Mauritz Clairfelt

in Swedish

Mauritz Clairfelt

1780-1841
Major General and Commander of the South Scanian Infantry Regiment

He made a career in the Swedish army, distinguished himself at Austerlitz, was held captive by the Russians, and became 1st adjutant to King Charles XIV Johan. His mother was beheaded during the French Revolution, while his father was a hero during the reign of King Gustav, then sentenced to death in Sweden and then a hero in Finland ...

… but we'll take it from the beginning.
The father was Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt (1757-1814) who in his youth was in Paris and fell in love with the actress M:lle L’Eclair. Four years later he was in Paris with Gustaf III and met his son Maurice L’Eclair for the first time.

While his father rose through the ranks, becoming a baron, major general, one of the original eighteen in the Swedish Academy, and director of the Opera, the young Maurice was sent to military school at Carlberg.

His ”CV” is quite impressive:

1796: Cadet at Carlberg, 1799: Ensign at Bohus Regiment, 1803: Lieutenant in the Army, 1805: Staff Adjutant at the General Staff in Stralsund, 1807: Captain in the Army, 1809: Major in the Army, 1812: Knight of the Order of the Sword and Major at the Värmland Field Hunters, 1814: Commanding Chief Adjutant in Stockholm, Colonel in the Army, 1815: Adjutant to Crown Prince Karl Johan, 1816: ennobled Clairfelt and introduced as family number 2241. Colonel at the South Scanian Infantry Regiment, 1825: Commander of the Order of the Sword, 1829: Major General in the Army and 1st Adjutant to H.M. The King, 1838: Honorary member of the Academy of Military Sciences and Commander of the Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword.

He was married three times: 1810-1816 to Baroness Emilie De Geer, but it ended in divorce. In 1818 he married Eva Lovisa Hallenborg who died the same year only 21 years old. In 1820 he married Amalia Sofia Oxenstjerna af Eka.

He had five children. The two daughters died unmarried. Of the three sons, two became soldiers and one became a lawyer..

Although one can trace the father's hand in some places in his career, one must admit that this was not bad for an ”bastard”, a word that must have followed him throughout his life.
He had his father's temperament and fighting spirit and accompanied him in the wars against Napoleon, including at Austerlitz. In the Finnish War of 1808 he was wounded and captured by the Russians. Here he sat in pleasant captivity in Moscow (parties, balls, theater, hunting, etc.) until he was exchanged. Once home he received a gold medal for bravery and was appointed Major.

Curiosities and footnotes

One searches in vain for Mauritz Clairfelt in the 'Nordic Family Book' and the 'National Encyclopedia'. Im Malmö City History in eight volumes, there is only the following comment:
”… Thus, when Crown Prince Oscar was married in Stockholm in June 1823, the entire garrison was paraded on Stortorget (IDstory) whereupon the later well-to-do general Mauritz Clairfelt ’ himself gave a speech to the delight of the numerous assembled spectators’. The general was apparently a joker, if one is to believe the newspaper reporter – but what is serious in military circles is perhaps interpreted as a joke in civilian circles.”

This is how you become a footnote in history despite a rich life.

Gravesite at Gamla kyrkogården (IDstory)
which is next to Gustav Adolfs Torg (IDstory).

References

• About BiBB, a media company and an encyclopedia 4.0
• Torsten Winberg 1950. 'Södra Skåningarna 1811-1949'
• Stig Ramel 1997. 'Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt'.
• Text: Christian Kindblad | Photo: Jonas Andréasson

Published: 2005.06 Updated: 2025.06.12

Kategorier 20 Historical persons 45 Malmö 44

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