Simon Affleck

Major Simon Affleck (ca. 1660 in Narva, present-day Estonia – 9 May 1725 in Pielisjärvi, present-day Finland) was a Swedish tax official, of Scottish descent, who worked in then Swedish-ruled Finland. He is remembered in Finnish folk tradition as having been merciless and cruel.

He had been appointed by the King of Sweden to collect taxes in the Pielisjärvi region (now known as Lieksa), and also paid the rent of his mansion in Pielisjärvi to the King. Numerous groups of peasants rebelled against him, especially during the Great Famine (1695 to 1697) and the Great Northern War (1700-1721), as he did not grant any mercy in the taxation of peasants even in poor times. During the Great Northern War Affleck also had military duties.

His probable grandfather Hillebrand or Gilbert Affleck was born in Scotland and was a burgess in Turku and inspector of gunpowder factories.

Affleck is said to have been a ruthless collector of taxes with little pity towards the poor Finnish peasants. This, and the large and ferocious dog he kept as a pet, earned him the nickname Simo Hurtta (hurtta is Finnish for hound).

Affleck died in 1725 after the Greater Wrath.

In folk stories, where Affleck is known by the names Simo Hurtta and Aplekki, his evilness and cruelty has often been exaggerated. He is said to have shot himself in the head in his mansion to deny the Finnish peasants raiding his mansion the satisfaction of killing him, or to have been killed by the peasants. In later times, numerous novels, plays and films about "Simo Hurtta" have been written.