Lars Gathenhielm
Encyclopedia
Lars Gathenhielm, before knighthood 1715 Lars Andersson Gathe, aka Lasse i Gatan, was a Swedish merchant and privateer
.
Parish in Halland
. His parents were the skipper Anders Börjesson Gathe and his wife Kerstin Larsdotter, daughter of a mill owner in Hjälm, Fjärås Parish.
To protect Swedish shipping from pirates and to harm the enemy, the government of Charles XII of Sweden
began a maritime campaign, and in June 1710 gave Lars Gathe from Onsala permission to act as a privateer and attack ships from enemy-nations such as Denmark and Russia.
He gained a great deal of early success with his galleon Lilla Jägaren (The Little Hunter). The hijacked ships increased in numbers and many of Onsalas sailors were quickly re-educated to work the privateer ships. Lars suffered from a hip hinjury that made him dependent on crutches to walk and therefore probably didn't spend much time on the sea himself, but rather directed the work from Gothenburg
. His strength was probably as shipowner while the practical matters were handled by his serfs. Lars was a few times accused of pure piracy (hitting Swedish ships as well) but was protected by the king himself and therefore never punished.
Lars and his brother Christian were nobilitated
in 1715 as Gathenhielm for their efforts in the Swedish navigation; the name Gathe was taken from Lars's father to mimic the farm's name, and Gathenhielm was created as a mix of his grandparents homes. Lars was later also appointed commander in the West Coast Marine District.
Lars Gathenhielm died in 1718, only 29 years old from tuberculosis
but the piracy empire he had created continued under his wife, Ingela Hammar
. He and his wife are buried in Onsala Church.
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
.
Biography
Lars Gathenhielm was born on the estate Gatan in OnsalaOnsala
Onsala is a locality situated in Kungsbacka Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 11,375 inhabitants in 2005. It is also the biggest peninsula in Sweden, south of Gothenburg....
Parish in Halland
Halland
' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , on the western coast of Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat.-Administration:...
. His parents were the skipper Anders Börjesson Gathe and his wife Kerstin Larsdotter, daughter of a mill owner in Hjälm, Fjärås Parish.
To protect Swedish shipping from pirates and to harm the enemy, the government of Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
began a maritime campaign, and in June 1710 gave Lars Gathe from Onsala permission to act as a privateer and attack ships from enemy-nations such as Denmark and Russia.
He gained a great deal of early success with his galleon Lilla Jägaren (The Little Hunter). The hijacked ships increased in numbers and many of Onsalas sailors were quickly re-educated to work the privateer ships. Lars suffered from a hip hinjury that made him dependent on crutches to walk and therefore probably didn't spend much time on the sea himself, but rather directed the work from Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
. His strength was probably as shipowner while the practical matters were handled by his serfs. Lars was a few times accused of pure piracy (hitting Swedish ships as well) but was protected by the king himself and therefore never punished.
Lars and his brother Christian were nobilitated
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
in 1715 as Gathenhielm for their efforts in the Swedish navigation; the name Gathe was taken from Lars's father to mimic the farm's name, and Gathenhielm was created as a mix of his grandparents homes. Lars was later also appointed commander in the West Coast Marine District.
Lars Gathenhielm died in 1718, only 29 years old from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
but the piracy empire he had created continued under his wife, Ingela Hammar
Ingela Gathenhielm
Ingela Olofsdotter Gathenhielm née Hammar, , was a Swedish privateer in service of King Charles XII of Sweden during the Great Northern War.- Biography :...
. He and his wife are buried in Onsala Church.