{"history":[],"article":{"id":"5c914244-0f13-47df-92aa-0f7250aa3b2a","title":"Johan Gabriel Oxenstierna","slug":"johan-gabriel-oxenstierna","content":":::summary\n![Johan Gabriel Oxenstierna](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/Johan///Gabriel///Oxenstierna.jpg)\n**Name:** Johan Gabriel Oxenstierna \n**Birth Date:** July 19, 1750 \n**Birth Place:** Skenäs, [Södermanland](https://bliptext.com/articles/s-dermanland), [Sweden](https://bliptext.com/articles/sweden) \n**Death Date:** July 29, 1818 \n**Death Place:** [Stockholm](https://bliptext.com/articles/stockholm), Sweden \n**Occupation:** Poet,
Diplomat,
Courtier,
Member of the [Privy Council of Sweden](https://bliptext.com/articles/privy-council-of-sweden) \n**Education:** Kansliexamen, 1767 \n**Alma Mater:** [Uppsala university](https://bliptext.com/articles/uppsala-university) \n**Period:** 1769–1815 \n**Genre:** Poetry, Diary \n**Notableworks:** Natten 1769,
Morgonen (1772),
Skördarne (1796),
Dagens stunder (1805) \n**Spouse:** Lovisa Kristina Wachschlager (1791) \n**Children:** 1 \n**Relatives:** [Gustaf Fredrik Gyllenborg](https://bliptext.com/articles/gustaf-fredrik-gyllenborg)
[Nils Philip Gyldenstolpe](https://bliptext.com/articles/nils-philip-gyldenstolpe) \n**Awards:** [Lord of the Realm](https://bliptext.com/articles/lord-of-the-realm),
Member of the [Swedish Academy](https://bliptext.com/articles/swedish-academy),
Member of the Royal [Swedish Academy](https://bliptext.com/articles/swedish-academy) of Sciences,
Knight of the [Royal Order of the Seraphim](https://bliptext.com/articles/royal-order-of-the-seraphim) \n**Portaldisp:** y \n:::\n\n# \n[Count](https://bliptext.com/articles/count) **Johan Gabriel Oxenstierna** (19 July 1750 – 29 July 1818) is considered one of the foremost [Swedish](https://bliptext.com/articles/sweden) poets of the [Gustavian period](https://bliptext.com/articles/history-of-sweden-1772-1809).\nA prominent [courtier](https://bliptext.com/articles/courtier) during the reign of King [Gustav III of Sweden](https://bliptext.com/articles/gustav-iii-of-sweden), he was also a politician, [diplomat](https://bliptext.com/articles/diplomat) and member of the [Swedish Academy](https://bliptext.com/articles/swedish-academy), holding [seat number 8](https://bliptext.com/articles/list-of-members-of-the-swedish-academy).\nOn several occasions he was a member of the Swedish Government and Parliament.\nAmongst other things, Oxenstierna is also known for his translation into [Swedish](https://bliptext.com/articles/swedish-language) of [John Milton](https://bliptext.com/articles/john-milton)'s epic blank verse poem [Paradise Lost](https://bliptext.com/articles/paradise-lost).\n\n# Early life\nJohan Gabriel Oxenstierna was born at the Skenäs [estate](https://bliptext.com/articles/estate-house), by lake Kolsnaren (now in [Vingåker Municipality](https://bliptext.com/articles/ving-ker-municipality)), in the province of [Södermanland](https://bliptext.com/articles/s-dermanland).\nHe lived here during his youth with his parents, [major general](https://bliptext.com/articles/major-general) count Göran [Oxenstierna](https://bliptext.com/articles/oxenstierna), a member of the Korsholm och Wasa branch of the [Oxenstierna](https://bliptext.com/articles/oxenstierna) family, and countess Sara Gyllenborg, and with his grandparents, Margareta Gyllenborg ([née](https://bliptext.com/articles/n-e) von Beijer) and Jan Gyllenborg.\nThe grandparents took active part in the upbringing of young Johan Gabriel - the grandfather until he died in 1752 - as the parents at times resided at [Carlsten](https://bliptext.com/articles/carlsten), due to the fathers military career.\nHe was the oldest of four brothers.\nHis childhood at Skenäs came to play a leading role in his later authorship in many ways.\nThe beauty of the nature of Södermanland, and the memories of his upbringing there, came to inspire the themes of his pre-[romantic](https://bliptext.com/articles/romanticism) publications.\nHis maternal uncle, poet [Gustaf Fredrik Gyllenborg](https://bliptext.com/articles/gustaf-fredrik-gyllenborg), in whose house he spent a lot of time, and his tutor, poet Olof Bergklint, came to inspire his career choice as a poet, as well as his poetry in itself.\nA person, whose writings he read and admired during this time, and who came to inspire him, was poet [Gustaf Philip Creutz](https://bliptext.com/articles/gustaf-philip-creutz).\nIn 1762 he was enrolled as a student at [Uppsala University](https://bliptext.com/articles/uppsala-university), from which he graduated in 1767 with an administrative degree (\"kansliexamen\").\nBergklint served as a tutor for his university studies, starting in 1764.\nDuring his studies he lived, at times, in Uppsala.\nAlthough Oxenstierna's writings were not published until after he moved from Skenäs and started working, he did write a Diary between 1766 and 1768, which was published in 1965 by Bokgillet publishers in Uppsala under the title Ljuva ungdomstid: Dagbok 1766–1768 (Sweet Time of Youth: Diary 1766–1768).\nIn it he makes everyday observations of his life at Skenäs, and later in Uppsala and Stockholm.\nThe diary, which was written in French, reveals a melancholic and emotional character and a deep interest in nature and poetry, rather than the rational philosophy of that time.\n# [A view of lake Kolsnaren, by which Oxenstiernas childhood home is found. | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Katrineholm///Kolsnaren.jpg]\n# [Johan Gabriel Oxenstierna | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Johan///Gabriel///Oxenstierna.png]\n\n# Public career\nLike his father and three brothers, Oxenstierna embarked upon a career in the public sector.\nAfter graduating from Uppsala, and after a successful [disputation](https://bliptext.com/articles/disputation), in front of the royal court, he was employed at the Royal Chancellery, in the department for foreign correspondence.\nDuring this time he resided with his uncle, Gustaf Gyllenborg.\nHe was appointed acting Commission Secretary in [Vienna](https://bliptext.com/articles/vienna) in 1770, and made the regular Commission Secretary in that city in 1772; the year of king Gustav III's [coup d'etat](https://bliptext.com/articles/coup-d-etat) and the establishment of absolute monarchy in Sweden.\nHe seems to have been rather uninterested in his diplomatic work in Vienna, and more interested in his poetry and in a letter exchange with an Austrian lady, which showed clear [Rousseauan](https://bliptext.com/articles/jean-jacques-rousseau) influence.\nIn 1774 he was recalled to Stockholm by the king and made a [Chamberlain](https://bliptext.com/articles/chamberlain-office).\nHe had hoped for a position at the Swedish legation in [Paris](https://bliptext.com/articles/paris), but instead received the titular office of second secretary of the Presidential office (i.e. the department for foreign affairs).\nAs a chamberlain his poetic talents came to use, and brought him closer to the king, who was particularly enthused by his ability to write and speak in French.\nAs a result of the king's trust in him, he was sent on diplomatic missions to several German states in 1778.\nHe was made a senior Chamberlain in 1783 and a Member of the College of the Chancellery in 1785, with a special assignment to work with matters relating to [Pomerania](https://bliptext.com/articles/pomerania) and [Wismar](https://bliptext.com/articles/wismar).\nIn 1786, the king made him a member of the [Privy Council of Sweden](https://bliptext.com/articles/privy-council-of-sweden) and president of the College of the Chancellery, together with Emanuel De Geer.\nAs president of the Chancellery Oxenstierna was the head of the Privy Council and responsible for relating matters of [foreign policy](https://bliptext.com/articles/foreign-policy) to the king.\nWhen the Privy Council was dissolved and the office of College of the Chancellery abolished in 1789, he was made Head Steward for the queen, and in the absence of the king during the [Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790)](https://bliptext.com/articles/russo-swedish-war-1788-1790), he was a member of the Cabinet.\nDuring this time, believing the king was about to [abdicate](https://bliptext.com/articles/abdication), he worked to form an alliance with other nobles and [Duke Charles](https://bliptext.com/articles/charles-xiii-of-sweden) to force the king to make peace with Russia and go into a defensive alliance with Denmark and Russia.\nThe king, however, remained on the throne until his assassination in 1792, shortly before which Oxenstierna was made a Riksmarskalk (\"Marshal of the Kingdom\").\nAfter the king's death, he left all public offices, but remained as a Marshal at the court.\nAfter king Gustav's death he temporarily fell from grace with the new rulers.\nHe made a short comeback as a cabinet member in 1798 and 1799, while king [Gustav IV Adolf](https://bliptext.com/articles/gustav-iv-adolf-of-sweden) travelled through Europe.\nIn 1801 he stepped down as Riksmarskalk and was without any political influence until after the revolution of 1809, which deposed king Gustav IV Adolf and introduced the [Constitution of 1809](https://bliptext.com/articles/instrument-of-government-1809).\nOxenstierna disliked the revolution, but accepted being chairman of a committee during the [Parliament](https://bliptext.com/articles/riksdag-of-the-estates) of 1809, and again in 1815.\nHowever, he was not in any way an influential politician.\nOxenstierna was never a formidable politician or diplomat.\nAs mentioned before, he showed a distinct lack of interest already during his first diplomatic mission in Vienna.\nThe king often kept him uninformed and took care of business himself.\nGustav III simply liked having an Oxenstierna by his side, because of the family's notability in matters of state since the days of [Axel Oxenstierna](https://bliptext.com/articles/axel-oxenstierna).\nOxenstierna often got distracted from his work, his mind wandering to more interesting matters, to the extent that he sometimes wrote public documents in [verse](https://bliptext.com/articles/verse-poetry).\nHis contemporaries described him as \"unsuitable for management\" and as a Riksmarskalk he managed to misorganize both the funeral of king Gustav III and the [coronation](https://bliptext.com/articles/coronation) of the new king Charles XIII, drawing many complaints, even from the new king himself.\nHe was not blind to this lack of administrative ability, and when he was suggested as President of the Chancellery he wrote to a friend: \"This is insane and can never be, as I am not competent for this post.\"\nHe was elected a member of the [Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences](https://bliptext.com/articles/royal-swedish-academy-of-sciences) in 1804.","current_revision":null,"created_by":"kACnuQmH5k9Nr5VNVEpVeg7XpvUmMctD","created_at":"2025-01-26T08:52:42.281Z","updated_at":"2025-01-26T08:52:42.281Z","search_vector":"'gabriel':2 'johan':1 'oxenstierna':3","search_content":" \n \n**Name:** Johan Gabriel Oxenstierna \n**Birth Date:** July 19, 1750 \n**Birth Place:** Skenäs, [Södermanland](https://bliptext.com/articles/s-dermanland), [Sweden](https://bliptext.com/articles/sweden) \n**Death Date:** July 29, 1818 \n**Death Place:** [Stockholm](https://bliptext.com/articles/stockholm), Sweden \n**Occupation:** Poet, Diplomat, Courtier, Member of the [Privy Council of Sweden](https://bliptext.com/articles/privy-council-of-sweden) \n**Education:** Kansliexamen, 1767 \n**Alma Mater:** [Uppsala university](https://bliptext.com/articles/uppsala-university) \n**Period:** 1769–1815 \n**Genre:** Poetry, Diary \n**Notableworks:** Natten 1769, Morgonen (1772), Skördarne (1796), Dagens stunder (1805) \n**Spouse:** Lovisa Kristina Wachschlager (1791) \n**Children:** 1 \n**Relatives:** [Gustaf Fredrik Gyllenborg](https://bliptext.com/articles/gustaf-fredrik-gyllenborg) [Nils Philip Gyldenstolpe](https://bliptext.com/articles/nils-philip-gyldenstolpe) \n**Awards:** [Lord of the Realm](https://bliptext.com/articles/lord-of-the-realm), Member of the [Swedish Academy](https://bliptext.com/articles/swedish-academy), Member of the Royal [Swedish Academy](https://bliptext.com/articles/swedish-academy) of Sciences, Knight of the [Royal Order of the Seraphim](https://bliptext.com/articles/royal-order-of-the-seraphim) \n**Portaldisp:** y \n \n\n# \n[Count](https://bliptext.com/articles/count) **Johan Gabriel Oxenstierna** (19 July 1750 – 29 July 1818) is considered one of the foremost [Swedish](https://bliptext.com/articles/sweden) poets of the [Gustavian period](https://bliptext.com/articles/history-of-sweden-1772-1809).\nA prominent [courtier](https://bliptext.com/articles/courtier) during the reign of King [Gustav III of Sweden](https://bliptext.com/articles/gustav-iii-of-sweden), he was also a politician, [diplomat](https://bliptext.com/articles/diplomat) and member of the [Swedish Academy](https://bliptext.com/articles/swedish-academy), holding [seat number 8](https://bliptext.com/articles/list-of-members-of-the-swedish-academy).\nOn several occasions he was a member of the Swedish Government and Parliament.\nAmongst other things, Oxenstierna is also known for his translation into [Swedish](https://bliptext.com/articles/swedish-language) of [John Milton](https://bliptext.com/articles/john-milton)'s epic blank verse poem [Paradise Lost](https://bliptext.com/articles/paradise-lost).\n\n# Early life\nJohan Gabriel Oxenstierna was born at the Skenäs [estate](https://bliptext.com/articles/estate-house), by lake Kolsnaren (now in [Vingåker Municipality](https://bliptext.com/articles/ving-ker-municipality)), in the province of [Södermanland](https://bliptext.com/articles/s-dermanland).\nHe lived here during his youth with his parents, [major general](https://bliptext.com/articles/major-general) count Göran [Oxenstierna](https://bliptext.com/articles/oxenstierna), a member of the Korsholm och Wasa branch of the [Oxenstierna](https://bliptext.com/articles/oxenstierna) family, and countess Sara Gyllenborg, and with his grandparents, Margareta Gyllenborg ([née](https://bliptext.com/articles/n-e) von Beijer) and Jan Gyllenborg.\nThe grandparents took active part in the upbringing of young Johan Gabriel - the grandfather until he died in 1752 - as the parents at times resided at [Carlsten](https://bliptext.com/articles/carlsten), due to the fathers military career.\nHe was the oldest of four brothers.\nHis childhood at Skenäs came to play a leading role in his later authorship in many ways.\nThe beauty of the nature of Södermanland, and the memories of his upbringing there, came to inspire the themes of his pre-[romantic](https://bliptext.com/articles/romanticism) publications.\nHis maternal uncle, poet [Gustaf Fredrik Gyllenborg](https://bliptext.com/articles/gustaf-fredrik-gyllenborg), in whose house he spent a lot of time, and his tutor, poet Olof Bergklint, came to inspire his career choice as a poet, as well as his poetry in itself.\nA person, whose writings he read and admired during this time, and who came to inspire him, was poet [Gustaf Philip Creutz](https://bliptext.com/articles/gustaf-philip-creutz).\nIn 1762 he was enrolled as a student at [Uppsala University](https://bliptext.com/articles/uppsala-university), from which he graduated in 1767 with an administrative degree (\"kansliexamen\").\nBergklint served as a tutor for his university studies, starting in 1764.\nDuring his studies he lived, at times, in Uppsala.\nAlthough Oxenstierna's writings were not published until after he moved from Skenäs and started working, he did write a Diary between 1766 and 1768, which was published in 1965 by Bokgillet publishers in Uppsala under the title Ljuva ungdomstid: Dagbok 1766–1768 (Sweet Time of Youth: Diary 1766–1768).\nIn it he makes everyday observations of his life at Skenäs, and later in Uppsala and Stockholm.\nThe diary, which was written in French, reveals a melancholic and emotional character and a deep interest in nature and poetry, rather than the rational philosophy of that time.\n# [A view of lake Kolsnaren, by which Oxenstiernas childhood home is found. | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Katrineholm///Kolsnaren.jpg]\n# [Johan Gabriel Oxenstierna | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/Johan///Gabriel///Oxenstierna.png]\n\n# Public career\nLike his father and three brothers, Oxenstierna embarked upon a career in the public sector.\nAfter graduating from Uppsala, and after a successful [disputation](https://bliptext.com/articles/disputation), in front of the royal court, he was employed at the Royal Chancellery, in the department for foreign correspondence.\nDuring this time he resided with his uncle, Gustaf Gyllenborg.\nHe was appointed acting Commission Secretary in [Vienna](https://bliptext.com/articles/vienna) in 1770, and made the regular Commission Secretary in that city in 1772; the year of king Gustav III's [coup d'etat](https://bliptext.com/articles/coup-d-etat) and the establishment of absolute monarchy in Sweden.\nHe seems to have been rather uninterested in his diplomatic work in Vienna, and more interested in his poetry and in a letter exchange with an Austrian lady, which showed clear [Rousseauan](https://bliptext.com/articles/jean-jacques-rousseau) influence.\nIn 1774 he was recalled to Stockholm by the king and made a [Chamberlain](https://bliptext.com/articles/chamberlain-office).\nHe had hoped for a position at the Swedish legation in [Paris](https://bliptext.com/articles/paris), but instead received the titular office of second secretary of the Presidential office (i.e. the department for foreign affairs).\nAs a chamberlain his poetic talents came to use, and brought him closer to the king, who was particularly enthused by his ability to write and speak in French.\nAs a result of the king's trust in him, he was sent on diplomatic missions to several German states in 1778.\nHe was made a senior Chamberlain in 1783 and a Member of the College of the Chancellery in 1785, with a special assignment to work with matters relating to [Pomerania](https://bliptext.com/articles/pomerania) and [Wismar](https://bliptext.com/articles/wismar).\nIn 1786, the king made him a member of the [Privy Council of Sweden](https://bliptext.com/articles/privy-council-of-sweden) and president of the College of the Chancellery, together with Emanuel De Geer.\nAs president of the Chancellery Oxenstierna was the head of the Privy Council and responsible for relating matters of [foreign policy](https://bliptext.com/articles/foreign-policy) to the king.\nWhen the Privy Council was dissolved and the office of College of the Chancellery abolished in 1789, he was made Head Steward for the queen, and in the absence of the king during the [Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790)](https://bliptext.com/articles/russo-swedish-war-1788-1790), he was a member of the Cabinet.\nDuring this time, believing the king was about to [abdicate](https://bliptext.com/articles/abdication), he worked to form an alliance with other nobles and [Duke Charles](https://bliptext.com/articles/charles-xiii-of-sweden) to force the king to make peace with Russia and go into a defensive alliance with Denmark and Russia.\nThe king, however, remained on the throne until his assassination in 1792, shortly before which Oxenstierna was made a Riksmarskalk (\"Marshal of the Kingdom\").\nAfter the king's death, he left all public offices, but remained as a Marshal at the court.\nAfter king Gustav's death he temporarily fell from grace with the new rulers.\nHe made a short comeback as a cabinet member in 1798 and 1799, while king [Gustav IV Adolf](https://bliptext.com/articles/gustav-iv-adolf-of-sweden) travelled through Europe.\nIn 1801 he stepped down as Riksmarskalk and was without any political influence until after the revolution of 1809, which deposed king Gustav IV Adolf and introduced the [Constitution of 1809](https://bliptext.com/articles/instrument-of-government-1809).\nOxenstierna disliked the revolution, but accepted being chairman of a committee during the [Parliament](https://bliptext.com/articles/riksdag-of-the-estates) of 1809, and again in 1815.\nHowever, he was not in any way an influential politician.\nOxenstierna was never a formidable politician or diplomat.\nAs mentioned before, he showed a distinct lack of interest already during his first diplomatic mission in Vienna.\nThe king often kept him uninformed and took care of business himself.\nGustav III simply liked having an Oxenstierna by his side, because of the family's notability in matters of state since the days of [Axel Oxenstierna](https://bliptext.com/articles/axel-oxenstierna).\nOxenstierna often got distracted from his work, his mind wandering to more interesting matters, to the extent that he sometimes wrote public documents in [verse](https://bliptext.com/articles/verse-poetry).\nHis contemporaries described him as \"unsuitable for management\" and as a Riksmarskalk he managed to misorganize both the funeral of king Gustav III and the [coronation](https://bliptext.com/articles/coronation) of the new king Charles XIII, drawing many complaints, even from the new king himself.\nHe was not blind to this lack of administrative ability, and when he was suggested as President of the Chancellery he wrote to a friend: \"This is insane and can never be, as I am not competent for this post.\"\nHe was elected a member of the [Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences](https://bliptext.com/articles/royal-swedish-academy-of-sciences) in 1804.","revisionCount":0},"hasMore":false,"nextCursor":null}

History