Agneta Horn was a Swedish writer and noblewoman. She was the daughter of Gustav Horn, Count of Björneborg and the granddaughter of Axel Oxenstierna

Axel Oxenstierna

Axel Gustafsson Oxenstierna af Södermöre , Count of Södermöre, was a Swedish statesman. He became a member of the Swedish Privy Council in 1609 and served as Lord High Chancellor of Sweden from 1612 until his death. He was a confidant of first Gustavus Adolphus and then Queen Christina.Oxenstierna...

. During her life, she wrote an autobiography which provides unique insight into the Swedish Empire

Swedish Empire

The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...

 era. These memoirs were first discovered in 1885, and while largely dealing with personal issues such as family deaths and conflicts, they are written in the context of Sweden's culture of the time, including such conflicts as the Thirty Years' War

Thirty Years' War

The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....

. Her diary has been considered by some to be the first Swedish novel. She was married to Lars Cruus of Gudhem, Lord of Harviala.

Sources

• Wilson, Katharina M. An encyclopedia of continental women writers. Garland Reference Library of the Humanities, 1991. p. 570.
• Boynton, Victoria and Malin, Jo. Encyclopedia of Women's Autobiography: K-Z. Harcourt Education, 2005. p.498.