Hans Henric von Essen
Encyclopedia
Count Hans Henrik von Essen
(September 26, 1755 – June 28, 1824) was a Swedish
officer, courtier and statesman.
Hans Henrik von Essen was born at Kavlås Castle in Tidaholm Municipality
, Västra Götaland County
, Sweden
. He was educated at Uppsala University
. He entered the army becoming a cornet at age 18. He accompanied Gustav III
in his travels and campaigns. He accompanied Gustav III at the 1792 maskerade ball at the Royal Opera House
in Stockholm
on March 16, 1792 where the king was shot and mortally injured. Hans Henrik von Essen was credited with immediately ordered the doors to the ball room to be locked, in order not to let the assassin get away.
In 1788, Hans Henric von Essen was the center of a scandal at the royal court. He had for about then years been involved in a relationship with the famous lady-in-waiting Augusta von Fersen
. In 1788, however, he proposed to Charlotta Eleonora De Geer (1771-1798) and was accepted. His proposal was met with great dislike within the royal court because of sympathy with the popular Augusta von Fersen, and he was challenged to a duel
by captain count Adolph Ribbing
. Ribbing had also proposed to De Geer but had been decklined by her father, which he refused to accept as he believed he had reasons to think that De Geer preferred him and that Essen had proposed because of economic reasons, as De Geer was very wealthy, and as von Essen's proposal and marriage plans was commonly disliked within the court. The duel took place in the royal riding house in the presence of several officers and led to the defeat of von Essen, who was slightly injured. The duel was regarded as a scandal and a crime against the King
Hans Henrik von Essen was appointed Colonel in 1787, Major General in 1795 and Field Marshal in 1811. He served as the Over-Governor of Stockholm
from 1795 to 1797 and as the Governor-General of Pomerania
from 1800 to 1809. Upon the revolution of 1809 he received the title of count and a place in the Council of State. In 1810 he was sent as Ambassador to Paris
by Charles XIII
, and his negotiations with Napoleon's ministers restored Pomerania to Sweden.
In 1814, Hans Henrik von Essen served as the commander of the Swedish military forces at the border with Norway. By the Treaty of Kiel
, the King of Denmark had to cede Norway to the King of Sweden, due to the alliance of Denmark-Norway with France
during the later phases of the Napoleonic Wars
. This treaty was however not accepted by the Norwegians
. The Norwegian-Swedish War of 1814 was fought in the summer of 1814. Subsequently the Convention of Moss
was signed resulting in the Union between Sweden and Norway
. Hans Henrik von Essen served as the Governor-general of Norway
until he was succeeded by Count Carl Carlsson Mörner
during 1816.
Von Essen
Essen or von Essen is the surname of a Baltic German and Swedish noble family.-History:The first known ancestor was Thomas Von Essen who was from Lääne län in Estonia. His son Alexander von Essen received Swedish nobility, but was not introduced in the Swedish House of Nobility...
(September 26, 1755 – June 28, 1824) was a Swedish
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....
officer, courtier and statesman.
Hans Henrik von Essen was born at Kavlås Castle in Tidaholm Municipality
Tidaholm Municipality
Tidaholm Municipality is a municipality in Västra Götaland County in western Sweden. Its seat is located in the city of Tidaholm.The municipality is located on the banks of the river Tidan....
, Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County
Västra Götaland County is a county or län on the western coast of Sweden.The county is the second largest of Sweden's counties and it is subdivided into 49 municipalities . Its population of 1,550,000 amounts to 17% of Sweden's population...
, 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....
. He was educated at Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
. He entered the army becoming a cornet at age 18. He accompanied Gustav III
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
in his travels and campaigns. He accompanied Gustav III at the 1792 maskerade ball at the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
on March 16, 1792 where the king was shot and mortally injured. Hans Henrik von Essen was credited with immediately ordered the doors to the ball room to be locked, in order not to let the assassin get away.
In 1788, Hans Henric von Essen was the center of a scandal at the royal court. He had for about then years been involved in a relationship with the famous lady-in-waiting Augusta von Fersen
Augusta von Fersen
Christina Augusta von Fersen, as married Löwenhielm , was a Swedish noble and lady-in-waiting. She is a well-known figure of the Gustavian Age, and is known in history as one of "The Three Graces" at court, and as royal mistress to king Charles XIII of Sweden.-Background:Augusta was the daughter of...
. In 1788, however, he proposed to Charlotta Eleonora De Geer (1771-1798) and was accepted. His proposal was met with great dislike within the royal court because of sympathy with the popular Augusta von Fersen, and he was challenged to a duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
by captain count Adolph Ribbing
Adolph Ribbing
Adolph Ludvig Ribbing, later called Adolph de Leuven , was a Swedish count and politician. He participated in the regicide of Gustav III of Sweden in 1792....
. Ribbing had also proposed to De Geer but had been decklined by her father, which he refused to accept as he believed he had reasons to think that De Geer preferred him and that Essen had proposed because of economic reasons, as De Geer was very wealthy, and as von Essen's proposal and marriage plans was commonly disliked within the court. The duel took place in the royal riding house in the presence of several officers and led to the defeat of von Essen, who was slightly injured. The duel was regarded as a scandal and a crime against the King
Hans Henrik von Essen was appointed Colonel in 1787, Major General in 1795 and Field Marshal in 1811. He served as the Over-Governor of Stockholm
Over-Governor of Stockholm
The Over-Governor, or Överståthållaren of Stockholm was the highest official for the City between 1634 and 1967. The Office was instituted by the Instrument of Government of 1634, which divided Sweden into Counties and the Over-Governorship of Stockholm...
from 1795 to 1797 and as the Governor-General of Pomerania
Swedish Pomerania
Swedish Pomerania was a Dominion under the Swedish Crown from 1630 to 1815, situated on what is now the Baltic coast of Germany and Poland. Following the Polish War and the Thirty Years' War, Sweden held extensive control over the lands on the southern Baltic coast, including Pomerania and parts...
from 1800 to 1809. Upon the revolution of 1809 he received the title of count and a place in the Council of State. In 1810 he was sent as Ambassador to 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...
by Charles XIII
Charles XIII of Sweden
Charles XIII & II also Carl, , was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway from 1814 until his death...
, and his negotiations with Napoleon's ministers restored Pomerania to Sweden.
In 1814, Hans Henrik von Essen served as the commander of the Swedish military forces at the border with Norway. By the Treaty of Kiel
Treaty of Kiel
The Treaty of Kiel or Peace of Kiel was concluded between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Kingdom of Sweden on one side and the Kingdoms of Denmark and Norway on the other side on 14 January 1814 in Kiel...
, the King of Denmark had to cede Norway to the King of Sweden, due to the alliance of Denmark-Norway with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
during the later phases of the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. This treaty was however not accepted by the Norwegians
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
. The Norwegian-Swedish War of 1814 was fought in the summer of 1814. Subsequently the Convention of Moss
Convention of Moss
The Convention of Moss was a cease fire agreement, signed August 14, 1814, between the Swedish King and the Norwegian Storting. It followed the Swedish-Norwegian War due to Norway's claim to sovereignty...
was signed resulting in the Union between Sweden and Norway
Union between Sweden and Norway
The Union between Sweden and Norway , officially the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, consisted of present-day Sweden and Norway between 1814 and 1905, when they were united under one monarch in a personal union....
. Hans Henrik von Essen served as the Governor-general of Norway
Governor-general of Norway
The Governor-general of Norway, styled Rigsstatholder in Danish or Riksståthållare in Swedish, both meaning 'Lieutenant of the realm' , was the appointed head of the Norwegian Government in the absence of the Monarch....
until he was succeeded by Count Carl Carlsson Mörner
Carl Carlsson Mörner
Carl Carlsson Mörner was a Swedish nobleman, officer, and politician. After rising through the ranks after being accepted as a cadet in 1771, he was made field marshal in 1816, and served as Viceroy of Norway from 1816 to 1818. He was made count of Tuna in 1800....
during 1816.