# Johan Albrecht Ehrenström

Johan Albrecht Ehrenström (28 August 1762 – 15 April 1847) was a notable Finnish Senator, Active Privy Councillor, and Chairman of the Reconstruction Committee of Helsinki.

## Family

His father was Ensign Nils Albrecht Ehrenström, and his mother was Christina Catharina Sederholm. His mother was poor, but his uncle, merchant Johan Sederholm, was the wealthiest person in Helsinki. The Ehrenström family was not rich, but they emphasised the importance of education.

## Career in the Kingdom of Sweden

Ehrenström joined the artillery at age ten, became a Sergeant at fourteen, and a Conductor of the Finnish fortress troops at seventeen.
In 1786, he relocated to Stockholm and started working as a civil servant. He began his career as an assistant clerk at the chancellery college. That same year, he traveled to Saint Petersburg in Russia with Baron Georg Magnus Sprengtporten. Although the trip to Russia was disappointing for Ehrenström, he managed to gain the favor of the King of Sweden, Gustav III. Ehrenström wrote a travel report to the King.
In 1788, Ehrenström received a dangerous mission from Gustav III. His mission was to travel to Berlin as a courier, and his task was to gather information on the Baltic nobility. Ehrenström successfully completed his mission. He was promoted to the position of second secretary in the presidential office of the council for foreign correspondence, as well as the name and title of the royal secretary.
Ehrenström served as the officiating cabinet secretary for King Gustav III during multiple journeys and wars. He assisted Baron Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt in the Treaty of Värälä peace negotiations. Ehrenström was seen as the power behind the throne of the King, but Gustav III never granted him high-ranking titles and awards.
After Gustav III was assassinated by nobleman Jacob Johan Anckarström in 1772, Ehrenström resigned from his positions and retired to his Djurönäs Estate to live a private life. However, in 1773, he was accused of being involved in the Armfelt Conspiracy, imprisoned, and subsequently lost his titles and fortunes. He was initially sentenced to death but this was later commuted to a life sentence. King Gustav IV Adolf released him from prison in 1796. In 1800, Ehrenström regained his honor, titles, and fortunes.
He no longer received the same favor that he was given by Gustav III. In 1803, he was involved in diplomatic duties in Saint Petersburg and Vienna.
The Finnish War started in 1808, and Sweden lost Finland to Russia during this conflict. The military defeat led to increased political unrest in Stockholm and culminated in a coup against Gustav IV Adolf. After the Coup of 1809, Ehrenström was given the title of government councillor, but he was no longer assigned any official duties.

## Career in the Grand Duchy of Finland

Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt and Johan Fredrik Aminoff urged Ehrenström to relocate from Sweden to the newly established Grand Duchy of Finland in the Russian Empire. He moved to Finland in 1811 and obtained citizenship in 1812.
Ehrenström's analytical and creative writing skills played a crucial role in the final decision regarding the capital of Finland. Ehrenström was able to draw important conclusions about Helsinki's main advantages and its site plan proposal.
The city of Helsinki was promoted to be the new capital of the new Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812. Fredrik Gustaf Stjernvall resigned as Chairman of the Reconstruction Committee to make way for Ehrenström. Ehrenström was chosen as the Chairman of the Reconstruction Committee because Helsinki suffered significant damage during the Finnish War.
In contrast to the old medieval-style city plan with narrow and winding alleys, Ehrenström's vision for Helsinki was one of wide streets placed on a geometric grid in the fashion of the cities of ancient Greece. This plan was eventually approved by Tsar Alexander I of Russia, Grand Duke of Finland, and the city redesigned, led by German architect Carl Ludvig Engel.
Ehrenström consulted the Italian-born architect Giacomo Quarenghi, who designed notable buildings in Saint Petersburg during the era of Catherine the Great. Quarenghi revised the plans for the Imperial Palace in Helsinki and the influence of the architect is evident in the design of the Senate Square, Senate of Finland, and University of Helsinki's main building. Quarenghi was Engel's role model. Quarenghi was the chief architect of the Reconstruction Committee until he was replaced by Engel in 1816 due to his declining health.
After the city of Oulu was devastated by fire in 1822, Ehrenström was tasked with drawing a new plan for it. This was finished in 1824 and ratified by the Tsar the following year.
Ehrenström served as a Senator in the Senate of Finland from 1820 to 1825.

## Titles

* Russia Active Privy Councillor (1814)
* Russia Privy Councillor (1812)
* Sweden Government Councillor (1809)
* Sweden Royal Secretary (1788)

## Honors

* Russia Order of Saint Anna 1st Class (1818)
* Russia Order of Saint Vladimir 3rd Class (1812)