Carl Gustaf Wrangel

Fältmarskalk Carl Gustaf Wrangel (also Carl Gustav von Wrangel; 23 December 1613 – 5 July 1676) was a Swedish statesman and military commander who commanded the Swedish forces in the Thirty Years' War, as well as the Torstenson, Bremen, Second Northern and Scanian Wars.

A Baltic German, he held the ranks of a Field Marshal, Commander-in-Chief of the Swedish forces in Germany (1646–1648), and Lord High Admiral of Sweden (from 1657). Wrangel was Governor-General of Swedish Pomerania (1648–1652 and 1656–1676) and, from 1664, Lord High Constable of Sweden and a member of the Privy Council. He held the title of a Count of Salmis until 1665, when he became Count of Sölvesborg. By 1673, Wrangel's title was "Count of Sölvesborg, Freiherr of Lindeberg and Ludenhof, Lord of Skokloster, Bremervörde, Wrangelsburg, Spyker, Rappin, Ekebyhov, Gripenberg and Rostorp".

From 1658, Wrangel was Supreme judge in Uppland, and in 1660, he became Chancellor of the University of Greifswald. He held several estates, primarily in the Dominions of Sweden, where he constructed representative mansions: Wrangelsburg, in Pomerania, still bears his name.

Wrangel is part of the Wrangel family and was a close friend of King Charles X Gustav of Sweden.

Family He was born near Uppsala to Baroness Margareta Grip av Vinäs and Herman Wrangel on 23 December 1613. By paternal descent, he was a member of the Wrangel family of Baltic German origin, branches of which settled in Sweden, Russia and Germany.

Wrangel married Anna Margareta von Haugwitz (died 20 March 1673), who bore him eleven children, six of whom died very young. These five children reached adulthood: Carl Philipp Wrangel (died 13 April 1668 in London) Augusta Aurora Wrangel (born 15 January 1658 in just conquered Frederiksodde,

Under Queen Christina At the age of 20, he distinguished himself as a cavalry captain in the Thirty Years' War. Three years later, he became colonel, and in 1638, he became major-general, still serving in Germany. In 1644, during the Torstenson War, he commanded a fleet at sea that defeated the Danes at Fehmarn on 23 October. In June 1645, he led the Swedish conquest of Bornholm, successfully besieging the fortress of Hammershus on the island.

In 1646, he returned to Germany as a Field Marshal and succeeded Lennart Torstenson as Commander-in-chief of the Swedish army in Germany. Under Wrangel and Turenne, the allied Swedish and French armies marched and fought in Bavaria and Württemberg. After the end of the Thirty Years' War in 1648, he was made Governor-General of Swedish Pomerania. Queen Christina of Sweden created him count of Salmis in Kexholms län (Salmi and Suistamo pogosta, Käkisalmi province) in northern Karelia, Finland, and he later augmented his lands with Barony of Lindeberg, in Halland.

Under King Charles X Gustav Before Christina's abdication, Wrangel was already a close friend and trusted advisor of her successor, King Charles X Gustav of Sweden. Also in 1660, Wrangel became chancellor of the University of Greifswald; he had been made supreme judge in Uppland Province two years earlier.

Landowner and builder In Swedish Pomerania, Wrangel advanced to become the greatest landowner and held the domains of Spyker (Rügen) with Baldereck, Cape Arkona, Wrangelsburg with Krebsow, Spandowerhagen and Zarnitz, Groß Ernsthof, and Zarnow, Nonnendorf with Latzow, Lubmin and Vierow, Mölschow (Usedom) with Bannemin, Mahlzow, Sauzin, Zecherin and Ziemitz, and also the islands Greifswalder Oie and Ruden. In Scania he held Lillö. Near Stockholm, he held Ekebyhov, In Finland, he held property in Bjärnå as well as in Skokloster in Uppland, and Rostorp and Säby in Småland. In Halland, Wrangel held the county of Lindeberg. In Bremen-Verden, he held Amt Bremervörde.

Wrangel built Gripenberg Palace in Säby, Wrangelsburg bears his name since it was renamed by him from "Vorwerk" on 19 September 1653. His favourite and grandest castle was Skokloster Castle, in Uppland, in which he created substantial collections of art and expensive weapons and exotic items.