Eric Ruuth

Eric Ruuth

Eric Ruuth (born October 24, 1746 in Stockholm , † May 25, 1820 ibid) was a Swedish count, politician and marshal.

Life

Eric Ruuth was the son of the Imperial Councilor and Vice Admiral Gustaf Ruuth in Finland (1697–1757) and the Baroness Ebba Sjöbladh Christina. He received early training in the army. At the age of eleven, Ruuth became a cadet in Karlskrona and then in various regiments. In 1768 he left the army with the rank of captain to join the court Gustav III. to live. Eric Ruuth belonged to the gustavianerna group . For his services, he and his brother were appointed baron in 1777 ; In 1786 he became first court marshal .

His father-in-law aroused Ruuth's interest in economic policy; In 1786 he became State Secretary for Finance. Ruuth was responsible for the financing of the Russo-Swedish War (1788-1790) . For this he borrowed money from abroad; this increased the public debt and was interpreted as a complete failure. Ruuth was held personally liable for it. 1790 Ruuth was dismissed as finance minister. Although he was appointed governor at Drottningholm Palace instead , his reputation was damaged. But he continued to stand on the king's side and was appointed lantmarskalk in the Reichstag and count in 1792 .

After the assassination of Gustav III. Conflicts arose with the group of the anti-Gustavian movement, especially in the person of Gustaf Adolf Reuterholm . The conflict reached its climax when Reuterholm demanded that Ruuth personally pay the state money. However, after a legal dispute, Ruuth's debt was reduced significantly.

Ruuth was Governor General of Swedish Pomerania from 1792 to 1796 .

Then Ruuth devoted himself to business life. He is interested in hard coal mines in Skåne . He was supported by Anders Polheimer, who discovered coal deposits in Höganäs in 1793 and became Ruuth's foreman and advisor. A few years later Ruuth had to declare his personal bankruptcy for political reasons, but remained in the possession of a company in Höganäs, which was known as Gustaf IV Adolfs stenkolsgrufva until 1797 ; today as Höganäsbolaget .

After Gustav IV. Adolfs deposition, Ruuth campaigned for Gustav von Wasa instead of Gustav III. Brother Karl XIII. should receive power. During the Reichstag 1809-1810, which produced the 1809 års regeringsform , Ruuth campaigned for the gustavianerna .

He became court marshal through the favor of Queen Hedwig of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf .

In addition to his political activities, Ruuth also campaigned for the development of a Swedish cheese culture . Together with Pierre Nicolas de Rougemont from Switzerland, he developed Herrgårdsost , a hard cheese.

Eric Ruuth was married three times: first to Countess Fredrika Sparre, then to Baroness Ebba Ulrica Beata von Rosen and finally to Elisabeth Charlotta Wahrendorff. He received the Royal Order of Seraphine in 1791 and the Order of Wasa in 1805 . He was a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences , Freemasons and since 1811 Knight of the Royal Order of Charles XIII .

literature

• Eric Ruuth . In: Herman Hofberg, Frithiof Heurlin, Viktor Millqvist, Olof Rubenson (eds.): Svenskt biografiskt handlexikon . 2nd Edition. tape 2 : L – Z, including supplement . Albert Bonniers Verlag, Stockholm 1906, p. 393 (Swedish, runeberg.org ).

Web links

Commons : Eric Ruuth  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Skånska slott och herresätze - Ruuthsbo . Biography (swedish)