Maria Christina Bruhn facts for kids
Maria Christina Bruhn (1732 – 21 October 1808) was a Swedish chemist and inventor. She is thought to be the first woman in Sweden to get a patent for her invention. Maria created a special way to package gunpowder that the Swedish army used for many years.
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Early Life and Family
Maria Christina Bruhn was born in 1732. She was the oldest of three daughters. Her father, Johan Bruhn, was a book printer. After her mother, Inga Christina, passed away in 1751, Maria took over their family business. This business made tapestries and wallpaper.
Maria's sister, Ingrid, married a town surveyor named Hieronymus von der Burg. He was a student of the famous botanist Carl von Linné. This connection helped Maria meet important people in Stockholm. Among them were Nils Lindblom, a mathematics professor, and Pehr Lehnberg. Both were members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science and worked with the military.
The Gunpowder Invention Challenge
In 1773, the King of Sweden offered a big reward for the best way to package gunpowder. The judges for this competition were members of the Royal Academy of Sciences. Maria worked hard and created cartridges made from paper that she then varnished.
On March 2, 1774, Maria showed her idea to the Royal Academy of Science. They tested her cartridges by firing them. While her invention worked, it left some residue in the cannon barrel. This meant a small piece of wool was still needed to cover the end of the cartridge. Another inventor, Major Per Gustaf Wagenfel, also presented a similar idea. Because Maria was a woman, some men in the academy were unsure about her invention. Since neither invention was perfect, the project was put on hold.
Fighting for Her Invention
Even after the competition, Maria kept improving her varnished cartridges. She gave them to army cadets for their training until 1780, paying for it herself. Her invention was successful.
However, problems started when Major Per Gustaf Wagenfelt, who was in the competition, received a royal salary for inventing varnished cartridges. He was claiming Maria's design as his own! Captain Lindfelt recognized Maria's design and told the military board. Maria also found out and wrote to the War Office in 1783. She demanded that she be recognized as the true inventor and receive the prize money.
An investigation began. Many people involved pretended not to know what happened, as they didn't want to upset important figures. But Maria did not give up. She kept fighting for her design by sending letters and making claims. Finally, in August 1786, the military board announced that Maria's invention was the best and most affordable. This meant she had won the competition!
Awards and Later Life
On May 8, 1787, Maria was given half of the prize money. This was 166 riksdaler and 32 shillings. She is believed to be the first woman in Sweden to receive a patent for her invention.
After getting her prize money, Maria closed her wallpaper workshop. She returned to her private life and lived off the money she had received. Maria Christina Bruhn passed away on October 20, 1808, at the age of 77.
See also
In Spanish: Maria Christina Bruhn para niños
