Eric XIV of Sweden
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 King of Sweden
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Eric XIV (Erik XIV) (December 13, 1533 – February 26, 1577) was King of Sweden from 1560 until he was deposed in 1568. Eric XIV was the son of Gustav I of Sweden (1523–60) and Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg. He was also ruler of Estonia, after its conquest by Sweden-Finland in 1561. He was intelligent and artisticaly skilled, as well as politically ambitious. However, early in his reign he showed signs of mental instability, a condition which eventually led to insanity.
Eric's foreign policy was dominated by his efforts to make Sweden a great power. Unlike his father, who had in general been satisfied with ruling an independent state, Eric tried to expand his influence in the Baltic and in Estonia. This expansionism made him clash with his cousin, Frederick II of Denmark (1559–88). Striving for useful political alliances, Eric also made unsuccessful marriage proposals to, among others, Elizabeth I of England (1558–1603) and Mary I of Scotland (1542–67), as well as Renata of Lorraine.
In domestic politics Eric's ambitions were strongly opposed by the Swedish nobility, including his half-brother, the later John III of Sweden (1568–92). John rebelled, but was captured and tried for high treason in 1563. Most of Eric XIV's reign was dominated by the Scandinavian Seven Years' War against Denmark, during which he successfully repelled most Danish attempts of conquest, but was not able to keep his own conquests. During these years his insanity worsened; his reign became even more high-handed and marked by assaults, among them the killing of several members of the Sture family in 1566. In 1568 he was deposed and imprisoned by John who took over power. Eric's most trusted counsellor, Jöran Persson, took much of the blame for the actions taken against the nobility during Eric XIV's reign and was executed shortly after John III ascended to the throne.
Eric XIV died in prison: according to folklore, his final meal was a poisoned bowl of pea soup. A document signed by his brother John III of Sweden and a nobleman, Bengt Bengtsson Gylta, gave Eric's watchmen in his last prison authorization to poison him if anyone tried to release him. His body was later exhumed; forensic analysis revealed evidence of arsenic poisoning.
Eric XIV had several relationships before his marriage. With Agda Persdotter he had three daughters:
- Virginia Eriksdotter (1559–1633) (living descendants)
- Constantia Eriksdotter (1560–1649) (living descendants)
- Lucretia Eriksdotter (1564 – after 1574) died young.
- An unmarried child, dead apr. 1565.
- Sigrid (1566–1633) (born before the marriage)
- Gustaf (1568–1607) (born before the marriage)
- Henrik (1570–1574)
- Arnold (1572–1573)
See also
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