The Ristesson Files site here at Tribal Pages, which eventually will have 
thousands of persons listed, are continuing to be compiled and completed in 
2008. When reasonably complete, they will be proclaimed such right here.

Regarding a password you may want to have, see the end of this introduction!

All known members of the Royal Families of Sweden, from the Viking Age till 
today, are the basic contents of the Ristesson Files. Thus, an extensive 
genealogical account of the members of the royal dynasties involved appears 
here, with the individuals usually listed by a last name of "Sweden", or of 
other countries that royals adopted, e.g. by marriage, or have descended from 
or are related to. 

The information on them is from my book "Throne of a Thousand Years" 
(Ristesson, Ludvika & Los Angeles, 1996) and research I have done continually 
since 1962 until today.

All the dynasties were inter-related so they are all here. Dynasty names, which 
are not surnames in this context, however, have been entered as special 
information pages. Much more about names follows further below.

A special information page about the Ristesson Organization is also included, 
shown in Family View like the dynasty pages are (see Ristesson as a name), with 
more to be found there, and under sources, about my 1996 book. 

There are also some "regular" red-blooded Swedes and a handful of Americans 
included at this site, in two families that belong to my own paternity 
(families abbreviated T E M N) and maternity (A R S G) respectively. Both 
branches are also related, namely, to the current Bernadotte Dynasty. I have 
found no reason to doubt the fact.

The two extended families of my father's parents and my mother's, respectively, 
are involved in that. The eight greater families of THEIR grandparents are 
represented in its membership by the FamSAC Society of Relatives of Stockholm, 
Sweden, founded on June 16, 2006. Those families are (from my all-paternal to 
my all-maternal great-great-grandparents, with each greater family's code 
letter first): 
T ~ Trued Abrehamsson & Karna Johansdotter of North Sandby, Scania; 
E ~ Erland Andersson & Lena Nilsdotter of Dahln, Arvika, Vermillandia; 
M ~ Kaj Mats Matsson & Rönns Anna Andersdotter of Frostbo, Dalecarlia; 
N ~ Näktergals Anders Andersson & Anna Görsdotter of Gimsbärke, Dalecarlia; 
A ~ Johan P. Andersson & Anna Katrina Andersdotter of Ersboda, Sudermania; 
R ~ Gustaf Adolf (Sr.) & Mathilda (Wahlberg) von Reis of Nyköping, Sudermania; 
S ~ Knuts Johan & Stina (Andersdoter) Sandberg of Barkargärde, Dalecarlia; and 
G ~ Anders J. Gäfvert & Fredrika Wahlberg of Tjärna, Dalecarlia. 

To the name of each such relative and spouse/mate of mine listed here, which is 
everyone descending from my grandparents (excluding the royalty), an individual 
FamSAC code is given, adhering to traditional, paternalistic genealogy. Each 
code is exclusive to each person (mine is T6.6.5.2 for example). For the rest 
of the huge genealogy of those eight families, I refer you to 
www.famsac.tribalpages.com.

It can be good for a visitor to these sites to know that women normally did not 
adopt the surnames of their husbands in Sweden prior to a name law passed there 
in 1901. 

The names of any and all persons of historical significance, by policy, are 
given here in their English versions, wherever possible.

The Kings of Sweden and the territories they ruled have been recorded with 
legitimate English-language name forms, which an increasing amount of globally 
concerned authors believe should be used when mentioning them in English. This 
pertains especially to texts which are likely to be read aloud, where the 
application of Swedish phonetics makes a smooth read practically impossible for 
non-Swedes, whether they are doing the oral reading or listening to it. The 
practice of translating the names of royalty and of places has a natural origin 
in this situation and was particularly important in times when a minimal amount 
of people knew how to do the reading. Until quite recently, relatively 
speaking, a vast majority could enjoy written texts only if someone else would 
read them aloud. Using a name like Ragnvald (in English Reynold or Reginald) 
would hardly help.

In many instances, personal names as well as place names have evolved since 
their translations first began to be implemented and generally known. Examples 
relevant to this presentation are names such as Godstowe, which long ago became 
better known and accepted in English first as Gustavus (actually Latin) and 
later as Gustav; Charles once universally used in French and English for Karl, 
but now appropriately spelled Carl in American English, where Carl has become a 
normal name form of its own; Maria along with (not instead of) Mary, according 
to the same principle of Americanization. If a legitimate name reads like 
normal English, it can be well handled when spoken by most anyone.

Ideological slanting and fashion have had an occasional effect on the name 
subject in the past, such as an uncomfortable reluctance to use Adolf or even 
(English) Adolph in any context but the Hitlerian. Thus Adolphus became 
English. Even entire dynasties have been renamed because of disagreeable 
history from an earlier era. In Sweden, a branch of the illustrious Wittelsbach 
Dynasty has unanimously been called the "Palatine" (Pfalziska) and a branch of 
the powerful Oldenburgs the "Holstein-Gottorpian" (Holstein-Gottorpska) for 
such reasons. The Nicholan Dynasty of Mecklenburg was never called that, 
probably because its founder, Nicholas of the Obotrites, was not a Christian. 
The same has been true of the (extinct) Swiatoboreans of Pomerania.

Common sense, rather than verifiable convention, is a feasible way of working 
name translations, from case to case, always allowing for interpretations based 
on fact (as often opposed to fashion) as well as up-to-date developments in 
normalcy.

Many residents of Sweden, visited or visiting, delight in giving Swedish 
lessons to others through names. An increasing number of non-Swedish 
journalists in broadcasting are also attempting without success, while 
disregarding the phonetics of their own English, to pronounce Göteborg, for 
example, rather than using the long established and easy English name: 
Gothenburg. Language is used as a game of sorts, with predictable results. New 
(pronounced) words thus invented, and of questionable use to anyone, are found 
objectionable and considered linguistic pollution by many serious cosmopolitan 
communicators, especially those concerned with the education and international 
success of the young. The problem of phonetic transgression, if it is a 
problem, is an ever-growing one in 2008.

Many regular Swedes are addressed by double first names such as Ulla Britta or 
Lars-Erik. Swedish kings number the first half of such names, thus the current 
king is Carl XVI Gustaf (not Carl Gustaf II). If numerals are in parentheses 
they can not been used officially, but can be regarded as reasonably factual 
for identification. Kings Carl III, Carl IV, V, VI, VII and Carl VIII of Sweden 
were 16th century inventions and never actually existed. Years of reign given 
here for each king are of a Swedish reign only.

Modern Sweden consists of three main regions, Gothenland (Götaland) in the 
south, Swealand (Svealand) in the lower middle, and the Northlands (Norrland). 
Rather than our posting a list here of the English names of all the Swedish 
provinces and of some of the towns, I invite you to use your imagination. 

Though there were monarchic rulers of the Swea Region (Sveariket or Swithjod) 
before the so-called first Swedish king, Eric (V) the Victorious (d. 995), 
insurmountable gaps in knowledge about them make it impossible to list them 
with any degree of genealogical accuracy. 

Regarding the queens, years enthroned signify actual periods as Queen 
Consort of Sweden, not counting dowager years. They were not ruling sovereigns 
in their own right, thus did not "reign". As with the kings and other royalty, 
the full official name of a queen consists of one (single or double) first name 
only. As consorts they are not numbered. Many had several more names, which 
have been included here in a special note on each individual's page.

Princes and Princesses of Sweden are such by birth or marriage or (very rarely) 
by adoption. Termination of royal status, by dethronement or prohibited 
marriage, is not important to being listed here, since a person of legitimate 
royalty remains such to world history, as an integral part of his or her 
country's, notwithstanding such events. Children born after parental 
dethronement were not royalty in the literal sense of the word, and children 
deceased before parental elevation to royalty (in Sweden) were not royal (in 
that kingdom). Dethronement as a term includes abdication/renunciation in this 
context. 

Swedish versions of the personal names are also given as notes on individual 
pages. Beginning at the reign of Gustav I (1523-1560), Carl is then spelled 
that way even in Swedish (not Karl), as per the written recommendation of the 
late Professor Sten Carlsson of Upsala University. As of 1901, when all 
personal names, including spellings, were regulated in Sweden by the new name 
law mentioned above, it could be considered correct to stop translating them. 
The names of 20th-century individuals here reflect that. Gustav then becomes 
Gustaf, Adolph becomes Adolf, Sophia becomes Sofia, Eric becomes Erik, Margaret 
becomes Margareta or Margaretha, not to mention that Seward becomes Sigvard, 
etc. Knowing this is likely to facilitate alphabetical searches.

Tribal Pages requires that a password be issued to visitors who wish to view 
living persons, their information as well as pictures. The current Royal Family 
of Sweden is thus blocked from view without one (even though everything about 
them actually is public information), and so is its relationship to cousins of 
mine. If you wish to have a password, or if you have any questions, suggestions 
or comments, please feel free to "contact me" through that link at the top! 

                    ~ Jacob Truedson Demitz, Stockholm, Sweden, April 2nd, 2007.

P. S. A few little problems (Sept. 2007): 
Spouses often show up in incorrect places, especially when multiple marriages 
are part of the history of a person. I have entered them all correctly and 
have asked Tribal Pages to look at solutions for this general problem with 
these sites. Meanwhile, my apologies for some pages that contain such 
embarrassing mistakes, apparently unavoidable in current formatting.
It has been necessary, due to formats as yet limited here, to add such 
prepositions as "von" or "of" in the first name fields of many individuals, 
which causes some odd listings and headings on certain pages. 
There is also no way of indicating which of multiple first names is meant to be 
the one normally used in addressing a person, so in many cases, additional 
first names have been entered in the "notes", not in name headings.
It does not seem to be safe to assume that an apostrophe (') or quotation marks 
(") entered will show up as such, as they often show up as backwards-leaning 
French grave accents (') instead.  
Finally, unmarried persons with children cannot currently be entered in such a 
manner that they do not appear on some pages as married. The problem is related 
to the first one mentioned above.