Jägerhorn af Spurila
Encyclopedia
Jägerhorn af Spurila is a noble family, registered with number 114 in the Swedish House of Nobility and number 5 in the Finnish House of Nobility. Members of this family live in Finland, Sweden, France and the USA.
The family is of ancient Swedish nobility
(frälse) from Paimio
in Finland Proper
. Squire
Nisse Pedersson is regarded as the most likely first head of the family. He held tax exempt property (frälsejord) in Loppis of Paimio, which was subject to the kings general reduction in 1396 (Nyköpings recess) which decision was executed in Finland 1405. Nisse Pedersson sealed a property transaction in 1399. His son Peder Nilsson participated in a summons of the nobility in Turku in 1439. His son, squire Nils Pedersson of Hevonpää is mentioned 1464; he wears a hunting horn in his seal 10 March 1471. His son, squire Peder Nilsson of Hevonpää, was married to the daughter of Klas Henriksson (Horn of Kankas
), member of the privy council
and lawspeaker
, and Kristersdotter Frille. Peder Nilsson was acting as the first lawspeaker in a land court in Kemiö of Finland Proper 1500.
Peder Nilsson of Hevonpää's grandson's grandson, Colonel Christer Classon of Spurila had his family introduced in the Swedish House of Nobility with number 86 (later amended to 114) when the House was established by Gustavus II Adolphus in 1625. Colonel Classon's son Johan Henriksson of Spurila was a page of Gustavus II Adolphus until the king's death in the battle of Lützen (1632)
. The name Jägerhorn af Spurila was given only about 1634 apparently to avoid confusion with another family with a similar coat of arms that was introduced to the House, namely Jägerhorn af Storby. The Jägerhorn af Spurila family was assumed in the knights class of the Swedish nobility in 1778, and it was introduced in the Finnish House of Nobility in 1820 with number 5.
In old genealogies the Jägerhorn af Storby and Jägerskiöld families as well as other noble families with similar coats of arms were assumed to be of the same origin as Jägerhorn af Spurila. Later research has, however, not verified such conclusions.
A family tree dated 1769 presents a legend about the origins of the Jägerhorn family, most likely inspired by the Song of Roland; this family tree also ties the Jägerhorn af Spurila, Jägerhorn af Storby and Jägerskiöld (von Jägerhorn) families together (translation from Swedish):
(*Swedish for Huntinghorn)
The family is of ancient Swedish nobility
Swedish nobility
The Swedish nobility were historically a legally and/or socially privileged class in Sweden, part of the so-called frälse . Today, the nobility is still very much a part of Swedish society but they do not maintain many of their former privileges...
(frälse) from Paimio
Paimio
Paimio is a town and a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Finland Proper region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
in Finland Proper
Finland Proper
Finland Proper or Southwest Finland , is a region in south-western Finland. It borders the regions of Satakunta, Tavastia Proper, Ahvenanmaa and Uusimaa.- Municipalities :...
. Squire
Squire
The English word squire is a shortened version of the word Esquire, from the Old French , itself derived from the Late Latin , in medieval or Old English a scutifer. The Classical Latin equivalent was , "arms bearer"...
Nisse Pedersson is regarded as the most likely first head of the family. He held tax exempt property (frälsejord) in Loppis of Paimio, which was subject to the kings general reduction in 1396 (Nyköpings recess) which decision was executed in Finland 1405. Nisse Pedersson sealed a property transaction in 1399. His son Peder Nilsson participated in a summons of the nobility in Turku in 1439. His son, squire Nils Pedersson of Hevonpää is mentioned 1464; he wears a hunting horn in his seal 10 March 1471. His son, squire Peder Nilsson of Hevonpää, was married to the daughter of Klas Henriksson (Horn of Kankas
Horn of Kankas
The Kankas noble family, otherwise known as Horn, is a noble family from Finland of medieval frälse.Its first known member, Olof Mattsson, was documented between 1381 and 1415, having a seat in Halikko, near the present town of Salo. His seal featured the figure of a drinking horn. The family...
), member of the privy council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
and lawspeaker
Lawspeaker
A lawspeaker is a unique Scandinavian legal office. It has its basis in a common Germanic oral tradition, where wise men were asked to recite the law, but it was only in Scandinavia that the function evolved into an office...
, and Kristersdotter Frille. Peder Nilsson was acting as the first lawspeaker in a land court in Kemiö of Finland Proper 1500.
Peder Nilsson of Hevonpää's grandson's grandson, Colonel Christer Classon of Spurila had his family introduced in the Swedish House of Nobility with number 86 (later amended to 114) when the House was established by Gustavus II Adolphus in 1625. Colonel Classon's son Johan Henriksson of Spurila was a page of Gustavus II Adolphus until the king's death in the battle of Lützen (1632)
Battle of Lützen (1632)
The Battle of Lützen was one of the most decisive battles of the Thirty Years' War. It was a Protestant victory, but cost the life of one of the most important leaders of the Protestant alliance, Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, which caused the Protestant campaign to lose direction.- Prelude to the...
. The name Jägerhorn af Spurila was given only about 1634 apparently to avoid confusion with another family with a similar coat of arms that was introduced to the House, namely Jägerhorn af Storby. The Jägerhorn af Spurila family was assumed in the knights class of the Swedish nobility in 1778, and it was introduced in the Finnish House of Nobility in 1820 with number 5.
In old genealogies the Jägerhorn af Storby and Jägerskiöld families as well as other noble families with similar coats of arms were assumed to be of the same origin as Jägerhorn af Spurila. Later research has, however, not verified such conclusions.
A family tree dated 1769 presents a legend about the origins of the Jägerhorn family, most likely inspired by the Song of Roland; this family tree also ties the Jägerhorn af Spurila, Jägerhorn af Storby and Jägerskiöld (von Jägerhorn) families together (translation from Swedish):
This family is so old that it is impossible to establish the time of ennoblement with certainty. However, the forefathers of this family have truthfully explained that the first head of the family was called Rötker Ingesson, whom king Eric IXEric IX of SwedenEric "IX" of Sweden, , also called Eric the Lawgiver, Erik the Saint, Eric the Holy and in Sweden Sankt Erik meaning Saint Eric was a Swedish king c.1155 – 1160...
or Eric the Holy as he is called, took as his squire due the handsome appearance, unseen strength and manhood, during the king's visit in Finland in the 1150s. The king took this man with him when returning to Sweden. This Rötker Ingesson was in 1160 commanding a group of cavalry during a fight between the Swedes and the Danes and was carrying a signal horn of that time. When attacking the Danes with great force making them retreat, he blew the sound of victory, which made the Danish Army flee trembling with fear. The Danes left its conqueror valuable treasures with which the "Danish church" Danmarks kyrka close to Uppsala was built and Rötker Ingesson was henceforth called Jagarhorn* [...]
(*Swedish for Huntinghorn)
Known persons of the family
- Georg Henrik Jägerhorn (1747-1826), lieutenant general, participated in Gustav IIIGustav III of SwedenGustav 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....
's Russian warRusso-Swedish War (1788-1790)The Russo-Swedish War of 1788–90, known as Gustav III's Russian war in Sweden, Gustav III's War in Finland and Catherine II's Swedish War in Russia, was fought between Sweden and Russia from June 1788 to August 1790.-Background:...
1788-90 and was commander (Sw. överkommendant) of the Stockholm garrison 1808 and member of the Swedish regency councilRegency Councilright|thumb|Regency Council: Ostrowski, Kakowski, LubomirskiThe Regency Council of the Kingdom of Poland was a semi-independent and temporary highest authority during World War I, formed by Germany and Austria-Hungary in the occupied Polish territories in September 1917. It was supposed to stay...
. - Johan Anders JägerhornJohan Anders JägerhornJohan Anders Jägerhorn af Spurila was a Finnish nobleman born in 8 April 1757 in Helsinki county. He was the eldest son of lieutenant colonel Fredrik Anders Jägerhorn and Ulrika Sofia Brunow...
(younger) (1757-1825), lieutenant colonel, participated in king Gustav III:s revolution of 1772, in the Anjala conspiracyAnjala conspiracyThe Anjala conspiracy of 1788 was a scheme by disgruntled Swedish officers to end Gustav III's Russian War of 1788–90. Declaring Finland an independent state was part of the plot, although it is disputed what importance the conspirators connected to that aspect.- Rising anger against the king...
1788 and acted as an intermediary between Lord Edward FitzGeraldLord Edward FitzGeraldLord Edward FitzGerald was an Irish aristocrat and revolutionary. He was the fifth son of the 1st Duke of Leinster and the Duchess of Leinster , he was born at Carton House, near Dublin, and died of wounds received in resisting arrest on charge of treason.-Early years:FitzGerald spent most of his...
and the French for the Irish independence movement United Irishmen. - Fredrik Adolf Jägerhorn (1760-1817), colonel, governor, vice-commander and commander Carl Olof CronstedtCarl Olof CronstedtCarl-Olof Cronstedt the elder was a Swedish naval commander responsible for the overwhelming Swedish victory at the Second Battle of Svensksund, one of the largest naval battles in history...
's friend in the Sveaborg fortress. Younger brother of Johan Anders Jägerhorn. - Reinhold Johan Jägerhorn (1719-1790), lieutenant colonel, known for his critics in the Swedish parliament in 1765-66 about the stepmotherish treatment of Finland.
- Carl Johan Jägerhorn (1819-1890), governor, grandson of Reinhold Johan Jägerhorn.
Sources
- Kansallisbiografia 4, Seppo Suvanto
- Ättartavlor, Carpelan
- Jägerhorniana, Finnish House of Nobility
- Svenskt Biografiskt Lexicon, Grill (editor)