Legends

Every castle has at least a few objects with a remarkable past – objects immersed in history. These legends are more or less fantastic and, as most of us know, not really true. Many legends have a well-known person involved, like in the case of the garnet studded cup. “This cup is from the collections at Tidö Castle, and has belonged to Chancellor of the Realm Count Axel Oxenstierna”, it was said at the purchase in 1814. The cup, undoubtedly, has been at Tidö, considering it was sold at the auction after death of the owner Hedvig Ulrika De Geer. The problem is, however, that the cup was made some decade after the great Oxenstierna’s death in 1654. It has more likely belonged to his grandson Axel Eriksson Oxenstierna (1652-1676) and an understandable mix up might have occurred – to the benefit of the story but to the detriment of truth.