Otto Arnold von Paykull

Not to be confused with Johann Patkul (1660-1707).

Otto Arnold von Paykull (b. ca 1662 in Swedish Livonia – d. February 4, 1707 in Stockholm, Sweden), was a Livonian officer in service of the Electorate of Saxony.

He was born around 1662 in Swedish Livonia. He was a page at the Royal Court of Saxony in 1677 and in 1678 he joined the Saxonian Guard. After some years in French service he returned to Saxony where he eventually became Lieutenant General around 1700.

He took part in the Saxonian army that tried to stop the Swedish Crossing of the Daugava in 1701. He was injured during this fight and left the service for some years, but returned in 1704 heading a cavalry regiment. He was captured by the Swedes at the Battle of Warsaw in 1705. He was brought to Stockholm where he was executed on February 4, 1707 for high treason due to his service for Saxony although he was born in a Swedish province.

Otto Arnold von Paykull was also known as an alchemist and even tried to escape execution by promising annual deliverance of gold to king Charles XII of Sweden, but it was all in vain.

References

• Svenskt Biografiskt Lexikon. 28. Stockholm. 1992–94. 

• (Swedish) Otto Arnold Paijkull in Nordisk Familjebok (1914).

Persondata
Name	Paykull, Otto Arnold
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Date of birth	1662
Place of birth
Date of death	1707
Place of death