Gillis Bildt
Oscar II | |
---|---|
Preceded by | Robert Themptander |
Succeeded by | Gustaf Åkerhielm |
31st Marshal of the Realm | |
In office 1886–1894 | |
Monarch | Oscar II |
Preceded by | Gustaf Adolf Vive Sparre |
Succeeded by | Fredrik von Essen |
Personal details | |
Born | Didrik Anders Gillis Bildt 16 October 1820 Gothenburg, Sweden |
Died | 22 October 1894 Stockholm, Sweden | (aged 74)
Resting place | Solna cemetery |
Political party | Independent conservative |
Spouse | Lucile Rosalie Dufva |
Relations | Carl Bildt (great-great-grandson) |
Children | Adèle Elisabeth, Carl Nils Daniel, Knut Gillis Bildt |
Parent(s) | Daniel Fredrik Bildt Christina Elisabeth (née Fröding) |
Alma mater | Royal War Academy |
Occupation | Military officer |
Military service | |
Branch/service | Swedish Army |
Years of service | 1837–1890 |
Rank | Lieutenant General |
Commands | Gotland National Conscription |
Baron Didrik Anders Gillis Bildt (16 October 1820 – 22 October 1894) was a Swedish
Family
Gillis Bildt was born on 16 October 1820 in Gothenburg, Sweden, a son of Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Fredrik Bildt and his wife Christina Elisabeth Fröding.[4][5] His father died seven years later, in 1827.[5] His mother lived until 1858.[6]
In 1848 Gillis married Lucile Rosalie Dufva. They had three children: Adéle Elisabeth Bildt (1849–1914), Carl Nils Daniel Bildt (1850–1931), and Knut Gillis Bildt (1854–1927).[7]
Bildt's great-great-grandson Carl Bildt (born 1949) became Prime Minister of Sweden (1991–1994)[3] and was also High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (1995–1997). Carl Bildt is a great-grandson of Knut Gillis Bildt.
Career
Military officer
Gillis Bildt made a career in the military as an artillery officer, rising eventually to lieutenant general.
He passed out from the
"Bildt was not a member of the wealthy or the upper nobility”, chronicles the writer Harald Wieselgren. "His personality alone gave him a lever up in the world. The competent artillery officer, the charming cavalier, the exemplary young man were combined in the persona of Bildt".[4]
While a lieutenant he was appointed as an
Governor
Bildt's early political titles included Governor of Gotland 1858–1862 and Governor of Stockholm 1862–1874.[8]
A major issue for Bildt was campaigning in defence of the railways, particularly routes he considered of military and commercial value to
Agriculture was another subject close to his heart. In 1850 he had called it "our country's mightiest interest". More diplomatic was his statement in 1869:[4]
"I believe that much can be done to benefit our agriculture, but not by means of more or less public money. For who should give up their allocation, if not the non-farm sector; alas they are not in a position to do without".
In 1864 Bildt was made a friherre (baron).
Parliamentarian
Bildt was a Member of the
As a representative in the
Bildt spoke out on social policy issues. One was the development of health care services. Another concerned the inadequate schooling for women. "It is an established fact", he declared in a speech in 1859, "that the development of our nation depends on the education of women".[4]
During 1848–1860 he was a reporter to the
Bildt was also active in the new Riksdag from 1867. In the Defence Committee as in the chamber he campaigned to maintain the necessary balance and preparedness of army units. Bildt also continued his work for social justice, speaking out in favour of extending citizenship to non-members of the Church of Sweden and giving married women legal competence over their own affairs.
During the period 1874–1886 Bildt was Sweden's ambassador in Berlin (see below). In 1886, he became Marshal of the Realm.[10][failed verification]
His (re-)appointment in 1887 to the Upper House by the protectionist representatives on the Stockholm City Council was against the wishes of
Ambassador
As Swedish ambassador in Germany 1874–1886, Bildt strengthened ties between Sweden and the new German Empire, negotiating bilateral agreements on matters such as post, telegraph, extradition and sailors.[4]
During his time in Germany Bildt witnessed the introduction by Otto von Bismarck of the agrarian protectionist system.
In Sweden during this period the Protectionist Party had been established, gaining ground in 1885–1886 due to downward price pressure on Swedish crops, especially
Prime minister
Gillis Bildt was appointed prime minister by King Oscar II on 6 February 1888. With his first-hand experience of Germany's new agrarian protectionist system and his own protectionist sympathies he was considered an ideal successor. Archbishop Anton Niklas Sundberg, former speaker in both houses, had supposedly been offered the premiership, but turned it down.
With the Protectionists now having control of the Lower House and numerical superiority in joint votes with the Upper House, the political direction was clear. In the interest of reconciliation, the King set Bildt the task of leading a gradual shift from the economically liberal politics of Louis De Geer towards the more protectionist system that was becoming increasingly popular throughout Europe.
Bildt's
Bildt's achievements during his rise to the premiership stand out more than his time at the top. After his years abroad, the aging Bildt was considered out of touch with the political momentum of the time.
Bildt resigned on 12 October 1889, after 20 months in office. The reasons for his resignation are said to be:
- His protectionist system had been established.[11]
- He was finding it increasingly difficult to realize his goal, presented in his address at the opening of parliament, of "a society at ease with itself".
Gillis Bildt died on 22 October 1894 at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, aged 74.
The title Friherre Bildt was inherited by the elder of his two sons, Carl Nils Daniel Bildt (1850–1931).[12]
See also
- Free trade debate
- Pros and cons of democracy
- Australia's Protectionist Party and Free Trade Party in the 1880s
References
- ISBN 9781400878581.
- ^ "Sweden" (in Swedish). World Statesmen. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
- ^ ISBN 9781442250710. p. 42
- ^ SELIBR 379605.
- ^ SELIBR 10034286.
- ^ "Civil Registry Record, Christina Elisabeth Fröding" (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2007.
- ^ "Civil Registry Record, Didrik Anders Gillis Bildt" (in Swedish). Retrieved 19 January 2007.[permanent dead link ]
- ^ "Counties of Sweden". worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved 19 January 2007.
- SELIBR 10748.
- ^ "Office of the Marshal of the Realm". Royal Court. Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2007. via www.royalcourt.se
- ^ a b "Modernization of Sweden". 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2007. (Events during the reign of King Oscar II 1872–1907)
- SELIBR 10034286.
External links
- Daniel Braw, Tullstriden på 1880-talet, the struggle between protectionists and free-traders. (in Swedish)
- Bain, Robert Nisbet; Dumrath, Oskar (1911). Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 26 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 210–214. Governance of Sweden through the 1800s. . In