X-Nico

5 unusual facts about Charles XI of Sweden

Charles' Church, Tallinn

In 1670, during the time of Swedish rule, the Swedish King Charles XI commissioned the construction of a church on the site, for the use of the Estonian and Finnish population of Tallinn (as opposed to the Baltic German population).

Hedvig Catharina Lillie

The family of her future spouse was had economic troubles since the reduction made by Charles XI of Sweden in the 1680s, and the marriage was arranged by her mother to save the finances of the De la Gardie family with her personal fortune.

Henry St George, the younger

As deputy to Sir Edward Walker, Garter Principal King of Arms, he went on a mission to Stockholm and on 29 July 1669 invested the king of Sweden with the Order of the Garter.

Livonian people

For example, under the 17th Century Swedish Kings Gustav II Adolf and Charles XI, general elementary education was introduced, the Bible was translated in Estonian and Latvian, and a university was founded in Tartu in southern Estonia.

Stockholms Auktionsverk

Its services have been used by clients like Sweden's King Charles XI, who sold some hunting rifles for 900 silver coins, Sweden's King Gustav III, who acquired Rembrandt’s painting entitled “Kitchen Maid”, and Swedish playwright August Strindberg, who purchased some books.

Anna Åkerhielm

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.

Edward Chamberlayne

At the Restoration he returned to England, in 1669 became secretary to Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle, and went to Stockholm to invest Charles XI of Sweden with the Order of the Garter.