Arnold Johan Messenius
Encyclopedia
Arnold Johan Messenius was a Swedish enfant terrible and Rikshistoriograf
who was condemned to death and executed under the reign of Christina, Queen of Sweden.
. He spent much of his youth in the fortress of Kajaneborg in Arctic Finland, where his father had been imprisoned on suspicion of being a Catholic and collaborating with the king of Poland Sigismund III Vasa
and the Jesuits. His father was sentenced to death in July 1616, but the king changed the sentence to prison, probably for life. Messenius wrote during his imprisonment Scandia illustrata, a history of the Nordic countries in fourteen volumes, which treated Sweden's history from the deluge
to Messenius' own time.
Arnold had a restless adolescence. In 1621, at the age of 14 years, the Swedish authorities locked him up in Uppsala
in a boarding school run by Lutherans. He was forced to flee (1623) for being accused of what seems to be accidental killing a classmate during a dispute and, after an adventurous escape through Norway and Denmark, he arrived in Gdansk, where he was welcomed by his mother's family. In October 1623 he was accepted at the prestigious Jesuit Collegium Hosianum
in Braunsberg (Poland), where also his father had studied, but, indisciplined, he left shortly afterwards. After wandering in Prussia, Poland, Silesia
, Bohemia
and Austria, he returned to Sweden in July 1624 in the wake of Krzysztof Radziwiłł, a noble Lithuanian
Protestant and opponent of Gustav II Adolf of Sweden. In Sweden, the boy was brought to trial on charges of spying for Poland; the process, during which he was accused of defending his father, ended with the death sentence
of Arnold Johan, as a traitor. He was pardoned by King Gustav II Adolf and in 1626 sent to Kexholm as a prisoner.
He was pardoned 14 years later, in 1640 through Count Per Brahe, the gouvernor of Swedish Finland and went to Stockholm to obtain any employment in government service. He was arrested in August at the Danish border and put into the Stockholm jail. The Councils instructed him to go to Poland and find the manuscript «Scandia illustrata», left there by his mother after his father's death. Messenius was able to fulfill this mission and found a number of curious Swedish documents. Arnold Johan was instructed to write an official history of Sigismund and Charles IX's
reign and won a generous patronship by the admiral Carl Carlsson Gyllenhielm
. In 1645 he was appointed royal historian by Queen Christina, and peered, but he had not the talent of his father for history, nor his critical instinct, nor perseverance and hard work. When Christina ordered him, after a scandal, to supply his sister with some of the fiefs, the animosity started.
So in 1649 and 1650 he made connections with opposition leaders ("Messen conspiracy") and Swedish noblemen became afraid. Messonius wrote some satires on Axel Oxenstierna
and accused Christina of serious misbehavior and being a Jezebel
for which he was beheaded together with his 17 year old son.
Rikshistoriograf
The position of rikshistoriograf , existed in Sweden from the early 17th century until 1834....
who was condemned to death and executed under the reign of Christina, Queen of Sweden.
Life
Arnold was the son of the historian Johannes MesseniusJohannes Messenius
Johannes Messenius was a Swedish historian, dramatist and university professor. He was born in the village of Freberga, in Stenby parish in Östergötland, and died in Oulu, in modern-day Finland.-Childhood:...
. He spent much of his youth in the fortress of Kajaneborg in Arctic Finland, where his father had been imprisoned on suspicion of being a Catholic and collaborating with the king of Poland Sigismund III Vasa
Sigismund III Vasa
Sigismund III Vasa was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, a monarch of the united Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1587 to 1632, and King of Sweden from 1592 until he was deposed in 1599...
and the Jesuits. His father was sentenced to death in July 1616, but the king changed the sentence to prison, probably for life. Messenius wrote during his imprisonment Scandia illustrata, a history of the Nordic countries in fourteen volumes, which treated Sweden's history from the deluge
Deluge
Deluge can refer to:* A large downpour of rain* A floodMythical and prehistoric floods* Deluge myth, mythic floods in general, involving Gilgamesh, and others* Deluge , prehistoric great floods, some of which may have inspired deluge myths...
to Messenius' own time.
Arnold had a restless adolescence. In 1621, at the age of 14 years, the Swedish authorities locked him up in Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
in a boarding school run by Lutherans. He was forced to flee (1623) for being accused of what seems to be accidental killing a classmate during a dispute and, after an adventurous escape through Norway and Denmark, he arrived in Gdansk, where he was welcomed by his mother's family. In October 1623 he was accepted at the prestigious Jesuit Collegium Hosianum
Collegium Hosianum
The Collegium Hosianum was the Jesuit collegium in Royal Prussia, Poland, founded in 1565, 1566 by Cardinal Stanislaus Hosius in Braniewo . The city of Braniewo was then part of the Diocese of Warmia , a semi-autonomous part of Poland with cardinal Hosius as its prince-bishop...
in Braunsberg (Poland), where also his father had studied, but, indisciplined, he left shortly afterwards. After wandering in Prussia, Poland, Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
, Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
and Austria, he returned to Sweden in July 1624 in the wake of Krzysztof Radziwiłł, a noble Lithuanian
Lithuanian
Lithuanian may refer to:* Lithuanian cuisine* Anything related to Lithuania* Anything related to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania* The Lithuanian people* The Lithuanian language...
Protestant and opponent of Gustav II Adolf of Sweden. In Sweden, the boy was brought to trial on charges of spying for Poland; the process, during which he was accused of defending his father, ended with the death sentence
Death Sentence
Death Sentence is a short story by the American science-fiction writer Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the November 1943 issue of Astounding Science Fiction and reprinted in the 1972 collection The Early Asimov.-Plot summary:...
of Arnold Johan, as a traitor. He was pardoned by King Gustav II Adolf and in 1626 sent to Kexholm as a prisoner.
He was pardoned 14 years later, in 1640 through Count Per Brahe, the gouvernor of Swedish Finland and went to Stockholm to obtain any employment in government service. He was arrested in August at the Danish border and put into the Stockholm jail. The Councils instructed him to go to Poland and find the manuscript «Scandia illustrata», left there by his mother after his father's death. Messenius was able to fulfill this mission and found a number of curious Swedish documents. Arnold Johan was instructed to write an official history of Sigismund and Charles IX's
Charles IX of Sweden
Charles IX of Sweden also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1604 until his death. He was the youngest son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife, Margaret Leijonhufvud, brother of Eric XIV and John III of Sweden, and uncle of Sigismund III Vasa king of both Sweden and Poland...
reign and won a generous patronship by the admiral Carl Carlsson Gyllenhielm
Carl Carlsson Gyllenhielm
Baron Carl Carlsson Gyllenhielm was a Swedish soldier and politician. He was appointed Field Marshal in 1616, Privy Councilor in 1617, Governor General of Ingria in 1617 and Lord High Admiral in 1620. He was an illegitimate son of Duke Carl, later King Charles IX of Sweden, and Karin Nilsdotter,...
. In 1645 he was appointed royal historian by Queen Christina, and peered, but he had not the talent of his father for history, nor his critical instinct, nor perseverance and hard work. When Christina ordered him, after a scandal, to supply his sister with some of the fiefs, the animosity started.
So in 1649 and 1650 he made connections with opposition leaders ("Messen conspiracy") and Swedish noblemen became afraid. Messonius wrote some satires on 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...
and accused Christina of serious misbehavior and being a Jezebel
Jezebel
Jezebel may refer to:* Jezebel, wife of King Ahab*Jezebel, in the Book of Revelation 2:20 a prophetess in the church of Thyatira* Jezebel , starring Bette Davis and Henry Fonda* Jezebel , a blog aimed at women...
for which he was beheaded together with his 17 year old son.