Family History

Contrary to his image as a steadfast captain, this chapter of Jöran Polman's story catches him red-handed in a drunken brawl.

Jöran Polman served with diligence, and was one of twenty soldiers whose portrait adorns the walls of Skokloster Castle. Explore the story of his portrait and the intricate fashion details of the seventeenth century during Sweden's Great Power era.

For over 50 years, this 17th-century portrait of the family patriarch has remained hidden — until now. Polmanarkivet unearthed this important artwork and invites you to explore its origins and the story of how it was rediscovered.

Peter [Cederström] had achieved all that he could in his home country when he decided to take his trade elsewhere. [...He] landed in Stavanger, a port city in the west of Norway, in 1828.

In the early 17th century, an agitated Jürgen Polman penned a desperate letter to Axel Oxenstierna, the Lord High Chancellor of Sweden, appealing to him and the King for help in a matter regarding his land in Finland.

In 1623, the field marshal Herman Wrangel commissioned life-sized portraits of his officers, which adorn the walls of the magnificent baroque castle Skokloster. But how did they get there?

Explore the travel journals of Lieutenant Påhlman chronicling his adventures across Germany, France, and Italy in the nineteenth century.

An unfortunate but feisty princess sought the help of empress Catherine the Great to escape an abusive marriage and flee to Estonia. What could go wrong?