Axel_Sparre_-_Karl_den_XII,_1682-1718,_kung_av_Sverige

Axel Sparre (9 January 1652 – 31 May 1728) was a Swedish

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

, soldier and artist. Sparre was the son of Axel Carlsson Sparre and Margareta Oxenstierna af Korsholm och Wasa, brother of kammarherre and artist

friherre (; male, abbreviated as ), (; his wife, abbreviated as , literally "free lord" or "free lady") and (, his unmarried daughters and maiden aunts) are designations used as titles of nobility in the German-speaking areas of the Holy Roman Empire ...

Carl Sparre (1648–1716) and half brother of Erik Sparre af Sundby.Axel Sparre
Riksarkivet.

Biography

Sparre was born in

Visby Visby () is an urban area in Sweden and the seat of Gotland Municipality in Gotland County on the island of Gotland with 24,330 inhabitants . Visby is also the episcopal see for the Diocese of Visby. The Hanseatic city of Visby is arguably th ...

, Gotland. He became a student at

Uppsala University Uppsala University ( sv, Uppsala universitet) is a public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in operation. The university rose to significance during ...

in 1662, accepted as volunteer at

Livgardet The Life Guards ( sv, Livgardet, designation LG) is a combined Swedish Army cavalry/infantry regiment. Its responsibilities include the defence of Stockholm as well as provision of the royal guard of honour for the King of Sweden and the Stockhol ...

1671, and went into

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

service in 1672, but was called back in 1674 and made captain at Henrik Horn's infantry regiment in Stade. After having returned to Sweden proper, Sparre participated in Charles XI's Scanian War and fought at the

battle of Lund The Battle of Lund, part of the Scanian War, was fought on December 4, 1676, in an area north of the city of Lund in Scania in southern Sweden, between the invading Danish army and the army of Charles XI of Sweden. The Danish had an army of about ...

and the

Landskrona Landskrona (old da, Landskrone) is a town in Scania, Sweden. Located on the shores of the Öresund, it occupies a natural port, which has lent the town at first military and subsequent commercial significance. Ferries operate from Landskrona t ...

. In 1677 he became captain at

and later the same year lieutenant colonel at Närke-Värmlands regemente. At the 1697 riksdag he worked avidly for the declaration of authority of 15-year old prince Charles, and 1699 became

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

and commander of Västmanlands regemente,

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

in 1705,

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

in 1710,

general A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

of the infantry in 1713, and field marshal in 1721. Sparre participated in

Charles XII Charles XII, sometimes Carl XII ( sv, Karl XII) or Carolus Rex (17 June 1682 – 30 November 1718 O.S.), was King of Sweden (including current Finland) from 1697 to 1718. He belonged to the House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, a branch line of ...

's campaign 1700–09 in the

Great Northern War The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swed ...

, for example in the battle at the Düna, the

battle of Kliszów The Battle of Kliszów (also spelled Klissow or Klezow) took place on July 19, 1702, near Kliszów in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth during the Great Northern War. A numerically superior Polish–Saxon army led by king Augustus II the Str ...

, the battle of Fraustadt and the

battle of Poltava The Battle of Poltava; russian: Полта́вская би́тва; uk, Полта́вська би́тва (8 July 1709) was the decisive and largest battle of the Great Northern War. A Russian army under the command of Tsar Peter I defeat ...

. He avoided

surrender at Perevolochna The surrender at Perevolochna was the capitulation of almost the entire Swedish army on 30 June 1709 ( O.S.) / 1 July 1709 ( Swedish calendar) / 11 July 1709 ( N.S.). It signified the annihilation of the once formidable Swedish army after the d ...

, escaping with Charles XII to Bender, where he commanded the remaining Swedish force after King Charles had returned to Sweden in 1714. Sparre and the men reached Sweden the following year. Sparre was a talented amateur artist and is represented at, among others, Nationalmuseum in Stockholm.http://collection.nationalmuseum.se/eMP/eMuseumPlus?service=ExternalInterface&module=collection&objectId=15793&viewType=detailView Nationalmuseum. __NOTOC__ Sparre died at Brokind Castle in the Vårdnäs parish of

Östergötland County Östergötland County ( sv, Östergötlands län) is a county or '' län'' in southeastern Sweden. It has land borders with the counties of Kalmar to the southeast, Jönköping to the southwest, Örebro to the northwest, and Södermanland to the ...

. He was buried 5 November 1728 in

Riddarholmen Church Riddarholmen Church ( sv, Riddarholmskyrkan) is the church of the former medieval Greyfriars Monastery in Stockholm, Sweden. The church serves as the final resting place of most Swedish monarchs. Riddarholmen Church is located on the island o ...

, Stockholm, but rests together with his wife in

Linköping Cathedral Linköping Cathedral ( sv, Linköpings domkyrka) is an active Lutheran church in the Swedish city of Linköping, the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Linköping in the Church of Sweden. One of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Europe, it is situat ...

Sources

Notes

External links

* "The battle of Poltava". www.battle.poltava.ua. https://www.battle.poltava.ua/english/sparre.htm. {{DEFAULTSORT:Sparre, Axel Caroleans People of the Great Northern War Field marshals of Sweden Swedish generals 18th-century Swedish military personnel 17th-century Swedish military personnel Swedish counts 1728 deaths 1652 births Swedish artists by century Sparre family

Biography

See also

Sources

Notes

External links