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'''Agda Persdotter''' |
'''Agda Persdotter''' (died after 1565) also known as ''Agda i Porten'' ('Agda of the Gate'), was the royal mistress of the future King [[Eric XIV of Sweden]] during his time as a Crown Prince in 1558-61, and in 1563-65. |
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== Life == |
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The date of her birth and death is unknown. Agda Persdotter was reportedly the daughter of the wealthy merchant and city Councillor Peder Klemetsson, who resided by the gate of St Nicolai in Stockholm and was known as ''Pher i Porten'' ('Per of the Gate'), thereby explaining the [[patronymic]] as well as the other well known name of Agda: her parentage has, however, not been verified. |
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Agda Persdotter was the first known ''frilla'' or mistress of Crown Prince Eric. It is not known when and how their relationship was initiated, but it is confirmed that she departed with him from Stockholm as a part of his household when he left for Kalmar in May 1558, and resided with him as his official mistress at [[Kalmar Castle]]. She was a center of his court at Kalmar, known as a beauty and given the sobriquet "Caritas" ([[Latin]]: Affection, Love). She had her own apartments at Kalmar Castle, where one of her rooms, ''Agdas kammare'' ('Agda Chamber') was named after her and her stay there: the room was situated just beside Eric's audience chamber. Eric is not known to have had any other mistress during his time as a crown prince. The couple had two daughters during these years, for whom Eric had horoscopes made at their birth. |
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In 1561, she was married to the noble Joakim Fleming and given the estate Eknaholm outside [[Växjö]], which had belonged to a monastery. The relationship with Eric ended, and resumed only after she became a [[widow]] in 1563. The relationship was not exclusive, as Eric had a large number of other mistresses; during the period 1561-65, Anna Larsdotter, Karin Jacobsdotter, Karin Pedersdotter, Sigrid Nilsdotter, Doredi Valentinsdotter and the more anonymous Britta and Ingrid were all listed as the King's mistresses, but Agda was his main mistress. The position of these women was only semi-official. |
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It was at that time customary for a Prince to have a mistress, though it was expected of him to dispose of her when he married by providing her with a pension of property or marriage. Consequently, Eric was expected to terminate the relationship with Agda when he was about to depart for England to propose to queen [[Elizabeth I of England]] in the autumn of 1560. On 25 August 1560, Agda was awarded the royal estate Eknaholm outside [[Växjö]], which had belonged to a monastery prior to the [[Swedish Reformation]], and which was to be her pension after the departure of Eric to England. She was also arranged to marry Eric's courtier, the nobleman Joakim Eriksson Fleming (1534-1563), brother of [[Klaus Fleming]]. |
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She had several daughters with Eric, and one daughter with Joakim, Anna (born 1562). In 1561, the custody of her children was given to the king's sister, [[Princess Cecilia of Sweden]], because, as Eric said: "I know she is not capable of raising them in good discipline and other things". When Cecilia left the country in 1564, their care, and that of the other children of Eric, was entrusted to [[Princess Elizabeth of Sweden]]. One of Elizabeth's servants, [[Karin Månsdotter]], took care of Virginia. In 1565, Karin became the one and only mistress of Eric and replaced Agda and all the others. Agda remarried the noble Christoffer Olsson Stråle av Sjöared, [[sheriff]] of Stegeborg. |
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In September, however, Eric succeeded to the throne as king and cancelled his trip to England. Despite this, his relationship with Agda was terminated and she was married to Fleming. Her marriage was followed by the loss of her children. On 24 September 1561, king Eric XIV transferred the custody of his illegitimate daughters Virginia and Constantia from their mother Agda to his sister [[Princess Cecilia of Sweden]] (or more precisely the main lady-in-waiting [[Anna Hogenskild]]), stating that of Agda that "I know she is not capable of raising them in good discipline and other things", and authorizing Cecilia to use any force necessary to separate Agda and her daughters.<ref>Gadd, Pia: Frillor, fruar och herrar - en okänd kvinnohistoria Falun 2009</ref> This was in fact an illegal act, as the law secured the mother full custody of her children until the age of three.<ref>Gadd, Pia: Frillor, fruar och herrar - en okänd kvinnohistoria Falun 2009</ref> |
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Agda was granted several properties in Södermanland at her wedding in addition to Eknaholm in Småland. She had one child with Fleming, a daughter Anna, born 1562. She was widowed at the death of Fleming in 1563. After she was widowed, king Eric reportedly resumed his relationship with her. This time, however, the relationship was not exclusive: between 1561 and 1565, king Eric had a collective of mistresses referred to as ''Frillohopen'' ('The Crowd of Mistresses') consisting of Anna Larsdotter, Karin Jacobsdotter, Karin Pedersdotter, Sigrid Nilsdotter, Doredi Valentinsdotter as well as the anonymous Britta and Ingrid.<ref>Gadd, Pia: Frillor, fruar och herrar - en okänd kvinnohistoria Falun 2009</ref> |
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In 1565, Eric replaced all his previous mistresses with [[Karin Månsdotter]], previously one of the servants looking after Agda's daughter Virginia. The later life of Agda Persdotter is not verified, but according to unverified accounts, she married the nobleman Christoffer Olofsson Stråle of Sjöared, royal commandant of [[Stegeholm Castle]] and [[Söderköping Castle]]. |
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==Children== |
==Children== |
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*[http://runeberg.org/sqvinnor/0012.html Anteckningar om svenska qvinnor] |
*[http://runeberg.org/sqvinnor/0012.html Anteckningar om svenska qvinnor] |
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*Lars-Olof Larsson, Arvet efter Gustav Vasa |
*Lars-Olof Larsson, Arvet efter Gustav Vasa |
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*Gadd, Pia: Frillor, fruar och herrar - en okänd kvinnohistoria Falun 2009 |
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[[Category:16th-century births]] |
[[Category:16th-century births]] |
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[[Category:16th-century Swedish people]] |
[[Category:16th-century Swedish people]] |
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[[Category:Year of death |
[[Category:Year of death unknown]] |
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Revision as of 00:02, 22 February 2018
Agda Persdotter (died after 1565) also known as Agda i Porten ('Agda of the Gate'), was the royal mistress of the future King Eric XIV of Sweden during his time as a Crown Prince in 1558-61, and in 1563-65.
Life
The date of her birth and death is unknown. Agda Persdotter was reportedly the daughter of the wealthy merchant and city Councillor Peder Klemetsson, who resided by the gate of St Nicolai in Stockholm and was known as Pher i Porten ('Per of the Gate'), thereby explaining the patronymic as well as the other well known name of Agda: her parentage has, however, not been verified.
Agda Persdotter was the first known frilla or mistress of Crown Prince Eric. It is not known when and how their relationship was initiated, but it is confirmed that she departed with him from Stockholm as a part of his household when he left for Kalmar in May 1558, and resided with him as his official mistress at Kalmar Castle. She was a center of his court at Kalmar, known as a beauty and given the sobriquet "Caritas" (Latin: Affection, Love). She had her own apartments at Kalmar Castle, where one of her rooms, Agdas kammare ('Agda Chamber') was named after her and her stay there: the room was situated just beside Eric's audience chamber. Eric is not known to have had any other mistress during his time as a crown prince. The couple had two daughters during these years, for whom Eric had horoscopes made at their birth.
It was at that time customary for a Prince to have a mistress, though it was expected of him to dispose of her when he married by providing her with a pension of property or marriage. Consequently, Eric was expected to terminate the relationship with Agda when he was about to depart for England to propose to queen Elizabeth I of England in the autumn of 1560. On 25 August 1560, Agda was awarded the royal estate Eknaholm outside Växjö, which had belonged to a monastery prior to the Swedish Reformation, and which was to be her pension after the departure of Eric to England. She was also arranged to marry Eric's courtier, the nobleman Joakim Eriksson Fleming (1534-1563), brother of Klaus Fleming.
In September, however, Eric succeeded to the throne as king and cancelled his trip to England. Despite this, his relationship with Agda was terminated and she was married to Fleming. Her marriage was followed by the loss of her children. On 24 September 1561, king Eric XIV transferred the custody of his illegitimate daughters Virginia and Constantia from their mother Agda to his sister Princess Cecilia of Sweden (or more precisely the main lady-in-waiting Anna Hogenskild), stating that of Agda that "I know she is not capable of raising them in good discipline and other things", and authorizing Cecilia to use any force necessary to separate Agda and her daughters.[1] This was in fact an illegal act, as the law secured the mother full custody of her children until the age of three.[2]
Agda was granted several properties in Södermanland at her wedding in addition to Eknaholm in Småland. She had one child with Fleming, a daughter Anna, born 1562. She was widowed at the death of Fleming in 1563. After she was widowed, king Eric reportedly resumed his relationship with her. This time, however, the relationship was not exclusive: between 1561 and 1565, king Eric had a collective of mistresses referred to as Frillohopen ('The Crowd of Mistresses') consisting of Anna Larsdotter, Karin Jacobsdotter, Karin Pedersdotter, Sigrid Nilsdotter, Doredi Valentinsdotter as well as the anonymous Britta and Ingrid.[3]
In 1565, Eric replaced all his previous mistresses with Karin Månsdotter, previously one of the servants looking after Agda's daughter Virginia. The later life of Agda Persdotter is not verified, but according to unverified accounts, she married the nobleman Christoffer Olofsson Stråle of Sjöared, royal commandant of Stegeholm Castle and Söderköping Castle.
Children
- Virginia Eriksdotter (1559–1633) (living descendants)
- Constantia Eriksdotter (1560–1649) (living descendants)
- Lucretia Eriksdotter (1564–after 1574) died young.
References
- Hans Gillingstam, "Agda Persdotter, hennes släkt och Erik XIV:s dotter Lucretia. En källkritisk studie", Släkt och Hävd 2001:2-3, s. 156-160.
- Anteckningar om svenska qvinnor
- Lars-Olof Larsson, Arvet efter Gustav Vasa
- Gadd, Pia: Frillor, fruar och herrar - en okänd kvinnohistoria Falun 2009