Rudolf Cederström | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Birth name | Olof Rudolf Cederström |
| Born | (1764-02-08)8 February 1764 Landskrona, Sweden |
| Died | 1 June 1833(1833-06-01) (aged 69) |
| Allegiance | Sweden |
| Branch | Swedish Navy |
| Years of service | 1779–1828 |
| Rank | General admiral |
| Battles / wars | |
| Spouse | |
Olof Rudolf Cederström (8 February 1764 – 1 June 1833) was aSwedish naval commander. Cederström enlisted in theSwedish admiralty in 1779 and as captain, he conducted a raid againstRogervik. He distinguished himself in 1790 at the navalBattle of Reval and theBattle of Viborg Bay. During the following years he led ships againstprivateers in theNorth Sea. He was sent in 1801 to fight alongside theUnited States Navy in theMediterranean during theFirst Barbary War. In 1808 his ships were sent to blockadeGotland in order to repel aRussian invasion. His last military action was againstDenmark andFrance in 1813, when he helped Swedish forces captureVorpommern. In 1815, he was appointed a minister but returned to the navy in 1818. He finally resigned in 1828.
Cederström was born on 8 February 1764 inLandskrona, Sweden, the son of Claes Cederström and his wife Margareta Elisabet von Mevius. He was a student inUppsala in 1776 and was admitted to war service at the Admiralty in 1779.[1]
Cederström became a petty officer (arklimästare) at the Admiralty on 3 August 1779 and was promoted to second lieutenant on 5 June 1781. In 1784, he becameharbourmaster inSaint Barthélemy and on 15 August 1785 he was promoted to sub-lieutenant. Cederström was promoted to lieutenant on 21 July 1788.[1] He distinguished himself during theRusso-Swedish War when he conducted a successful expedition toRogervik (17 March 1790) as the commander of a small squadron of two frigates and a few brigs,[2] where timber to a Russian archipelago fleet and much other military equipment was destroyed.[3] For this, he was appointed major on 26 March 1790.[2][1] Cederström also distinguished himself during theBattle of Reval (13 May 1790) and theBattle of Vyborg Bay (4 July 1790).[3][how?]
He became lieutenant colonel at the Admiralty on 25 February 1793. Cederström became a member of the Committee of the Navy's Equipment on 22 April 1794 and colonel at the Admiralty on 21 June 1795. In 1796 and in 1798, he was cruising with a frigate squadron in theNorth Sea to protect the Nordic trade against theprivateers.[3] He was appointed commanding officer of the High Seas Navy (Örlogsflottan) on 6 April 1801 and was three days later promoted to rear admiral.[1] Cederström was sent with a squadron to the Mediterranean to punishTripolitanian pirates during theFirst Barbary War. After 20 months, he made peace withTripoli.[2] In 1808, he took command of a squadron, which had the task of protecting the Swedish coast against a feared French–Danish landing.[3] Also in 1808,Russia occupied the island of Gotland and a Swedish relief expedition, under the command of Cederström, was dispatched from Karlskrona to expel the Russian forces from the island, which was executed within three days. The Russian occupation accelerated, however, the establishment of theGotland National Conscription and Cederström was commissioned as vice governor of the island to implement this arming of the people and to set the island in a state of defense.[2]
Cederström was promoted to vice admiral on 29 June 1809 and he was military commander ofGotland from 13 August 1810 to 24 September 1811.[1] In 1813, he was appointed general commander of the entire Swedish naval force againstDenmark and theFrench allies,[2] and in 1814, for a short time, over the naval force againstNorway.[3] Cederström was general commander ofGuadeloupe in 1814 and was on duty asadjutant of the fleets on 5 August 1815. Cederström became minister (statsråd) on 8 August 1815 and theGovernor of Stockholm and acting chancellor of theRoyal War Academy on 30 July 1816. He was promoted to admiral on 24 November 1818 and resigned as the Governor of Stockholm on 15 December 1818. He received the titleCount on 11 May 1819 and was promoted toöveramiral on 1 June 1820 and was appointedLord of the Realm on 5 November 1821. Cederström was promoted togeneral admiral and was appointed commanding officer of the Naval Artillery Regiment (Sjöartilleriregementet) on 7 October 1823.[1] He was also appointed commanding officer of theRoyal Majesty's Fleet, which according to Cederström's proposals was formed by merging the High Seas Navy (Örlogsflottan) and theFleet of the Army.[2] On this post, he was the victim of many attacks from parliament and the press side for dubious economic trades of warships from the navy, which led to his resignation in 1828 "at the end of his brilliant career".[3] He then became an honorary member of the Uppsala County Agricultural Society on 28 January 1829.[1]
On 16 February 1793, he was married inKarlskrona to countess Charlotta Catharina Wrangel af Sauss (7 October 1767 in Karlskrona - 4 February 1848 in Lövsta), the daughter of theLord of the Realm, First Admiral, Count Anton Johan Wrangel af Sauss and Countess Charlotta Regina Sparre af Söfdeborg.[1] During his last years, he lived on the estate Lövsta inUppland County.[2] Cederström died on 1 June 1833 at Lövsta in Funbo Parish, Uppsala County.[1]
He was the father of:[1]
Order of Charles XIII (28 January 1825)[1]
Knight and Commander of theOrders of His Majesty the King (7 October 1816)[1]
Knight Grand Cross 2nd Class of theOrder of the Sword (9 August 1814)[1]
Commander Grand Cross of theOrder of the Sword (13 June 1803)[1]
Commander of theOrder of the Sword (16 November 1799)[1]
Knight of theOrder of the Sword (26 March 1790)[1]
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