The Swedish nobility ( sv, Adeln eller Ridderskapet och Adeln) has historically been a legally and/or socially privileged

class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...

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 ...

, and part of the so-called ''frälse'' (a derivation from

Old Swedish Old Swedish (Swedish language, Modern Swedish: ) is the name for two distinct stages of the Swedish language that were spoken in the Middle Ages: Early Old Swedish (), spoken from about 1225 until about 1375, and Late Old Swedish (), spoken fro ...

meaning ''free neck''). The archaic term for nobility, ''frälse'', also included the clergy, a classification defined by

tax exemption Tax exemption is the reduction or removal of a liability to make a compulsory payment that would otherwise be imposed by a ruling power upon persons, property, income, or transactions. Tax-exempt status may provide complete relief from taxes, redu ...

s and representation in the

diet Diet may refer to: Food * Diet (nutrition), the sum of the food consumed by an organism or group * Dieting, the deliberate selection of food to control body weight or nutrient intake ** Diet food, foods that aid in creating a diet for weight loss ...

(the

Riksdag The Riksdag (, ; also sv, riksdagen or ''Sveriges riksdag'' ) is the legislature and the supreme decision-making body of Sweden. Since 1971, the Riksdag has been a unicameral legislature with 349 members (), elected proportionally and se ...

). 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. 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, the exceptions being the monarch and other members of the

Royal Family A royal family is the immediate family of kings/queens, emirs/emiras, sultans/ sultanas, or raja/ rani and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or empress, and the term ...

. However, also this role is today, according to the instrument of government, ceremonial. In 1902,

Sven Hedin Sven Anders Hedin, KNO1kl RVO,Wennerholm, Eric (1978) ''Sven Hedin – En biografi'', Bonniers, Stockholm (19 February 1865 – 26 November 1952) was a Swedish geographer, topographer, explorer, photographer, travel writer and illustrator ...

became the last person, other than members of the

, 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 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 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 Amnesty (from the Ancient Greek ἀμνηστία, ''amnestia'', "forgetfulness, passing over") 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 offici ...

(Swedish: abolition) in regards to violations of the 1762 act, the petition was not tried nor granted. The

Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden The Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden ( sv, Högsta förvaltningsdomstolen, before 2011 ''Regeringsrätten'', acronym ''RR'' or ''RegR'') is the supreme court and the third and final tier for administrative court cases in Sweden, and is loca ...

ruled, in 2013, that, since no one has the right to amnesty, the government's decision did not concern anyone's civil rights according to the

European Convention on Human Rights The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR; formally the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms) is an international convention to protect human rights and political freedoms in Europe. Drafted in 1950 by t ...

, and could thus not be examined by the court.

Organization

Swedish nobility is organized into three classes according to a scheme introduced in ''riddarhusordningen'' ( Standing orders of the House of Knights) 1626 * the ''Class of Lords'' ( sv, links=no, Herreklassen), comprising

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: ...

s (''greve'') and

baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...

s (''

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 ...

'', ''baron''), two titles introduced in 1561 by

Erik XIV Eric XIV ( sv, Erik XIV; 13 December 153326 February 1577) was King of Sweden from 1560 until he was deposed in 1569. Eric XIV was the eldest son of Gustav I (1496–1560) and Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg (1513–1535). He was also ruler of Est ...

; * the ''Class of Knights'' ( sv, links=no, Riddarklassen), untitled descendants of Swedish Privy Councillors and since 1778 the 300 oldest families in the Class of Esquire as well as the "

commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

families", who are of the descendants of commanders of Swedish royal orders; * the ''Class of

Esquire Esquire (, ; abbreviated Esq.) is usually a courtesy title. In the United Kingdom, ''esquire'' historically was a title of respect accorded to men of higher social rank, particularly members of the landed gentry above the rank of gentlema ...

s'' ( sv, links=no, Svenneklassen), other untitled nobles. The two last classes contains the so-called ''untitled nobility'' ( sv, links=no, obetitlad adel). The division into classes has roots in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

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 In Swedish and Finnish history, the Age of Liberty ( sv, frihetstiden; fi, vapauden aika) was a period that saw parliamentary governance, increasing civil rights and the decline of the Swedish Empire that began with Charles XII's death in 1718 ...

all classes were voting together with one vote for each family head ( sv, links=no, huvudman). This made the vast majority of the untitled nobility in power, for example

officers An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

and

civil servant The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...

s were represented. In 1778

Gustav III Gustav III (29 March 1792), also called ''Gustavus III'', was King of Sweden from 1771 until his assassination in 1792. He was the eldest son of Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Queen Louisa Ulrika of Prussia. Gustav was a vocal opponent of what ...

restored 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 "

families", who are of the descendants of commanders of the Order of the Northern Star and the

Order of the Sword The Royal Order of the Sword (officially: ''Royal Order of the Sword''; Swedish: ''Kungliga Svärdsorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry and military decoration created by King Frederick I of Sweden on February 23, 1748, together with the Or ...

. 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. An exception in

medieval times In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

was

Benedict, Duke of Halland Duke Benedict of Halland and Finland (c. 1330 – c. 1360), aka ''Bengt Algotsson'', was a medieval Swedish lord, and royal favourite. He was born to a family who descended from Svantepolk of Skarsholm and his wife Benedikta Sunadotter. Svantepol ...

. Two men were also created princes ( furstar) in the 18th century:

Fredrik Vilhelm von Hessenstein Frederick William, Prince von Hessenstein (17 March 1735, Stockholm — 27 July 1808, Panker), was a Swedish soldier and statesman. He was an extramarital son of King Frederick I of Sweden and his royal mistress Hedvig Taube. Biography King ...

and Vilhelm Putbus but neither were introduced. Following the elevation of a commoner into nobility by the

Swedish monarch The monarchy of Sweden is the monarchical head of state of Sweden,See the #IOG, Instrument of Government, Chapter 1, Article 5. which is a constitutional monarchy, constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system.Parliamentary ...

, 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 Riksdag of the Estates ( sv, Riksens ständer; informally sv, Ståndsriksdagen) was the name used for the Estates of Sweden when they were assembled. Until its dissolution in 1866, the institution was the highest authority in Sweden next to t ...

, the Swedish Parliament. In 1866 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 The Government of the Kingdom of Sweden ( sv, Konungariket Sveriges regering) is the national cabinet of Sweden, and the country's executive authority. The Government consists of the Prime Ministerappointed and dismissed by the Speaker of the R ...

, but this regulation ceased completely in 2003, as have the privileges. The membership roster is published every three years.

Medieval nobility: Frälse

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

magnate The magnate term, from the late Latin ''magnas'', a great man, itself from Latin ''magnus'', "great", means a man from the higher nobility, a man who belongs to the high office-holders, or a man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or ot ...

s who could afford to contribute a mounted soldier to the

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

were to be exempted from tax - at least from ordinary taxes - just as the

clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...

already had been. The archaic Swedish term for nobility, ''frälse,'' also included 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. The background for this was that the old system of a ''

leiðangr The institution known as ''leiðangr'' (Old Norse), ''leidang'' (Norwegian), ''leding'' (Danish), ''ledung'' (Swedish), ''expeditio'' (Latin) or sometimes lething (English), was a form of conscription ( mass levy) to organize coastal fleets for seas ...

'' fleet and a king constantly on travel through the realm (between the estates of

Uppsala öd Uppsala öd, Old Norse: ''Uppsala auðr'' or ''Uppsala øðr'' (''Uppsala domains'' or ''wealth of Uppsala'') was the name given to the collection of estates which was the property of the Swedish Crown in medieval Sweden.The article ''Uppsala öd'' ...

) had by this time become outmoded. The

crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

'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 A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...

(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, the whole ''frälse'' was summoned to the

s. Swedish nobility had no hereditary

fief A fief (; la, feudum) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an Lord, overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a for ...

s. 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 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 Serfdom was the status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism, and similar systems. It was a condition of debt bondage and indentured servitude with similarities to and differences from slavery, which develop ...

. 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

villein A villein, otherwise known as ''cottar'' or ''crofter'', is a serf tied to the land in the feudal system. Villeins had more rights and social status than those in slavery, but were under a number of legal restrictions which differentiated them ...

s and servants. Members of 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 Veliky Novgorod ( rus, links=no, Великий Новгород, t=Great Newtown, p=vʲɪˈlʲikʲɪj ˈnovɡərət), also known as just Novgorod (), is the largest city and administrative centre of Novgorod Oblast, Russia. It is one of the ol ...

/Russian front did, in practice, function as a

margrave Margrave was originally the medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or of a kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain feudal families in the Emp ...

, keeping all the crown's income from the fief to use for the defense of 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.

Ancient nobility

Swedish ancient nobility ( sv, uradel) is the term used for families whose ''de facto'' status as

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...

was formalised by the

Ordinance of Alsnö The Ordinance of Alsnö () was an act by king Magnus Ladulås of Sweden, probably produced in Alsnö hus in September 1280, giving exemption from land taxation to those nobles who committed to produce a heavy cavalryman to the king's service. This ...

in 1280. These noble families have no original patents of nobility, 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 The House of Nobility ( sv, Riddarhuset) in Stockholm, Sweden, is a corporation and a building that maintains records and acts as an interest group on behalf of the Swedish nobility. Name The name is literally translated as ''House of Knights'', ...

or the

Finnish House of Nobility The House of Nobility either refers to the institution of the Finnish nobility or the palace of the noble estate. The Finnish nobility was until 1906 the first of the four estates of the realm. The Estate The estate of nobility existed fully st ...

; some have been further elevated from Class of Esquires to Class of Knights or to titled nobility (

). In 1778 all ancient noble families in the Class of Esquires were elevated to the Class of Knights. Some ancient noble families: * Aspenäs * Banér * Bese *

Bielke Bielke is the name of an ancient and powerful Swedish noble family, originally from Småland. History The family was wirst mentioned in the 13th century. It is the second-oldest such family still in existence after Natt och Dag. The comital f ...

(extant, Sweden's second oldest noble family) *Björn *

Bååt Bååt was an important Swedish noble family, originally from Småland in south-eastern Sweden. The family is especially known for its long association with Viipuri/ Vyborg Castle in Finland (at present in Russia), the bulwark of the then Swedis ...

Bonde The House of Bonde is an ancient Swedish noble family. Today, two branches of the family survive, the barons of the House of Bonde which is number 20 in the Swedish House of Nobility and the counts of the House of Bonde af Björnö, number 41. ...

(extant) * Carpelan (extant) * Eka * Hiort af Ornäs (extant) * Hård af Segerstad (extant) * Jägerhorn af Spurila (extant) *

Leijonhufvud Leijonhufvud (also Germanized as Lewenhaupt) is the name of a Swedish noble family, from which some of the family members were granted baronial title. The baronial branch was 1568 granted the status of counts, and changed their family name to Lew ...

(extant) * Lilliehöök (extant) *

Natt och Dag Natt och Dag (, literally "night and day") is a Swedish noble family and the oldest surviving family of pure Swedish extraction, with origins stretching back at least as far as the late thirteenth century. However, the actual name ''Natt och Dag'' ...

(extant, Sweden's oldest noble family) *

Oxenstierna Oxenstierna ( , ) is a Swedish noble family, originally from Småland in southern Sweden which can be traced up to the middle of the 14th century. The Oxenstierna family held vast estates in Södermanland and Uppland during the late Middle Ages a ...

(extant) * Porse *

Posse Posse is a shortened form of posse comitatus, a group of people summoned to assist law enforcement. The term is also used colloquially to mean a group of friends or associates. Posse may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Posse'' (1975 ...

(extant) *Ribbing (extant) * Rosenstråle *

Sparre Sparre (variously spelled ''Sperra, Sper, Spar'') is a Scandinavian surname - originally borne by a noble family - and can refer to: * Aage Jepsen Sparre, Danish priest * Arvid Gustavsson Sparre (1245 - 1317), Lord of Ekholmen, Sweden * Axel Spar ...

(extant) *

Stenbock The Stenbock family is an old Swedish noble family, of which one younger branch established itself in Finland and another younger branch in Estonia, both of them in the mid 18th century, of which the first was entered into the rolls of the Finnis ...

(extant) *

Trolle The House of Trolle (sometimes in Danish ''Trold'') is the name of a Scanian noble family, originally from Småland, in Sweden. The family has produced prominent people in the histories of Denmark and in Sweden since the Middle Ages and is associat ...

(extant) * Örnsparre

Nobility after 1561

At the coronation of

Eric XIV Eric XIV ( sv, Erik XIV; 13 December 153326 February 1577) was King of Sweden from 1560 until he was deposed in 1569. Eric XIV was the eldest son of Gustav I (1496–1560) and Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg (1513–1535). He was also ruler of Est ...

in 1561, Swedish nobility became formally hereditary for the first time upon the creation of the higher titles of

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: ...

''(greve)'' and

Baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...

''(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 the sovereign. Consequently,

genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...

flourished. The Lord High Chancellor,

Axel Oxenstierna Axel Gustafsson Oxenstierna af Södermöre (; 1583–1654), Count of Södermöre, was a Swedish statesman. He became a member of the Swedish Privy Council in 1609 and served as Lord High Chancellor of Sweden from 1612 until his death. He was a c ...

, 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 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 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 The Instrument of Government was a constitution of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland. Drafted by Major-General John Lambert in 1653, it was the first sovereign codified and written constitution in England. Antecedence The '' ...

from 1809, a change was made more in line with the British system so that, for later nobility, only 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 Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteristi ...

has been granted since 1902, when explorer

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 nobility

Being "introduced" at the House of Nobility meant that the body confirmed the status of a family as ''Swedish'' nobility. Even when a family was ennobled by the Swedish monarch, it still had to seek introduction at the House of Nobility to achieve such status. Introduction, however, was not necessary for being considered noble, based on other factors (see list below), whereas only the introduced families had a legally privileged position. Unintroduced families still 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 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: #Foreign nobility, being families of foreign origin (particularly German/Baltic, but also other nationalities) which had noble status in a different country than Sweden, and which partially or wholly live in Sweden. This group is the largest. #Families of Swedish origin which were granted noble status and/or titles by a foreign country (for example, members of the royal

House of Bernadotte The House of Bernadotte is the royal family of Sweden since its foundation there in 1818. It was also the royal family of Norway between 1818 and 1905. Its founder, Charles XIV John of Sweden, was born in Pau in southern France as Jean Bernadott ...

have been granted Belgian and Luxembourgish princely and comital titles). #Families which have been ennobled by the Swedish monarch, but which have not been introduced at the House of Nobility. This group is small. #

Armiger In heraldry, an armiger is a person entitled to use a heraldic achievement (e.g., bear arms, an "armour-bearer") either by hereditary right, grant, matriculation, or assumption of arms. Such a person is said to be armigerous. A family or a cl ...

ous families of foreign origin which have traditionally been included in the various directories of unintroduced nobility, but whose original noble status has not been proven. They are included in Swedish unintroduced nobility for traditional reasons, such as having been considered noble in Sweden for an extended period of time. This group is also small. Three successive almanach series of unintroduced nobility have been published; 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

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 (

Luxembourg Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...

ish or

Belgian Belgian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Belgium * Belgians, people from Belgium or of Belgian descent * Languages of Belgium, languages spoken in Belgium, such as Dutch, French, and German *Ancient Belgian language, an extinct languag ...

) titles.

Carl Johan Bernadotte Carl Johan Arthur, Prince Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg, (31 October 1916 – 5 May 2012) was the fourth son and fifth and youngest child of King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and his first wife Princess Margaret of Connaught. He was born a Prince ...

was chairman of the association for many years.

Titles of high nobility

Introduced

According to the ''Nordisk Familjebok'': The first counts and barons, created in 1561 by

: * Svante Sture of Hörningsholm, 1562 count of Vestervik and later also Stegeholm * Peder Joakimsson Brahe of Rydboholm, 1562 count of Visingsborg * Göstaff Johansson of Haga, 1562 count of Bogesund (originally Enköping) *

Gustaf Olofsson, baron of Torpa *

Sten Eriksson, baron of Grevsnes * Grip Birger Nilsson, baron of Vines *

Gabriel Kristersson, baron of Mörby * Lars Fleming, baron of Arvasalo (in Finland) *

Gera Gera is a city in the German state of Thuringia. With around 93,000 inhabitants, it is the third-largest city in Thuringia after Erfurt and Jena as well as the easternmost city of the ''Thüringer Städtekette'', an almost straight string of cit ...

Karl Holgersson, baron of Björkvik * Gera Göran Holgersson, baron of Ållonö * Horn af Åminne Klas Kristersson, baron of Joensuu (in Finland) * Stenbock Erik Gustafsson, baron of Torpa (younger son of Gustaf Olofsson) John III granted the first baronial titles accompanied by territorial grants (earlier titles elevated the family's hereditary estate to comital or baronial status): * Öresten and Kronobäck to Erik Gustafsson of Torpa * Lundholm to Nils Göransson Gyllenstierna, new baron * Viikki (in Finland) to Klas Eriksson Fleming, new baron * Läckö to Hogenskild Bielke, new baron * Ekholmen to

Pontus De la Gardie Baron Pontus De la Gardie (c. 1520 – 5 November 1585) was a French nobleman and a general in the service of Denmark and Sweden. Life and career He was born Ponce d'Escouperie in Caunes-Minervois (Aude), Languedoc, a son of Jacques Esc ...

, new baron * Kungs-Lena to Olof Gustafsson Stenbock (elder son and heir of Gustaf Olofsson) * county of Raseborg (in Finland) to baron Sten Eriksson of Grevsnes' widow Countess Ebba Lilliehöök and heirs in 1571 Charles IX created only one: * barony of Nynäs (in Finland) to Abraham Leijonhufvud (he made Svante Bielke and Nils Bielke barons without grant of

entail In English common law, fee tail or entail is a form of trust established by deed or settlement which restricts the sale or inheritance of an estate in real property and prevents the property from being sold, devised by will, or otherwise alien ...

ed lands)

Gustav II Adolf Gustavus Adolphus (9 December ld Style and New Style dates, N.S 19 December15946 November ld Style and New Style dates, N.S 16 November1632), also known in English as Gustav II Adolf or Gustav II Adolph, was King of Sweden from 1611 to ...

granted: * county of Läckö to

Jacob De la Gardie Field Marshal and Count Jacob Pontusson De la Gardie (Reval, 20 June 1583 – Stockholm, 22 August 1652) was a statesman and a soldier of the Swedish Empire, and a Marshal from 1620 onward. He was Privy Councilor from 1613 onward, Governor o ...

* county of

Pärnu Pärnu () is the fourth largest city in Estonia. Situated in southwest Estonia, Pärnu is located south of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and west of Estonia's second largest city, Tartu. The city sits off the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet o ...

(in northern Livonia, now Estonia) to Franz Bernhard von Thurn (son of

Jindřich Matyáš Thurn Count Jindřich Matyáš of Thurn-Valsassina (german: Heinrich Matthias Graf von Thurn und Valsassina; it, Enrico Matteo Conte della Torre di Valsassina) (24 February 1567 – 26 January 1640), was one of the leaders of the Protestant Bohemian ...

) * barony of

Kimito Kimito (; fi, Kemiö ) is a former municipality of Finland. On January 1, 2009, it was consolidated with Dragsfjärd and Västanfjärd to form the new municipality of Kimitoön. Prior to the consolidation, it was one of the four municipalities l ...

(in Finland) to

* barony of Bergkvara to

Carl Carlsson Gyllenhielm Baron Carl Carlsson Gyllenhielm (4 March 1574 – 17 March 1650) was a Swedish soldier and politician. He was made a baron (''friherre'') in 1615, appointed Field Marshal in 1616, Privy Councilor in 1617, Governor General of Ingria in 1617 a ...

* barony of Tuutarhovi (in Ingria) to

Johan Skytte Johan Skytte (1577, in Nyköping – 15 March 1645, in Söderåkra, Sweden) was a Swedish statesman, and the founder of the ''Academia Gustaviana'' (today's University of Tartu in Estonia), in 1632. He was a son of the mayor of Nyköping, Bengt ...

* barony of Orreholm to Jakob Vilhelmsson Spens Christina granted: * county of Södermöre to

* county of

Vasaborg Vasaborg was a noble family of Sweden and a branch of the House of Vasa. Origins King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden had an illegitimate son called Gustav Gustavsson who in 1637 was ennobled under the name of Vasaborg, echoing his father's House ...

(in Finland) to Gustav Gustavsson, her illegitimate half-brother * county of Ortala to

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 ...

* county of

Kuressaare Kuressaare () is a town on Saaremaa island in Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Saaremaa Parish and the capital of Saare County. Kuressaare is the westernmost town in Estonia. The recorded population on 1 January 2018 was 13,276. Th ...

(later exchanged for

) to Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie * county of Sortavala (in Finland) to Johan Adam Banér * county of Björneborg (Pori) (in Finland) to Gustav Horn * county of Vestervik and Stegeholm to Hans Kristofer von Königsmark * county of

Korsholm Korsholm (; fi, Mustasaari) is a municipality of Finland. The town of Vaasa was founded in Korsholm parish in 1606 and today the municipality completely surrounds the city. It is a coastal, mostly rural municipality, consisting of a rural landscap ...

and Vasa (in Finland) to

Gabriel Bengtsson Oxenstierna Gabriel Bengtsson Oxenstierna af Korsholm och Wasa, 1st Count of Korsholma and Vaasa, Finnish: ''Gabriel Pentinpoika Oxenstierna'', (18 March 1586 at Lindholmen Castle, Västergötland – 12 December 1656 at Edsberg Manor, Sollentuna) was a ...

* county of Bogesund to Fredrik Stenbock * county of Salmi and Suistamo pogosta (in Finland) to

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 ...

* county of Kruunupori (in Finland) to Ture Oxenstierna * county of Nyborg (in Finland) to

Arvid Wittenberg Arvid Wittenberg or Arvid Wirtenberg von Debern (1606 – 7 September 1657), Swedish count, field marshal and privy councillor. Born in Porvoo, Finland, died in prison in Zamość, Poland, 7 September 1657. Arvid Wittenberg preferred call himself ...

* county of Karleborg (in Finland) to Klas Tott * county of Liljenborg to

Axel Lillie Count Axel Lillie, also spelled Lillje (23 July 1603 – 20 December 1662) was a Swedish soldier and politician. He was appointed Lieutenant Governor General of Pomerania in 1643, Privy Councilor in 1648, Governor General of Pomerania in 1652 ...

* county of Mariestad to Lars Kagg * county of Skeninge to Robert Douglas * county of Skövde to Kristofer Karl von Schlippenbach * county of Enköping to Antonius von Steinberg * barony of Vibyholm to Gustav Gustavsson, her illegitimate half-brother * barony of Virestad to

Lennart Torstensson 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 ...

* barony of Kronoberg to Peder Sparre * barony of Korpo (in Finland) to Nils Bielke * barony of Härlunda to Seved Bååt * barony of Kajaani (in Finland) to Per Brahe * barony of Örneholma (in Finland) to Johan Adler-Salvius * barony of Liperi (in Finland) pogosta to Hermann Fleming * barony of Oulu (in Finland) to Erik Gyllenstierna * barony of Kitee (in Finland) pogosta to

* barony of Loimijoki (in Finland) to

* barony of Limingo (in Finland) to Matias Soop * barony of Marienburg to Gustav Horn af Marienborg and certain of his relatives * barony of Vöyripori (in Finland) to Carl Gustaf Paijkull * barony of Tohmajärvi (in Finland) pogosta to Lars Kagg * barony of Kokkola (in Finland) to Gustav Banér * barony of Sund to Erik Ryning * barony of Laihia (in Finland) to Karl Bonde *

barony of Pyhäjoki Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the Brit ...

(in Finland) to

Klas Hansson Bjelkenstjerna Baron Klas Hansson Bjelkenstjerna (also Claës Hansson Bjelkenstjerna or Bielkenstjerna) (24 April 1615 – 30 July 1662) was a Swedish naval officer and civil servant. HIs father, Hans Klasson Bjelkenstjerna, who also was a high-ranking nav ...

* barony of Iijoki (in Finland) to Åke Axelsson Tott * barony of Ikalapori (in Finland) to Schering Rosenhane * barony of Hailuoto (in Finland) to Bernt Taube * barony of Hedensund (then Arnäs) to Knut Posse * barony of Vinberg to Gustaf Adolf Leijonhudvud * barony of Lindeberg to

Carl Gustav 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 Nort ...

and his brothers * barony of Lindeborg to Lorentz von der Linde * barony of Willenbruch and Harzefeld to Pierre Bidal * barony of Ludenhof (

Luua Luua (until 1920: ''Ludenhof'') is a village in Jõgeva Parish, Jõgeva County in eastern Estonia. Luua Manor Luua Manor (german: Ludenhof) has a history that goes back to at least 1519, when it was owned by Jürgen von Lude, whose family nam ...

, now in

Palamuse Parish Palamuse ( et, Palamuse vald) was a rural municipality of Estonia, in Jõgeva County. It had a population of 2,509 (2006) and an area of 216 km². Populated places Palamuse Parish had one small borough, Palamuse, and 25 villages: Änkküla ...

, Estonia) to Hans Wrangel * barony of Eksjö to Reinhold Liewen * barony of Elfkarleby to Mårten Leijonhufvud * barony of Gudhem to Lauri Cruus * baron of Skälby to Robert Douglas * barony of Koivisto (in Finland) to Hans Wachtmeister * barony of Lempäälä (in Finland) to Johan Kurck * barony of Wetter-Rosenthal to Adolf Friedrich Wetter, * barony of Närpes (in Finland) to Jakob and Anders Lilliehöök, * barony of Elimäki (in Finland) to Kasper and Karl Henrik Wrede af Elimä, * barony of Lais to Erik Fleming,

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 ...

granted: * county of Sölvesborg to Corfitz Ulfeldt ** (Lars Kagg, then

, obtained the county of Sölvesborg in exchanges) * baron of Örneholma (in Finland) to P. Wuertz * barony of Kastell ladugården to Rutger von Ascheberg

Charles XI Charles XI or Carl ( sv, Karl XI; ) was King of Sweden from 1660 until his death, in a period of Swedish history known as the Swedish Empire (1611–1721). He was the only son of King Charles X Gustav of Sweden and Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein- ...

granted: * county of Börringe to Gustav Carlsson, his out-of-wedlock half-brother

Unintroduced

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 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. ;Princes * Bernadotte (Belgian princely title awarded to

Prince Carl Bernadotte Carl Gustaf Oscar Fredrik Christian, Prince Bernadotte (10 January 1911 – 27 June 2003), originally Prince Carl, Duke of Östergötland, was the youngest child and only son of Prince Carl of Sweden and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark and eventua ...

) *

Cantacuzino The House of Cantacuzino (french: Cantacuzène) is a Romanian aristocratic family of Greek origin. The family gave a number of princes to Wallachia and Moldavia, and it claimed descent from a branch of the Byzantine Kantakouzenos family, specifica ...

(Romanian princely family) *

Putbus Putbus () is a town on the southeastern coast of the island of Rügen, in the county of Vorpommern-Rügen in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, close to the Baltic Sea. The town has 4,741 inhabitants and is a significant tourist destinat ...

(Created princes by king

Gustav IV Adolf Gustav IV Adolf or Gustav IV Adolph (1 November 1778 – 7 February 1837) was King of Sweden from 1792 until he was deposed in a coup in 1809. He was also the last Swedish monarch to be the ruler of Finland. The occupation of Finland in 1808–09 ...

, Duke of

Swedish Pomerania Swedish Pomerania ( sv, Svenska Pommern; german: Schwedisch-Pommern) was a dominion under the Swedish Crown from 1630 to 1815 on what is now the Baltic coast of Germany and Poland. Following the Polish War and the Thirty Years' War, Sweden held ...

, in 1807, not included in the calendar) ;Dukes * D'Otrante (

Napoleonic nobility As Emperor of the French, Napoleon I created titles of nobility to institute a stable elite in the First French Empire, after the instability resulting from the French Revolution. Like many others, both before and since, Napoleon found that th ...

) ;Marquis * Joussineau de Tourdonnet (French nobility) *

Lagergren Lagergren is a Swedish noble family, which is descended from Claes Lagergren (1853–1930), a papal chamberlain and wealthy socialite who was conferred the rank of Marquess by Pope Leo XIII in 1889. A junior branch of the family is descended f ...

(Papal/Italian nobility) ;Counts * Bernadotte of Wisborg (Luxembourgish title awarded to various members of the House of Bernadotte) * Crapon de Caprona * Fouché d'Otrante (

) * von der Groeben (German nobility) * von Hallwyl (Swiss nobility) * Joussineau de Tourdonnet (French nobility) *

(Papal/Italian nobility) * Landberg *

Moltke The House of Moltke is the name of an old German noble family. The family was originally from Mecklenburg, but apart from Germany, some of the family branches also resided throughout Scandinavia. Members of the family have been noted as pigfarme ...

(German/Danish nobility) * Moltke-Hvitfeldt (German/Danish nobility) * de Paus (Papal/Italian nobility) * von Platen-Hallermund (German nobility) * Révay (Hungarian nobility) *

Reventlow Reventlow is the name of a Holstein and Mecklenburg Dano-German noble family, which belongs to the Equites Originarii Schleswig-Holstein. Alternate spellings include Revetlo, Reventlo, Reventlau, Reventlou, Reventlow, Refendtlof and Reffentloff ...

(Danish/German nobility) * Stolberg (German nobility) *

Tolstoy Count Lev Nikolayevich TolstoyTolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; russian: link=no, Лев Николаевич Толстой,In Tolstoy's day, his name was written as in pre-refor ...

(Russian nobility) *

von Trampe The term ''von'' () is used in German language surnames either as a nobiliary particle indicating a noble patrilineality, or as a simple preposition used by commoners that means ''of'' or ''from''. Nobility directories like the ''Almanach de ...

(German nobility) ;Barons * von Bonsdorff (Finnish nobility) *

von Bredow The term ''von'' () is used in German language surnames either as a nobiliary particle indicating a noble patrilineality, or as a simple preposition used by commoners that means ''of'' or ''from''. Nobility directories like the ''Almanach de Go ...

(German nobility) * von Buddenbrock * von Buxhoeveden *

Cronstedt Cronstedt is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Axel Fredrik Cronstedt, Swedish chemist *Carl Olof Cronstedt, Swedish naval commander *Carl Johan Cronstedt, Swedish architect, inventor, Earl, noble, civil servant, scientist and b ...

* von Grothusen * von Gussich * von Leithner * von Mecklenburg * von der Osten-Sacken *

von der Pahlen The House of Pahlen (german: von der Pahlen; russian: link=no, Пален, Palen) is a German, Estonian, Russian, Lithuanian, Swedish and Baltic German noble family of Pomeranian origin. History The family probably originated from Pomerania, ...

(Russian nobility) * von Rosen (Hoch-Rosen) * Rosenørn-Lehn (Danish nobility) * von Strauss * von Wangenheim * de Wendel (Portuguese nobility)

Peerage and families

List of Swedish noble families This is a list of Swedish noble families, which are divided into two main groups: * Introduced nobility, i.e. noble families introduced at the Swedish House of Nobility * Unintroduced nobility, i.e. noble families which have not been introduced at ...

Duchies in Sweden Duchies in Sweden have been allotted since the 13th century to powerful Swedes, almost always to princes of Sweden (only in some of the dynasties) and wives of the latter. From the beginning these duchies were often centers of regional power, whe ...

** Duke of Estonia **

Duke of Finland Duke of Finland (in Finnish ''Suomen herttua''; Swedish ''hertig av Finland'') was an occasional medieval title granted as a tertiogeniture to the relatives of the King of Sweden between the 13th and 16th centuries. It included a duchy along with f ...

Duke of Halland This lists those feudal magnates (counts, dukes, and other sort of princes) who have held Halland (''Hallandia'') as fief, or its southern or northern part, as a substantive title. Earl in Halland * Charles Eriksen, maternal grandson of Canute IV ...

Swedish Royal Family The Swedish royal family ( sv, Svenska kungafamiljen) since 1818 has consisted of members of the Swedish Royal House of Bernadotte, closely related to the King of Sweden. Today those who are recognized by the government are entitled to royal ti ...

Surnames

Surnames in Sweden can be traced to the 15th century, when they were first used by 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 The sacrament of holy orders in the Catholic Church includes three orders: bishops, priests, and deacons, in decreasing order of rank, collectively comprising the clergy. In the phrase "holy orders", the word "holy" means "set apart for a sa ...

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 The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

, a common naming practice among the clergy was to use the Latinized form of their birthplace (e.g.

Laurentius Petri Gothus Laurentius Petri Gothus (died 12 February 1579) was the second Swedish Lutheran Archbishop of Uppsala, Sweden. He served from 1575 to 1579. Biography He was born Lars Petersson in either 1529 or 1530 in the province of Östergötland, from whic ...

, from

Östergötland Östergötland (; English exonym: East Gothland) is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden (''landskap'' in Swedish) in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland and the Baltic Sea. In older English li ...

). Later merchants and other social groups discarded the formerly used family names (such as

patronymic surname A patronymic surname is a surname originated from the given name of the father or a patrilineal ancestor. Different cultures have different ways of producing patronymic surnames. For example, early patronymic Welsh surnames were the result of th ...

s). Instead they adopted high-sounding Latin surnames. Another subsequent practice was the use of the

Greek language Greek ( el, label=Modern Greek, Ελληνικά, Elliniká, ; grc, Ἑλληνική, Hellēnikḗ) is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages, native to Greece, Cyprus, southern Italy (Calabria and Salento), southern Al ...

, with the ending of -''ander'' (the Greek word for ''man''). The use of surnames 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 was that it became the new surname of the whole house, and the old surname was dropped altogether.

Privileges

The noble estates are not abolished in

, 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

in 1866, and the last rights of precedence to certain governmental offices were removed in 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 A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its wh ...

(this according to a 1762 act): a helm with an open visor, a

coronet A coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. A coronet differs from other kinds of crowns in that a coronet never has arches, and from a tiara in that a coronet completely encircles the head, while a tiara does ...

showing rank, a medallion and the use of supporters. Modern Swedish law makes no distinctions on the basis of nobility.

Crowns and coronets of rank

File:Royal crown of the King of Sweden.svg, Royal (''Kunglig'') crown File:Grevlig krona.svg, Comital (''Grevlig'') coronet File:Friherrlig krona.svg, Baronial (''Friherrlig'') coronet File:Adlig krona.svg, Noble (''Adlig'') coronet

Exceptional cases

Outside Sweden, Saint

Bridget Bridget is an Irish language, Irish female name derived from the Goidelic languages, Gaelic noun ''brígh'', meaning "power, strength, vigor, virtue". An alternate meaning of the name is "exalted one". Its popularity, especially in Ireland, is la ...

(1303-1373) became known as the ''Princess of Nericia'',''Furstinnan från/av Närke''

Eivor Martinus Eivor, Eivør or Øyvor is a female given name in the Nordic countries. In Sweden, 4,922 people bear the name. The average age is 78. The name perhaps originated from either the Proto-Norse word ''auja'', which is thought to mean "good luck", o ...

in ''Barndrottningen Filippa'', pp 115, 164 & 167 which appears to have been a noble, rather than a royal title, since she was not the daughter of a king.

Gallery

File:Stein Sture II Regent of Sweden relief 2009 West Aros (crop).jpg,

Sten Sture the Younger Sten Sture the Younger ( sv, Sten Sture den yngre) (1493 – 3 February 1520), was a Swedish nobleman who served as the regent of Sweden, during the era of the Kalmar Union. Biography Sture was born in 1493, as the son of Svante Nilsson (rege ...

, statesman and regent of

, during the era of the

Kalmar Union The Kalmar Union (Danish language, Danish, Norwegian language, Norwegian, and sv, Kalmarunionen; fi, Kalmarin unioni; la, Unio Calmariensis) was a personal union in Scandinavia, agreed at Kalmar in Sweden, that from 1397 to 1523 joined under ...

. File:John Benson (Oxenstierna) Regent of Sweden seal 1879.jpg,

Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna Jöns Bengtsson (Oxenstierna), in Latin known as Johannes Benedicti de Salista, (1417 – 15 December 1467) was a Swedish clergyman, canon law scholar and statesman, Archbishop of Uppsala (1448–1467). He was Regent of Sweden, under the Kalmar U ...

archbishop of Uppsala The Archbishop of Uppsala (spelled Upsala until the early 20th century) has been the primate (bishop), primate of Sweden in an unbroken succession since 1164, first during the Roman Catholic Church, Catholic era, and from the 1530s and onward un ...

(1448–1467) and regent of

, under the

File:Margaret of Sweden (1536) effigy 2007.jpg,

Margaret Leijonhufvud Margaret Leijonhufvud (née ''Margareta Eriksdotter''; 1 January 1516 – 26 August 1551) was Queen of Sweden from 1536 to 1551 by marriage to King Gustav I. She played a political role as the advisor of, and the intermediary to, her spouse the ...

, noblewoman, Queen Consort of Sweden (1536-1551) and mother of kings File:British School 16th century - A Young Lady Aged 21, Possibly Helena Snakenborg - Google Art Project.jpg,

Helena Snakenborg Elin Ulfsdotter Snakenborg, Marchioness of Northampton, also known as Helena, and Helena the Red for her red hair, (1548/1549 – 10 April 1635) was a Swedish-born noblewoman, Maid of Honour of Queen Elizabeth I of England, and Marchiones ...

, noblewoman, Maid of Honour of Queen

Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is ...

, and Marchioness of Northampton File:Portrait of count Jacob de la Gardie - Nationalmuseum - 19206.tif, Count

, statesman and a soldier of the

Swedish Empire The Swedish Empire was a European great power that exercised territorial control over much of the Baltic region during the 17th and early 18th centuries ( sv, Stormaktstiden, "the Era of Great Power"). The beginning of the empire is usually ta ...

. File:Georg Stiernhielm, 1598-1672.jpg,

Georg Stiernhielm Georg Stiernhielm (August 7, 1598 – April 22, 1672) was a Swedish civil servant, mathematician, linguist and poet. Life Stiernhielm was born on the family estate Gammelgården in the village Svartskär in Vika parish in Dalarna where his father ...

, civil servant, linguist and poet. File:Vendela Skytte.jpg,

Vendela Skytte Vendela Skytte (or Wendela Skytte) (8 December 1608 – 18 August 1629) was a Swedish noblewoman, salonist and writer, poet and Lady of Letters. During her lifetime, she became an ideal and role model for a learned female scholar. Biography ...

, salonist and writer, poet and Lady of Letters File:Erik Dahlbergh-1849.jpg,

Erik Dahlbergh '' Count Erik Jönsson Dahlbergh (10 October 162516 January 1703) was a Swedish military engineer, Governor-general and Field marshal. He rose to the level of nobility through his military competence. As an architect and draftsman, he was renow ...

, engineer, soldier, and

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 ...

File:Uno von Troil.jpg,

Uno von Troil Uno von Troil (24 February 1746 in Stockholm – 1803) was the Church of Sweden Archbishop of Uppsala 1786–1803. Biography He was the son of Samuel Troilius, who had also been archbishop. He was known for great wit at a young age. After stu ...

, Archbishop of Uppsala File:Carl von Linné.jpg,

Carl von Linné Carl Linnaeus (; 23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after his ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné Blunt (2004), p. 171. (), was a Swedish botanist, zoologist, taxonomist, and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the ...

botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...

, physician, and

zoologist Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the Animal, animal kingdom, including the anatomy, structure, embryology, evolution, Biological clas ...

File:Porträtt föreställande Sophie Piper, målning av Carl Fredrik von Breda.jpg, Countess

Sophie Piper Countess Eva Sophie Piper, née Eva Sophie von Fersen (30 March 1757 – 2 February 1816, Löfstad Slott), was a Swedish countess and lady in waiting. She was the daughter of count Axel von Fersen the Elder and Hedvig Catharina von Fersen and ...

, Swedish noble and

lady in waiting A lady-in-waiting or court lady is a female personal assistant at a court, attending on a royal woman or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe, a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman but of lower rank than the woman to whom sh ...

. File:Malla Silfverstolpe 1843.jpg,

Malla Silfverstolpe Magdalena Sofia "Malla" Silfverstolpe (''née'' Montgomery; 8 February 1782 – 17 January 1861) was a Swedish writer and salon hostess. Her house in Uppsala was a meeting place for many prominent writers, composers and intellectuals. Her diar ...

, writer and

salon Salon may refer to: Common meanings * Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments * French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home * Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment Arts and entertainment * Salon (P ...

hostess. File:MagnusBrahe.jpg, Magnus Brahe, statesman and soldier. File:Sofia Adlersparre self portrait.jpg, Sofia Adlersparre, painter File:Swedish Reichsmarschall Fredrik von Essen.jpg, Baron Fredrik von Essen, Marshal of the Realm and landlord ( Kavlås Castle) File:Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld by Axel Jungstedt 1902.jpg, Baron

Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld Nils Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld (18 November 183212 August 1901) was a Finland-Swedish aristocrat, geologist, mineralogist and Arctic explorer. He was a member of the Fenno-Swedish Nordenskiöld family of scientists and held the title of a friher ...

, botanist, geologist, mineralogist and arctic explorer File:Johan Krouthén - Porträtt av Verner von Heidenstam.jpg,

Verner von Heidenstam Carl Gustaf Verner von Heidenstam (6 July 1859 – 20 May 1940) was a Swedish poet, novelist and laureate of the 1916 Nobel Prize in Literature. He was a member of the Swedish Academy from 1912. His poems and prose work are filled with a great joy ...

, poet and novelist, a laureate of the

Nobel Prize in Literature ) , image = Nobel Prize.png , caption = , awarded_for = Outstanding contributions in literature , presenter = Swedish Academy , holder = Annie Ernaux (2022) , location = Stockholm, Sweden , year = 1901 , ...

File:Portrait of Hilma af Klint.jpg,

Hilma af Klint Hilma af Klint (; 26 October 1862 – 21 October 1944) was a Swedish artist and mysticism, mystic whose paintings are considered among the first Abstract art, abstract works known in Western art history. A considerable body of her work predates ...

artist An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, th ...

and mystic File:Evert Taube 1961.JPG,

Evert Taube Axel Evert Taube (; 12 March 1890 – 31 January 1976) was a Swedish author, artist, composer and singer. He is widely regarded as one of Sweden's most respected musicians and the foremost troubadour of the Swedish ballad tradition in the 20th c ...

, author, artist, composer and singer.

References

External links

The House of Nobility
- Official site
Law on Privileges for the Nobility (1723)
- at Wikisource (''in Swedish'')
Constitution for the House of Knights (1866)
- at Wikisource (''in Swedish'')
A Who's Who of the Swedish Aristocracy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swedish Nobility