Baltzar von Platen

Count Baltzar Bogislaus von Platen, born on 29 May 1766 and died on 6 December 1829, was a Swedish naval officer and statesman who served as Governor-general of Norway from 1827 to 1829. Born on the island of Rugen in Swedish Pomerania, he entered the Royal Swedish Navy at 13 and left it in 1800 as a captain. After the revolution of 1809 he joined the Privy Council and was promoted to rear admiral in 1810. He chaired the directorate that built the Gota Canal across Sweden, a canal designed by Thomas Telford and completed in 1832 after his death. During its construction he discovered the mechanical engineers John Ericsson and Nils Ericson. Motala Verkstad, the engineering firm at the canal, was started in 1822 on his initiative. He is buried beside the canal in Motala.