Mauritz Bäärnhielm 328 palace on a very strategic point in the realm, see above.Finally the international situation. Until the French Revolution there was nobility in all European countries. (Even in Iceland.) But nobility houses of the Swedish model were not common. Sovereigns in the absolutistic Europe were not ready to accept a limitation of the power such as the Swedish House of Nobility. Was the Swedish House of Nobiltv (as an institution) Axel Oxenstierna’s invention? The answer is no. There were prototypes for instance in some of the “Länder” of the northern part of the German realm and in the Baltic area." But the constitutional position and the organization of the Swedish House of Nobility is unique. As we will see the original status changed a lot during the centuries. The conditions for the rise of an institution like this existed probably onlv in Sweden; and some years later not even here. The Swedish House of Nobility (building and institution) can be seen as a monument over the struggle between royal absolutism and constitutional government. The latter was certainly not democratic but nevertheless constitutional. The leading characters m the fight were Gustavus Adolphus and Axel Oxenstierna. The two were at the same time good friends, so the fight was ideological not personal. In 1890 “the House” erected a statue of Oxenstierna in front of the building, an expression of respect which seems very adequate. 3. Ahouse in peril In the traces of the Thirty Years’ War many generals and other noblemen had become very wealthy, specially in landed estates. During their reigns Gharles X and XI (1654-1697) forced the Nobility to cede the majority of these properties to the Grown. This “reduction” struck the peerage specially hard. After that the Nobility’s power was weakened and it was not difficult for the King (Gharles XI; 1680, 1686) to establish absolutism. This period in Swedish historv lasted until 1719. There were some parliamentary sessions, but the Estates had no political role. In 1689 there was such a session. When the MP:s were on their way to Stockholm they could read on the milestones: “You members of Parliament, do’nt go so fast; what shall be done is already performed.” (“I herredagsmän farer icke så fort! Vad göras skall är allaredan gjort.”) A 0’s own main residence Tidö in \’ästmanland formed by the same architect (Simon de la Vallée) can be seen as a minor copv of the unfinished palace in Stockholm. The thesis is not valid for England. Nevertheless the differences between the House of Lords and Riddarhuset were and arc obvious. - Nils Daag, Det brittiska överhuset. Arte et Marte, 1990, p. 16. " Boethius, ibid. p. 32. - The Viborg Nobility house (17S8—1818), the Nobility House of Swedish Pomerania (1806-1814) and the Finnish Nobility house (since 1818) can be regarded as offshoots of the Swedish counterpart. Arte et Marte 1963 p. 24, 1971 p. 7.
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