Johan, Count Gyllenstierna

Johan, Count Gyllenstierna (born Feb. 18, 1635, Brännkyrka, Swed.—died June 10, 1680, Landskrona) was a statesman and chief adviser of King Charles XI of Sweden.

From the beginning of his career (at the Riksdag, or Parliament, of 1660), Gyllenstierna advocated a strong royal authority and opposition to the nobles of the Riksråd (Council of the Realm). During Charles XI’s minority, an opposition group in the regency and in the council had Gyllenstierna elected president of the Riksdag of 1668 and later appointed councillor of state. A baron (friherre), he became a count in 1674.

He strongly opposed the chancellor Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie, who continued to dominate the government even after Charles had attained his majority in 1672; the outbreak of war with Denmark in 1675, however, revealed the complete failure of De la Gardie’s foreign and financial policies. He concluded an advantageous peace and an alliance with Denmark at Lund in 1679. The confirmation of royal autocracy by the Riksdag in December 1680 subordinated the council’s powers, fulfilling Gyllenstierna’s goals in the same year as his death.