Mårten Triewald
Encyclopedia
Mårten Triewald sometimes referred to as Mårten Triewald the Younger, was a Swedish merchant, engineer
and amateur physicist
.
Mårten Triewald was the son of Mårten Triewald the Elder, a farrier
and anchor
smith of German origin.
Triewald's mercantile activities took him to London
, and in 1716 he was employed as an inspector at a coal mine in Newcastle
, where he studied mechanics
and the steam engine
s used there, and made improvements to them. He returned to Sweden in 1726 and at Dannemora mine
and built a steam engine there under the designation "fire and air machine" (eld- och luftmachin in archaic Swedish). This steam engine is believed to be the first steam engine in Sweden that was put to practical and industrial use.
In 1728 and 1729 Triewald held lectures in mechanics at the Swedish House of Nobility, and demonstrated a collection of physical instruments that he had bought in England. In 1732, these instruments were taken over by Lund University
, and Triewald's assistant Daniel Menlös was made a professor of mathematics at the university. In 1729 he formed a diving company, and wrote about the use of diving bell
s and equipment for divers under the title Konsten att lefa under watn ("The art of living under water"). He also took an interest in bee-keeping and published on this subject (Tractat om bij, 1728).
Triewald was given the title director mechanicus, and in 1735 was appointed kapten-mekanikus (Captain of Mechanics) at the Fortification Administration, deemed to be "the only one in the country suitable for this post", and given an annual pension by the Parliament.
In 1729, he was elected a member of the Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala
. In 1739, he was one of six founders of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
in Stockholm
. He was also a member of the Royal Society
.
The mansion located in the southwestern part of Kungsholmen
that Triewald bought in 1739, Triewalds malmgård, still exists and carries his name.
Mårten Triewald had a brother named Samuel von Triewald, poet, politician and one of the first 'critics' in Sweden; he was also a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
.
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and amateur physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
.
Mårten Triewald was the son of Mårten Triewald the Elder, a farrier
Farrier
A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves...
and anchor
Anchor
An anchor is a device, normally made of metal, that is used to connect a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the vessel from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ancora, which itself comes from the Greek ἄγκυρα .Anchors can either be temporary or permanent...
smith of German origin.
Triewald's mercantile activities took him to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and in 1716 he was employed as an inspector at a coal mine in Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, where he studied mechanics
Mechanics
Mechanics is the branch of physics concerned with the behavior of physical bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the subsequent effects of the bodies on their environment....
and the steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
s used there, and made improvements to them. He returned to Sweden in 1726 and at Dannemora mine
Dannemora mine
The Dannemora mine at Dannemora, Sweden was one of the most important iron ore mines in Sweden. The mine was closed by its owners SSAB in 1992. It may have been open since the 13th century, but the first documentary reference was in 1481...
and built a steam engine there under the designation "fire and air machine" (eld- och luftmachin in archaic Swedish). This steam engine is believed to be the first steam engine in Sweden that was put to practical and industrial use.
In 1728 and 1729 Triewald held lectures in mechanics at the Swedish House of Nobility, and demonstrated a collection of physical instruments that he had bought in England. In 1732, these instruments were taken over by Lund University
Lund University
Lund University , located in the city of Lund in the province of Scania, Sweden, is one of northern Europe's most prestigious universities and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities...
, and Triewald's assistant Daniel Menlös was made a professor of mathematics at the university. In 1729 he formed a diving company, and wrote about the use of diving bell
Diving bell
A diving bell is a rigid chamber used to transport divers to depth in the ocean. The most common types are the wet bell and the closed bell....
s and equipment for divers under the title Konsten att lefa under watn ("The art of living under water"). He also took an interest in bee-keeping and published on this subject (Tractat om bij, 1728).
Triewald was given the title director mechanicus, and in 1735 was appointed kapten-mekanikus (Captain of Mechanics) at the Fortification Administration, deemed to be "the only one in the country suitable for this post", and given an annual pension by the Parliament.
In 1729, he was elected a member of the Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala
Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala
The Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala , is the oldest of the royal academies in Sweden. The society has, by royal decree of 1906, 50 Swedish fellows and 100 foreign....
. In 1739, he was one of six founders of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. He was also a member of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
.
The mansion located in the southwestern part of Kungsholmen
Kungsholmen
Kungsholmen is an island in Lake Mälaren in Sweden, part of Stockholm City. It is situated north of Riddarfjärden and considered part of the historical province Uppland....
that Triewald bought in 1739, Triewalds malmgård, still exists and carries his name.
Mårten Triewald had a brother named Samuel von Triewald, poet, politician and one of the first 'critics' in Sweden; he was also a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
.