Peter Eriksson van Schouwen

Peter Ericsen, born September 11, 1527 in Borgholm, Kalmar, Sweden; died August 02, 1590. He was the son of 49664. Erik Erikson and 49665. Anna Olofsdotter.

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Peter Erikson, fourth son of Erik Erikson and Ann Olofsdotter, born at Borgholm, on the island of Oland, September 11 1527, was one of the sea-captains who took part in the battle off Oland. A charge of cowardice was lodged against certain of these by Secretary Erik Mattsson; but at the trial, July 4, 154, it appears from the "jury-book" above referred to, that this particular accusation failed to stand, for we read there: eftterscreven ....[the following: captains have shown courage and fidelity in the battle against the enemy: on the Biomen, Store Hans Eriksson; on the Troilius, Nils Eriksson; on the Calmarne Bancken, Peter Eriksson.... Riksarkivet, Ata Historica" But to offset this it was offered that a number of prisoners taken in this battle and left in the hands of their captors had escaped; and of this negligence or connivance several of the accused were condemned to death by the kings jury and Joran Person." Among these we find Hans Eriksson, the captain of the Troilius, was also condemned but managed to receive a pardon. As we have seen he was arrested the following year on suspicion of conspiracy, and carried to Upsala castle where he was killed before the sentence of execution was issued. Peter Eriksson was more fortunate. In May, 1560, there had begun a war with Denmark, which has been called the Seven Years War of the North. In May, 1563, a Swedish fleet, commanded by Jacob Bagge left Sweden to bring Princes Christine of Hesse, the promised bride of King Erik XIV. A Danish fleet met them off the island of Borgholm in the Baltic Sea. A naval battle followed, ending in a defeat for the Danes, who lost their flag-ship. Jacob Bagge was ordered to sea with the Swedish fleet later in the summer of the same year and met the united fleets of Denmark and Lubeck off the island of Oland in the Baltic. A terrible battle ensued, but the ships were separated by the darkness of the night without victory on either side. The following spring Bagge started out with his fleet. His flag-ship the Matchless, carried 200 cannon, most of them made of church bells confiscated by Gustavus Wasa. A battle was fought between the island of Gothland and Oland, and in this fight Peter Eriksson commanded the Calmarne Bancken. A gale had separated the greater number of the Swedish vessels from the admiral and his flag-ship, but he fought valiantly for a whole day and continued the battle the next morning. Through some negligence the Matchless caught fire, and Bagge had to surrender. He did not remain long in Danish captivity, but returned to Stockholm, where he received a great ovation and was made Governor-General. !Captain Peter Eriksson commanded the ship Ornen in the battle of Buchow off the coast of Mecklenburg the following year, and also at Bornholm. The Swedish fleets from now on held the mastery of the Baltic. !Eric the XIV had succeeded his Father Gustavus I Wasa, in 1560. He was one of the most gifted monarchs of his time, but vain, over bearing, quick-tempered, licentious, and cruel. In order to reduce the rank of the dukes, whose power he sought to curtail by the Arboga Articles of 1561, in June of that year he instituted hereditary dignities of counts and barons. Svante Sture and Peter Brahe were created counts; Sten Lejonhufvud and Gustav Stenbock were made barons. Only small fiefs were given with the new dignities, but they were exempt from "russtjenst."[equipment of troopers]. A supreme court was instituted, consisting of 12 men of low birth, creatures of the king, who soon brought upon themselves discredit and hatred through their servile and cruel acts. Among these justices was Joran (Goran) Person, an able and powerful man, revengeful and cruel, who quickly rose to be the favorite and influential adviser of his master. Attention has already been called to the arrest of several nobles and their adherents and to the sentence of death passed upon them. The immediate result was a revolt by the nobles; and in 1569 Stockholm was captured, Goran Person executed, and the king forced to abdicate. Goran Person left behind him a list on which the names of his intended victims were written and on this roster we find listed the sons of Captain Nils Eriksson, Marten, Hans, and Erik Nilsson, and also Peter Eriksson and his son Cornelius, "a child at the time." Goran Person's death probably prevented the consummation of his desires. Life was now ever, uncertain at that period, and many fled to foreign countries to New Sweden on the Delaware, and to New Amsterdam, as has been related. Johan III, the successor of Eric XIV, through his slack and unsteady government caused commerce and industries to suffer, population to decrease, towns to go into bankruptcy, and hundreds of farms to be abandoned. !This doughty Captain Peter had certain interesting business relations with one Jacob van der Goes of Walcheren in Holland, and thereby hangs a tale of considerable significance to his descendants; for out of these relations came acquaintance between Peter's son and Jacob's daughter, which ripened into love and marriage. Yet it is not to be assumed from this happy outcome that said business relations were altogether friendly. On the contrary, the two fathers were at legal odds. It may be that these business difficulties between their elders properly roughened the road for the proverbial progress of the true love of these children. Probably sternly forbidden to see each other, young Cornelius and the fair Johanna were irresistibly drawn together" Kapten Peter Eriksson gifte sig med kopman Cornelius van Houden' dotter Matilda, och hade med henne en son Cornelius Petersson omkring 1560, af Borgland pa Oland. [Captain Peter Eriksson married Matilda, a daughter of the merchant, Cornelius van Houden, and had with her a son, Cornelius Petersson about 1560, at Borgland on Oland.

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