the svea court of appeal in the early modern period 312 nary law professor in Uppsala, and Scheffer had defended a thesis entitled Dissertatio politica de Foenore. In addition, Magnus Sierman (nob. Stjernmarck) (1653 –1711), who had studied in Turku, is described as “one of the most learned men of his time, possessing a large collection of books.”902 In 1714 again, probably all of the twenty judges had been educated to some level. An overwhelming majority had studied in Sweden (18/20), most in Uppsala and one in Lund. In 1714, the class division of the court had already been abolished. The court consisted of the president, vice president and 18 assessors, one of whom became vice president in the middle of 1714. As twenty years earlier, half of the judges had studied or at least travelled abroad – but this time the information on their studies is more precise. Among the assessors there were eight men with foreign experience. Two of them were noblemen and five were ennobled later during their careers. The universities visited were Wittenberg, Leiden,903 Tübingen, Jena and Leipzig, and more general mentions of Germany, Italy, France and the Netherlands appear.904 The most detailed information concerns Johan Swebilius Adlerberg (1671 –1740), who had read law at several academies. After learning in Uppsala he was sent abroad “to foreign places and academies.” Adlerberg spent a year in Leipzig acquainting himself with the fundaments of the Iure Publico, then six months in Regensburg learning the practice of law and finally disputed publicly in Strassburg onVicariis Imperii Romano-Germanici.905 Apart from Adlerberg, there were four men (Scheffer, Gangius, Rigeman and Fehman), who we know had studied law. Whereas in 1694 and 1714 half of the judges had still spent some time abroad before their careers, probably studying, the number plummets by 1734. The court was manned by the president, vice president, nine appeal 902 Anjou, A. 1899 pp. 11, 83. 903 Bengt Baaz (nob. Baas) had studied theology and Palm Rigeman law. 904 Anjou, A. 1899; Callmer, Christian 1976 pp. 97, 114, 117; Callmer, Christian 1964 p. 141; Album Studiosorum Academiae Lugduno Batavae mdlxxv-mdccclxxvpp. 690, 731; Die Matrikel der Universität Jena, vol. 2,1 p. 290. 905 RA, SHA, Tjänsteansökningar E IVa, vol. 1, Jean Adlerberg. Adlerberg was already thinking of his future career while in Strassburg in 1693. He wrote a letter to Erik Dahlberg, who had recently been appointed to the artillery and was to become Governor General of Bremen-Verden, stating his wish to be remembered when offering services to His Majesty. Johan Adlerberg (Swebilius) to Erik Dahlberg, 28 Feb. 1693, RA, E3489, Erik Dahlbergs samling.
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