Simon Affleck

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Simon Affleck (born ca. 1660, died 1725) was a Swedish tax official who worked in then Swedish-ruled Finland. He had been appointed by the King of Sweden to collect taxes in the Pielisjärvi region, and also paid the rent of his mansion in Pielisjärvi to the King.

Affleck is said to have been a ruthless collector of taxes with little pity towards the poor Finnish peasants. This, and the large and ferocious dog he kept as a pet, earned him the nickname Simo Hurtta (hurtta is Finnish for hound).

Affleck died in 1725 during the Greater Wrath. He is said to have shot himself in the head in his mansion to deny the Finnish peasants raiding his mansion the satisfaction of killing him.

[edit] References

• Onni Palaste: The Simo Hurtta trilogy:
  • Simo Hurtta, 1978
  • Simo Hurtta ja Anna, 1982
  • Simo Hurtta ja Isoviha, 1983