Swedish nobility

The Swedish nobility (Adeln) was historically a privileged class in Sweden. Noble families and their descendants are still a part of Swedish society today, but do no longer retain any specific or granted privileges to speak of. The Swedish nobility is organized in to three classes according to a scheme introduced in 1561, where the classes are:

Medieval nobility

The nobility in Sweden (and Finland) dates back to 1280 when it was agreed that magnates who could afford to contribute to the cavalry with a horse-soldier were to be exempted from tax - at least from ordinary taxes - as the clergy already had been. The archaic Swedish term for nobility, frälse, includes also the clergy while referring to their exemption from tax.

Related Topics:
Finland - 1280 - Magnate - Cavalry - Clergy

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The background was that the old system of a leiðangr fleet and a king on constant travels in the realm (between the estates of Uppsala öd) became outmoded and in need of replacement. The crown's court and castles were now to be financed through taxes on land.

Related Topics:
Leiðangr - Uppsala öd - Crown

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Soon it was also agreed that the king should govern the realm in cooperation with a Privy Council (or Royal Council) where the bishops and the most distinguished among the magnates (i.e. the most prominent contributors to the army) participated. When troublesome decisions were necessary all of the frälse was summoned to diets.

Related Topics:
Privy Council - Diet

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The Swedish nobility had no hereditary fiefs. In case they were appointed to a castle of the crown's then their heirs couldn't claim their civil or military authority. The lands of the magnates who constituted the medieval nobility were their own and not "on lease" from a feudal king. If they by own means (including the suffering of the local peasantry) build a castle, and financed its troops, then the castle was theirs but the troops, of course, expected to serve as a part of the realm's army.

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For extended periods the commander of Viborg at the border to Novgorod/Russia did in practice function as a margrave, keeping all the crown's incomes from the fief to use for the defense of the realm's eastern border. But despite the heavy German influence during the medieval age the elaborate German system with titles such as Lantgraf, Reichsgraf, Burggraf and Pfalzgraf was never applied.

Related Topics:
Viborg - Novgorod - Russia - Margrave - German system

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