Katharina Jagiellonica
Katharina Jagiellonica ( Polish Katarzyna Jagiellonka , Lithuanian Kotryna Jogailaitė , Swedish Katarina Jagellonica av Poland , Finnish Katariina Jagellonica ; born November 1, 1526 in Krakow ; † September 16, 1583 ) was a Polish-Lithuanian princess from the Jagiellonian family . As the wife of Johann III. Wasa she was Duchess of Finland from 1562 and Queen of Sweden from 1569 .
Life
She was born as the youngest daughter of King Sigismund I of Poland and the Italian Princess Bona Sforza . Katharina became the wife of the Swedish prince and duke Johann III. Wasa and mother of the future Polish-Lithuanian electoral king, Sigismund III. Wasa . Tsar Ivan IV of Russia also applied for her hand .
The wedding with the Swedish Prince Johann, the second son of King Gustav I Wasa and brother of King Erik XIV , took place on October 4, 1562 in Vilnius , since Johann did not give his brother permission to do so because of his independent foreign policy as Duke of Finland had received marital union. From then on, the newlyweds resided at Turku Castle in Finland. John's interference in Livonia induced the king to declare war on his brother. Erik sent up to 10,000 men to conquer his brother's residence. The castle surrendered on August 12, 1563, which ultimately led to Johann and Katharina's capture. Both were brought to Sweden and interned at Gripsholm Castle.
Her unsuccessful applicant, Tsar Iwan, tried in diplomatic talks with Erik to dissolve the marriage between Katharina and Johann in order to then marry Katharina herself. This and Erik's spiritual decline led to growing opposition and dissatisfaction within the king's circle. In captivity she gave birth to her first child, Isabella (1564–1566). The oldest daughter was followed by the son Sigismund (1566-1632), then their youngest daughter Anna (1568-1625).
Katharina and Johann were released in 1567. 1569, after Erik's deposition and her husband's coronation as King John III. of Sweden, she was crowned Queen of Sweden until her death in 1583.
Katharina raised her son Sigismund to be a passionate Catholic, known as Sigismund III. Wasa was to determine the fate of Poland-Lithuania for 45 years. After he ascended the Swedish throne in 1592, his obvious alienated Catholicism his evangelical -schwedischen subjects and led to the battle of stångebro 1598 he was deposed by the Swedish Parliament in 1599. The failure of his political plans in Sweden, the country rose in the 17th century Protestant leadership and great power in Northern Europe and gave rise to longstanding military conflicts between Poland and Sweden for supremacy in the Baltic States and the inheritance rights of the Catholic Wasa to the Swedish throne.
Katharina died on September 16, 1583. She was buried in Uppsala Cathedral.
Marriage and offspring
From her marriage to King John of Sweden she had the following children:
- Isabella (1564–1566), Swedish princess;
- Sigismund (1566–1632), King of Poland and Sweden, Grand Duke of Lithuania;
- Anna (1568–1625), Swedish princess;
Web links
| predecessor | Office | Successor |
|---|---|---|
| Karin Månsdotter |
Queen of Sweden 1568–1583 |
Gunilla Bielke |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Jagiellonica, Catherine |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Polish princess of the Jagiellonian family and Queen of Sweden |
| DATE OF BIRTH | November 1, 1526 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Krakow |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 16, 1583 |
| Place of death | Turku Castle |