Riddarhus, Riddaregatan 1, 00170 Helsingfors, + 358 10 411 72 62, www.riddarhuset.fi, Magdalena af Hällström, Riddarhusgenealog, magdalena.afhallstrom@riddarhuset.fi.
CH-779
Bilthoven, 14 februari 2023
Dear Madam/Sir,
Excuse me for writing in English. Today I received a letter from Göran Mörner, Chief Genealogist of the Riddarhuset in Stockholm.
His letter was a response to my question where I can find the original letters of nobility with drawings and descriptions of the coat of arms of the Meijerfeldt family. I am a descendant of this Baltic-German family, that was raised to nobility by the Swedish kings Charles XI and XII and fought in Finland 1788-1790. In the Swedish Riksarkivet I have found a copy of the sköldebref 24-11-1674 (Riksregistraturet B/412, folio 310), received a copy of the draft of the frijherre bref 12-07-1705 and found the grefwe bref 03-03-1714 (Riksregistraturet 1523-1718, B/671, folio 149v-158).
Göran Mörner responded that the original “Sköldebrev” for the baron and count are in the archives of the Finnish House of Nobility. Although the family name is not in your ‘Family Arms and Names Database’, I hope you can find these letters in your archive. If yes, I am wondering if I can order a copy.
Thank you in advance for any trouble taken,
Best regards,
Hugo von Meijenfeldt
Helsinki, 20 februari 2023
Dear Sir,
We do indeed have the original letters of nobility for both count and baron Meijerfeldt. These include the drawing and the description of the coat of arms.
We can send it to You in a digital form, the cost is 90 euros each, or 150 euros for both. If You want to place an order, please let us know. We will send You an invoice and after it has been paid You will receive the pictures.
Nota bene, that Johan August Meijerfelt (1664-1749) was ennobled baron 12.7.1705 together with his younger brother Wolmar. Introduced between the numbers 111 and 112, but they were removed from the baron register in 1727. JA was made count 1714, and his brother with the same letter. Wolmar died unmarried in 1739.
Johan August had two sons, Carl Fredrik (1721-1791), died unmarried, and Johan August (1725-1800). The latter had two sons Johan August (1766-1791) who died unmarried in the consequences of a contusion dating from 1789. The other son, Axel Fredrik (1769-1795) did also die unmarried.
So Johan August (1725-1800) survived his sons. When he was buried in Stockholm the coat of arms was destroyed at the funeral since he was the last of his family. The Meijerfeldt family had seized to exist.
Best wishes
Magdalena af Hällström
Bilthoven, 20 februari 2023
Dear Magdalena af Hallström,
Thank you very much for your timely and informative response.
A miracle comes true if I can get hold of both the letters with drawings and description of the coat of arms. Because of the price I have a few questions:
1) is the handwriting in draft or neat?
2) is the drawing of the coat of arms a black and white pencil sketch or a detailed colour drawing with ink pen?
3) how many pixels or MBs will the two drawings have?
a) I assume you do not have the sköldebref of 24 november 1674 that King Charles XI forwarded to the father of both brothers: Andreas Meijer, ennobled Meijerfeldt.
b) With the funeral service of Johan August Meijerfeldt jr in the Riddarholmskyrkan in Stockholm on 2 May 1800 the noble family indeed seized to exist. Nevertheless, before his marriage to Lovisa Augusta Sparre the last count had at least two natural children. His daughter is mentioned in their testament of 1795 and his son (the grandfather of my grandfather) was in the Dutch Republic by that time.
c) The “Tal” says “då Dess Vapen vid Jordfästningen krossades”. In Germany they say “das Waffen am Grabe zerbrechen/stürtzten” and in French “briser les armoiries sur la tombe”. In literally translation that means that the coat of arms would have been destroyed during the funeral service. In heraldic translation it has a less violent meaning. In case a male line closes, the coat of arms is (partly) mirrored at the grave or in the epithaph of the last male member. In the Riddarholmskyrkan one can still see an unharmed Meijerfeldt shield, but a few parts have been mirrored compared to the painting in the Riddarhuset and description in the grefwe bref.
Thank you in advance for your reply,
Hugo von Meijenfeldt
Helsingfors, 23 februari 2023
1) It is very neat
2) Detailed colour drawing with ink pen
3) There are several pictures, every page is photographed separately. A picture is appr. 7 – 8 MBs.
a) Alas, no
b) With the funeral service of Johan August Meijerfeldt jr in the Riddarholmskyrkan in Stockholm on 2 May 1800 the noble family indeed seized to exist. Nevertheless, before his marriage to Lovisa Augusta Sparre the last count had at least two natural children. His daughter is mentioned in their testament of 1795 and his son (the grandfather of my grandfather) was in the Dutch Republic by that time.
c) But sadly the pedigrees kept by the Swedish house of nobility (and by the way also the Finnish house) does not include natural children. This is, as You no doubt know, because only children born in wedlock are noted, and only men can inherit nobility. Therefore we unfortunately do not have information of natural children. Thank You for the information!
d) In some cases though a special coat of arms was prepared. It was made of wood and destroyed/put in pieces at the funeral. The shield in Riddarholmskyrkan, as You know, is Johan August Ms (1725-1800) shield as a knight of the order of the seraphim. The shield of the living knights were and are kept in the Royal Castle. After the knight dies, the shield is carried in a procession to the Riddarholmskyrkan. Another Meijerfiled coat of arms hangs, as You say, in the Swedish house of nobility.
Best wishes
Magdalena af Hällström
Bilthoven, 23 februari 2023
Dear Magdalena af Hällström,
Thank you very much for your responses.
One question about the procession, or should I ask this to the Riddarholmskyrkan? It was the High Guard who carried the copper plate with the coat of arms from the Seraphim Room of the Royal Castle to the Riddarholmskyrkan. I know count Johan August Meijerfeldt was not buried there, but my impression is that the coffin with his body was not present at all. I guess only his widow and other Seraphim knights joined the service between 12:00 and 13:00 hrs.
In reaction to your responses I have decided to order the two letters. As soon as I have received you invoice I will pay.
Once again, thank you very much.
Best regards,
Hugo von Meijenfeldt
Helsingfors, 1 maart 2023
Dear mr von Meijenfelt,
According to my notes Johan August Meijerfeldts burial ceremony was indeed in Riddarholmskyrkan 2.5.1800 at 16.00 hours. As far as I know, his tomb is in the church. Unfortunately I am not able to check this.
Women did not attend the funerals. It was a Seraphim funeral, so the other knights who were in Stockholm at the time did indeed attend. Unfortunately, I do not know at what date the copperplate was moved. The ringing of the seraphim bell in Riddarholmskyrkan did take place 24.4.1800.
You will receive an invoice via email from our office.
Best regards
Magdalena af Hällström
Bilthoven, 1 maart 2023
Dear Magdalena af Hellström,
a) Thank you very much for your information and the time you spent on me.
The invoice arrived by separate email and I have paid the € 150. Can’t wait to receive the photographs of the two letters.
b) Burial: On 15 July 1800 Johan August was buried in the Meijerfeldt Familiengruft in the St. Andreas Kirche in Nehringen, Pommern (Evangelische Pfarrambt Glewitz, Todten=Buch für die Kirche zu Nehringen 1792 e.v.j., 38, fol 11). It is possible that his body has been revealed in the Riddarholm Church for two months, although all books refer to the St. Clara Church of Stockholm (SE/SSA, Kyrkoarkiv 0013 Riddarholm F I/1, fol. 134, 0010 St. Clara C Ia / 5, fol. 87, 0008 Jacob och Johannes F Ia / 3, folio 105/84 och F Ib / 2, folio 120/101). You have helped me already more than I could expect. I have asked the Riddarholmskyrkan to help me out.
Ceremony: According to the general information about Seraphim knights that close their family, their coat of arms is carried from the Seraphim Room (where it was since 1798) to the Church. The ringing of the bells should have been at the same hour the funeral service took place, but your information is 24 April 1800: three days after his death and eight days before the funeral service. Interesting.
Helsingsfors: Could you explain why the two nobility letters are in the Finnish and not the Swedish Riddarhuset? Hopefully your response will help me trace the location of the nobility letter of their father in 1674.
Best regards and many thanks,
Hugo
Helsingfors, 2 maart 2023
Dear Hugo,
Some answers in the text
a) No problem! I´’m studying serafimerfunerals, so this is very interesting to me.
b) Burial. Yes, it was not completely uncommon that the body was moved after the ceremony to the final resting place (von Fersens for instance) I´m very grateful for Your information that he was buried in Pommern! It could take time to arrange the transportation, so maybe two months is not that unheard of. At least St Clara church had a chapel where a body could be kept before the funereal (bisättningskapell) , and why not after as well? Information might be found in the parishes accounts, but unfortunately they are not digitalized. Please let me know if You have more information!
JAM was a member of the St Clara församling (parish), he died there and is therefore mentioned in their book of the dead (Död och begravningsböcker). He is also mentioned in Jakob and Johannes because the churchbells tolled on the day of the funeral (and this costed money, so it was documented). And probably in most of the other parishes as well. At least I think so….
c) Ceremony: There was and is a special “serafimerrigning” (seraphimer toll) with the seraphimer bell , a special bell, for the deceased knights in Riddarholmskyrkan. The ringing took place as soon as the secretary of the knighthood received information that a knight had passed. This ringing was usually performed at 13 o´clock so that it would not be mixed with “ordinary” churchbells. A notice was put on the door of the Riddarholmchurch to inform the public for whom the bell tolled (today the bell rings when the coat of arms is transported to the church, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jgqR9a-xkQ ). My source for the date is Rikshäroldens journal in Riksarkivet.
The coat of arms was not necessarily carried on the day of the funeral. I do not have the date for when this was done.
On the day of the funeral all the bells in all the churches rang, that is when the funeral was of that magnitude as fieldmarshal Meijerfeldts was. It was quite extraordinary !
d) Helsingsfors: The Finnish house of nobility purchased a collection of letters & coats of arms from a collector in 1860. The collection included for example Meijerfelt. Since we have a common history with Sweden until 1809, the purchase is quite understandable. I am under the impression the we bought the lot, that is his hole collection.
Best wishes
Magdalena
Helsingfors, 7 maart 2023
Dear Hugo,
The letters of nobility + coats of arms for baron and count Meijerfelt has been sent to You via We transfer.
Please let me know if there is any problems in opening the files or so.
All the best,
Magdalena
Bilthoven, 7 maart 2023
Dear Magdalena,
Thank you very very much for the two nobility letters. The baron letter is very well readable and the (never introduced) coat of arms looks magnificent. The count letter and coat-of-arms are extremely beautiful as well. When magnified on my screen I am very well able to transcribe and translate the texts. I will start with that job now and I’m sure I will ready many new details about his successes. It was more than worth the money.
What was also worthwhile is meeting you. When studying the history of your family you sometimes need luck. Your study into Seraphim funerals is such a nice surprise. In that respect I would like to inform you that the father of the fieldmarshall Johan August sr was one of king Carl XII’s favourite generals. When introducing the Seraphim order in 1748 king Fredrik I offered it to one of the few Karoliner generals still alive. Instead of accepting this highest knighthood as one of the first, he politely declined the offer referring to his 84 years old age, together with three others. It is said that old Karoliner warriors who already had been made Baron and Count by Carl XII due to their bravery, did not think much of this new Order (see B. von Beskow, “Karl den Tolfte. En Minnesbild”, Stockhom 1868, del 1, pp. 276-278). His son was already Count by birth and after he retired appreciated three of the highest Royal distinctions due to his own bravery: FieldMarshall, Lord of the Realm and Seraphim Knight. Hopefully this information was not all an open door for you and is useful for your study.
All the best,
Hugo
P.S. In 2003 I toured around the Baltic Sea. From Tallinn I took the ferry towards Helsingfors and from there drove to Hangö. A reporter of Västra Nyland brought me to the empty rock island Meijerfelt, called after the fieldmarshall, in those days part of Hangö Fästning.
Bilthoven, 8 maart 2023
Dear Magdalena,
Sorry for disturbing you once again. While busy with transcribing and translating the baron letter two short questions:
-
- In the Swedish National Archive the baron letter is called “Frijherre Bref för General Major Johan August Mejerfeldt” and the count letter “Grefwe Bref för K: Rådet, Generalen och General Gouverneuren, Johan August Meijerfeldt” Do the maps of the letters in your Riddarhuset have any titles?
- How can I refer to the two letters? Just “Riddarhuset Finland” or do you have a more specific department, reference, finding place or code?
Thanks in advance,
Hugo
Helsingsfors, 6 april 2023
Dear Hugo,
I’m so sorry for the delay!
We do not have separate titles, only numbers.
| Meijerfelt | ointr.SvA |
| Meijerfelt | SvG59 |
The latter (SvG59) the count letter.
Riddarhuset, Finland is perfect!
And by the way, if you have the address to the file in the Swedish archive for “Frijherre Bref för General Major Johan August Mejerfeldt” and “Grefwe Bref för K: Rådet, Generalen och General Gouverneuren, Johan August Meijerfeldt”
Wishing a Happy Easter
Magdalena
Bilthoven, 6 april 2023
Dear Helena,
Thank you very much for the two titles. I will use them.
No worries about the delay. With history no deadlines are involved.
“Frijherre Bref för General Major Johan August Mejerfeldt”, Ravitz 12 July 1705 (Blonie 17 September 1705), written by Kansliråd C. Piper, signed by Carolus (Konung Carl XII), Riksarkivet Sverige, folio 1-18 (photocopy of the document the Riksarkivet sent me, without a precise location, couldn’t find it in the Riksregistraturet on the two dates).
“Grefwe Bref för Kongl: Rådet, Generalen och General Gouverneuren Johan August Meijerfeldt”, Demotica 3 maart 1714, written by Kansliråd K. Feif, signed by Carolus (Konung Carl XII), Riksarkivet Sverige, Riksregistraturet 671, Öpen Bref, folio 149v-158v.
Best regards,
Hugo