THOMSON, THOMAS [SSNE 1648]
Text source
Thomas Thomson was born in Scotland and probably entered Swedish service in 1595. By 1622 he was a captain and company chief for the Närke and Värmland regiment. In 1623 he became 'over' quartermaster and by 1626 he became a major, serving under the command of Alexander Leslie [SSNE 1]. By 1630/31 (one source erroneously notes it as 1634) Thomson was elevated to colonel and chief of the Närke and Värmland regiment, a position he maintained until 1643. With them he served in the 6th Brigade of Leslie's Army of the Weser at the Battle of Wittstock in September 1636. In 1638 his fortunes changed. While he was commandant at Havelberg in Germany he was captured by the Imperialist forces. However Thomson got himself released for a ransom of 1000 riksdaler for himself and 500 riksdaler for some fellow prisoners. He was ennobled in Sweden in 1642, and introduced into the Riddarhus (house of nobility in Stockholm) under the number 272 (another source says 299). He only held his noble title of Vrana briefly as he died on 26/07/1643 (although another source says 1645). Thomas married Catharina Mauritzdotter Murray [SSNE 6255](1586-1669) with whom he had 15 children, many of whom were also in Swedish military service in their father's regiment including Alexander [SSNE 3664] and Patrick [SSNE 3670]. Monro mentions a Scottish Colonel Thomson commanding a Swedish regiment in 1632 which really has to be this man. However he stated in the book (written in 1637) that the colonel had since died. This was an error and in fact Thomson went on to serve for many years after. On 15 April 1642, Thomson received and award of eight hemman in Narke as recognition of his service.
Sources: Riksarkivets ämnessamlingar. Personhistoria https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/A0074122_00208#?c=&m=&s=&cv=207&xywh=2611%2C331%2C4018%2C2203
He is mentioned in the correspondence of his son in https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/A0074122_00104#?c=&m=&s=&cv=103&xywh=2837%2C2194%2C3346%2C1834
Notarial copies of letters and other matters to do with him are found in the correspondence of his grandson, also Thomas Thomson [SSNE 8318]. https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/A0074122_00215#?c=&m=&s=&cv=214&xywh=3346%2C2355%2C2787%2C1528
KRA Muster Roll,1618/12; 1619/11 and through until 1643; C.O. Nordensvan, (ed.), Värmlands Regementes [Närkes och Värmlands Regementes] Historia: Andra Delen, Personal Historia (Stockholm, 1911), 26; R. Monro, His Expedition with a worthy Scots Regiment called Mac-Keyes (2 vols., London, 1637), II, The List of the Scottish Officers in Chiefe; Several letters can be found in 'Krigskollegium Kancelliet; Adressatregistratur till Krigskollegiets Registratur 1631-1654' including those from 3/4/1631 to 16/10/1648; Swedish Riksarkiv, Militära chefer i svenska arméen och deras skrivelser; Svenska Adelns Ättartavlor, vol 8, pp.264-265; F. Fryxell, Wermelandia Nobilitata, list compiled at Landsarkivet, Göteborg, (1945) p.31; H. Marryat, One Year in Sweden, including a visit to the isle of Gotland (London, 1862), p.499; H.O. Prytz, Historiska Upplysningar om svenska och norska armeernas regementer och kårer jemte flottorna, II, (Stockholm, 1868), p.610. We thank Dr Bernd Warlich for corrections to this article and suggesting the following additional reference: Schröer, Fritz, Das Havelland im Dreißigjährigen Krieg. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der Mark Brandenburg. Mitteldeutsche Forschungen vol. 37. Köln/Graz 1966 p. 294, 182.
Two letters from his wife (named as Catharina Mauritz) were sent to Axel Oxenstierna. One is dated 1636, the other is undated. See SRA, Oxenstiernska samlingen E740. Catharina Moritz to Axel Oxenstierna, 1x December 1636 and 1x undated.
Service record
- SWEDEN,
- Arrived 1595-01-01, as SOLDIER
- Departed 1617-01-01, as ENSIGN
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
- SWEDEN, SODERMANLAN, NIEROTHS (later PATRICK RUTHVEN) SMALAND
- Arrived 1617-01-01, as ENSIGN
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
- SWEDEN, ALEXANDER LESLIE, THOMAS THOMSON'S NARKE OCH VARMLAND; HAVELBERG
- Arrived 1623-01-01, as CAPTAIN
- Departed 1643-06-27, as COLONEL IN CHIEF
- Capacity OFFICER AND COMMANDANT, purpose MILITARY