Fun Facts Friday: Frans Michael Franzén

Frans Michael Franzén (9 February, 1772 – 14 August, 1847) was a poet and clergyman from Sweden.

Frans Michael Franzén was born in Oulu, Sweden (now part of Finland). He graduated from the Royal Academy of Turku in 1789.
Three years after graduating, he embarked on a European tour traveling to Denmark, Germany, England, and France.
When he returned to Sweden, he accepted a job as a librarian in Turku, Finland.
Franzén became a professor of history and ethics in 1801 at the university.
In 1808 Frans Michael Franzén was elected as a member of the Swedish Academy. Members of the academy are elected for life and are considered the highest authority on the Swedish language.
Franzén became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1815.
After the Finnish War (1809), Finland became part of Russia and Mr. Franzén moved to Kumla, Sweden where he held the job as a parish priest, minister of the Klara Church in Stockholm, and finally a Bishop in 1831.
Frans Michael Franzén was married three times. His son-in-law, Anders Abraham Grafström was a poet, and historian, and served with him in the Swedish Academy. Grafström was also Mr. Franzén’s biographer.
Frans Michael Franzén is remembered as mastering a new poetic style in Swedish literature.
Most of Franzén’s poems consist of simple, yet picturesque lyrics embodying the spirit of the Romantic era.