Gabriel Stierncrona

Gabriel Stierncrona (born Welt; 28 September, 1669 – 8 September, 1723) was a Swedish civil servant and baron. A legal administrator during the late Stormaktstiden and the early Age of Liberty, he served as the first Chancellor of Justice from 1719 to 1723 and briefly as President of the Svea Court of Appeal in 1723.

Beyond his judicial career, Stierncrona co-founded the Stjärnsund manufactory alongside inventor Christopher Polhem.

Early Life Gabriel Welt was born in Uppsala on September 28 1669. He was born to Per Larsson Welt and Elsa Stensdotter Lindemarck. Per had served in various administrative and military roles. The Welts were a commoner family that had German roots. All of his siblings were ennobled, with his elder brother Lars being ennobled Stierncrona no.1384 and his younger brother Peter being ennobled Stierncrona af Söderby no. 1679. In 1683, Stierncrona enrolled in Uppsala University.

Legal career

Welt began his legal career in 1691 as an auscultant in the Svea Court of Appeal. He would leave the position in 1694 to serve as district judge of Tjust. In 1696, he then served as district judge in Sotholms, Svartlösa and Öknebo in Södertörn Domsaga.

Upon the death of Carl Gyllenstierna in 1723, the president of the Svea Court of Appeal became a vacant position. A dispute arose over who would succeed him, with the different estates proposing different candidates, among them Stierncrona was proposed. Stierncrona would end up arguing to king Frederick I that the other candidates lacked his legal experience. Stierncrona was appointed the president of the Svea Court of Appeal in 1723, a position he would not hold for long before his death. In 1700, the Swedish Board of Mines issued a monopoly for the two, that would last 20 years and exempt them from customs duties and other fees.