Born: 1642 (Nyköping, Sweden)
Died: 1698 (Stade, Germany)
Biography:
Anna Åkerhielm or Åkerhjelm, née Anna Agriconia (1642 – 11 February 1698), was a Swedish writer, traveller, and the first woman in Sweden to have been ennobled for her own actions. Born in Nyköping, Sweden, she was the child of the priest Magnus Jonae Agriconius.
Unfortunately, Anna became an orphan at an early age. However, she had a noble lineage as her brother Samuel was the secretary at the Swedish embassies in London and Paris, and became ennobled in 1679.
In 1671, Anna was employed at the court of Princess Maria Eufrosyne, the aunt of king Charles XI of Sweden. It was in the court where she gained recognition for her great learning and her interest in science. Her talents and knowledge made her the personal companion of Maria Eufrosyne’s daughter, Charlotta De la Gardie, with whom she developed an intimate friendship.
Charlotta eventually got married to the military officer Otto Wilhelm Königsmarck in 1682, and Anna accompanied them on their military services around Europe. The three of them traveled to the Republic of Venice and Greece. From 1686 to 1689, Königsmarck served in the army of Venice during the Morean War against the Ottoman Empire in Greece, and Anna and Charlotta accompanied him.
Their time in Greece was not spent solely on military matters; contemporary accounts describe their engagement in scientific investigations and their explorations of the ruins of Acropolis in Athens. They conversed with learned Greeks about science and philosophy, demonstrating their passion for knowledge and intellectual pursuits.
One significant discovery during their stay in Greece was Anna’s finding of an Arabic manuscript in the ruins of the Parthenon after it was hit by cannons in 1687. Recognizing its importance, Anna donated the manuscript to Uppsala University upon returning to Sweden.
Anna recounted her travels, experiences, and findings in Greece, and her brother Samuel published her writings in the Swedish Official Gazette, making her the first Swedish war correspondent.
After the death of Königsmarck in 1688, Anna continued to live with Charlotta De la Gardie in Stade, Germany, which was part of the Swedish Province of Bremen. In 1691, Anna was ennobled by King Charles, and her name was changed from Agriconia to Åkerhjelm. While women had been ennobled in Sweden before her, Anna was likely the first woman to be ennobled for her own actions, rather than that of a male relative.
Sadly, Anna Åkerhjelm passed away in Stade, Germany. One source states her death in 1693, while another claims she died on 11 February 1698.