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Erik Haakansson Hand (sometimes spelled Eric), was the son of an illegitimate, but recognized, daughter of the Swedish king Erik XIV. As such, he was recognized as a cousin of Gustav II Adolf. He was an officer in the Swedish army, and was present at the Battle of Breitenfeld, the Battle of Rain, and the Battle of Alte Veste, he was wounded and captured. He died of his wounds while in captivity at Ingolstadt.[1][2][3]
Erik Haakansson Hand in 1632[]
In the new timeline created by Grantville's arrival in 1631, Erik Haakansson Hand was severely wounded and left for dead as the Swedish army swept into the Upper Palatinate following its victory at the Battle of Alte Veste. He recovered from his wounds, though his right arm was crippled, and could not be straightened. Over the next five years, he learned to do most things (including shoot) left-handed, and put himself through an exercise regimen in an attempt to recover some function in his right arm.
Since he was firmly loyal to his cousin Gustavus, and was not able to serve in the field, he was used for "special assignments". In 1634, he was sent to Amberg to help train people who would in train militias in the Upper Palatinate. He also was tasked with keeping an eye on Johan Banér.[4]
After Gustavus was incapacitated in October of 1635, Hand took it on himself to investigate the actions of Axel Oxenstierna and his faction. When Gustavus recovered, Hand informed him of Oxenstierna's unconstitutional actions. On February 27, 1636, in a tavern on the outskirts of Berlin, Hand and Gustavus confronted Oxenstierna. During the confrontation, Hand shot and killed Oxenstierna.
References[]
- ↑ Swedish Wikipedia article on the Hand family. (Link is to Google translation into English.)
- ↑ http://www.adelsvapen.com/genealogi/Hand_nr_59 (in Swedish)
- ↑ http://www.cgsc.edu/CARL/nafziger/632HAA.pdf
- ↑ 1634: The Bavarian Crisis, chs. 8 and 57