Carl Piper
Encyclopedia
Carl, Count Piper (July 29, 1647, Stockholm
- May 29, 1716, Schlüsselburg) was a Swedish
statesman. He entered the foreign office after completing his academical course at Uppsala
, accompanied Benedict Oxenstjerna on his embassage to Russia
in 1673, and attracted the attention of Charles XI
during the Scanian War
by his extraordinary energy and ability.
In 1679 he was appointed secretary to the board of trade and ennobled. In 1689 he was made one of the secretaries of state, and Charles XI recommended him on his deathbed to his son and successor, Charles XII
. Piper became the most confidential of the new sovereign's ministers. In 1697 he was made a senator and set over domestic affairs while still retaining his state-secretaryship.
In 1698 he was created a count
, in 1702 appointed chancellor of Uppsala University
, and during the first half of the Great Northern War
, as the chief of Charles' perambulating chancellery, he was practically prime minister. It was his misfortune, however, to be obliged to support a system which was not his own.
He belonged to the school of Benedict Oxenstjerna and was therefore an avowed advocate of a pacific
policy. He protested in vain against nearly all the military ventures of Charles XII, e.g. the War of Deposition against Augustus of Saxony and Poland
, the invasion of Saxony
, the raid into the Ukraine
. Again and again he insisted that the pacific overtures of Peter the Great
should at least be fairly considered, but his master was always immovable. Piper's career came to an end at the Battle of Poltava
(1709), where he was among the prisoners. The last years of his life were spent in exile in Russia
. He died at Schlüsselburg in 1716.
See W. L. Svedelius, Count Carl Piper (Stockholm, 1869).
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
- May 29, 1716, Schlüsselburg) was a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
statesman. He entered the foreign office after completing his academical course at Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
, accompanied Benedict Oxenstjerna on his embassage to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in 1673, and attracted the attention of Charles XI
Charles XI of Sweden
Charles XI also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1660 until his death, in a period in Swedish history known as the Swedish empire ....
during the Scanian War
Scanian War
The Scanian War was a part of the Northern Wars involving the union of Denmark-Norway, Brandenburg and Sweden. It was fought mainly on Scanian soil, in the former Danish provinces along the border with Sweden and in Northern Germany...
by his extraordinary energy and ability.
In 1679 he was appointed secretary to the board of trade and ennobled. In 1689 he was made one of the secretaries of state, and Charles XI recommended him on his deathbed to his son and successor, Charles XII
Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
. Piper became the most confidential of the new sovereign's ministers. In 1697 he was made a senator and set over domestic affairs while still retaining his state-secretaryship.
In 1698 he was created a count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
, in 1702 appointed chancellor of Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
, and during the first half of the Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
, as the chief of Charles' perambulating chancellery, he was practically prime minister. It was his misfortune, however, to be obliged to support a system which was not his own.
He belonged to the school of Benedict Oxenstjerna and was therefore an avowed advocate of a pacific
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
policy. He protested in vain against nearly all the military ventures of Charles XII, e.g. the War of Deposition against Augustus of Saxony and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, the invasion of Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, the raid into the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. Again and again he insisted that the pacific overtures of Peter the Great
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
should at least be fairly considered, but his master was always immovable. Piper's career came to an end at the Battle of Poltava
Battle of Poltava
The Battle of Poltava on 27 June 1709 was the decisive victory of Peter I of Russia over the Swedish forces under Field Marshal Carl Gustav Rehnskiöld in one of the battles of the Great Northern War. It is widely believed to have been the beginning of Sweden's decline as a Great Power; the...
(1709), where he was among the prisoners. The last years of his life were spent in exile in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. He died at Schlüsselburg in 1716.
See W. L. Svedelius, Count Carl Piper (Stockholm, 1869).