In consequence of the Reformation, the Old Livonia Federation collapsed in the 16^th century. Neighbouring great powers desired to expand their territories. The country suffered from severe war devastation. In these conflicts, Sweden, Russia and Poland recognized the Baltic chivalries as organizations that had a right to participate in the decision as to which country they wished to belong to. At the end, Sweden was able to expand its power to Estonia and Livonia which thus became part of the Kingdom of Sweden. The chivalry privileges were explicitly recognized.

For more than 100 years, up to the end of the Nordic War, all Stackelbergs were Swedish citizens. Some of them were naturalized in Sweden and bought land there and in Finland. In 1625, Wolmar von Stackelberg (1592 – 1652) was the first family member introduced to the Stockholm House of Chivalry, which meant that he had the right to participate in Imperial Diets. The Family was true to the Swedish Crown. In the course of 18 years, there were 44 Stackelbergs as officers serving in Carl XII’s army.
In Swedish times, Major-General Carl Adam von Stackelberg (in 1714) and Bernd Otto von Stackelberg (in 1727) became hereditary Barons. In 1763, General Baron Wolter Reinhold von Stackelberg became hereditary Count.

After the end of the Nordic War, which was unfortunate for Sweden, it got back Finland, but had to cede Estonia and Livonia to Russia in the 1721 Peace of Nystad. The various lines of the family had to decide whether they wished to stay Swedish citizens and renounce their estates in Estonia and Livonia or to become subjects of the Russian Crown. Thus the family was divided into Swedish, Finnish and Russian members.

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