Gustaf Carlson
Portrait by unknown artist from c. 1690
Military service
Allegiance	Sweden Dutch Republic Kingdom of England
Years of service	1667–1690
Rank	Lieutenant general
Battles/wars	Franco-Dutch War Scanian War Glorious Revolution Williamite War in Ireland
Born	1646 Stockholm, Sweden
Died	1 January 1708(1708-01-01) (aged 61) Terherne, Dutch Republic
Spouse	Isabella-Susanna von Schwartzenberg ​ ​ ( m. 1685)​
House	House of Carlson
Dynasty	Wittelsbach (illegitimate branch)
Father	Charles X Gustav
Mother	Märta Allertz
Religion	Lutheran

Count Gustaf Carlson (1646 – 1 January 1708) was a nobleman and military officer. He was the eldest illegitimate son of Charles X Gustav of Sweden and his mistress Märta Allertz. ^{[1] [2]}

Biography

Parentage and early life

He was first raised by Baron Carl Gyllenhielm, the illegitimate son of king Charles IX of Sweden. After Carl Gyllenheim's passing in 1650, he was raised by Samuel Enander, Bishop of Linköping, and by 1660, after the death of king Charles X Gustav, he also found himself under protection by the Queen dowager Hedwig Eleonora, whom became his guardian, with her stating that it was made "...to the heartfelt remembrance of his [past] lord". ^{[1] [2]}

Erik Lindschöld led his studies and in 1659–1668 accompanied him on a journey through Germany, the Netherlands, England, France and Italy. ^{[1] [2]}

Officer and command

By his 21st birthday in 1667, he joined the army of the Dutch Republic and fought in the Franco-Dutch War, until he returened to Sweden in 1674. During his absence in 1673, he was appointed colonel in the Uppland Regiment. During the Scanian War of 1675–79, Gustaf Carlson participated with distinction in the Battle of Lund and at Rügen in 1678, where he was head of an enlisted regiment. ^[2]

In 1679 he was captured by Brandenburgian forces, and was sent back to Stockholm in 1680. But he soon abandoned Sweden after he became dissoluted after a couple of more years, probably out of outrage at not having received a privy council office, and that in the Great Reduction of his brother he was deprived of the large estates of Börringe and Lindholm, which he had received from his father. ^[2]

William of Orange and later life

He soon went into Dutch war service. There he became a lieutenant general and married in 1685 at Ameland, he later accompanied William of Orange on his voyage to England, during the Glorious Revolution of 1688, and there fought by his side in the Williamite War in Ireland during 1690 as a close confidant of the king. He later went on to spend the remainder of his life in the Dutch province of Friesland, where he died without any surviving children in 1708 at his castle in Terherne, Boarnsterhim. ^[2]

Personal life

By 1674 he had been elevated to the rank of count being given the name Gustaf Carlson, with Carlson as the house name of the comital family and with Börringe and Lindholmen as its counties. He was married to Baroness Isabella-Susanna von Schwartzenberg and their only child, a daughter, died before she had been baptized. ^{[1] [2]}

References

Notes

• Svensk uppslagsbok. Lund 1930

Sources