Count Rutger von Ascheberg (2 June 1621 – 17 April 1693), also known as Roger von Ascheberg was a soldier, officer and civil servant in
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
service, being appointed Lieutenant General in 1670, General in 1674,
Field Marshal
Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...
in 1678,
Governor General
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
of the
Scanian provinces The term Scanian (, or ) can refer to:
* A person born or living in the province of Scania proper (Skåne)
* The people and language of the historical provinces of Scania (Terrae Scaniae, Skånelandene (Danish), Skåneland (Swedish)
* Scanian dia ...
, in 1680, and
Royal Councilor in 1681.
Biography
Ascheberg was born on the estate Berbonen (Perbohnen) in
Courland
Courland (; lv, Kurzeme; liv, Kurāmō; German and Scandinavian languages: ''Kurland''; la, Curonia/; russian: Курляндия; Estonian: ''Kuramaa''; lt, Kuršas; pl, Kurlandia) is one of the Historical Latvian Lands in western Latvia. ...
(today part of
Latvia
Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...
) on 2 June 1621. He was of an old
Westphalian family that had emigrated to Courland in the 16th century. His parents were
Wilhelm von Ascheberg and
Margaretha von der Osten Margaretha is the standard Dutch form of the feminine given name Margaret as well as a common form of it in Sweden. In daily life, many use a short form, like ''Gré'', '' Greet'', '' Greta'', '' Grietje'', '' Marga'', ''Margo'', ''Margot'', ''Mar ...
.
Thirty Years' War
At the age of 13 he served as page for Colonel Brink of the Swedish army fighting in the
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history
The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (80 ...
in Germany. He was present at a number of major battles, including the
Battle of Nördlingen in 1634.
In 1639 he left the army for studies in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. At the age of 19 he was drafted to a
Hessian
A Hessian is an inhabitant of the German state of Hesse.
Hessian may also refer to:
Named from the toponym
*Hessian (soldier), eighteenth-century German regiments in service with the British Empire
**Hessian (boot), a style of boot
**Hessian f ...
cavalry regiment in
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
service. He distinguished himself at the
Battle of Wolfenbüttel
The Battle of Wolfenbüttel (29 June 1641) took place near the town of Wolfenbüttel, in what is now Lower Saxony, during the Thirty Years' War. Swedish forces led by Carl Gustaf Wrangel and Hans Christoff von Königsmarck and Bernardines led ...
1641. In the
Battle of Breitenfeld in 1642 he was wounded and captured by the enemy, but later rescued. During the remaining part of the Thirty Years' War, Ascheberg fought under Field Marshals
Lennart Torstenson
Lennart Torstensson, Count of Ortala, Baron of Virestad (17 August 16037 April 1651), was a Swedish Field Marshal and military engineer.
Early career
He was born at Forstena manor in Västergötland. His parents were Märta Nilsdotter Posse a ...
and
Carl Gustaf Wrangel
''Fältmarskalk'' Carl Gustaf Wrangel (also Carl Gustav von Wrangel; 23 December 1613 – 5 July 1676) was a Swedish Statesman and Military Commander who commanded the Swedish forces in the Thirty Years', Torstenson, Bremen, Second Northe ...
. He distinguished himself on a number of occasions and was made
Cornet
The cornet (, ) is a brass instrument similar to the trumpet but distinguished from it by its conical bore, more compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B, though there is also a sopr ...
in 1644,
Captain Lieutenant
Captain lieutenant or captain-lieutenant is a military rank, used in a number of navies worldwide and formerly in the British Army.
Northern Europe Denmark, Norway and Finland
The same rank is used in the navies of Denmark (), Norway () and Finl ...
in 1645 and
Rittmeister
__NOTOC__
(German and Scandinavian for "riding master" or "cavalry master") is or was a military rank of a commissioned cavalry officer in the armies of Germany, Austria-Hungary, Scandinavia, and some other countries. A ''Rittmeister'' is typic ...
in 1646.
After the peace was settled in 1648, Ascheberg remained in Germany. He held a position as
bailiff
A bailiff (from Middle English baillif, Old French ''baillis'', ''bail'' "custody") is a manager, overseer or custodian – a legal officer to whom some degree of authority or jurisdiction is given. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their offi ...
1651–1655. In 1655, he was offered a position as
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
and command of a regiment within the Swedish army, which prepared for a war against
Poland-Lithuania.
Second Northern War (1655–1660)
The war, known as the
Second Northern War
The Second Northern War (1655–60), (also First or Little Northern War) was fought between Sweden and its adversaries the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1655–60), the Tsardom of Russia (Russo-Swedish War (1656–1658), 1656–58), Brande ...
, initially took place in Poland-Lithuania. Ascheberg proved to be successful during the campaign. In March 1656. after capturing the city of
Jarosław
Jarosław (; uk, Ярослав, Yaroslav, ; yi, יאַרעסלאָוו, Yareslov; german: Jaroslau) is a town in south-eastern Poland, with 38,970 inhabitants, as of 30 June 2014. Situated in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship (since 1999), previ ...
, Ascheberg was promoted
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 of ...
. In July of the same year, he attended the
Battle of Warsaw. He commanded the Swedish forces in the
Battle of Chojnice (Konitz), in which he was highly successful according to some sources. As a token of his appreciation, Swedish king
Charles X Gustav
Charles X Gustav, also Carl Gustav ( sv, Karl X Gustav; 8 November 1622 – 13 February 1660), was King of Sweden from 1654 until his death. He was the son of John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Catherine of Sweden. Afte ...
gave von Ascheberg a rapier he had used in battle. von Ascheberg also received valuable jewellery and an estate in Prussia.
Denmark attacked Swedish dominions in Germany in 1657. This meant that the Swedish army, including the forces under Ascheberg's command, left Poland to instead engage their Danish enemy.
In 1658, Ascheberg spearheaded the
March across the Belts as the Swedish army marched across the ices of
Little Belt
The Little Belt (, ) is a strait between the island of Funen and the Jutland Peninsula in Denmark. It is one of the three Danish Straits that drain and connect the Baltic Sea to the Kattegat strait, which drains west to the North Sea and Atlant ...
and
Great Belt
The Great Belt ( da, Storebælt, ) is a strait between the major islands of Zealand (''Sjælland'') and Funen (''Fyn'') in Denmark. It is one of the three Danish Straits.
Effectively dividing Denmark in two, the Belt was served by the Great Be ...
in order to reach the Danish island of
Zealand
Zealand ( da, Sjælland ) at 7,031 km2 is the largest and most populous island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 January 2020.
It is the 1 ...
.
[Wahlöö & Larsson 1998, p. 96.] He narrowly escaped being caught when the enemy under
Frederick William of Brandenburg
Frederick William (german: Friedrich Wilhelm; 16 February 1620 – 29 April 1688) was Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia, thus ruler of Brandenburg-Prussia, from 1640 until his death in 1688. A member of the House of Hohenzollern, he is ...
and Polish commander
Stefan Czarniecki
Stefan Czarniecki (Polish: of the Łodzia coat of arms, 1599 – 16 February 1665) was a Polish nobleman, general and military commander. In his career, he rose from a petty nobleman to a magnate holding one of the highest offices in the Commo ...
attacked Sønderborg in December 1658.
In February 1659, he was badly wounded during the
assault on Copenhagen
The Battle of Copenhagen also known as the Assault on Copenhagen on 11 February 1659 was a major battle during the Second Northern War, taking place during the siege of Copenhagen by the Swedish army.
Background
During the Northern Wars, th ...
. After spending 10 weeks abed, a recovered von Ascheberg returned to the battlefield in time to be in charge of the conquest of the island Møn in May 1659. He remained on the island until the war ended in 1660.
Promotions and knighting
In 1664, Ascheberg was promoted to
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 a ...
and in 1665, he took part when Field Marshal Wrangel led Swedish troops to the German city of
Bremen
Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (german: Stadtgemeinde Bremen, ), is the capital of the German state Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (''Freie Hansestadt Bremen''), a two-city-state consis ...
during the conflict between Sweden and Bremen. He returned to Sweden when the conflict was settled. In 1670 he reached the rank of
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 ...
and in 1673, he was declared
Freiherr
(; 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 ...
of the estate Kastellgården outside
Kungälv
Kungälv () (old no, Konghelle) is a city and the seat of Kungälv Municipality in Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 22,768 inhabitants in 2010. In 2021, the main Kungälv - Ytterby - Kareby conurbation had a combined population approachin ...
.
In 1674 he was promoted to
General
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...
.
Scanian War (1675–1679)
In the
Scanian War
The Scanian War ( da, Skånske Krig, , sv, Skånska kriget, german: Schonischer Krieg) was a part of the Northern Wars involving the union of Denmark–Norway, Brandenburg and Sweden. It was fought from 1675 to 1679 mainly on Scanian soil, ...
, Ascheberg first was responsible for the defence of
Bohuslän
Bohuslän (; da, Bohuslen; no, Båhuslen) is a Swedish province in Götaland, on the northernmost part of the country's west coast. It is bordered by Dalsland to the northeast, Västergötland to the southeast, the Skagerrak arm of the North Sea ...
against attacks from Norway.
His force won a battle close to Kviström.
He left Bohuslän for
Scania
Scania, also known by its native name of Skåne (, ), is the southernmost of the historical provinces of Sweden, provinces (''landskap'') of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conte ...
and acted as commander in a number of battles, often alongside king Charles XI.
He distinguished himself at the
Battle of Halmstad
The Battle of Halmstad, also known as the Battle at Fyllebro, was fought on August 17, 1676, at Fyllebro, approximately five kilometres south of the town of Halmstad in the province of Halland in southwest Sweden. It was the last battle in Halla ...
in August 1676, where he was wounded in the arm. After recovering in
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 ...
, he joined the army in Scania in time to play a significant part in the largest battle of the war, 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 abo ...
in December.
He contributed actively to the Swedish victory in the
Battle of Landskrona
The Battle of Landskrona was fought between Denmark and Sweden on ''Ylleshed'' moor, outside the town of Landskrona, in the province of Scania in what is now southern Sweden on July 14, 1677.
Prelude
On July 12 the Swedish army of 10,000 men ha ...
1677 after which he was appointed Lieutenant Field Marshal.
Before the war ended he received highest command of the Swedish army in Scania.
In November 1678, after the hostilities had practically ended but before a peace treaty had been negotiated, Ascheberg was handed the highest position within the Swedish army; Field Marshal.
Governor-General and Count
After the Scanian war had ended, in December 1679, Ascheberg was appointed
Governor-General
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
of Gothenburg, Bohuslän and
Dalsland
Dalsland () is a Swedish traditional province, or ''landskap'', situated in Götaland in southern Sweden. Lying to the west of Lake Vänern, it is bordered by Värmland to the north, Västergötland to the southeast, Bohuslän to the west, and ...
. In 1680, Scania and
Halland
Halland () is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden (''landskap''), on the western coast of Götaland, southern Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat. Until 1645 and the Second Treaty of Brömsebro ...
was added to his governorship. He was declared Royal Councillor in 1681 and
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: ...
in 1687.
Mentor of the king
King Charles XI, who rose to the throne as a four-year-old when his father king Charles X Gustav died in 1660, saw Ascheberg as his military master.
In a letter to Ascheberg, written 1680, Charles XI acknowledged that "...the little that I have learnt in this war, I have got ''Herr'' Field Marshal to thank for, and for as long as I live, I will acknowledge that".
Death
Ascheberg died in Gothenburg on 17 April 1693. He was buried in
German Church (''Tyska kyrkan''), also known as Kristine Church, Gothenburg, on 26 August 1694. King Charles XI attended the funeral.
Among the manors and estates that Ascheberg owned at the time of his death were
Kastellegården, Gullmarsberg,
Holma,
Torreby,
Stenungsön and Ström, in Bohuslän, as well as
Sövdeborg, Agerup and
Tosterup
Tosterup Castle ( sv, Tosterups slott) is a castle in Tomelilla Municipality, Scania, in southern Sweden. It is situated approximately north-east of Ystad.
Owners
List of owners of Tosterup Castle:
*Early 1300s – Axel Eskildsen Mule
*1300s ...
in Scania.
Marriage and children
In 1650, Ascheberg married Maria Eleonora von Bussech, member of a noble family from
Hessen
Hesse (, , ) or Hessia (, ; german: Hessen ), officially the State of Hessen (german: links=no, Land Hessen), is a state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt. Two other major historic cities are Darm ...
.
She lived 1632–1690 and was buried in 1691, in the same church that Ascheberg would be buried three years later. The couple had the following children:
* George Fredrik von Ascheberg
* Margareta Sabina von Ascheberg
* Ludvig Volrath von Ascheberg
* Anna Elisabeth von Ascheberg
* Karl Gustaf von Ascheberg
* Rutger von Ascheberg
* Gustaf Adolf von Ascheberg
* Kristian Ludvig von Ascheberg
* Eleonora Elisabet von Ascheberg (1663–1737). She was born on 13 September 1663. On 14 September 1679 she married
David Makeléer
David Makeléer (1646 – 10 November 1708) sometimes written as David Macklier, was the List of governors of Älvsborg County, Governor of Älvsborg County, Sweden. He served from 1693 to 1708.
Biography
David was the son of John Hans Makelé ...
and she died on 13 November 1737.
* Sofia Lovisa von Ascheberg (1664–1720), who married
Hans Wachtmeister
Hans Wachtmeister af Johannishus, ( – ) was admiral general of the Swedish Navy and advisor to King Charles XI of Sweden and King Charles XII of Sweden. He served in the Scanian War of 1675–1679 and during the following twenty years of p ...
* Otto Vilhelm von Ascheberg (1665–1671)
*
Margareta von Ascheberg
Margareta von Ascheberg (9 July 1671 – 26 October 1753) was a Swedish land owner, noble and acting regiment colonel during the Great Northern War.
Early life and marriage
Margareta von Ascheberg was the youngest child of Field Marshal Rutger ...
(1671–1753) who married
Kjell Kristoffer Barnekow
Kjell is a Scandinavian male given name. In Denmark, the cognate is Kjeld or Keld. The name comes from the Old Norse word ''kętill'', which means "kettle" and probably also "helmet" or perhaps "cauldron". Examples of old spellings or forms are '' ...
(1663–1700) on 26 January 1691
Legacy
A major street (''Aschebergsgatan'') is named in his honor in the city of Gothenburg.
Notes
References
Citations
Sources
*Björlin, Gustaf.: ''Kriget mot Danmark 1675–1679''. Stockholm 1885.
*Wahlöö, Claes & Larsson, Göran.: ''Slaget vid Lund''. Lund 1998.
See also
*
List of Swedish military commanders
This is a list of Swedish military commanders. Several Swedish monarchs also acted directly as military commanders.
__NOTOC__
17th century
*Jacob de la Gardie (1583-1652), Field Marshal
* Gustav Horn (1592-1657), Field Marshal
*Johan Banér ( ...
*
List of Swedish wars
This is a list of wars involving the Kingdom of Sweden. There are legendary accounts of Swedish kings well into prehistory and they are mentioned by Tacitus in his '' Germania'', but St. Olof Skötkonung (995–1022) was the first ruler docume ...
*
Dominions of Sweden
The Dominions of Sweden or ''Svenska besittningar'' ("Swedish possessions") were territories that historically came under control of the Swedish The Crown, Crown, but never became fully integrated with Sweden. This generally meant that they were ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ascheberg, Rutger
1621 births
1693 deaths
Field marshals of Sweden
Governors-General of Sweden
Swedish counts
Swedish people of German descent
Members of the Privy Council of Sweden
17th-century Latvian people
Swedish people of the Thirty Years' War
Military personnel of the Thirty Years' War
Second Northern War
17th-century Swedish politicians