Jacob De la Gardie Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Count Jacob De la Gardie
Jacob De la Gardie in 1606

Lord High Constable of Sweden
In office 1620–1652
Preceded by	Axel Nilsson Ryning
Succeeded by	Gustaf Horn
Governor of Swedish Estonia
In office 1619–1622
Preceded by	Anders Eriksson Hästehufvud
Succeeded by	Per Gustafsson Banér
1st Governor-General of Swedish Livonia
In office 1622–1628
Succeeded by	Johan Skytte

Personal details
Born	(1583-06-20)20 June 1583 Reval (Tallinn), Swedish Estonia
Died	22 August 1652(1652-08-22) (aged 69) Stockholm, Sweden
Spouses	Ebba Brahe (m. 1618–52; his death)
Children	14, including: Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie Maria Sofia De la Gardie Axel Julius De la Gardie
Residences	Makalös Palace, Stockholm Läckö Castle

Jacob Pontusson De la Gardie (born in Reval, now Tallinn, on June 20, 1583 – died in Stockholm on August 22, 1652) was an important leader in the Swedish Empire. He was a skilled statesman (a person involved in government) and a brave soldier. He became a Marshal, a very high military rank, in 1620.

Jacob De la Gardie was a member of the Privy Council (a group of advisors to the king) from 1613. He served as Governor of Swedish Estonia from 1619 to 1622. Later, he was the Governor-General of Livonia (a region conquered by Sweden) from 1622 to 1628. He also held the top military position as Lord High Constable from 1620. He helped improve the Swedish army by bringing in new ideas from the Dutch way of fighting. He led Swedish forces in wars against Russia and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. After the king died, he was one of five regents who ruled Sweden while Queen Christina was too young to rule.

Early Life and Military Training
Wars and Campaigns
Governor and Regent
- Member of the Privy Council
Family Life
Legacy
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Military Training

Jacob De la Gardie was born in Reval (which is now Tallinn, the capital of Estonia). At that time, Estonia was part of the Swedish Empire. His father was Pontus De la Gardie, and his mother was Sofia Johansdotter Gyllenhielm. Sadly, his mother died when he was born. His father passed away two years later.

From the age of two, Jacob was raised in Finland by his grandmother, Karin Hansdotter. Finland was also part of Sweden back then.

As a young man, Jacob De la Gardie was held as a prisoner in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth for four years. After he was set free, he joined the Dutch Revolt as a volunteer. From 1606 to 1608, he served under a famous Dutch general named Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange. Jacob was very impressed by how the Dutch army fought. When he returned to Sweden, he started teaching the Swedish army these new Dutch methods.

Wars and Campaigns

The Time of Troubles in Russia

Around this time, Russia was going through a very difficult period called the Time of Troubles (1598–1613). There was a lot of political instability and confusion about who should be the Tsar (ruler) of Russia. Different people claimed to be the rightful ruler.

In 1605, the Polish-Muscovite War began. The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth invaded Russia to support someone claiming to be the Tsar. This made Russia even weaker.

Alliance with Russia

In 1609, the Tsar of Russia, Vasili IV, asked the Swedish King Charles IX of Sweden for help. They formed a military alliance against the Polish invaders. They signed a deal called the Treaty of Viborg. In exchange for Sweden's help, Russia gave Sweden some land and a very important fortress. This alliance made the King of Poland, Sigismund III, officially declare war on Russia.

The De la Gardie Campaign

From 1608 to 1613, Jacob De la Gardie was the main commander of Sweden's war efforts in Russia. In 1609, he led about 5,000 Swedish and Finnish soldiers from Viborg (in Finland) towards Moscow. This operation became known as the De la Gardie campaign. It was a joint effort between Russia and Sweden.

A combined army of about 10,000 soldiers marched towards Moscow. They won battles against rebel forces. On March 12, 1610, the Russo-Swedish army broke the rebel siege of Moscow and took control of the city.

However, the campaign ended with a major defeat for De la Gardie's forces. Many of his soldiers joined the Polish side at the Battle of Klushino on June 4, 1610. After this, De la Gardie's remaining army returned to Viborg.

The Ingrian War

Soon after, the Ingrian War (1610–1617) started between Sweden and Russia. Jacob De la Gardie played a very important role in this war. A new army was quickly put together for him. This army included soldiers from Finland, Sweden, and other countries.

De la Gardie also thought Sweden should try to put the Swedish King's younger brother, Charles Philip, on the Russian throne. However, these plans were eventually dropped.

In 1617, De la Gardie was the chief Swedish negotiator for the Treaty of Stolbovo. This treaty ended the Ingrian War. Through this treaty, the Swedish Empire gained important land from Russia. This effectively blocked Russia from reaching the Baltic Sea.

Governor and Regent

From 1619 to 1622, Jacob De la Gardie served as the Governor of Swedish Estonia. In 1626, he bought a large estate with a medieval castle in Haapsalu, Estonia. After his time as governor of Estonia, he became the Governor-General of Livonia from 1622 to 1628.

After 1621, De la Gardie also fought in the Polish–Swedish War (1621–1625) against his mother's half-brother, King Sigismund III of Poland. He was a commander in chief in this war. De la Gardie believed in making peace with Poland. He was one of the Swedish negotiators at the Truce of Stuhmsdorf in 1635.

Member of the Privy Council

Jacob De la Gardie

Jacob De la Gardie became a member of the Swedish Privy Council in 1613. In 1620, he became Lord High Constable. This was a very high position. Because of this, he was one of the five regents who ruled Sweden. They ruled while Queen Christina was a child (from 1632 to 1644).

De la Gardie often wanted peace and favored France and Poland. This sometimes caused disagreements with Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna. Oxenstierna was leading Sweden's war efforts in the Thirty Years' War. However, De la Gardie supported many of Oxenstierna's other ideas. They eventually became friends again after Oxenstierna returned to Sweden in 1636.

Family Life

Ebba Brahe

In 1618, Jacob De la Gardie married Ebba Brahe. She was known as the love of the young King Gustavus Adolphus. Jacob and Ebba had 14 children together. Some of their most famous children include Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie, Maria Sofia De la Gardie, and Axel Julius De la Gardie.

Legacy

The coat of arms of Jakobstad, a town named after De la Gardie.

Count Jacob De la Gardie passed away in Stockholm in 1652. He is buried in the Veckholm Church in Sweden.

The town of Jakobstad in Finland is named after him. There is also a shopping mall in Old Tallinn named De la Gardie in his honor. During the Ingrian War, Finnish soldiers gave him a nickname: Laiska-Jaakko ("Lazy Jacob"). This was because of the very long six-year occupation of Novgorod. This nickname is still remembered in Finland today. A folk verse about him says: Lähti suvi, lähti talvi, vaan ei lähde Laiska-Jaakko. This means: "The summer left, the winter left, but Lazy Jacob does not leave."