Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie
Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie, Count (* October 15, 1622 in Tallinn, † April 26, 1686 at Castle Venngarn at Sigtuna ) was a Swedish military leader, statesman, poet and patron.
Life
Magnus Gabriel (from the originally languedocschen Gender De la Gardie, which was entered into Swedish service in the 16th century ) was the Ebba Brahe was born as the eldest son of the Swedish Field Marshal Jacob De la Gardie ( 1621 Governor General of Livonia) and. He studied in Uppsala and then made to travel further. When he appeared after his return at the court of Queen Christina, showered him with these awards and in 1645 appointed him colonel of the Life Guards. There were rumors that he was her lover.
1646 went Gardie as an envoy to France, married after his return, the sister of Prince Karl Gustav, Marie Euphrosine von Pfalz -Zweibrücken - Klee Castle and in 1647 Imperial Council, 1648 General, 1649 Governor General of Livonia, 1651 Reichsmarschall and 1652 Reich Treasurer. In 1653 he fell out of favor with the Queen, and had to withdraw, which he did magnificently expand briefly on his castle Läckö. When his brother Charles X Gustav in 1654 became king, Gardie returned to the imperial politics and was appointed governor of Västergötland, end of the year as chancellor of the University of Uppsala. In 1655 he was again Governor General of Livonia and took over the command of the Swedish army in Livonia, received in 1656 the government in Semgallen and Lithuania and Riga defended against the Russians.
After the king's death in 1660 he became Chancellor and assumed the regency during the minority of Charles XI. in part. In foreign policy, he fought for the interests of France. Even after the accession to the throne of Charles XI. In 1672, he had great influence as a counselor. It was only in 1675 began his star to fall. As a result of the decree of 1680, which allowed the king to collect the shares sold under the previous regent crown lands again, he lost most of his possessions, keeping only the locks Venngarn and Höjentorp.
Family
From Gardies marriage with Marie Euphrosine von Pfalz -Zweibrücken - Kleeburg three children: Gustaf Adolf (1647-1695), Catharina Charlotta (1654-1697), married to Otto Wilhelm von Königsmarck and Hedvig Ebba (ca. 1659-1700 ), married to Carl Gustaf Eriksson Oxenstierna.
Cultural interaction
Gardie was beautiful and art -loving and was known as a patron. Many own possessions as Läckö, Venngarn, castle Mariedal at Skara, Karlberg Castle, Castle Ulriksdal and 1825 spent Makalös Palace in Stockholm, he built or expand, as well as dozens of churches across the country. In the abbey church of Varnhem he built a magnificent family mausoleum, where he is buried.
1662 Gardie was a chair of "Swedish Antiquities" at Uppsala University to set up, and in 1666 he led the establishment of the antikvitetskollegium, which dealt with the assurance and evaluation of sources from the Old Norse antiquity.
Uppsala owes him - in addition to numerous other manuscripts - the so-called silver Code of Ulfilas, the Swedes had captured in Prague, but was considered lost until Gardie found him in Flanders again, bought for 600 guilders and, having worked with him a be provided silver cover, 1669 gave the Uppsala University Library. The formerly on the good of Gardie family, Löberöd in Skåne, kept rich manuscript collection is now kept in the University Library Lund.
In his last years Gardie wrote several hymns, one of which is still in the current Swedish hymnal of 1986 ( No. 621 ) printed.