Creutz
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Creutz is a noble family of today Finland with the title count.
It has been an original Finnish family of frälse that is known from the late 15th century. They had their seat at the manor of Sarvilahti in Pernaja, Eastern Uusimaa.
Naval commander Mårten Mattsson, lord of Sarvilahti (Sarvlax), received 2 August 1569 a confirmation of privileges of nobility from king John III of Sweden
When the Swedish House of Nobility was established 1625-26, the family was registered there, under number 92 of untitled nobility and with the name Creutz, taken in same or a tad earlier years to imitate the new Germanic trend of having actual surnames; and as word, denoting a cross.
Lorentz Creutz, governor of the Turku and Pori county, later member of the Privy Council of Sweden, admiral of the royal navy, lawspeaker of Northern Finland, was created friherre Creutz (baron) in 1654 by queen Christina of Sweden at the day of her abdication. His family was registered under number 48 among baronial class. His wife was baroness Elsa Duwall, heiress of Ahvenkoski etc.
Baron Johan Creutz, the Marshal of the nobility (lantmarskalk), member of the Privy Council, president of the Court of Appeals of Turku, was created count Creutz 31 December 1719 by queen Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden and in 1720 his family was registered under number 68 among the comital class.
His cousin, baron Ernst Johan Creutz, was created count in but he did not register it into the Swedish House of Knights and Nobility, and upon his childless death, that comital creation went extinct.
The family, both a branch of counts and a baronial branch, continues in Finland, Sweden and England.
When Finland in 1809 became an autonomous Grand Duchy, those members of the Creutz family who resided in Finland and swore fealty to the Grand Duke Emperor Alexander I, were confirmed in their noble privileges and titles as to the grand ducal estates of Finland. Accordingly, when the Finnish House of Nobility was established 1818, the comital family of Creutz was registered there under number 1 among the comital class.
