Type Pirate Years active 1657–1663 | Base of operations Baltic Sea Name Gustav Skytte | |
Born 1637 Sweden Died April 21, 1663, Jonkoping, Sweden | ||
Gustav Adolf Skytte of Duderhoff (1637 – 21 April 1663) was a Swedish nobleman and pirate. Born as the child of Jacob Skytte and Anna Bjelkenstjerna, he became a pirate at the age of 20 and plundered ships in the Baltic Sea together with his noble accomplices.
Biography
Skytte was born to noble Jacob Skytte of Duderhof and Anna Bielkenstjerna; he was the grandson of Johan Skytte and nephew of the famous Vendela Skytte: Maria Skytte was his cousin. He was described as charming and made a good impression when he grew up. In 1657, Skytte hired a Dutch ship together with some of his friends. Out on the sea, the noblemen murdered the captain and took over the ship, which they used as a pirate ship, attacking ships in the Baltic Sea. They forced the crew to swear their allegiance to them. One of his colleagues was his brother-in-law Gustaf Drake, the husband of his sister Anna Christina, who was also involved. When one of their accomplices wanted to stop, Drake and Anna had him killed. They pursued this secret business from a base in Blekinge, Sweden.
In 1662, their pirate activity was exposed. Gustaf Drake and Anna Christina fled the country, but Skytte was arrested and put on trial. He was convicted of piracy and was executed in Jönköping in 1663, after which his mother was said to have "died of grief". He was said to have died regretting his crimes.
He is portrayed in the novel The Freebooter of the Baltic.