companiet or ''SOIC'') was founded in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1731 for the purpose of conducting trade with China and the Far East. The venture was inspired by the success of the Dutch East ...

. In 1741, she married the

Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...

merchant Elias Brandel (1707–1754), and settled with him in Stockholm. Her spouse owned a sugar refinery on

Blasieholmen Blasieholmen is a peninsula in central Stockholm, Sweden. It is located east of Kungsträdgården. Originally a small island, named Käpplingen, it became a peninsula, connected to Norrmalm, during the 17th century. Among the buildings at Blasie ...

, a cotton mill on

Kungsholmen Kungsholmen is an island in Lake Mälaren in Sweden, part of central Stockholm, Sweden. It is situated north of Riddarfjärden and considered part of the historical province Uppland. Its area is with a perimeter of . The highest point is at S ...

and as well as a big merchant company. Anna Maria Brandel was described as a very well educated and capable businesswoman and owned a library of about a hundred volumes in the Swedish, German, French and English language.

Business career

Upon the death of her spouse in 1754, she took over all of his business enterprises, and as such becoming a major business figure. She was also and active stockholder in various banks, and communicated with merchant companies in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

and

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

. In 1760, Brandel managed the largest import firm in Stockholm, importing coffee, sugar and salt. She managed the merchant company until 1772, and the cotton mill until 1784. She was most invested in the sugar refinery, which she expanded considerably and managed until her death, with her son as her partner from 1790. At her death, Brandel was the 10th highest-taxed real estate-owner in the capital, and one of only two women in the category of the 30 highest-taxed real estate-owners of Stockholm. In the period of 1750–1820, she was one of the three richest women merchants in Stockholm, alongside

Anna Maria Wretman Anna may refer to: People Surname and given name * Anna (name) Mononym * Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke * Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773) * Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century) * Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 1221) ...

and

Christina Fris Christina Fris (1757–1835), was a Swedish industrialist and merchant. After the death of her husband in 1808, she became the owner of his merchant company, as well as one of the biggest tobacco factories in Sweden. Life Early life She was the d ...

.Bladh, Christine, Hennes snilles styrka: kvinnliga grosshandlare i Stockholm och Åbo 1750–1820, Södertörns högskola, Huddinge, 2018

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brandel, Anna Maria 1799 deaths 18th-century Swedish businesswomen 1725 births Swedish industrialists People of the Industrial Revolution 18th-century industrialists