ON NOVEMBER 6
Embark on an Historical Journey of Discovery
Unravel Legends of a Swedish Officer in the Great Northern War and First Commander of the German Coast in French Louisiana
Who was Charles d'Arensbourg?
He was a nobleman! He was a war hero! The King gave him his sword! He left Europe to escape the Russians!
Yet,
he grew up in poverty in Stockholm. His father was a notorious German mintmaster with a talent for debasing coins.
But still,
He became an officer in the magnificent army of Carl XII and fought to defend the last Swedish fortress in Germany against Danish, Prussian and Saxon armies and was taken prisoner.
And his name was not d'Arensbourg.
He went on to become the first commander of the German Coast in Louisiana. It is the second oldest German settlement in the United States.
From the Book:
Stettin, Swedish Pomerania.
He was born here in 1694. On the western bank of the Oder River and near the Baltic Sea coast, Stettin, Swedish Pomerania is now Szczecin, Poland. Chapter 3.
His father was a notorious German hedgeminter:
"He was certainly the right man in Stettin at this point: he had studied three years under the master of hedgeminting in Ellrich and knew the craft thoroughly; he had become wealthy at Ellrich, he was cunning and without conscience, he Became the soul of the hedgemint at Stettin from 1688 to 1697."
Friedrich, Freiherr von Schrötter, "Die Münzstätte zu Stettin." Chapter 8.
His mother was from a Swedish noble Family.
The baronial family Manderström coat of arms. After a lifetime of Service to Sweden, Erik Forsmander is ennobled in 1703. Chapter 4.
The fall of one great empire and the rise of another:
D'Arensbourg fought in the Great Northern War (1700-1721) between King Carl XII's Swedish Empire and Tsar Peter I's Russia. The result was the beginning of the Russian Empire under "Peter the Great." Epilogue.
Swedish Fortress Wismar
As an officer in the King's Life Guards on Foot (infantry), he defended the last Swedish fortress in Germany against Russian allies Denmark, Prussia and Saxony.
"The soldiers at Wismar held on to their fortress for four more months but the constant blockades and bombing left them starving and spent. Eighty-nine officers and 1000 Swedish nationals were allowed to either evacuate the fortress or return to their homes. The rest of the fortress defense force was captured on April 8, 1716. Major General Schoultz, the Wismar fortress Commander surrendered on April 19, 1716."
Georg Tessin, "Wismars schwedische regimenter," Chapter 11.
In 1721:
Carl Arensburg sailed to French Louisiana and to a new life in a new world. He is later known as Charles d'Arensbourg, the first commander and judge of the German settlement called the German Coast, the second oldest German settlement in the United States and the third oldest settlement in Louisiana. Chapter 12.
One sunny day on a forgotten battlefield in Ukraine changed the history of the world.
One cold night in Norway changed the history of a country.
One warm summer morning on a sandy, wind-swept beach in colonial Louisiana changed the history of a state.
About the Author
Mari Keller Dyer
Mari was born in New Orleans and grew up on the German Coast.
She is a veteran of the United States Air Force and holds a bachelor's degree in history from the University of New Orleans. She enjoys reading, working in her garden and playing with her rescue dog, Cosmo.