The Swedish House of Nobility as a Legal History Arena By Mauritz Bäärnhielm 1. Nobility without a house There is in Europe a long row of small countries, which once were great powers. I am thinking of Denmark, the Netherlands, Portugal, Austria and others. Also Sweden once was - for a short time - a great power. What has always fascinated me is to followthe traces of these eras of greatness. In Stockholm the most spectacular reminders of that era are the Royal Palace and this house. In Swedish we call it Riddarhuset (i.e. “house of the cavaliers”). It is the house of the Swedish Nobility, which still owns and maintains the house. The word Riddarhuset is used in two different senses: as an architectonic creation and as a constitutional Institution. In 1935 the Swedish Parliament (Riksdagen) celebrated its 500 years of existence. Alot of books were written on that topic. Some were of the opinion that Parliament was older; others that it was younger. Anyhow there was a sort of Parliament as early as the Middle Ages. It was composed of different Estates, mostly four: the Nobility, the Clergy, the Townsmen and the Peasantry. The four Estates deliberated separately but only together they formed a Parliament. Every Estate had one vote. Three votes - usually - formed the decision.* In fact there was a Nobility Estate long before the first Parliament. — The first document about the nobility is from 1280.- Then King Magnus gave exemption fromland dues to the Crown for every man, who was ready to assist the King with man, horse and weapon. The background was the development in the art of warfare. The nobleman who could not fulfil his achievement, lost his status of nobleman. a struggle for power between King and Parliament and also between King and Nobility. In the Middle Ages the Kings’ power was often weak, and consequently the Nobility could improve its positions. In that way Nobility became inheritable.^ As in other European countries there was often - but not always ■ Every Estate had veto in matters concerning its own privileges. 2 Bertil Broomé, Alsnö stadga — ett 700-årsminne, Arte et Marte, 1979, p. 1, Olof Jagerskiöld, Sveriges Ridderskaps och Adels Kalender 1998, 1997, p. 7. ^ In the Reign of KingJohan III, see Bertil Boethius, Sveriges Riddarhus, 1926, p. 55. 22
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