GYLLENSTJERNA, JOHAN, COUNT (1635-168o), Swedish statesman, began his political career at the diet which as sembled on the death of Charles X. (166o) . An aristocrat by birth and inclination, he was nevertheless a true patriot and demanded the greatest sacrifices from his own order in the national interests. He laboured zealously for the recovery of the crown lands, and in the Upper House he was the spokesman of the gentry against the magnates, whose inordinate privileges he would have curtailed or abolished. His adversaries vainly endeavoured to gain him by favour, for as court-marshal and senator he was still more hostile to the patricians who followed the policy of Magnus de la Gardie. Thus he opposed the French alliance which de la Gardie carried through in 1672, and consistently advocated economy in domestic and neutrality in foreign affairs. On the outbreak of the war in he loyally supported the young Charles XI., whose indis pensable counsellor he became. Indeed, it may be said, that the political principles which he instilled into the youthful monarch were faithfully followed by Charles during the whole of his reign. In 1679 Gyllenstjerna was appointed the Swedish plenipotentiary at the peace congress of Lund. The alliance which he then con cluded with Denmark bound the two northern realms together in a common foreign policy, and he sought besides to their harmonious co-operation by every means in his power. In 168o, after bringing home Charles XI.'s Danish bride from Copenhagen, he was appointed governor-general of Scania (Skane), but died a few weeks later.
See M. Hojer, Ofversigt of Sveriges yttre politik under dren 1676 168o (Upsala, . (R. N. B.; X.)