Eric XIV of Sweden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eric XIV |
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Portrait by Domenicus Verwilt, 1561
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| King of Sweden | |
| Reign | 29 September 1560 – January 1569 |
| Coronation | 29 June 1561 |
| Predecessor | Gustav I |
| Successor | John III |
| Born | 13 December 1533 Tre Kronor Castle, Stockholm, Sweden |
| Died | 26 February 1577 (aged 43) Örbyhus Castle, Örbyhus |
| Burial | 1 April 1577 Västerås Cathedral, Västerås |
| Spouse | Karin Månsdotter |
| Issue more... |
Virginia Eriksdotter Constantia, "Queen of Tividen" Princess Sigrid Prince Gustav |
| House | Vasa |
| Father | Gustav I of Sweden |
| Mother | Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg |
| Religion | Lutheran |
| Signature |  |
Eric XIV (Swedish: Erik XIV) was the King of Sweden from 1560 to 1569. He was the oldest son of King Gustav I and Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg. Eric also ruled Estonia after Sweden took control of it in 1561.
Eric was known for being smart and artistic. He also had big plans for his country. However, early in his rule, he started to show signs of mental health challenges. This condition became more serious over time.
After being removed from power and put in prison, Eric XIV likely died from poisoning. Tests on his remains in 1958 showed that he probably died from arsenic poisoning.
Contents
Growing Up: Eric's Early Life
Eric XIV was born at Tre Kronor Castle in Stockholm on December 13, 1533. His mother passed away before he turned two years old. In 1536, his father, King Gustav Vasa, married Margaret Leijonhufvud, a Swedish noblewoman.
Eric's first teacher was a German scholar named Georg Norman. Later, a French teacher named Dionysius Beurraeus taught Eric and his half-brother John. Eric was very good at learning foreign languages and math. He also knew a lot about history and was a good writer. He was interested in astrology.
As Eric grew up, people called him the "chosen king." After a meeting of the Swedish parliament in 1560, he received the title of "hereditary king." In 1557, Eric was given control over areas like Kalmar and Öland. He lived in the city of Kalmar.
Eric wanted to marry Queen Elizabeth I of England and tried for several years, even though his father disagreed. He also proposed marriage to other princesses, but none of these plans worked out.
Eric's Time as King of Sweden
When Eric's father died, Eric was about to travel to England to meet Queen Elizabeth. He returned to Stockholm and called a meeting of the Riksdag in April 1561. At this meeting, he introduced new rules called the "Arboga articles." These rules greatly limited the power of his royal brothers, John and Charles, in their own regions.
Eric was crowned as Eric XIV. He was not actually the 14th king named Eric, but he and his brother Charles chose their royal numbers based on a partly made-up history of Sweden. There had been at least six earlier Swedish kings named Eric.
From the beginning of his rule, Eric had disagreements with the Swedish nobility. He chose Jöran Persson as a close advisor. Persson also disliked the nobility and was against Eric's half-brother, John. John was the Duke of Finland and had married a Polish princess, which Eric did not want. This made John friendly with Poland.
John tried to expand his power in Livonia (now Estonia and Latvia). This went against the Arboga articles and caused problems between the brothers. In 1563, Eric sent an army to Finland and had John arrested. John was accused of treason.
Unlike his father, who was happy ruling an independent country, Eric wanted to expand Sweden's power in the Baltic region and Estonia. This led to Sweden becoming a major power in the 1600s. However, this expansion also caused a war with his cousin, Frederick II of Denmark-Norway. Most of Eric XIV's rule was spent fighting the Livonian War and the Scandinavian Seven Years' War against Denmark-Norway (1563–1570). He managed to stop most of Denmark-Norway's attacks but could not keep all his own gains.
Challenges During His Rule
From 1563 onwards, Eric's mental health challenges became more noticeable. His rule became less predictable and sometimes violent. He became very suspicious of the nobility, especially the Sture family. In 1566, he accused Nils Svantesson Sture of treason. Eric later changed Nils's sentence and sent him away.
However, Eric had decided to marry his mistress, Karin Månsdotter. In 1567, when Nils returned, Eric became suspicious again. He then killed several members of the Sture family in what is known as the Sture Murders. Eric himself stabbed Nils Svantesson Sture.
Eric's Downfall and Imprisonment
After the Sture killings, John was imprisoned. Eric's disagreements with the nobility reached their worst point. In early 1568, Eric seemed to recover and tried to make peace with John. He asked John to accept his marriage to Karin Månsdotter. This marriage happened in July, and Karin was crowned Queen. Their baby son, Gustav, was named Prince-royal.
However, in the fall of 1568, the dukes and nobles rebelled, saying Eric was not fit to rule. After some fighting, Eric was captured by his brother Duke John, who took power on September 30. Göran Persson was blamed for many of the actions against the nobility during Eric XIV's rule. He was executed shortly after John III imprisoned Eric. Eric was officially removed from the throne in January 1569 by the Riksdag.
Life in Prison and Death
For the next seven years, the former king caused worry for the new government. Three attempts to free him and put him back on the throne had to be stopped. Eric was held as a prisoner in many different castles in Sweden and Finland.
He died in prison at Örbyhus Castle. A story says that his last meal was a poisoned bowl of pea soup. A document signed by his brother, John III, gave Eric's guards permission to poison him if anyone tried to release him. Eric's body was later examined. Modern tests showed signs of deadly arsenic poisoning.
Eric's Family and Children
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Before his marriage, Eric XIV had several relationships.
With Agda Persdotter, he had:
- Virginia Eriksdotter (1559–1633)
- Constantia Eriksdotter (1560–1649)
- Lucretia Eriksdotter (1564–after 1574), who died young.
With Karin Jacobsdotter, he had:
- An unnamed child, who died in April 1565.
Eric XIV finally married Karin Månsdotter (1550–1612) on July 4, 1568. Their children were:
- Sigrid (1566–1633), born before the marriage. She became a lady-in-waiting and married two noblemen.
- Gustaf (1568–1607), born before the marriage. He later became a mercenary.
- Henrik (1570–1574)
- Arnold (1572–1573)
Eric XIV in Stories and Plays
The life of Eric XIV is the subject of a play written in 1899 by Swedish playwright August Strindberg. The love story between Eric XIV and Karin Månsdotter is also told in a historical novel from 1942 by Mika Waltari.
See also
In Spanish: Erico XIV de Suecia para niños
- List of Swedish monarchs
- List of Finnish monarchs and Heads of State
- History of Sweden
- History of Sweden (1523–1611)
