in 1763, after von stedingk completed his studies at uppsala university, he began his military career, and rose quickly through the ranks in the "royal suédois" regiment in france, which was owned by his friend count axel von fersen. both von stedingk and axel von fersen were both close friends of louis xvi and marie antoinette and spent much time in versailles. by 1788, he had become "colonel en chef", and by 1783, he was in charge of a larger army unit in finland, then an internal part of sweden.