One of the world’s foremost collections of letters patent

Letters patent are the actual certificates of proof of nobility. They were issued by the reigning monarch or regency government. In a letters patent, the appearance of the coat of arms and often the noble name were established. It contained a depiction of the coat of arms and a detailed textual description called a blazon. This information then served as the basis for painting the copper plate that would be hung on the wall in the Great Hall at the House of Nobility. The privy seal was affixed to the letters patent.

Stored in state-of-the-art archives

The House of Nobility is home to one of the world’s foremost collections of letters patent, probably the largest. According to custom, these old and fragile documents are stored in archives that have been housed here since 2012. The letters patent are not available for public viewing.

Significant research value

The House of Nobility has a great research interest in locating and documenting letters patent in private ownership and seeks any kind of information that could be helpful in this matter. The genealogy department also wishes to encourage private owners to deposit or donate these important, fragile documents with the House of Nobility to secure their storage in a safe and optimal environment.

For more information about this possibility, please contact us at +46-8 723 39 95, or by e-mail at genealogi@riddarhuset.se.