Carl Adolf Andersson Boheman (3 September 1764 – 14 April 1831) was a Swedish mystic,

Freemason Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

, merchant and royal secretary. Boheman was born in

Jönköping Jönköping (, ) is a Urban areas in Sweden, city in southern Sweden with 112,766 inhabitants (2022). Jönköping is situated on the southern shore of Sweden's second largest lake, Vättern, in the province of Småland. The city is the seat o ...

as the son of city Councillor Anders Bohman and Regina Katarina Schelle. Early on, he became a member of the

Masonic Lodge A Masonic lodge (also called Freemasons' lodge, or private lodge or constituent lodge) is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also a commonly used term for a building where Freemasons meet and hold their meetings. Every new l ...

. There is a legend that Boheman assisted count

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 ...

in his attempt to help the French royal family to escape during the

Flight to Varennes The Flight to Varennes (French: fuite de Varennes) during the night of 20–21 June 1791 was a significant event in the French Revolution in which the French royal family—comprising Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, the Dauphin Louis Charles, ...

in 1791, and that he founded a fortune by stealing the jewelry box of

Marie Antoinette Marie Antoinette (; ; Maria Antonia Josefa Johanna; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was the last List of French royal consorts, queen of France before the French Revolution and the establishment of the French First Republic. She was the ...

. This is probably without foundation. Boheman lived in Denmark during the 1790s, where he worked for the Masonic "The Illuminati of Avignon" or D.E.L.U. (deus est lux universalis), on the commission of its grand master

Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel Prince Charles of Hesse-Kassel (, German and ; 19 December 1744 – 17 August 1836) was a cadet member of the house of Hesse-Kassel and a Danish general field marshal. Brought up with relatives at the Danish court, he spent most of his life in ...

. As such, he visited Sweden on several occasions, during which he was presented by

Gustaf Adolf Reuterholm Baron Gustaf Adolf Reuterholm (7 July 1756 in Sjundeå, Nyland, Sweden (now Finland) – 27 December 1813 in Schleswig), was a Swedish statesman. He acted as the de facto regent of Sweden during the minor regency of Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden ...

to Duke Charles, the grand master of the Swedish Freemasons, who made him his secretary. Boheman acquired a great deal of influence upon Prince Charles and his consort, Duchess Charlotte, who were both interested in mystic and the occult. In 1802, Boheman founded the Masonic lodge Gula Rosen ( Yellow Rose). This Masonic lodge was open to both sexes, and among its members he inducted, except for the prince and princess, the queen's mother

Princess Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt Princess Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt (20 June 1754 – 21 June 1832) was a Hereditary Princess of Baden by marriage to Charles Louis, Hereditary Prince of Baden. She was the daughter of Ludwig IX, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Henriette Karoli ...

, count Erik Ruuth, Charlotte Wahrendorff, count Magnus Fredrik Brahe and Catharina Ulrica Koskull. In 1803, he attempted to initiate the king,

Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden Gustav IV Adolf or Gustav IV Adolph (1 November 1778 – 7 February 1837) was List of Swedish monarchs, King of Sweden from 1792 until he Coup of 1809, was deposed in a coup in 1809. He was also the last Swedish monarch to be the ruler of Fin ...

, which led to the ''Boheman Affair'', which damaged the relationship between the Ducal couple and the king. Gustav IV Adolf feared Boheman, after a warning from

Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt Count Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt (; 31 March 1757 – 19 August 1814) was a Finnish-Swedish count, baron, courtier, general and diplomat who was later in Russian service. In Finland, he is considered one of the greatest Finnish statesmen. His advi ...

, who pointed out Boheman as a member of the

Illuminati The Illuminati (; plural of Latin ''illuminatus'', 'enlightened') is a name given to several groups, both real and fictitious. Historically, the name usually refers to the Bavarian Illuminati, an Enlightenment-era secret society founded on 1 ...

and the Yellow Rose as a society of conspirators. The King had Boheman arrested, the Duke and Duchess questioned, banned secret societies at court, forced Duke Charles to excluded Boheman from the Freemasons and had Boheman exiled for crimes against national safety. He was banished from Denmark as well and forced to continue to Germany. He returned to Sweden in 1814 and asked for compensation, but was banished again.

Sources

* My Hellsing (2013). Hovpolitik. Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte som politisk aktör vid det gustavianska hovet. Örebro: Örebro universitet. * ”Carl Adolf Boheman”. Svenskt Biografiskt Lexikon. Stockholm: Riksarkivet. 1925. sid. 167 {{DEFAULTSORT:Boheman, Carl Adolf 1764 births 1831 deaths Swedish occultists Swedish Freemasons 18th-century Swedish people 18th-century occultists 19th-century occultists Gustavian era people Swedish courtiers Swedish royal favourites People from Jönköping

See also

Sources