From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lord High Steward of Sweden
Lord High Steward of Sweden
The Lord High Steward or Lord High Justiciar (Swedish:
Riksdrots or only Drots was a highly prominent member
Drots)
of the Swedish Privy Council from the 13th century until
1809, excluding periods when the office was out of use.
Middle Ages
The first mentioning of the title "drots" in Sweden, con-
cerns the reign of Magnus Ladulås and the year 1276. It
is difficult to say anything definite about the status of
the office at that time, but sources from the 14th centu-
ry shows the width of the power of the Lord High Ste-
ward. The influence seems to have been vast, as long as
the steward managed to stay out of doing things against
the will of the king himself.[1] The steward was the king’s
closest confidant and during the guardian regency at the
time of Magnus Eriksson’s adolescence (1319-1331), the
title holder (mostly Knut Jonsson) was the mightiest man
in Sweden.[2]
In the latter stages of the 14th century, during con-
flicts between the king and the Swedish noblemen, the
title became more independent and less attached to the
king. The wealthiest and most famous of the Swedish
aristocrats of the time was arguably steward Bo Jonsson
Grip, who disposed of king Magnus Eriksson and then Per Brahe the Younger - Lord High Steward 1641-1680
dominated the king he helped to install instead, Albrekt.
After Jonsson Grip had died in 1386, no new steward was
appointed until 1435, when the noblemen forced king
Eric of Pomerania to do so.[2]
Early modern period
The title was pushed aside by another office, hovmästare,
and not until Per Brahe the Elder was appointed steward
by John III in 1569, was the title revived. Albeit hon-
orable, the title meant no particular assignment until
1614, when Lord High Steward Magnus Brahe was put
in charge of the newly established Svea Court of Appeal,
the highest court of Sweden at the time. The steward be-
came responsible of supervising justice in Sweden. From
1634, the steward was one of five Great Officers of the
Realm, who were the most prominent members of the
Privy Council. Lord High Steward had the highest rank of
the five officers, and because of that, the steward was the
most important figure during the regencies who ruled
when Christina and Charles XI had not yet come of age.[2]
Sweden suffered from political turmoil under the re-
gency when Charles XI’s was still a minor, which brought Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie - Lord High Steward 1680-1684
about changes to among others the Lord High Steward
and the other Great Officers of the Realm. The significan-
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Lord High Steward of Sweden
ce of the office had decreased when Magnus Gabriel De
la Gardie got the position when Per Brahe the Younger
References
died. After De la Gardie, no new steward was appoint- [1] ^ "Berättelser ur svenska historien: Folkungaätten"
ed.[2] (in Swedish). Nordisk Familjebok at runeberg.org. pp.
The title Lord High Steward was revived once more in 482. http://runeberg.org/sverhist/1/0486.html.
1787, when Gustav III gave Carl Axel Wachtmeister the ti- Retrieved 2009-05-05.
tle and put him in charge of all Swedish high courts. In [2] ^ "Nordisk Familjebok - Drots" (in Swedish). Nordisk
1809 the office was once again withdrawn when a new Familjebok at runeberg.org. pp. 881–882.
constitution was established in Sweden. The new office http://runeberg.org/nfbf/0475.html. Retrieved
State Minister of Justice became the new head of the 2009-05-05.
Swedish justice system.[2] [3] ^ "Nordisk Familjebok - Knut Jonsson Blå" (in
Swedish). Nordisk Familjebok at runeberg.org.
http://runeberg.org/nfbc/0432.html. Retrieved
Lord High Stewards of Sweden 2009-05-05.
• Ulf Carlson (1276)[1] [4] "Nordisk Familjebok - Mattias Kettilmundsson" (in
• Knut Matsson (1280)[1] Swedish). Nordisk Familjebok at runeberg.org.
• Magnus Ragvaldsson (c. 1288)[1] http://runeberg.org/nfbq/0669.html. Retrieved
• Abjörn Sixtensson (-1310) - drots of Eric, Duke of 2009-05-05.
Södermanland [5] ^ "Berättelser ur svenska historien: Folkungaätten"
• Knut Jonsson (1312-1316)[3] (in Swedish). Nordisk Familjebok at runeberg.org. pp.
• Johan von Brunkow (1316-1318)[3] 588. http://runeberg.org/sverhist/1/0592.html.
• Mats Kettilmundsson (1318-1319)[4] Retrieved 2009-05-05.
• Knut Jonsson (1322-1334 - second term)[3] [6] ^ "Nordisk Familjebok - Läma" (in Swedish). Nordisk
• Greger Magnusson (1334-1335)[5][6] Familjebok at runeberg.org. http://runeberg.org/
• Nils Ambjörnsson (1335-?)[5] nfbq/0109.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
• Greger Magnusson (?-1338 - second term)[6] [7] "Berättelser ur svenska historien: Folkungaätten"
• Nils Turesson (-1364)[7] (in Swedish). Nordisk Familjebok at runeberg.org. pp.
• Bo Jonsson (Grip) (1371-1386)[8] 730. http://runeberg.org/sverhist/1/0734.html.
• Krister Nilsson (1435-c.1440)[9] Retrieved 2009-05-05.
• Per Brahe the Elder (1569-1590)[2] [8] "Nordisk Familjebok - Bo Jonsson" (in Swedish).
• Nils Göransson Gyllenstierna (1590-1595)[2] Nordisk Familjebok at runeberg.org.
• Mauritz Stensson Leijonhufvud (1602-1607)[2] http://runeberg.org/nfbc/0502.html. Retrieved
• Magnus Brahe (1612-1633)[2] 2009-05-05.
• Gabriel Gustafsson Oxenstierna (1634-1640)[2] [9] "Nordisk Familjebok - Kristiern Nilsson" (in
• Per Brahe the Younger (1641-1680)[2] Swedish). Nordisk Familjebok at runeberg.org.
• Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie (1680-1684)[2] http://runeberg.org/nfai/0028.html. Retrieved
• Carl Axel Wachtmeister (1787-1809)[2] 2009-05-05.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lord_High_Steward_of_Sweden&oldid=396877756"
Categories:
• History of Sweden
• 13th century in Sweden
• 14th century in Sweden
• 15th century in Sweden
• 16th century in Sweden
• 17th century in Sweden
• 18th century in Sweden
• 19th century in Sweden
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