Anna Åkerhjelm
Encyclopedia
Anna Åkerhjelm, née Anna Agriconia, (born in Nyköping
, Sweden
sometime before 1647, died in Germany
1693), was a Swedish writer and traveller and the first woman in Sweden to have been ennobled for her own actions (1691).
and Paris
, and was ennobled in 1679. She was in 1671 employed at the court of Princess Maria Eufrosyne
, the aunt of king Charles XI of Sweden
, where she became known for her great learning and her interest in science. She became the personal companion of the daughter of Maria Eufrosyne, Charlotta De la Gardie, with whom she had an intimate friendship. Charlotta was married to the military officer Otto Wilhelm Königsmarck
in 1682, and followed him on his military services around Europe. The two women followed him to the Republic of Venice
and Greece.
In 1686-1689, Königsmarck served in the army of Venice
during the Morean War
against the Ottoman Empire
in Greece
, where the two women accompanied him. Contemporary accounts describe how they spent their time in scientific investigations during their stay and at the ruins of Acropolis in Athens
. She also describes how they conversed with learned Greeks about science and philosophy. After the Parthenon
was hit by cannons in 1687, Anna found in the ruins an Arabic manuscript, which she donated to the Uppsala university when she returned to Sweden. She also wrote a description of her travels and her stay and discoveries in Greece. After the death of Königsmarck in 1688, she lived with Charlotta De la Gardie in Stade
in the Swedish Province of Bremen
in Germany. In 1691, she was ennobled by king Charles, the first woman in her country to have been ennobled for her own actions, and her name was changed from Agriconia to Åkerhjelm. She died in Stade in Germany. One source states 1693 as the date of her death, other as the 11 February 1698.
Nyköping
Nyköping is a locality and the seat of Nyköping Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 32,427 inhabitants in 2005. The city is also the capital of Södermanland County.- History :...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
sometime before 1647, died in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
1693), was a Swedish writer and traveller and the first woman in Sweden to have been ennobled for her own actions (1691).
Biography
Born the child of the priest Mangnus Jonae Agriconius in Nyköping. Her brother Samuel was secretary at the Swedish embassys in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and was ennobled in 1679. She was in 1671 employed at the court of Princess Maria Eufrosyne
Countess Palatine Maria Eufrosyne of Zweibrücken
Countess Palatine Maria Eufrosyne of Zweibrücken was a cousin and foster-sibling of Queen Christina of Sweden and sister of king Charles X of Sweden...
, the aunt of king Charles XI of Sweden
Charles XI of Sweden
Charles XI also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1660 until his death, in a period in Swedish history known as the Swedish empire ....
, where she became known for her great learning and her interest in science. She became the personal companion of the daughter of Maria Eufrosyne, Charlotta De la Gardie, with whom she had an intimate friendship. Charlotta was married to the military officer Otto Wilhelm Königsmarck
Otto Wilhelm Königsmarck
Count Otto Wilhelm Königsmarck was a Swedish military officer from Minden. He attained the rank of field marshal in 1676, commanded the Battle of Stralsund , and became Governor General for Swedish Pomerania in 1679. He was the son of Hans Christoff Königsmarck and the brother of Conrad Christoff...
in 1682, and followed him on his military services around Europe. The two women followed him to the Republic of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
and Greece.
In 1686-1689, Königsmarck served in the army of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
during the Morean War
Morean War
The Morean War is the better known name for the Sixth Ottoman–Venetian War. The war was fought between 1684–1699, as part of the wider conflict known as the "Great Turkish War", between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire...
against the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, where the two women accompanied him. Contemporary accounts describe how they spent their time in scientific investigations during their stay and at the ruins of Acropolis in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. She also describes how they conversed with learned Greeks about science and philosophy. After the Parthenon
Parthenon
The Parthenon is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their virgin patron. Its construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. It was completed in 438 BC, although...
was hit by cannons in 1687, Anna found in the ruins an Arabic manuscript, which she donated to the Uppsala university when she returned to Sweden. She also wrote a description of her travels and her stay and discoveries in Greece. After the death of Königsmarck in 1688, she lived with Charlotta De la Gardie in Stade
Stade
Stade is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany and part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region . It is the seat of the district named after it...
in the Swedish Province of Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
in Germany. In 1691, she was ennobled by king Charles, the first woman in her country to have been ennobled for her own actions, and her name was changed from Agriconia to Åkerhjelm. She died in Stade in Germany. One source states 1693 as the date of her death, other as the 11 February 1698.
Literature
- Wilhelmina Stålberg, Anteckningar om svenska qvinnor (Notes on Swedish women)
- Svenska Familj-Journalen