When the news of the imperial visit reached Raahe, our little town began to prepare for this great honour with the necessary devotion. The registry office ordered, among other things, that all bridges and fences be repaired, the school, packhouse and unpainted private houses be painted without delay and all pigs and bovine animals be removed from the town for the duration of the visit. All the ships in the town harbour had to raise their flags, and the houses of merchant C.F. Frieman and the Palin mamsells had to be decorated with broad-leaved trees, as they were the first houses after the customs gate.  Currently, the blocks of flats on the corner of Palokunnankatu and Brahenkatu are located there. His Majesty was to stay in alderman and merchant Johan Frieman’s house, which was considered the most appropriate one.

Arrival of the Emperor’s party

The imperial party arrived in Raahe on seven horses with its own kitchen. Court Councillor Bergbom’s daughter’s musical instrument purchased in Stockholm was brought to the town gate from the Ollinsaari Manor. The Court Councillor’s daughter, Carin Bergbom, was there to play music to welcome the emperor’s party to our town. Mamsell Carin played the most majestic song that she knew: one that present generations know as the Napoleon March. Considering that Alexander and Napoleon had long been at war some years ago, the choice of song was not good. The people of Raahe listened to the music with their heart in their mouth, waiting for the emperor to react, but fortunately the Grand Duke, exhausted from travel, slept through this musical performance – at least that is what the stories tell – and the daughter of the Court Councillor was spared punishment. Carin Bergbom’s clavier is now on the top floor of the Packhouse Museum, in the corner of the so-called Raahe room.

Frieman house

The emperor’s journey continued inside the town gates along Storgatan, the current Brahenkatu, towards the current Pekkatori Square and the house of merchant and alderman Johan Frieman. After greeting the master, the emperor also wanted to greet the women of the house. Mrs Frieman and her four daughters came in white to curtsy before the Grand Duke. His Excellency kissed the youngest daughter, three-year-old Jannika, on the hair on her forehead. This hair that had received such noble attention was later recovered and woven into a braid, which is displayed in the textile room of the Packhouse Museum.

 In honour of the noble guest, a grand dinner was served in the house of Frieman according to all the rules of the art. However, the Emperor did not enjoy the food but only drank the tea served by the lady of the house.

Admiration in the air

It is said that the emperor was taken by the prettiness of Carin Seraphia, Frieman’s eldest daughter, who certainly did not look down on such a noble admirer. The next day, the emperor continued his journey towards Siikajoki, accompanied by the sailing boats of Fredrik Sovelius and Zachris Franzén. In return for his hospitality, the emperor gave merchant Johan Frieman a diamond ring. With this ring, Carin Seraphia, who was admired by the emperor, scratched her name, the emperor’s monogram and the year of the emperor’s death, 1825, on the window of her home. The window pane in question has been moved from the Frieman house to the display cabinet on the top floor of the Packhouse Museum.

The said Carin Seraphia (3 November 1804–1877) later married notary and alderman Carl Gustaf Swaljung (1797–1855) and had seven children. The fourth of these seven was the famous sea captain Carl August Swaljung, who had nine sons with his wife Catharina Sofia Montin.