Gustav Badin
Encyclopedia
Adolf Ludvig Gustav Fredrik Albert Badin, née Couchi, known as Badin, (1747 or 1750 – 1822), was a Swedish
court-servant and diarist, originally a slave, butler
of first Queen Louisa Ulrika of Prussia
and then Princess Sophia Albertine of Sweden. His original name was Couchi, but he was commonly known as Badin, which means mischief-maker or trickster
.
or in the Danish island Saint Croix; he himself said that the only thing he remembered about his past was his parents' hut burning, but it is not known whether this happened in Africa or in Saint Croix. He was taken to Europe
, probably on a Danish East Indies ship, from where he was bought by a Danish captain, who gave him to statesman Anders von Resier, who, in turn, gave him as a present to the Queen of Sweden, Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, in 1757. The date of his birth is not really known; 1747 is a traditional year, but within the court and the order of the Timmerman, the year was reported as 1750, and this is considered more correct by modern historians.
and the natural human, and in Badin, she saw an opportunity to test the theories of Rousseau
and Linné. She instructed him in Christianity and taught him to read and write, but after this, he was allowed to live entirely according to his own will and judgement. He grew up as a playmate of the children in the royal family, who were brought up in a much more restricted way than he was, and was allowed to speak to them in a natural way and even fight and tease them, which was considered scandalous. He knew all the secret passages within the royal castles and, as it was said, all the secrets within its walls. Contemporary diaries describe how he climbed on the chairs of the king and queen, called everyone "you" instead of using their titles, talked rudely to the nobility and ridiculed religion when interrogated about the bible by Countess Brahe, which made everyone laugh; he was very witty and verbal.
On 11 December 1768, he was baptised in the chapel of Drottningholm Palace
with the entire royal family, except Prince Charles, as his godparents. As an adult, he was the butler of first the queen and after her death in 1782 to the Princess Sophia Albertina.
When the queen lay on her death-bed in her country residence, she sent Badin to Stockholm with the key to her files. After her death, Badin acquired the files and handed them in the custody of prince Fredrick Adolf and princess Sophia Albertina, who burnt them The young king, Gustav III of Sweden
, became enraged. They had an argument and the king said; "Do you not know, you black person, that I can make you pay with your head?" He replied: "My head is in the power of your Majesty, but I could not act in a different way."
The relationship with his royal foster-siblings was otherwise described as good, no matter that he called King Gustav "Gustav the Willen" and Duke Charles "Mr Tobacco". He was close to his foster-sister, Sophia Albertina, and wrote a poem for her on her birthday (1764):
Their relationship was good, though she hesitated as to whether she could keep him after 1787, when she had been made abbess of Quedlinburg
, a convent.
Badin was married twice but died childless; the rumors that he was the father of the alleged secret daughter of Sophia Albertina have never been confirmed. Her married Elisabet Svart (d. 1798) in 1782 and Magdalena Eleonora Norell in 1799
Badin sometimes helped the court poet Bellman
to compose verses for special occasions, and some of them were published in his name. Badin participated in plays at the French Theatre
in Bollhuset
; he is listed as a dancer in a ballet in the 1769-70 season and played the main part in Arlequin Sauvage in the 1770-71 season, a play in which a "savage" meets civilization, and an erotic play by Marivaux.
The social position of Badin was not quite clear; he was given several titles, such as chamberlain, court secretary, ballet master and official; he never used the title "official", which King Gustav gave him, and told him; "Have you ever seen a black official?", but preferred to call himself farmer, as he owned two farms. He was also elected to the orders of Par Bricole, Svea Orden, Timmermansorden and the Freemasons.
He was described as an intelligent and reliable person with self-confidence, and though he was informed about many of the secrets of the royal family and the court, he never revealed anything, and was very loyal to the royal house throughout his entire life. His diaries, written in French, are preserved in the library of the Uppsala University.
During his late life, he was reportedly supported financially by princess Sophia Albertina
in 1783. Duke Charles bought "the most beautiful morian Sweden have ever seen" according to Gjörwell in 1771, and in 1802, a black teenager of the Duke, Figaro, was involved in a love affair at court. Also non-black slave converts are recorded, such as Pluto from India
in 1785 and native Americans
in the presence of nobility and a large gathering of the people. Officially, they would not have been slaves, as it was illegal in Sweden.
Morianen by Magnus Jacob Crusenstolpe
in 1838, where he was described as the participator in all the secrets and greater events of the royal family, from the revolution of 1772 to the deposition of 1809. Though this was over-exaggerated, it was nevertheless a more-or-less true image of him.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
court-servant and diarist, originally a slave, butler
Butler
A butler is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the entire house and its...
of first Queen Louisa Ulrika of Prussia
Louisa Ulrika of Prussia
Louisa Ulrika of Prussia was Queen of Sweden between 1751 and 1771 as the spouse of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden, and queen mother during the reign of King Gustav III of Sweden.-Background:...
and then Princess Sophia Albertine of Sweden. His original name was Couchi, but he was commonly known as Badin, which means mischief-maker or trickster
Trickster
In mythology, and in the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a god, goddess, spirit, man, woman, or anthropomorphic animal who plays tricks or otherwise disobeys normal rules and conventional behavior. It is suggested by Hansen that the term "Trickster" was probably first used in this...
.
Background
Badin was born either in AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
or in the Danish island Saint Croix; he himself said that the only thing he remembered about his past was his parents' hut burning, but it is not known whether this happened in Africa or in Saint Croix. He was taken to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, probably on a Danish East Indies ship, from where he was bought by a Danish captain, who gave him to statesman Anders von Resier, who, in turn, gave him as a present to the Queen of Sweden, Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, in 1757. The date of his birth is not really known; 1747 is a traditional year, but within the court and the order of the Timmerman, the year was reported as 1750, and this is considered more correct by modern historians.
Upbringing at court
The queen decided to make him an experiment in upbringing; she was interested in science and had founded a science academy, where, among other topics, the origin of man and civilisation was discussed, such as the nature of "savages", the noble savageNoble savage
The term noble savage , expresses the concept an idealized indigene, outsider , and refers to the literary stock character of the same...
and the natural human, and in Badin, she saw an opportunity to test the theories of Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
and Linné. She instructed him in Christianity and taught him to read and write, but after this, he was allowed to live entirely according to his own will and judgement. He grew up as a playmate of the children in the royal family, who were brought up in a much more restricted way than he was, and was allowed to speak to them in a natural way and even fight and tease them, which was considered scandalous. He knew all the secret passages within the royal castles and, as it was said, all the secrets within its walls. Contemporary diaries describe how he climbed on the chairs of the king and queen, called everyone "you" instead of using their titles, talked rudely to the nobility and ridiculed religion when interrogated about the bible by Countess Brahe, which made everyone laugh; he was very witty and verbal.
Adulthood
Drottningholm Palace
The Drottningholm Palace is the private residence of the Swedish royal family. It is located in Drottningholm. It is built on the island Lovön , and is one of Sweden's Royal Palaces. It was originally built in the late 16th century. It served as a residence of the Swedish royal court for most of...
with the entire royal family, except Prince Charles, as his godparents. As an adult, he was the butler of first the queen and after her death in 1782 to the Princess Sophia Albertina.
When the queen lay on her death-bed in her country residence, she sent Badin to Stockholm with the key to her files. After her death, Badin acquired the files and handed them in the custody of prince Fredrick Adolf and princess Sophia Albertina, who burnt them The young king, Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
, became enraged. They had an argument and the king said; "Do you not know, you black person, that I can make you pay with your head?" He replied: "My head is in the power of your Majesty, but I could not act in a different way."
The relationship with his royal foster-siblings was otherwise described as good, no matter that he called King Gustav "Gustav the Willen" and Duke Charles "Mr Tobacco". He was close to his foster-sister, Sophia Albertina, and wrote a poem for her on her birthday (1764):
"I, one of the Black People
Unfamiliar with this country's customs
Make a wish from my heart
To our Princess too."
Their relationship was good, though she hesitated as to whether she could keep him after 1787, when she had been made abbess of Quedlinburg
Quedlinburg
Quedlinburg is a town located north of the Harz mountains, in the district of Harz in the west of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. In 1994 the medieval court and the old town was set on the UNESCO world heritage list....
, a convent.
Badin was married twice but died childless; the rumors that he was the father of the alleged secret daughter of Sophia Albertina have never been confirmed. Her married Elisabet Svart (d. 1798) in 1782 and Magdalena Eleonora Norell in 1799
Badin sometimes helped the court poet Bellman
Bellman
Bellman is an alternative term for a bellhop. It may also refer to:People named Bellman* Carl Michael Bellman, Swedish poet and composer* Eric Bellman, psychotherapist* Gina Bellman, New Zealand/English actress...
to compose verses for special occasions, and some of them were published in his name. Badin participated in plays at the French Theatre
Du Londel Troupe
The Du Londel Troupe was a French 18th-century theatre troupe. From 1753 to 1771, it was active as the French Theatre of Sweden, where it played a great part in that country's theatre history....
in Bollhuset
Bollhuset
Bollhuset, also called ', ', and ' at various times, was the name of the first theater in Stockholm, Sweden; it was the first Swedish theater and the first real theater building in the whole of Scandinavia. The name "" means "The Ball House", and it was built in 1627 for ball sports and used in...
; he is listed as a dancer in a ballet in the 1769-70 season and played the main part in Arlequin Sauvage in the 1770-71 season, a play in which a "savage" meets civilization, and an erotic play by Marivaux.
The social position of Badin was not quite clear; he was given several titles, such as chamberlain, court secretary, ballet master and official; he never used the title "official", which King Gustav gave him, and told him; "Have you ever seen a black official?", but preferred to call himself farmer, as he owned two farms. He was also elected to the orders of Par Bricole, Svea Orden, Timmermansorden and the Freemasons.
He was described as an intelligent and reliable person with self-confidence, and though he was informed about many of the secrets of the royal family and the court, he never revealed anything, and was very loyal to the royal house throughout his entire life. His diaries, written in French, are preserved in the library of the Uppsala University.
During his late life, he was reportedly supported financially by princess Sophia Albertina
Context
Badin was not the only African brought to Sweden during the 18th century; in the churches of Stockholm, other "morians" (which was a name for black people) were baptised, such as Johannes in 1757, Adolf Ulrik in 1759 and Zamore (also a court slave) in 1772, Vulcain in the Royal Chapel in Stockholm in 1776 and a woman, Daphne, in SmålandSmåland
' is a historical province in southern Sweden.Småland borders Blekinge, Scania or Skåne, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name Småland literally means Small Lands. . The latinized form Smolandia has been used in other languages...
in 1783. Duke Charles bought "the most beautiful morian Sweden have ever seen" according to Gjörwell in 1771, and in 1802, a black teenager of the Duke, Figaro, was involved in a love affair at court. Also non-black slave converts are recorded, such as Pluto from India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1785 and native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
in the presence of nobility and a large gathering of the people. Officially, they would not have been slaves, as it was illegal in Sweden.
Badin in litterature
Badin is a character in the novelNovel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
Morianen by Magnus Jacob Crusenstolpe
Magnus Jacob Crusenstolpe
Magnus Jacob Crusenstolpe , Swedish historian, early became famous both as a political and a historical writer.Crusenstolpe won considerable distinction with a series of historical-romantic tales, ; but his fame rests mainly on his works as a journalist, historian, biographer, and politician...
in 1838, where he was described as the participator in all the secrets and greater events of the royal family, from the revolution of 1772 to the deposition of 1809. Though this was over-exaggerated, it was nevertheless a more-or-less true image of him.
External links
- African Diasporans in Sweden Madubuko A. Diakité, Lund, 2005.