MOFFAT, ROBERT [SSNE 3093]

Surname
MOFFAT, MAFFOT, MAFOT
First name
ROBERT
Title/rank
CAPTAIN
Nationality
SCOT
Social status
OFFICER

Text source

Robert Moffat served as an ensign in the Närke-Värmland's regiment between 1643-57. In 1651 he sought the military college's help in keeping hold of his properties which a certain Ryttmästare Johan Bagge wanted to relieve him of. He lived in Väsby, By parish, Värmland. He became a lieutenant in 1657 and a captain in 1658. He appears to have remained in the Swedish army until 1666. He was apparently ennobled in 1660, although he was never introduced into Riddarhuset (the house of nobility) in Stockholm. His patent of naturalisation (a step necessary for ennoblement in Sweden) dates from 1665, though he was accused of some fraud in this in 1666 and reputed to have been sentenced to death. Sentence was not carried out after intercession of his wife. Moreover, his name was cleared after the Scottish Privy Council produced a birthbrieve for him in August 1672. This was witnessed by various Scottish noblemen including the Earls of Morton, Dunfermline and Caithness and granted by the Privy Council the same year. One source has him married to Elisabet Wagner, others claim it was Elisabeth Steensdotter Rutenskiöld. Swedish parish and tax records, along with most secondary sources, support this latter person and reference to 'Elisabeth Wagner' comes from confusion with Elisabeth Rutenskiöld's mother, Catharina Wagner. Elisabeth's father was Sten Påvelsson Rutensköld. One secondary source suggests that Robert Moffat and wife had at least nine children. Possibly three of these served in the army, Göran Moffat [SSNE 3091], Lars Moffat [SSNE 3092] and Sten Moffat [SSNE 3094], though only Göran can be said with certainty. The Swedish Riksrad records noted that in August 1674, Elisabeth Rutenskiöld's successfully sought relief from the fines that her now dead husband was owing. Apparently her husband had died en route to Scotland, by drowning (presumably a shipwreck). Elisabet did not manage to gain the use of a farm in Vasby however. 

 

Sources: 

Correspondence concerning Robert are found in: Riksarkivets ämnessamlingar. Personhistoria https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/A0069904_00239#?c=&m=&s=&cv=238&xywh=3016%2C2197%2C2765%2C1594

Letters from his widow Elizabeth are found here: https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/A0069904_00240#?c=&m=&s=&cv=239&xywh=2426%2C2013%2C3319%2C1914

 

See also Swedish Krigsarkiv, Muster Roll, 1643/5; 1644/5; 1645/7; 1646/5; 1647/6; 1648/5; 1650/4; 1651/3; 1652/3,5; 1653/2; 1654/3; 1655/3; 1657/2,7; 1658/4; 1659/5; 1660/6; 1661/3; 1662/4; 1663/5; 1664/4; 1665/5; 1666/3,8; C.O. Nordensvan, (ed.), Värmlands Regementes [Närkes och Värmlands Regementes] Historia: Andra Delen, Personal Historia (Stockholm, 1911), 44-45; A letter can be found in 'Krigskollegium Kancelliet: Adressatregistratur till Krigskollegiets Registratur 1631-1654, dated 2/8/1651; Palmskiöldiska Samlingen, vol. 161, p.31 and vol. 226, p. 279; F. Fryxell, Wermelandia Nobilitata, compiled at Landsarkivet Göteborg (1945), p.100; Swedish Riksarkiv, Drottning Hedvig Eleonoras Arkiv, vol. 1. Enskilda Personer till Hedvig Eleonora, K172 - Captain Robert Moffat, a letter from his wife Elisabet Rutenskiöld, n.d; Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, 3rd series, III, 1669-1672, p.573; Svenska Riksrådets Protokoll, new series, (Stockholm, 1975), vol.1, p.5. 

 

This biography was kindly updated with information provided by Jeff Benson

Service record

SWEDEN, NARKE OCH VARMLAND
Arrived 1643-01-01, as ENSIGN
Departed 1666-12-31, as CAPTAIN
Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY
SWEDEN, VARMLAND
Arrived 1666-01-01
Departed 1672-12-31
Purpose MISC.