Anders Johan von Höpken

Wikipedia

Count Anders Johan von Höpken, Swedish statesman, was the son of Daniel Niklas von Höpken, one of Arvid Horn's most determined opponents and a founder of the Hat party.

When in 1738 the Hats came into power the younger Höpken obtained a seat in the secret committee of the Riksdag, and during the Finnish war of 1741-1742 was one of the two commissioners appointed to negotiate with Russia. During the Riksdag of 1746-1747 Höpken's influence was of the greatest importance. It was chiefly through his efforts that the estates issued a "national declaration" protesting against the arrogant attitude of the Russian ambassador, who attempted to dominate the crown prince Adolphus Frederick and the government. This spirited policy restored the waning prestige of the Hat party and firmly established their anti-Muscovite system.

In 1746 Höpken was created a Privy Councillor. In 1751 he succeeded Carl Gustaf Tessin as President of the Royal Majestys Chancellery, and controlled the foreign policy of Sweden for the next nine years. On the outbreak of the Seven Years' War, he contracted an armed neutrality treaty with Denmark (1756); but in the following year acceded to the league against Frederick II of Prussia.

During the crisis of 1760-1762, when the Hats were at last compelled to give an account of their stewardship, Höpken was sacrificed to party exigencies and retired from the Privy Council as well as from the premiership. On 22 June 1762, however, he was created a count. After the revolution of 1772 he re-entered the Privy Council at the particular request of Gustavus III, but no longer exercised any political influence. His caustic criticism of many of the royal measures, moreover, gave great offence, and in 1780 he retired into private life.

Höpken was a distinguished author. The noble style of his biographies and orations has earned for him the title of the Swedish Tacitus. He was one of six who founded the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1739, and when Gustavus III in 1786 established the Swedish Academy, he gave Höpken the first place in it.

Adelsvapen

Anders Johan von Höpken, greve von Höpken, greve och herre till Ulvåsa i Ekebyborna socken Östergötlands län.

Född 1712-03-31 i Stockholm. Student i Uppsala 1727. Extra ordinarie kanslist i utrikesexpeditionen 1728. Sekreterare i hessisk tjänst 1731. Ledamot av l'Académie des belles lettres i Marseille 1733. Ord. kanslijunkare 1739. Kammarherre 1741. Andre expeditionssekreterare vid utrikesexpeditionen s. å. Hovmarskalk 1746. Riksråd s. å. KNO 1748. RoKavKMO dagen därpå.

President i kanslikollegium 1752. Uppsala akademis kansler 1760. Nedlade riksråds- och kanslipresidentsämbetena 1761.

Greve 1762-06-22 (grevebrevets datum 1761-01-24 är felaktigt) (introd. 1772 under n:o 89).

Avsked från kanslersbetattningen vid Uppsala akademi 1764. Åter riksråd 1773. Nedlade ånyo nämnda ämbete 1780. Den förste preses i Vitterhets-, Historie- och Antikvitetsakademien 1786. En av de aderton i Svenska akademien s. å.

Död 1789-05-09 i i Stockholm mycket hastigt, begrovs i Jakobs kyrka och ligger jämte sina båda fruar begraven i Salems kyrka Södermanlands län.

"Han var grundligt lärd och mycket vitter samt otvivelaktigt en av Sveriges största mån på sin tid. Uppgav 1739 planen till Svenska vetenskapsakademien och utarbetade dess stadgar samt "blev akademiens förste sekreterare. Utarbetade ock 1753 planen till den av drottning Lovisa Ulrika inrättade Vitterhetsakademien. över honom äro trenne särskilda skådepenningar slagna." 

Hans skrifter äro samlade och i urval utgivna av C. Silfverstolpe (1890–1893).

Gift 1:o 1744-05-20 med hovfröken hos drottning Ulrika Eleonora, grevinnan Ulrika Eleonora Sparre af Söfdeborg, född 1724-04-17 i Karlskrona, död 1747-07-06 och begraven i Salems kyrka Stockholms län, varest hennes man lät över henne uppsätta ett vackert marmorepitafium, i vars inskrift hon berömmes för dygd, vett och fägring, dotter av riksrådet, överamiralen och presidenten, friherre Claes Sparre, greve Sparre af Söfdeborg, och Sofia Lovisa Soop.

Gift 2:o 1754-11-10 Ulriksdal med hovfröken friherrinnan [#TAB_7 Vilhelmina Ribbing af Zernava], född 1728-01-29, död i barnsäng 1765-05-24 på Ulvåsa och begraven i Salem, dotter av generallöjtnanten, friherre Gabriel Ribbing af Zernava nr 40, och grevinnan Ulrika Eleonora Oxenstierna af Korsholm och Wasa nr 8.

http://www.nad.riksarkivet.se/sbl/Presentation.aspx?id=14044

http://www.adelsvapen.com/genealogi/Von_H%C3%B6pken_nr_89

http://www.nad.riksarkivet.se/sbl/Presentation.aspx?id=14044

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anders_Johan_von_H%C3%B6pken

When in 1738 the Hats came into power the younger Höpken obtained a seat in the secret committee of the diet, and during the Finnish war of 1741-42 was one of the two commissioners appointed to negotiate with Russia. During the diet of 1746-1747 Höpken's influence was of the greatest importance. It was chiefly through his efforts that the estates issued a "national declaration" protesting against the arrogant attitude of the Russian ambassador, who attempted to dominate the crown prince Adolphus Frederick and the government. This spirited policy restored the waning prestige of the Hat party and firmly established their anti-Muscovite system. In 1746 Höpken was created a senator. In 1751 he succeeded Carl Gustaf Tessin as president of the royal chancellery, and controlled the foreign policy of Sweden for the next nine years. On the outbreak of the Seven Years' War, he contracted an armed neutrality treaty with Denmark (1756); but in the following year acceded to the league against Frederick II of Prussia. During the crisis of 1760-1762, when the Hats were at last compelled to give an account of their stewardship, Höpken was sacrificed to party exigencies and retired from the senate as well as from the premiership. On 22 June 1762, however, he was created a count. After the revolution of 1772 he re-entered the senate at the particular request of Gustavus III, but no longer exercised any political influence. His caustic criticism of many of the royal measures, moreover, gave great offence, and in 1780 he retired into private life. Höpken was a distinguished author. The noble style of his biographies and orations has earned for him the title of the Swedish Tacitus. He was one of six who founded the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1739, and when Gustavus III in 1786 established the Swedish Academy, he gave Höpken the first place in it.