Count Per Brahe the Younger | |
|---|---|
 Portrait byDavid Beck,c. 1650 | |
| Lord High Steward of Sweden | |
| In office 1641–1680 | |
| Preceded by | Gabriel Gustafsson Oxenstierna |
| Succeeded by | Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie |
| Governor-General of Finland | |
| In office 1637–1640 | |
| Preceded by | Gabriel Bengtsson Oxenstierna |
| In office 1648–1654 | |
| Succeeded by | Gustav Evertsson Horn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1602-02-18)18 February 1602 Rydboholm Castle,Uppland, Sweden |
| Died | 12 September 1680(1680-09-12) (aged 78) Bogesund Palace, Sweden |
| Residence(s) | Bogesund Palace, Visingsborg, Brahehus |
CountPer Brahe the Younger (18 February 1602 – 12 September 1680)[1] was a Swedish soldier, statesman, and writer. He served asPrivy Councillor from 1630,Lord High Steward from 1640, as well asGovernor-General of Finland in 1637–1640 and 1648–1654.
Brahe fought inPrussia during thePolish War (1626–1629) and inGermany in 1630. However, his military activity later yielded to his political activity, and he held posts of Privy Councillor and Lord High Steward of Sweden. During the minority ofQueen Christina (1632–1644) and after the death ofKing Charles X in 1660, he was one of the regents of Sweden.
During his time as Governor-General of Finland, he made large administrative reforms, introduced a postal system, improved and developed commerce and agriculture, and promoted education. He was the founder of theRoyal Academy of Turku and the town ofRaahe (Swedish:Brahestad), along with ten other new towns inFinland.
Brahe was born inRydboholm Castle (now inÖsteråker Municipality) inUppland. He was the son ofriksråd CountAbraham Pedersson Brahe of Visingsborg (1569–1630) and Elsa Gyllenstierna of Lundholm, and as such the brother ofMargareta Brahe andNils Brahe, and the cousin ofEbba Brahe. He was the grandson ofPer Brahe the Elder (1520–1590), one ofGustavus Vasa'sPrivy Councillors, created count ofVisingsborg byKing Eric XIV, known also as thecontinuator ofPeder Svart's chronicle of Gustavus (sometimes the "Chronicles of Per Brahe"), and author of Oeconomia in 1585, a manual for young noblemen. Per Brahe the younger, after completing his education by several years' travel abroad, became in 1626 chamberlain toGustavus Adolphus, whose lasting friendship he gained.[1]
He fought with distinction inPrussia during the last three years of thePolish War (1626–1629) and also, as colonel of a regiment of horse, in 1630 in Germany. After the death ofGustavus Adolphus in 1632 his military yielded to his political activity. He had been elected president orLantmarskalk in theRiksdag of 1629, and in the following year was created aPrivy Councillor. In 1635 he conducted the negotiations for an armistice withPoland[1] (Treaty of Stuhmsdorf).
In 1637–1640 and again in 1648–1654 he wasGovernor-General in Finland,[1] to which country he rendered inestimable services by his wise and provident rule. He reformed the whole administration, introduced a postal system, founded ten new towns, improved and developed commerce and agriculture, and very greatly promoted education.[1] In 1640 he opened theRoyal Academy of Turku, of which he was the founder, and first chancellor.[1] Still today the expression "Kreivin aikaan", or "at Count's Time" in theFinnish language means "at the correct/good time".[2] The base ofhis statue inTurku bears the inscription "I was well pleased with the land and the land with me."[citation needed]
After the death ofKing Charles X in 1660, Brahe, asLord High Steward, became one of the regents of Sweden[3] for the second time (he had held a similar office during the minority ofQueen Christina, 1632–1644), and during the difficult year 1660 he had entire control of both foreign and domestic affairs.[1] He died on 2 September 1680 at his castleBogesund inUppland. He also held the castles Visingsborg atVisingsö andBrahehus on the mainland byGränna, where during his lifetime he had held more than regal pomp.[1]
The Finnish town ofRaahe (Swedish:Brahestad), which he founded in the year of 1649 inOstrobothnia, is named after him,[4] as is the asteroid1680 Per Brahe, discovered byLiisi Oterma at theTurku Observatory in 1942.[5] The officialnaming citation was published by theMinor Planet Center on 1 April 1980 (M.P.C. 5280).[6] Other Finnish towns he founded with Raahe includeHamina,Jakobstad,Kajaani,Kristinestad,Kuopio andLappeenranta.
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| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Governor-General of Finland 1637–1641[citation needed] 1648–1654 | Succeeded by |
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