Preceded by Sigismund |
King of Sweden 22 Mar 1604 - 30 Oct 1611 |
Succeeded by Gustav II Adolf |
Contents |
Karl was born October 4, 1550 at Stockholm Castle as the eleventh child of Gustav Vasa, king of Sweden. His mother was Margareta Leijonhuvud who was the second wife of Gustav Vasa.
In 1560 Karl became duke of Södermanland, Närke, Värmland and parts of Västmanland Province and Västergötland Province.
Karl had inherited his father's administrative talents and ran his duchies well. He founded the towns of Filipstad in Värmland and Mariestad in Västergötland Province. He encouraged trade and the extraction and handling of ore. Finnish settlers were brought over the Baltic to settle in the woods of Värmland.
The oldest of Karl's brothers, Erik XIV, had periods of insanity. Therefor his brothers, Johan and Karl, decided to oppose, and in the end dethrone him in 1568.
Johan became king, Johan III, and the brothers argued over the independence of the duchy.
When Johan dies in 1592, his son Sigismund becomes king. Sigismund is also king of Poland since 1587 and Karl is the head of the nation when Sigismund is in Poland. Karl wants to be the sole regent in the kings absence but members of the nobility work against him. Karl, however, is ruthless and several of the aristocrats flee to Poland.
Disputes over religion, Sigismund was catholic and Karl Lutheran, and domains in Estonia led to war, known as The War Against Sigismund (1598-1599). The war was settled with The Battle at Stångebro (1598). Sigismund was dethroned in 1599 but it was not until 1604, at the Riksdag session in Norrköping, that Karl officially took over the title King of Sweden.
Karl was a revengeful person and executed several of his opponents.
In 1609, from February to May, Karl rides the traditional Eriksgata through Sweden, when the newly elected regent has his election confirmed by the local assemblies.
As a young man Karl has an affair with a minister's unmarried daughter, Karin Nilsdotter. Together they have a son:
During a visit at Heidelberg Castle, where the electoral prince Ludwig VI af Pfalz-Simmern resided, Karl falls in love with the prince's 15 year old daughter Maria af Pfalz (1561-1589). They get married May 11, 1579, and the couple live happily together until Maria passes away in 1589. Together they have six children but only the daughter Katarina reaches adulthood.
Karl marries Kristina af Holstein Gottorp (1573-1625), August 27, 1592 at Nyköping Castle. She was the daughter of Duke Adolf van Holstein Gottorp and Kristina van Hessen. Together they have three chrildren.
Karl died October 30, 1611, at Nyköping Castle. He is buried in Strängnäs Cathedral, Södermanland.
See also:
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