CLERCK, HANS HANSSON [SSNE 4161]

Surname: CLERCK
First name: HANS HANSSON
Title/rank: BARON
Nationality: SCOTO-SWEDE
Region: STOCKHOLM
Social status: NOBILITY

Text source

Hans Hansson Clerck was born on 3/6/1639 in Stockholm, a son of Hans Williamson Clerck [SSNE 4160] and Brita Swan. He became a student at Uppsala in 1647 and then accompanied the Riksrad Nils Brahe as gentleman of the court on Brahe's embassy to the Stuart Kingdoms (Charles II) in 1661. Clerck also used this time to continue his studies at Oxford, although he also was a student in Leiden shortly after this. He entered Dutch naval service, where he spent 8 years participating in many naval campaigns. By 25/11/1663 he served as "over lieutenant" (or lieutenant colonel according to one source) in Swedish service. On 17/7/1666, he became a captain and also served as shipbuilding inspector in Lubeck from 1667-1669. By 3/6/1671 he became holm major. By 29/4/1673 he had been promoted commandant in Vaxholm. On 17/9/1674 (although one source says it was 1675) he was elevated to the rank of lieutenant admiral. From 1674 until 1694 he served as a member of the admiralty college, apart from 1680-83. His promotion continued on 1/10/1675 when he bcame vice admiral and again on 13/6/1676 when he attained the rank of full admiral. [Thus from June 1676 until November 1679 there were two Admiral Hans Clercks]. In 1677 he was appointed adjutant to his father, admiral Hans Clerck [SSNE 4160] and was in charge of defending the Stockholm archipelago during war with Denmark-Norway and has been described as the admiralty's leading force during this period. That year he was also with Henrik Horn's fleet, and at the battle of Stevn-Falsterbro in July of the same year. Throughout 1677-8 he was commander over the fleet in Dalarö. Clerck was sent on a mission to the king, Karl XI, in September 1679. On 7/1/1680 he became governor of Vasterbotten and Lappmarken (Sami territory), apparently as a means of removing him from the admiralty. He had formed a sharp rivalry with Wachtmeister, another admiral. He later, in August 1683, held the same status in Kalmar district and on Oland. However in February 1683 he was recalled to lead the third squadron of the navy when the Swedes expected an attack from France on Karlskrona. He was made a baron on 24/12/1687. In 1689 Clerck became "eskaderchef" of Sweden. However the king soon pressed Clerck to choose between the admiralty and being governor and Clerck eventually settled for governor of Sodermanland in June 1693. In 1710 he was appointed "landtmarskalk" at the 1710 Riksdag. He was also appointed to the royal council and president of Gota court. He died in Arboga either 18/4/1711 or 11/4/1718. He was married to Anna Kristina Bure.

Swedish Riksarkiv, P. Sondén, Militärachefer I svenska arméen och deras skrivelser; Biografiska Anteckningar om Officerare vid Orlogsflottan 1600-1699, p.108; H. Marryat, One Year in Sweden, including a visit to the isle of Gotland (London, 1862), p.480; J. Kleberg, Amiralitetskollegium - Marinförvaltningen Biografiska Anteckningar 1634-1934 (Stockholm, 1934), p.17; Andersson et al, Uppsala Universitets Matrikel, (Uppsala, 1900-1911); T. Fischer, The Scots in Sweden (Edinburgh, 1907), pp.215-267; E. Wendt, Amiralitetskollegiets historia, part 1 1634-1695, (Stockholm, 1950), p.221, 252, 270, 276, 281, 289, 294, 302, 312, 314, 367, 424, 427; A. Zettersten, Svenska Flottans historia, aren 1635-1680, (Norrtelje, 1903), p.598.

Service record

SWEDEN, UPPSALA: Arrived 1647-01-01; Capacity STUDENT, purpose ACADEMIC
SWEDEN, STUART KINGDOMS: Arrived 1661-01-01; Departed 1661-12-31; Capacity ENVOY, purpose DIPLOMACY
SWEDEN, NAVY: Arrived 1663-11-25, as LIEUTENANT; Departed 1711-12-29, as ADMIRAL; Capacity ADMIRAL, purpose NAVAL
SWEDEN, LUBECK SHIPYARD: Arrived 1667-01-01; Departed 1669-12-31; Capacity SHIP INSPECTOR, purpose NAVAL
SWEDEN, VAXHOLM: Arrived 1673-04-29, as COMMANDANT; Departed 1674-12-31, as COMMANDANT; Capacity COMMANDANT, purpose NAVAL
SWEDEN, VASTERBOTTEN AND LAPPMARKEN: Arrived 1680-01-07, as GOVERNOR; Departed 1683-08-27, as GOVERNOR; Capacity GOVERNOR, purpose MILITARY
SWEDEN, KALMAR AND OLAND: Arrived 1683-08-28, as GOVERNOR; Departed 1711-04-18, as GOVERNOR; Capacity GOVERNOR, purpose MILITARY