The Wachtmeister family is a Swedish noble family from

Livonia Livonia ( liv, Līvõmō, et, Liivimaa, fi, Liivinmaa, German and Scandinavian languages: ', archaic German: ''Liefland'', nl, Lijfland, Latvian and lt, Livonija, pl, Inflanty, archaic English: ''Livland'', ''Liwlandia''; russian: Ли ...

, who immigrated to Sweden in the 16th century. The name '' Wachtmeister'' is German for 'sergeant'. The family branched out in 1683, and was "introduced" at the Swedish House of Nobility in 1689, in a baronial and a

comital 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: ...

main branch; ''Wachtmeister af Björkö no. 31'' and ''Wachtmeister af Johannishus no. 25''. The baronial branch was dissolved on the "sword side" (''svärdssidan'', literally "on the side of the sword" meaning without any male heirs) in Sweden on 11 July 1889, but survives in Germany, where the principal is the Prussian Count Axel-Dietrich von Wachtmeister (born 1941). A branch of the ''Wachtmeister af Björkö'' was elevated on 17 January 1816 into a Prussian, comital dignity.

History

The Swedish noble families of Wachtmeister, which originated from Hans Wachtmeister, who from

came to Sweden and was ennobled in 1578. His grandson Hans became a ''Friherre'' with Björkö (in Karelia) in 1651 and is the progenitor of the baronial family of ''Wachtmeister af Björkö''. Two of his sons became counts, namely Hans in 1687, progenitor of the comital family of ''Wachtmeister af Johannishus'', and Axel in 1693, progenitor of the comital family of ''Wachtmeister af Mälsåker'' (in

Södermanland Södermanland ( or ), locally Sörmland, sometimes referred to under its Latin form ''Sudermannia'' or ''Sudermania'', is a historical province or ''landskap'' on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västman ...

), which dissolved on the "sword side" (''svärdssidan'', literally "on the side of the sword") in 1708. The aforementioned ''Friherre'' ("Baron") Hans Wachtmeister's grandson Karl Adam received count's dignity in 1799. His nephew, ''Friherre'' Karl Axel Didrik (1780–1837), who left Swedish service in 1806 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and settled in

Pomerania Pomerania ( pl, Pomorze; german: Pommern; Kashubian: ''Pòmòrskô''; sv, Pommern) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The western part of Pomerania belongs to ...

, became a Prussian count in 1816. Count Hans Wachtmeister af Johannishus' grandson's son, the

Lord High Steward The Lord High Steward is the first of the Great Officers of State in England, nominally ranking above the Lord Chancellor. The office has generally remained vacant since 1421, and is now an ''ad hoc'' office that is primarily ceremonial and ...

Carl Axel Wachtmeister, adopted, with the support of a royal letter on 5 April 1808, after his mother he took up the

entailed estate 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 ...

of Trolleberg, the name Trolle-Wachtmeister. This name, along with the Trolle coat of arms in conjunction with that of the Wachtmeister coat of arms, must be borne by his descendant of the Wachtmeister family, who holds the mentioned entailed estate (the right of the entailed estate was transferred in 1830 from Trolleberg to Ljungby, later called Trolle-Ljungby).

Wachtmeister af Björkö no. 31

*Hans Wachtmeister (1609–1652), Major General, ''

Riksråd Riksrådet (in Norwegian and Swedish), Rigsrådet (in Danish) or (English: the Council of the Realm and the Council of the State – sometimes translated as the "Privy Council") is the name of the councils of the Scandinavian countries that rule ...

'' and Master of the Horse **Eva Juliana Wachtmeister (1639–1666), married to Count Bengt Gabrielsson Oxenstierna (1661–1666)

Wachtmeister af Johannishus no. 25

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 ...

(1641–1714), admiral general of the Swedish Navy **Carl Hans Wachtmeister (1689–1736), Admiral ***Fredrik Georg Hans Carl Wachtmeister (1720–1792), officer ****Carl Axel Trolle-Wachtmeister (1754–1810),

Lord of the Realm ''En af rikets herrar'' (in Swedish) or Lord of the Realm was an honorary title introduced by King Gustaf III of Sweden shortly after his bloodless coup d'état in 1772, and after the new constitution was passed by the Riksdag of the Estates. It ...

, Minister for Justice *****Hans Gabriel Trolle-Wachtmeister (1782–1871), Minister for Justice ******Axel Knut Trolle-Wachtmeister (1812–1907), County Governor *******Hans Gustaf Trolle-Wachtmeister (1846–1922), senior valet de chambre (''överstekammarjunkare'') ********Oskar Carl-Axel Fredrik Trolle-Wachtmeister (1893–1956), ''

Hovjägmästare Hovjägmästare in Sweden was a court official who supervised the '' Kungliga Hovjägeristaten'' at the Royal Court of Sweden and the royal hunting parks. The first ''hovjägmästare'' was originally the title of the head of the ''Kungliga Hovjä ...

'' *********Hans-Gabriel Trolle–Wachtmeister (born 1923), was married to Alice Viktoria Tornérhielm (1926–2017) ****Hans Fredrik Wachtmeister (1752–1807), Rear Admiral *****Carl Axel Wachtmeister (1795–1865), Chamberlain ******Carolina Lovisa Wachtmeister (1826–1910), married to ''Friherre''

Louis Gerhard De Geer Baron Louis Gerard De Geer af Finspång (18 July 181824 September 1896) was a Swedish statesman and writer. He was born at Finspång Castle in Risinge parish. He was a lawyer, and in 1855 became president of the Göta hovrätt, or lord justi ...

Prime Minister of Sweden The prime minister ( sv, statsminister ; literally translating to "Minister of State") is the head of government of Sweden. The prime minister and their cabinet (the government) exercise executive authority in the Kingdom of Sweden and are su ...

*******

Gerhard Louis De Geer Baron Gerhard Louis De Geer of Finspång (usually known as Louis De Geer; 27 November 185425 February 1935) was a Swedish politician, who served in the first chamber of the ''Riksdag'' 1901–14, was governor of Kristianstad County 1905–23, an ...

(1854–1935),

*******

Gerard De Geer Baron Gerard Jacob De Geer (20 November 1858 – 24 July 1943) was a Swedish geologist who made significant contributions to Quaternary geology, particularly geomorphology and geochronology. De Geer is best known for his work on varves. In 1890 D ...

(1858–1943), geologist ******** Sten De Geer (1886–1933), professor ******Axel Fredrik Wachtmeister (1827–1899), Chamberlain *******Ulrika Charlotta Elisabet (1855-1913), married Count Magnus Gabriel

de La Gardie The De la Gardie family (also de la Gardie) is the name of a distinguished Swedish noble family of French origin. History The family's social status in France is uncertain; the founder, Ponce d'Escouperie, son of a tradesman, came to Sweden as a m ...

(1839-1905) *******Carl Axel Baltzar Wachtmeister (1856–1935), First Crown Equerry ********Gustaf Axel Otto Wachtmeister (1887–1978), cabinet chamberlain *********

Wilhelm Wachtmeister Count Wilhelm Hans Fredrik Wachtmeister (29 April 1923 – 3 February 2012) was a Swedish career diplomat who served as the Swedish Ambassador to the United States for 15 years from 1974 to 1989, eventually becoming the Dean of the Diplomatic Cor ...

(1923–2012), diplomat ********** Erik Wachtmeister (born 1955), Internet entrepreneur, married to Louise Wachtmeister (née Austern) ********Otto Carl Fredrik Wachtmeister (1897–1938), ''

'' *********Brita Elisabeth (EÄ Elisabet) (Beth) Wachtmeister (1926–1972), married to

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: ...

Carl Carlsson Bonde af Björnö (1962–1972) ****

Gustaf Wachtmeister Gustaf Wachtmeister (25 July 1757 – 20 July 1826) was a Swedish Army officer made famous at the Battle of Valkeala in Finland in 1789 against Russia where he was wounded by a musket shot to his arm, which had to be amputated. He was made the h ...

(1757–1826), General,

*****Claes Adam Wachtmeister (1795–1873), lieutenant colonel ******Axel Fredrik Claesson Wachtmeister (1855–1919),

Minister for Foreign Affairs A foreign affairs minister or minister of foreign affairs (less commonly minister for foreign affairs) is generally a cabinet minister in charge of a state's foreign policy and relations. The formal title of the top official varies between cou ...

*******Nils Claes Ludvig Wachtmeister (1891–1960), '' Hovstallmästare'' ******** Gunnila Wachtmeister (1923–2016), was married to

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 ...

******* Shering "Ted" Wachtmeister (1892–1975), jurist ********Bengt Fredrik Shering Wachtmeister (1921–2006), *********Yvonne Wachtmeister (born 1951), married Prince Ludwig Ferdinand of

Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg was one of several imperial counties and later principalities ruled by the House of Sayn-Wittgenstein. Most of the former county is located in the present district of Siegen-Wittgenstein (in the modern state of Nort ...

(b. 1942) **********

Princess Anna of Bavaria , image = 2019-11-20-Anna von Bayern-Maischberger-7728.jpg , image_size = , caption = Pictured in 2019 , spouse = , issue = Prince LeopoldPrincess AlvaPrince Gabriel , house = Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berl ...

(born 1978), married to Prince Manuel of

Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...

(born 1972) ********** Prince August Fredrik zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (born 1981) ********Nils Erik Gustaf Wachtmeister (1923–2003), Swedish Army colonel ********Thomas Axel Wilhelm "Tom" Wachtmeister (1931–2011), businessman ******** Ian Wachtmeister (1932–2017), industrialist and politician ********Georg Carl Gustaf Wachtmeister (born 1940), ********Sten Ted Patrick Wachtmeister (born 1945), businessman *******Louise Violet Gunilla Wachtmeister (1899–1992), married to Ambassador Erik Boheman (1919–1927) ****Claes Adam Wachtmeister (1755–1828), Admiral *****Carl Johan Wachtmeister (1793–1843), Adjutant General ******Carl Wachtmeister (1823–1871), Envoy,

, married to Constance de Bourbel de Montpincon (1838–1910) ******Gotthard Wachtmeister (1834–1920), County Governor *******Johan Fredrik Wachtmeister (1869–1950), Swedish Army lieutenant colonel ********

Carl Johan Wachtmeister Count Carl Johan Wachtmeister (1 February 1903 – 22 May 1993) was a Swedish Army officer and fencer. He served as commanding officer of Norrland Dragoon Regiment (1952–1957) and the Stockholm Defence District (1957–1963). Career Wachtmei ...

(1903–1993), Swedish Army colonel and fencer *****Christina Hilda Wachtmeister (1796–1871), married to Lieutenant General, Baron Bror Cederström (1780–1877)

Wachtmeister af Mälsåker no. 39

* Axel Wachtmeister (1643–1699), field marshal **Eleonora Margareta Wachtmeister (1684–1748), married to Count Hans Reinhold von Fersen (1683–1736) ***

Carl von Fersen Count Carl von Fersen (1716-1786), was a Swedish courtier of Baltic German descent. He was an amateur singer and a leading member of the amateur theater of king Gustav III of Sweden.Göran Alm och Rebecka Millhagen: Drottningholms slott. Bd 2, Fr ...

(1716–1786), ''Överhovjägmästare'' *** Axel von Fersen (1719–1794), Lord Marshal of 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 ...

, married to Hedvig Catharina von Fersen (1732–1800) **** Axel von Fersen (1755–1810), General, Marshal of the Realm of Sweden,

****

Sophie von Fersen 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 ...

(1757–1816), Lady-in-waiting **** Fabian von Fersen (1762–1818), politician, officer, courtier **** Hedvig "Hedda" Eleonora von Fersen (1753–1792), Lady-in-waiting

Others

* Carl Wachtmeister (born 1989), footballer

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wachtmeister Swedish noble families Wachtmeister af Johannishus family