The Fersen family, stylized as the von Fersen (), is a Baltic-German noble family grouped into several

ennobled Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. Th ...

branches that settled in and around the kingdoms bordering the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...

Northern Europe The northern region of Europe has several definitions. A restrictive definition may describe northern Europe as being roughly north of the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, which is about 54th parallel north, 54°N, or may be based on other ge ...

. The most well-known holders of the surname settled in modern day

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

and

Livonia Livonia, known in earlier records as Livland, is a historical region on the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. It is named after the Livonians, who lived on the shores of present-day Latvia. By the end of the 13th century, the name was extende ...

(modern day

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

and

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

) which was once part of the

Swedish Empire The Swedish Empire or the Great Power era () was the period in Swedish history spanning much of the 17th and early 18th centuries during which Sweden became a European great power that exercised territorial control over much of the Baltic regi ...

, and later of the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

Overview

The family was first mentioned in the historical region of

Pomerania Pomerania ( ; ; ; ) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The central and eastern part belongs to the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, West Pomeranian, Pomeranian Voivod ...

in the 13th century. The earliest records of the Fersen family in Livonia area in the late 17th century suggest possible links to earlier participation in the

Northern Wars "Northern Wars" is a term used for a series of wars fought in northern Europe, northern and northeastern Europe from the 16th to the 18th century, primarily between the territorial rivals of the Swedish Empire, Tsardom of Russia, Poland–Lithuani ...

Estonian branch

The Estonian branch of the Fersen family possessed several manor houses.

Swedish branch

The Swedish branch of the Fersen family originally derived from the line in Livonia. After moving to Sweden, some of its members were awarded Countships for gallant military acts. This line is best known through its line of distinguished military service and for

Axel von Fersen the Younger Hans Axel von Fersen (; 4 September 175520 June 1810), known as Axel de Fersen in France, was a Swedish count, Marshal of the Realm of Sweden, a General of Horse in the royal Swedish Army, one of the Lords of the Realm, aide-de-camp to Rocham ...

's possible love affair with Marie Antionette, suggested in court accounts and a recently uncovered series of "torrid" love letters and who might have "even fathered as many as two of her children."

List of people

Fabian von Fersen Baron Fabian von Fersen (February 7, 1626 – July 30, 1677) was a Swedish general, freelord, field-marshal and governor general of Scania, Halland and Blekinge. He served the Swedish Empire in multiple wars and received appointments Field ...

(1626–1677), Swedish general * Otto Wilhelm von Fersen (1623–1703), Swedish general, Fabian's cousin *

Hans Reinhold Fersen Hans Reinhold von Fersen (2 March 1683 Tallinn – 25 May 1736 Stockholm) was a Swedish count, politician and soldier of Baltic-German origin. He served as lieutenant general from 1720 and as president of the Svea Court of Appeal from 1731. He ...

(1683–1726), Swedish general * Axel von Fersen Sr. (1719–1794), Swedish politician, son of the above *

Ulrika von Fersen Ulrica, also spelled Ulrika, is a female given name of Germanic origins. Its male equivalent is Ulric, Ulrich or Ulrik. Ulrike and Ulrikke are alternative names derived from Ulrica. A German diminutive thereof is Ullie, Swedish Ulla. Ulric ...

(1746–1810), Swedish courtier, niece of the above *

Hedvig Eleonora von Fersen Hedvig Eleonora "Hedda" von Fersen (2 July 1753 – 8 November 1792) was a Swedish noble and a lady in waiting to the Swedish queen, Sophia Magdalena of Denmark. She was the daughter of Axel von Fersen the Elder and Hedvig Catharina De la Ga ...

(1753–1792), socialite, cousin of the above *

Augusta von Fersen Augusta may refer to: Places Australia * Augusta, Western Australia Brazil * Rua Augusta (São Paulo) Canada * Augusta, Ontario * North Augusta, Ontario * Augusta Street (Hamilton, Ontario) France * Augusta Suessionum ("Augusta of the Su ...

(1754–1846), Swedish courtier, cousin of the above * Axel von Fersen Jr. (1755–1810), Swedish politician, cousin of the above *

Sophie von Fersen Countess Eva Sophie Piper, née Eva Sophie von Fersen (30 March 1757 – 2 February 1816, Schloss Löfstad, Lövstad Castle), was a Swedish countess and lady in waiting. She was the daughter of count Axel von Fersen the Elder and Hedvig Cathari ...

(1757–1816), Swedish courtier, sister of the above *

Fabian von Fersen (1762–1818) Count Fabian Reinhold von Fersen (7 October 1762, Stockholm – 10 March 1818, Stockholm) was a Swedish count, politician, officer and courtier. He was the son of Axel von Fersen the Elder and Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie and the brother of ...

, Swedish politician, cousin of the above *

Johann Hermann von Fersen Johann Hermann von Fersen (; 1740 – 9 June 1801) was an Imperial Russian Army officer. Born in Saxony, he joined the Russian army in 1770. Life He was involved in the battles at Larga and Kagul during the Russo-Turkish War of 1768–1774 ...

(Unknown–1801), Saxon-born infantry general who served in the Imperial Russian Army *

Hans William von Fersen Hans William Freiherr von Fersen (6 May 1937) was an admiral in the navy of the former Russian Empire. Biography Fersen was born into a Baltic German family in what is now Estonia. From his mother's side, he has Scottish ancestry, as his matern ...

(1858–1937), Baltic German admiral in the Imperial Russian Navy

References

{{Subject bar, commons=House of Fersen, d-search=Q3069781, portal2=Russia, portal3=Germany, portal4=Sweden Fersen family Swedish noble families Swedish families of Baltic German ancestry Estonian noble families Livonian noble families German noble families Russian noble families ru:Ферзен (фамилия)