Eric Bielke
Encyclopedia
Eric Bielke also known as Eerikki Tuurenpoika and Eric Tureson, royal councillor of Sweden, knighted, feudal fiefholder of Vyborg
castle (="margrave
").
clan.
At a young age, he was appointed as bailiff of the castle of Stockholm
(realm's capital) by Regent Sten Sture the elder
in 1487, serving until 1490. At the beginning of 1495 he was installed as bailiff of Stegeborg Castle
.
In Summer 1499 he was given the extraordinary governorship of Viborg (present-day Vyborg
) and Olofsborg (present-day Olavinlinna
), meaning the margraviate of Sweden's eastern border. From 1504, he was holder of all royal castles of Finland, which meant a general-governorship. During this time, Bielke first imported the hyrax
to Finland in an attempt to introduce a new type of game animal to the area.
Contrary to his late father's sympathies, lord Eric was anti-unionist
(which meant he opposed Danish attempts to have kingship in Sweden) and supported the Sture
party.
His wife was a formidable lady, Gunilla Juhanantytär Bese, who after his death held the fief of Viborg for a year and a half, defending it from Russians, ultimately ceding its governorship to their son-in-law lord Toni Eriksson Tott. Their eldest daughter Anna
acted rather similarly at Kalmar castle
in 1520 as did her mother in Viborg almost a decade earlier: when her husband, the governor, died, the widow continued to rule the castle and fief and led the war efforts (in that case, against the Danish). Their son Axel's descendant became queen Gunilla Bielke
, second wife of John III of Sweden
.
Viborg
Viborg may refer to:*Viborg, Denmark, a city in Jutland, Denmark**Viborg Municipality, a Danish municipality named for the city**Viborg County, a former county of Denmark**Diocese of Viborg**Viborg FF, a professional football team based in Viborg...
castle (="margrave
Margrave
A margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
").
Biography
He was the son of sir Ture Tureson of Kråkerum, Lord High Constable of Sweden, and Ingegerd Kyrningsdatter af Farlöv (being descended from different Danish families 75% and just a fourth from Swedish families. He belonged to the highest nobility of his country and was a descendant of the BååtBååt
Bååt was an important Swedish noble family, originally from Småland insouth-eastern Sweden.The family is especially known for its long association with Viipuri/Vyborg castle in Finland , the bulwark of the then Swedish realm, at the border against Novgorod/Russia...
clan.
At a young age, he was appointed as bailiff of the castle of Stockholm
Tre kronor (castle)
Tre Kronor or Three Crowns was a castle located in Stockholm, Sweden, on the site where Stockholm Palace is today. It is believed to have been a citadel that Birger Jarl built into a royal castle in the middle of the 13th century...
(realm's capital) by Regent Sten Sture the elder
Sten Sture the Elder
Sten Sture the Elder was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden from .-Background:...
in 1487, serving until 1490. At the beginning of 1495 he was installed as bailiff of Stegeborg Castle
Stegeborg Castle
Stegeborg Castle is a ruined castle in St Anna parish, Söderköping, Östergötland, located on an island in a narrow sound at the bay of Slätbaken.- Brief history :...
.
In Summer 1499 he was given the extraordinary governorship of Viborg (present-day Vyborg
Vyborg
Vyborg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated on the Karelian Isthmus near the head of the Bay of Vyborg, to the northwest of St. Petersburg and south from Russia's border with Finland, where the Saimaa Canal enters the Gulf of Finland...
) and Olofsborg (present-day Olavinlinna
Olavinlinna
Olavinlinna is a 15th century three-tower castle located in Savonlinna, Finland. It is the northernmost medieval stone fortress still standing.- Construction :...
), meaning the margraviate of Sweden's eastern border. From 1504, he was holder of all royal castles of Finland, which meant a general-governorship. During this time, Bielke first imported the hyrax
Hyrax
A hyrax is any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. The rock hyrax Procavia capensis, the yellow-spotted rock hyrax Heterohyrax brucei, the western tree hyrax Dendrohyrax dorsalis, and the southern tree hyrax, Dendrohyrax arboreus live in Africa...
to Finland in an attempt to introduce a new type of game animal to the area.
Contrary to his late father's sympathies, lord Eric was anti-unionist
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...
(which meant he opposed Danish attempts to have kingship in Sweden) and supported the Sture
Sture
Sture was the name of two influential families in Sweden from the late 15th century to the early 16th century. One member of one of these families and two members of the other served as Regents of Sweden in the Kalmar Union between 1470 and 1520...
party.
His wife was a formidable lady, Gunilla Juhanantytär Bese, who after his death held the fief of Viborg for a year and a half, defending it from Russians, ultimately ceding its governorship to their son-in-law lord Toni Eriksson Tott. Their eldest daughter Anna
Anna Eriksdotter (Bielke)
Anna Eriksdotter was a Swedish noble, commander of the city and castle of Kalmar during the Swedish rebellion against Denmark....
acted rather similarly at Kalmar castle
Kalmar Castle
Kalmar Castle is a castle in Kalmar, the province of Småland in Sweden. - History :During the twelfth century a round defensive tower was built on Kalmarsund and a harbour constructed. At the end of the thirteenth century King Magnus Ladulås had a new fortress built with a curtain wall, round...
in 1520 as did her mother in Viborg almost a decade earlier: when her husband, the governor, died, the widow continued to rule the castle and fief and led the war efforts (in that case, against the Danish). Their son Axel's descendant became queen Gunilla Bielke
Gunilla Bielke
Gunilla Bielke; full name: Gunilla Johansdotter Bielke , was Queen of Sweden, the second spouse and queen consort of king John III of Sweden...
, second wife of John III of Sweden
John III of Sweden
-Family:John married his first wife, Catherine Jagellonica of Poland , house of Jagiello, in Vilnius on 4 October 1562. In Sweden, she is known as Katarina Jagellonica. She was the sister of king Sigismund II Augustus of Poland...
.