ABSTRACT

This article investigates how interaction between the nobility and state authorities contributed to the state formation process in the Swedish province of Livland in the 17th century, excluding the last two decades. It focuses on the mutual expectations of the two parties and how these were achieved. A study of the protocols of the Livonian Diets confirms that the Swedish central and provincial governments interacted with the Livonian nobility mainly to extract the resources needed to protect the province and support Sweden’s wars abroad. Although state authorities occasionally relied on coercion to this end, negotiating and offering counter-favours proved to be an easier solution. This gave the Livonian nobility an opportunity to pressure the state authorities to enact legislation and reorganize local governance. Contrary to the prevalent view of the nobility in the Baltic provinces as an estate fighting only for the advancement of narrow self-interest, this article argues that while preserving the existing social order was definitely one of the goals of the nobility, it also sought to increase public security and make local governance more effective.

摘要

本文调查了 17 世纪（不包括过去的 20 年）贵族与国家当局之间的互动如何促进了瑞典利夫兰省的国家形成过程。它侧重于双方的共同期望以及这些期望是如何实现的。对利沃尼亚议会协议的研究证实，瑞典中央和省政府与利沃尼亚贵族的互动主要是为了获取保护该省和支持瑞典在国外的战争所需的资源。尽管国家当局有时会为此而依赖胁迫，但事实证明，谈判和提供反恩惠是更容易的解决方案。这让利沃尼亚贵族有机会向国家当局施压，要求其制定立法并重组地方治理。