Christina Gyllenstierna
Encyclopedia
Christina Nilsdotter of Fogelvik, Heiress of Tullgarn (1494/5 – January 1559), was the wife of the Swedish
regent Sten Sture the Younger
, and after his death, leader of resistance to Christian II of Denmark
. In her lifetime she was called Lady Kristina (Swedish: Fru Kristina), but later was referred to as "Kristina Gyllenstierna" because of the house of nobility
to which she belonged.
through her father, a younger son of Christina Karlsdotter Bonde, for whom she was named. In 1511, she was married to Sten Svantesson partly to strengthen his political position.
She was from a family of Danish origin. Her grandfather Erik Eriksen of Demstrup ("Gyldenstjerne") was Danish, but became acquainted with Sweden, because the two realms were united in the Kalmar Union
. When Sweden and Denmark began to fight over control of the Union, Erik allied with the Swedish claimant, Charles VIII. As reward, Charles's daughter, the heir of Fogelvik, was married to him and he ultimately became the High Steward of Charles' court.
Gyllenstierna's mother was Sigrid Eskilsdotter (Banér)
of Venngarn, Heir of Lindholm; so Christina was the half-sister of Cecilia Månsdotter
of Eka, mother of the future king Gustav I, through her mother's other marriage. Her father was Niels Eriksen, Lord of Tullgarn (also written Nils Eriksson, and surnamed "Gyllenstjerna" by later historians). Her family belonged to the highest Swedish nobility of this "Regency" era.
During this period, Sweden was governed almost continuously by "Regents", first for the infant son of Charles VIII, and then simply in opposition to Danish authority under the Union. Sten's father Svante Nilsson
was Regent from 1504–1512. At his death, Sten, then only 18, became Regent. He took the name "Sture" in honor of a previous Regent.
It is likely that Gyllenstierna acted as political advisor to her spouse. The couple was regarded as king and queen in all but name. In 1519, Peder Månsson, Bishop of Västerås, expressed his surprise in a letter from Rome to the Abbess of Vadstena Abbey that Sture and she were not yet crowned. The same year, the authorities of Stockholm referred to Christina as "Our Dear Princess".
submitted to Christian II.
Gyllenstierna took command of the Swedish forces and held out stoutly at Stockholm
. The peasantry of central Sweden, roused by her patriotism, flew to arms and defeated the Danish invaders at Balundsås on March 19 and were only with the utmost difficulty finally defeated at the bloody battle of Uppsala
, on April 6. Gyllenstierna was now elected "King" by ten councillors of state in Uppsala. which however never has been recognized officially.
In May the Danish fleet arrived, and Stockholm was besieged by land and sea. But Gyllenstierna resisted valiantly for four months longer. She surrendered on September 7 after great starvation and suffering in the city. She took care to exact beforehand an amnesty of the most explicit and absolute character for all acts of resistance to Denmark. King Christian promised, that "Everything from the past will be forgotten", that she would be granted the fief Tavastehus in Finland and that neither she nor her family would be punished.
During all this, Anna Eriksdotter (Bielke)
defended and commanded the city of Kalmar
in the same fashion.
On November 7, Christian summoned the Swedish nobility to a meeting. Lady Christina, as well as several other influential women, were also invited. When they arrived, the doors were shut and guards set in place. Christian accused them all of deposing the pro-Danish Archbishop
Gustav Trolle
. He specifically accused Sten Sture as responsible for this, and directed his accusation toward Gyllenstierna. She stepped forward and stated that the king could not punish them for this, nor could he accuse her late spouse and her for having performed the deposition alone: everyone in the room had signed the bill of deposition, the removal of Archbishop Trolle had been a part of the rebellion, and Christian had pledged amnesty to everyone involved in the rebellion.
"We have proof," she added, "the document is here." At this, the document with the signatures of everyone supporting the deposition of the Archbishop was brought forward. But Christian had found a loophole, which the Swedes had overlooked. The deposition of a bishop was also a crime against the church - heresy
- and the king had no authority to pardon them for that. So he could punish them without violating his pledge.
Christian then took his revenge, known as the Stockholm Bloodbath
. Christina's brother Erik Nilsson, Lord of Tullgarn, was executed by beheading, as were many other Swedish magnates. Gyllenstierna inherited Tullgarn, little benefit as it then did her. Her husband's remains were exhumed and burned publicly at the stake as a heretic.
Gyllenstierna was declared a great traitor and rebel, and as such King Christian called upon her and publicly asked her to choose: which did she prefer, to be burned at the stake or to be buried alive? Confronted with this choice, she was unable to reply and fainted with horror. After this, Christian was advised to spare her life. To save her life, she ceded a large part of her property to Christian. Gyllenstierna's mother Sigrid was sentenced to be drowned (the only woman condemned to death), but avoided execution by surrendering all her estates.
Gyllenstierna, her mother, her half sister and other noble ladies of Sweden were imprisoned in the feared and infamous Blåtårn
("Blue Tower") of Copenhagen Castle
. She had the company of her two little sons in the prison.
However, Danish rule in Sweden was soon overthrown by Gustav Vasa
, and in 1523 the Danes themselves deposed Christian. In 1525, the two countries made peace and Gyllenstierna was released to return to Sweden. At this time, she received a proposal of marriage from Søren Norby, Grand Admiral of Denmark, which she turned down. It was rumored that she had intended to marry Norrby as a means to gain the Swedish throne for herself and her children. Gustav Vasa interrogated her about this, but she denied it.
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In 1527, a rebellion broke out in Dalarna
in opposition to Gustav's introduction of the Protestant Reformation
to Sweden. The leader of the rebellion was the so-called Daljunkern ("the youngster from Dalarna"), who claimed to be Nils Sture
, the 15-year-old elder son of Lord Sture and Gyllenstierna. Gustav defeated the rebels, and Daljunkern fled to Norway
and then Germany
, where he was arrested and executed by Gustav's order.
Gustav had Gyllenstierna write a statement where she declared that Daljunkern was not her son but "To my knowledge a thief and impostor." According to Gustav's official history, Nils had died a year earlier. But some modern historians think that Nils may have been Daljunkern.
Gyllenstierna was briefly made responsible for the court of the royal children between the death of queen Margaret Leijonhufvud
in 1551 and the king's marriage to queen Katarina Stenbock
in 1552.
She had two sons from her first marriage: Nils and Svante Sture. From her second marriage, she had a son, Gustaf Johansson. Eric XIV
made Svante Count of Vestervik and Stegeholm, and at the same time made Gustaf Count of Enköping (later changed to county of Bogesund). Most of Sweden's highest nobility is descended from Gyllenstierna through daughters of these two counts. Her distant direct descendant, Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha married Prince Gustav Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and with Sibylla's son, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
, Gyllenstierna's blood returned to the Swedish throne.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
regent Sten Sture the Younger
Sten Sture the Younger
Sten Sture the Younger , Lord of Ekesiö , was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden, under the era of the Kalmar Union.-Life:...
, and after his death, leader of resistance to Christian II of Denmark
Christian II of Denmark
Christian II was King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden , during the Kalmar Union.-Background:...
. In her lifetime she was called Lady Kristina (Swedish: Fru Kristina), but later was referred to as "Kristina Gyllenstierna" because of the house of nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
to which she belonged.
Background
Gyllenstierna was a great-granddaughter of King Charles VIII of SwedenCharles VIII of Sweden
Charles VIII of Sweden , Charles I of Norway, also Carl, , was king of Sweden and king of Norway ....
through her father, a younger son of Christina Karlsdotter Bonde, for whom she was named. In 1511, she was married to Sten Svantesson partly to strengthen his political position.
She was from a family of Danish origin. Her grandfather Erik Eriksen of Demstrup ("Gyldenstjerne") was Danish, but became acquainted with Sweden, because the two realms were united in the Kalmar Union
Kalmar Union
The Kalmar Union is a historiographical term meaning a series of personal unions that united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway , and Sweden under a single monarch, though intermittently and with a population...
. When Sweden and Denmark began to fight over control of the Union, Erik allied with the Swedish claimant, Charles VIII. As reward, Charles's daughter, the heir of Fogelvik, was married to him and he ultimately became the High Steward of Charles' court.
Gyllenstierna's mother was Sigrid Eskilsdotter (Banér)
Sigrid Eskilsdotter (Banér)
Sigrid Eskilsdotter , was a Swedish noble, the mother of the Swedish regent Christina Gyllenstierna and the maternal grandmother of King Gustav Vasa of Sweden.- Biography :...
of Venngarn, Heir of Lindholm; so Christina was the half-sister of Cecilia Månsdotter
Cecilia Månsdotter
Cecilia Månsdotter Eka , also called Cecilia of Eka, was a Swedish noblewoman. She was the spouse of Erik Johansson Vasa and mother of King Gustav I of Sweden.- Biography :...
of Eka, mother of the future king Gustav I, through her mother's other marriage. Her father was Niels Eriksen, Lord of Tullgarn (also written Nils Eriksson, and surnamed "Gyllenstjerna" by later historians). Her family belonged to the highest Swedish nobility of this "Regency" era.
During this period, Sweden was governed almost continuously by "Regents", first for the infant son of Charles VIII, and then simply in opposition to Danish authority under the Union. Sten's father Svante Nilsson
Svante Nilsson (regent of Sweden)
Svante Nilsson was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden 1504 – January 2, 1512. He was born around 1460 as the son of Nils Bosson of the family of Natt och Dag...
was Regent from 1504–1512. At his death, Sten, then only 18, became Regent. He took the name "Sture" in honor of a previous Regent.
It is likely that Gyllenstierna acted as political advisor to her spouse. The couple was regarded as king and queen in all but name. In 1519, Peder Månsson, Bishop of Västerås, expressed his surprise in a letter from Rome to the Abbess of Vadstena Abbey that Sture and she were not yet crowned. The same year, the authorities of Stockholm referred to Christina as "Our Dear Princess".
Danish invasion
In 1520, Sven was killed in battle against Christian II of Denmark, and the Privy Council of SwedenPrivy Council of Sweden
The High Council of Sweden or Council of the Realm consisted originally of those men of noble, common and clergical background, that the king saw fit for advisory service...
submitted to Christian II.
Gyllenstierna took command of the Swedish forces and held out stoutly at Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. The peasantry of central Sweden, roused by her patriotism, flew to arms and defeated the Danish invaders at Balundsås on March 19 and were only with the utmost difficulty finally defeated at the bloody battle of Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
, on April 6. Gyllenstierna was now elected "King" by ten councillors of state in Uppsala. which however never has been recognized officially.
In May the Danish fleet arrived, and Stockholm was besieged by land and sea. But Gyllenstierna resisted valiantly for four months longer. She surrendered on September 7 after great starvation and suffering in the city. She took care to exact beforehand an amnesty of the most explicit and absolute character for all acts of resistance to Denmark. King Christian promised, that "Everything from the past will be forgotten", that she would be granted the fief Tavastehus in Finland and that neither she nor her family would be punished.
During all this, Anna Eriksdotter (Bielke)
Anna Eriksdotter (Bielke)
Anna Eriksdotter was a Swedish noble, commander of the city and castle of Kalmar during the Swedish rebellion against Denmark....
defended and commanded the city of Kalmar
Kalmar
Kalmar is a city in Småland in the south-east of Sweden, situated by the Baltic Sea. It had 62,767 inhabitants in 2010 and is the seat of Kalmar Municipality. It is also the capital of Kalmar County, which comprises 12 municipalities with a total of 233,776 inhabitants .From the thirteenth to the...
in the same fashion.
After the defeat
On November 1, Christian crowned himself king of Sweden and invited the nobility to great festivities to celebrate the coronation. At a grand ball, he even danced with Gyllenstierna. The festivities lasted for three days.On November 7, Christian summoned the Swedish nobility to a meeting. Lady Christina, as well as several other influential women, were also invited. When they arrived, the doors were shut and guards set in place. Christian accused them all of deposing the pro-Danish Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Gustav Trolle
Gustav Trolle
Gustav Eriksson Trolle was Archbishop of Uppsala, Sweden, in two sessions, during the turbulent Reformation events.After returning from studies abroad, in Cologne and Rome, he was in 1513 elected vicar in Linköping. One year later he became Archbishop of Uppsala...
. He specifically accused Sten Sture as responsible for this, and directed his accusation toward Gyllenstierna. She stepped forward and stated that the king could not punish them for this, nor could he accuse her late spouse and her for having performed the deposition alone: everyone in the room had signed the bill of deposition, the removal of Archbishop Trolle had been a part of the rebellion, and Christian had pledged amnesty to everyone involved in the rebellion.
"We have proof," she added, "the document is here." At this, the document with the signatures of everyone supporting the deposition of the Archbishop was brought forward. But Christian had found a loophole, which the Swedes had overlooked. The deposition of a bishop was also a crime against the church - heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
- and the king had no authority to pardon them for that. So he could punish them without violating his pledge.
Christian then took his revenge, known as the Stockholm Bloodbath
Stockholm Bloodbath
The Stockholm Bloodbath, or the Stockholm Massacre , took place as the result of a successful invasion of Sweden by Danish forces under the command of King Christian II...
. Christina's brother Erik Nilsson, Lord of Tullgarn, was executed by beheading, as were many other Swedish magnates. Gyllenstierna inherited Tullgarn, little benefit as it then did her. Her husband's remains were exhumed and burned publicly at the stake as a heretic.
Gyllenstierna was declared a great traitor and rebel, and as such King Christian called upon her and publicly asked her to choose: which did she prefer, to be burned at the stake or to be buried alive? Confronted with this choice, she was unable to reply and fainted with horror. After this, Christian was advised to spare her life. To save her life, she ceded a large part of her property to Christian. Gyllenstierna's mother Sigrid was sentenced to be drowned (the only woman condemned to death), but avoided execution by surrendering all her estates.
Gyllenstierna, her mother, her half sister and other noble ladies of Sweden were imprisoned in the feared and infamous Blåtårn
Blåtårn
Blåtårn was a tower at the royal Danish palace of Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark. The tower was used as a prison and has been known as such in history...
("Blue Tower") of Copenhagen Castle
Christiansborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace, , on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, is the seat of the Folketing , the Danish Prime Minister's Office and the Danish Supreme Court...
. She had the company of her two little sons in the prison.
However, Danish rule in Sweden was soon overthrown by Gustav Vasa
Gustav I of Sweden
Gustav I of Sweden, born Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa noble family and later known simply as Gustav Vasa , was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death....
, and in 1523 the Danes themselves deposed Christian. In 1525, the two countries made peace and Gyllenstierna was released to return to Sweden. At this time, she received a proposal of marriage from Søren Norby, Grand Admiral of Denmark, which she turned down. It was rumored that she had intended to marry Norrby as a means to gain the Swedish throne for herself and her children. Gustav Vasa interrogated her about this, but she denied it.
Later life and family
In 1527 Gyllenstierna remarried, to Johan Turesson, Lord of Falun. Gustav Vasa saw her as a threat when she first returned, as she was as great a national symbol as he was. This marriage was arranged as a form of retirement for her; she thereby promised not to involve herself further in politics.Dalarna
', English exonym: Dalecarlia, is a historical province or landskap in central Sweden. Another English language form established in literature is the Dales. Places involving the element Dalecarlia exist in the United States....
in opposition to Gustav's introduction of the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
to Sweden. The leader of the rebellion was the so-called Daljunkern ("the youngster from Dalarna"), who claimed to be Nils Sture
Nils Sture
Nils Stensson Sture may have been Daljunkern, a revolt-leader in Sweden.Nils was born in 1512 as eldest son of the new ruler of Sweden, Sten Sture the Younger, Lord of Ekesiö, the country's Regent from January 1512 to his death on 3 February 1520; and his wife Dame Kristina Nilsdotter, a...
, the 15-year-old elder son of Lord Sture and Gyllenstierna. Gustav defeated the rebels, and Daljunkern fled to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and then Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, where he was arrested and executed by Gustav's order.
Gustav had Gyllenstierna write a statement where she declared that Daljunkern was not her son but "To my knowledge a thief and impostor." According to Gustav's official history, Nils had died a year earlier. But some modern historians think that Nils may have been Daljunkern.
Gyllenstierna was briefly made responsible for the court of the royal children between the death of queen Margaret Leijonhufvud
Margaret Leijonhufvud
-Children:#John III , Duke of Finland, King of Sweden 1567-1592#Catherine , wife of Edzard II, Count of East Frisia#Cecilia , wife of Christopher II, Margrave of Baden-Rodemachern...
in 1551 and the king's marriage to queen Katarina Stenbock
Katarina Stenbock
Catherine Stenbock was the third and last consort of King Gustav I of Sweden, and Queen consort of Sweden between 1552 and 1560...
in 1552.
She had two sons from her first marriage: Nils and Svante Sture. From her second marriage, she had a son, Gustaf Johansson. Eric XIV
Eric XIV of Sweden
-Family and descendants:Eric XIV had several relationships before his marriage. With Agda Persdotter he had four daughters:#Margareta Eriksdotter , married 1592 to Olov Simonsson, vicar of Horn....
made Svante Count of Vestervik and Stegeholm, and at the same time made Gustaf Count of Enköping (later changed to county of Bogesund). Most of Sweden's highest nobility is descended from Gyllenstierna through daughters of these two counts. Her distant direct descendant, Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha married Prince Gustav Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten, and with Sibylla's son, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...
, Gyllenstierna's blood returned to the Swedish throne.