Hat Party

political party, Sweden

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June 11, 2026

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The Hat Party was a political faction in Sweden during the 18th-century Age of Freedom, a period of parliamentary government. Fredrik Axel von Fersen was a prominent leader of this party, serving as speaker of the noble chamber of the Riksdag (parliament) and using his position to limit the crown's power. The Hat Party, active during a time when Sweden's parliament held significant influence, faced rivals like the Nightcap, or Cap, Party. This era of parliamentary rule eventually saw the monarchy, under King Gustav III, begin to reassert its authority.1

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Carl Gustaf, Count Tessin
…founder of the 18th-century parliamentary Hat Party and an influential adviser to the court of Adolf Frederick.
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…founder of the 18th-century parliamentary Hat Party and an influential adviser to the court of Adolf Frederick.
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Fredrik Axel von Fersen
…and politician who led Sweden’s Hat Party during the 18th-century Age of Freedom—a 52-year period of parliamentary government in his country.
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…and politician who led Sweden’s Hat Party during the 18th-century Age of Freedom—a 52-year period of parliamentary government in his country.
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