The House of the Nobility (Riddarhuset) is owned by the Swedish nobility and was built between 1641 and 1672. The organization maintains genealogical records tracing the lineage of each noble family. One of Stockholm’s architectural treasures, the palace was designed by Simon de la Vallée, Heinrich Wilhelm, Joost Vingboons, and Jean de la Vallée.
Shields of the 2,326 noble families are displayed on the walls of its Great Hall, where sessions of the Noble Estate were held when the Swedish diet was organized into four Estates (Nobles, Merchants, Clergy, and Peasants) from 1668-1865. At the time, the Speaker of the Noble Estate was one of the most powerful participants in the diet, or Riksdag. Jacquette’s stepfather, Gustaf af Wetterstedt, represented the crown at numerous diets during the reign of Charles XIV Jean, and these sessions had an impact on her life and activities, as the royal family and nobility remained in Stockholm until the diet concluded.
Click the images below to enlarge.
House of the Nobility Viewed from Square, 1841
Swedish National Heritage Board @Flikr Commons
House of the Nobility Viewed from Lake, 2018
Photo: Kelly Scarborough
Coat of Arms of the De Geer Family
Photo: Kelly Scarborough
