Lord High Chancellor of Sweden Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Lord High Chancellor of Sweden
State Coat of arms
Fredrik Sparre, the last officeholder
Style	Excellency
Residence	Oxenstierna Palace
Appointer	Monarch of Sweden
Formation	1 August 1538
First holder	Conrad von Pyhy
Final holder	Fredrik Sparre
Abolished	14 December 1799

The Lord High Chancellor (in Swedish, Rikskansler) was a very important job in Sweden. This role existed from 1538 until 1799, though it was paused sometimes. The person holding this job was part of the Privy Council, which was like a group of top advisors to the King.

From 1634, the Lord High Chancellor was one of the five Great Officers of the Realm. These were the most powerful members of the Privy Council. Each of them led a part of the government. The Lord High Chancellor was in charge of the Privy Council itself. The job was brought back in 1792 but ended for good seven years later in 1799.

What Was the Lord High Chancellor?
- Early Beginnings of the Role
- What the Chancellor Did
When the Office Ended and Came Back
- First Abolition and Revival
People Who Held the Office
- First Time the Office Existed (1538-1680)
- Second Time the Office Existed (1792-1799)
See also

What Was the Lord High Chancellor?

Early Beginnings of the Role

Long ago, in the 1200s, the "King's Chancellor" was a trusted helper to the King. This person was usually a church leader. Their job included helping the King talk with leaders from other countries.

In 1560, during the time of King Eric XIV, Nils Gyllenstierna was the first to be called Rikskansler. This was the official title for the Lord High Chancellor.

What the Chancellor Did

The King chose the Lord High Chancellor. The Chancellor's main job was to make sure the King's orders were followed. They also made sure the decisions of the Riksdag of the Estates, which was like Sweden's parliament, were carried out.

Over time, the Chancellor's duties grew a lot. So, a special office called the Privy Council was created to help. In 1634, five "Great Officers of the Realm" were named. These were the most powerful people in the Privy Council.

Even though the Lord High Chancellor was ranked fourth among these five, they became the most important person in the Privy Council. They were in charge of Sweden's relationships with other countries.

A famous Chancellor named Axel Oxenstierna had a huge impact. He served from 1612 to 1654. During his time, he was almost like the head of government for Sweden.

When the Office Ended and Came Back

First Abolition and Revival

In 1680, King Charles XI decided to get rid of the Lord High Chancellor job. He created a new position instead. This new job was called "President of the Chancellery".

Then, in 1792, the Rikskansler job was brought back. This happened when King Gustav IV Adolph was still a child. But the job didn't last long. It was ended again in 1799.

People Who Held the Office

First Time the Office Existed (1538-1680)

Here are the people who served as Lord High Chancellor during the first period:

Name	Lifespan	Term began	Term ended	Monarch(s)
Conrad von Pyhy	? – 1553	1 August 1538	1543	Gustav I
Nils Gyllenstierna	1526 – 1601 (aged 74–75)	1560	1590	Eric XIV (1560–1568) John III (1568–1590)
Erik Sparre	13 July 1550 – 20 March 1600 (aged 49)	1593	20 March 1600	Sigismund Vasa (1593–1599) Charles IX (1599–1600)
Svante Bielke	1567 – 2 July 1609 (aged 41–42)	1602	2 July 1609	Charles IX
Axel Oxenstierna	(1583-06-16)16 June 1583 – 28 August 1654(1654-08-28) (aged 71)	6 January 1612	28 August 1654	Gustav II Adolph (1612–1632) Christina (1632–1654)
Erik Oxenstierna	(1624-02-13)13 February 1624 – 23 October 1656(1656-10-23) (aged 32)	28 August 1654	23 October 1656	Charles X Gustav
Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie	(1622-10-15)15 October 1622 – 26 April 1686(1686-04-26) (aged 63)	13 February 1660	10 June 1680	Charles XI