Axel Sparre

Axel Sparre (9 January 1652 – 31 May 1728) was a Swedish count, soldier and artist. Sparre was the son of Axel Carlsson Sparre and Margareta Oxenstierna af Korsholm och Wasa, brother of kammarherre and artist friherre Carl Sparre (1648–1716) and half brother of Erik Sparre af Sundby.

Biography

Sparre was born in Visby, Gotland. He became a student at Uppsala University in 1662, accepted as volunteer at Livgardet 1671, and went into Dutch service in 1672, but was called back in 1674 and made captain at Henrik Horn's infantry regiment in Stade. After having returned to Sweden proper, Sparre participated in Charles XI's Scanian War and fought at the battle of Lund and the Landskrona. In 1677 he became captain at Livgardet and later the same year lieutenant colonel at Närke-Värmlands regemente. At the 1697 riksdag he worked avidly for the declaration of authority of 15-year old prince Charles, and 1699 became colonel and commander of Västmanlands regemente, major general in 1705, lieutenant general in 1710, general of the infantry in 1713, and field marshal in 1721.

Sparre died at Brokind Castle in the Vårdnäs parish of Östergötland County. He was buried 5 November 1728 in Riddarholmen Church, Stockholm, but rests together with his wife in Linköping Cathedral.