In 1756, Carl Friedrich Eckleff, an employee of the Swedish Foreign Office, with 6 other brethren, formed the ‘Scottish’ Lodge L’Innocente in Stockholm, working the so-called Scottish St. Andrew’s Degrees. Eckleff is said to have held a foreign Patent authorizing him to form Lodges. The next step was again taken by Eckleff in 1759, when he established a Chapter (Stuart Lodge) (Not to be confused with a RA Chapter) in Stockholm. The GL of Sweden was established in 1760, and recognized as such by the GL of England in 1770.
Eckleff established a system of Freemasonry with a strong Christian basis, and this was further developed by Duke Karl (late King Karl XIII). Two major revisions – in 1780 and 1800 established a logical Masonic system consisting of 10 degrees, known as The Swedish Rites (SwR). The exact date of inception of the SwR cannot be pip-pointed precisely, as Lodges existed in Sweden, and many Masonic styles influenced this system.
FM in Sweden has continued to remain a State institution, under the leadership of their GMs, all of whom belong to the Royal House, ever since its inception, more than 200 years ago.