List of kings of Sweden

The following list names the kings of Sweden in chronological order, structured according to the respective noble houses .

Before the kings mentioned here, the existence of which is largely historically verifiable, there were a number of other royal families, which are summarized as legend kings .

Ynglinger

Name (life data)	Reign	Remarks
Erik VIII., "The Victorious" (Segersäll) (* around 945; † around 995)	around 970-995	King of Svear and also King of Denmark around 992/93 . Erik probably ruled together with his brother Olof II until 975. Perhaps he was the first king to rule over the entire area of medieval Sweden , but it is possible that his son only succeeded in this.
Olof III. Skötkonung (* around 980; † around 1022)	at 995-1022	Son of Erik VIII. He converted to Christianity , founded the first Swedish diocese and had the first Swedish coins minted . In 1022 he was deposed as king of all of Sweden.
Anund Jakob "Köhler" (Kolbränna) (* 1000; † 1050)	around 1022-1050	Son of Olof III. Skötkonungs. Unsuccessfully waged war against Denmark and England .
Emund "the old" (den gamle) († around 1060)	around 1050-1060	Illegitimate son Olof III. Skötkonungs. With him, the Yingling family died out.

Stenkil gender

	Name (life data)	Reign	Remarks
	Stenkil Ragnvaldsson (* around 1028, † around 1066)	around 1060-1066	Emund's son-in-law the old man.
Around 1066/67 there were bloody controversies for the throne between two opponents named Erik, one of whom was probably a son of Stenkil. Both perished in the fighting.
	Halsten † 1081 at the latest	1067-1070	Possibly also 1079-1081
	Anund Gårdske	around 1070-1075	Anund came from the Kievan Rus , perhaps he was identical to Inge I. He was deposed because of his negative attitude towards the pagan religion.
	Haakon "the Red" (Haakon Röde) (* around 1040; † unknown)	around 1070-1079	Probably a stepson of Stenkil. He is the first Swedish ruler to be referred to as king on a contemporary document.
	Inge I., "the elder" (den äldre) (* unknown; † after 1101)	around 1080-1084	Son of Stenkil. He was a devout Christian; since he refused to sacrifice to the pagan gods, he was deposed. Possibly not recognized in Svealand at the beginning of the 1080s.
	"Sacrifice" -Sven (Blot-Sven) (* around 1050, † around 1087)	around 1084-1087	Haakon Röde's son or brother-in-law, killed by Inge I. Maybe just Saga King.
	Inge I., "the elder" (den äldre)	around 1087-1105	In 1087 Inge, who was still accepted as king in Västergötland , overthrew Sacrifice Sven and destroyed the pagan temple of Uppsala . After the early death of Sven's son Erik, he was able to consolidate his power and Christianity finally prevailed in Sweden. In 1101 he was able to negotiate a lasting peace treaty with Norway and Denmark.
	Philip († 1118)	around 1105-1118	Son of Sovad. At times he ruled together with his brother Inge II.
	Inge II., "The younger" (den yngre)	at 1110-1125	Son of Sovad. Little is known about his reign.
	Ragnvald Knaphövde	around 1125-1130	Perhaps a son of Inges I. He was recognized as king by the Svear, but on his arrival in Västergötland he was slain by the Gauten , who in turn had crowned Magnus the Strong as king.
	Magnus "the strong" (the strong) (* 1107; † June 4, 1134)	around 1125-1130	Prince of Denmark and grandson Inges I. Elected by the Western Gauts, but not installed as king. It is possible that he was expelled from Sweden by Sverker I.

Sverker and Eriks families

Name (life data)	Reign	Remarks
Sverker I., "the elder" (den äldre) († probably December 25, 1156)	1130-1156	House Sverker. Little is known about Sverker's origins and his reign. His policies helped Sweden achieve greater stability and strength.
Erik IX., "The saint" (den helige) (* around 1120; † probably May 18, 1160)	1156-1160	House Erik. Its origin is also uncertain. From 1150 he was king in Uppland, from 1156 in all of Sweden. He broke the last pagan resistance in Sweden and led a crusade in Finland .
Magnus Henriksson († 1161)	1160-1161	House Stenkil. Great-grandson Inges I, probably a short-term usurper. He was from Karl Vll. killed.
Charles VII (Karl Sverkersson) († April 12, 1167)	1161-1167	House Sverker. Son of Sverkers I. He was probably king of Götaland from 1155 and of all of Sweden after defeating Magnus Henriksson. In 1167 he was murdered by Knut Eriksson.
Kol Sverkersson († 1173)	1167-1173	House Sverker. Son of Sverkers I, ruled together with his brother Burislev. Both claimed the throne for a few years in competition with Knut Eriksson.
Burislev Sverkersson († 1169)	1167-1169	House Sverker. Son Sverkers I ruled together with his brother Kol. Both claimed the throne for several years in competition with Knut Eriksson.
Knut I. (Knut Eriksson) (* around 1160; † April 8, 1196)	1167-1196	House Erik. Son of Erik IX. After disputes over the throne with the sons of Sverker I, he was not able to consolidate his power until 1173. He built a castle on the site of today's Stockholm as protection against the Estonians . Also, the Kalmar Castle goes back to a set up by him defensive tower.
Sverker II., The Younger (Sverker den yngre Karlsson) (* around 1160; † July 17 or 18, 1210)	1196-1208	House Sverker. Charles VII's son. He was elected king because Knut's sons were minors. From 1203 his reign was marked by disputes over the throne with the sons of Knut. In 1208 he finally lost the crown to Erik X. and was forcibly killed while trying to regain it in 1210.
Erik X. (Erik Knutsson) (* 1180 - 10 April 1216)	1208-1216	House Erik. Son of Knuts I. With the support of Norway he succeeded in 1208 to overthrow Sverker II. Erik was the first Swedish king to be crowned.
Johann I (Johann Sverkersson) (* 1201; † March 10, 1222)	1216-1222	House Sverker. Son of Sverker II. He was elected king after the death of Erik X. Johann led an unsuccessful crusade in Estonia .
Erik XI., "The lisp and lame" (Erik läspe och hold Eriksson) (* 1216; † February 2, 1250)	1222-1229	House Erik. Son of Erik X, who was elected king when he was only six years old. Since he was still a minor, Sweden was ruled by a council. In 1229 he was deposed by Canute II.
Knut II. (Knut Holmgersson Långe) († 1234)	1229-1234	House Erik. Nephew Knuts I. Knut was a member of the council, the Swedes instead of the underage Erik XI. ruled. In 1229 he made himself king.
Erik XI., "The lisp and the lame" (Erik läspe och hold Eriksson)	1234-1250	After the death of Knut II, Erik returned to the Swedish throne.

Bjälbo sex

Name (life data)	Reign	Remarks
Waldemar (Valdemar Birgersson) (* 1243; † December 26, 1302)	1250-1275	Son of Birger Jarl . After the death of Erik XI. he was elected king at the age of seven, but in fact the power of government rested with his father until 1266. The rest of his reign was marked by disputes over the throne with his brothers Magnus and Erik. In 1275 he abdicated.
Magnus I (Magnus Ladulås Birgersson) (* 1240; † December 18, 1290)	1275-1290	Son of Birger Jarl. In 1275 he forcibly wrested the crown from his brother Waldemar, but was only able to consolidate his power in 1280. Then he introduced extensive reforms.
Birger (Birger Magnusson) (* 1280; † May 31, 1321)	1290-1318	Son of Magnus I, he ruled under guardianship because of being a minor until 1302. His entire reign was marked by the power struggle with his brothers Erik and Waldemar , which at times degenerated into a civil war. In 1318 Birger fled to Denmark.
Mats Kettilmundsson († May 11, 1326)	1318-1319	Reichshauptmann
Magnus II. (Magnus Eriksson) (* spring 1316; † December 1, 1374)	1319-1364	Erik Magnusson's son and grandson of Magnus I and Haakon V of Norway . He was crowned King of Norway and Sweden at the age of only three . In 1355 he passed the Norwegian throne to his son Håkon Magnusson . In 1364 he was voted out of office after a nobility revolt.
Erik XII. (Erik Magnusson) (* 1339; † June 21, 1359)	1357-1359	Son and co-regent of Magnus II. He was intended to be the Swedish heir to the throne after the death of his father, but was already striving for the Swedish crown and in 1357 achieved a division of the empire between him and his father.
Haakon VI. (Håkon Magnusson) (* August 1340; † August or September 10 or 11, 1380)	1362-1364	Son and co-regent of Magnus II. In 1355 he became king of Norway because his father wanted to divide his kingdom between his sons. But since brother Erik Magnusson died in 1359, Håkon also became his father's co-regent. He and his father lost the rule to Albrecht von Mecklenburg in 1364 .

Mecklenburg

	Name (life data)	Reign	Remarks
	Albrecht von Mecklenburg (around 1338 - March 1412)	1364-1389	Brother-in-law of Magnus II. He was elected king by the Imperial Council in 1364 and waged war against Magnus' supporters in his first eight years of reign. After all, he had to cede extensive powers to the Reichsrat. The attempt to regain this power led to the intervention of Margaret I in 1388 , whereupon Albrecht was defeated and imprisoned in 1389.

Kalmar Union

Name (life data)	Reign	Remarks
Margaret I (spring 1353; † October 28, 1412)	1389-1412	Regent of Denmark since 1375 and of Norway since 1380. In 1388 she was elected queen by the Swedish Imperial Council. However, it was only able to consolidate its power here in 1389 after defeating its predecessor Albrecht. Their most important political goal was the permanent unification of the three Scandinavian empires.
Erik XIII. (Erich von Pommern) (* approx. 1382 - † May 3, 1459)	1396-1439	Margaret's great-nephew. In 1397 he was officially crowned King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, but actual power remained with Margarethe until 1412. Erik founded the city of Malmö. The Engelbrekt uprising , which broke out because of the war against the Hanseatic League, and the peace of Vordingborg , which was unfavorable for Denmark, weakened his position and in 1439 led to his deposition in all three kingdoms.
Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson (* probably 1390; † May 4, 1436)	1435-1436	Engelbrekt led the uprising named after him from 1434 and controlled practically all of Sweden in 1435, which ultimately led to his appointment as imperial governor. In 1436 he was murdered.
Karl Knutsson Bonde (* 1408 or 1409; † May 15, 1470)	1438-1440	Imperial administrator and later king.
Christoph of Bavaria (February 26, 1416 - January 5, 1448)	1441-1448	Erik XIII's nephew, King of Denmark since 1440. Sweden and Norway also elected him king in 1441 and 1442, respectively.
Bengt Jönsson Oxenstierna (* 1390s; † 1449 or 1450)	1448	Reichsverweser together with his brother Nils after the death of Christoph.
Nils Jönsson Oxenstierna (* 1390; † October 1450)	1448	Reichsverweser together with his brother Bengt after the death of Christoph.
Charles VIII (Karl Knutsson Bonde)	1448-1457	After the death of Christoph of Bavaria, Karl was crowned king by the Swedish nobility, while the Danes in turn elected Christian I. In 1449 Charles also became King of Norway, but had to cede the country to Christian in 1450. In 1457 there was an uprising under the leadership of Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna and Erik Axelsson Tott. Karl was deposed and went into exile in Danzig .
Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna (* 1417; † December 15, 1467)	1457	Reichsverweser together with Erik Axelsson Tott; Archbishop of Uppsala.
Erik Axelsson Tott (* around 1415; † February or March 1481)	1457	Reichsverweser together with Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna.
Christian I (Christian von Oldenburg) (February 1426 - May 21, 1481)	1457-1464	King of Denmark since 1448 and King of Norway since 1450. In 1457 he was elected king in Sweden after a revolt against the rule of Charles VIII; but another uprising in 1464 led to his deposition.
Kettil Karlsson Wasa ( 1433--11 August 1465)	1464	Imperial administrator; Bishop of Linkoping .
Charles VIII (Karl Knutsson Bonde)	1464-1465	In 1464 Karl was crowned king for the second time but exiled to Finland after only six months.
Kettil Karlsson Wasa	1465	Imperial administrator
Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna	1465-1466	Reichsverweser after the death of Kettil Karlsson Wasa. In 1466 he was voted out of office and went into exile in Öland .
Erik Axelsson Tott	1466-1467	Reich administrator after Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstiernas was voted out of office; now a supporter of Charles VIII.
Charles VIII (Karl Knutsson Bonde)	1467-1470	In 1467 Charles VIII became King of Sweden for the third time and remained so until his death.
Sten Sture the Elder (around 1440 - December 14, 1503)	1470-1497	Imperial administrator; In 1471 he defeated Charles VIII's nephew in the Battle of Brunkeberg, Christian I, who wanted to regain power in Sweden. In 1477 the first Swedish university was founded in Uppsala. In 1497 Sten Sture had to abdicate in favor of Johann II.
Johann II (Hans) (* June 5, 1455 - † February 20, 1513)	1497-1501	Johann was crowned King of Denmark and Norway in 1481 after the death of his father Christian I. In 1497 he invaded Sweden and was also recognized as king there, but was deposed again in 1501 after a severe military defeat in Dithmarschen .
Sten Sture the elder	1501-1503	Reichsverweser after the deposition of Johann II.
Svante Sture (Svante Nilsson) (* around 1460, † December 31, 1511 or January 2, 1512)	1504-1512	Imperial administrator. His term of office was marked by disputes with John II , who asserted legal claims to the Swedish crown.
Erik Trolle (* approx. 1460; † 1529 or 1530)	1512	Imperial administrator; however, his appointment was contested by Sten Sture the Younger.
Sten Sture the Younger (1493 - February 3, 1520)	1512-1520	Imperial administrator; Son Svante Stures. After the provisional appointment of Erik Trolle, he was finally able to prevail against him in a second ballot. In 1518 he was able to successfully repel Christian II, who had invaded Sweden. A second invasion in 1520 was successful. Sten Sture was seriously injured during the battle and died in retreat.
Christian II, "the tyrant" (Kristian Tyrann) (* July 1, 1481; † January 25, 1559)	1520-1523	Christian II had been king of Denmark and Norway since 1513. After a first failed attempt in 1518, he finally managed to win the Swedish crown in 1520. In the Stockholm carnage , he had over 80 opposition nobles executed, which led to the uprising under Gustav Eriksson Wasa.
Gustav Eriksson Wasa (May 12, 1496 - September 29, 1560)	1521-1523	Imperial administrator. He led an uprising against Christian II and was able to drive the Danes almost completely from Sweden by 1523.

Wasa

Name (life data)	Reign	Remarks
Gustav I. Wasa	1523-1560	With the coronation of Gustav Vasa, Sweden finally left the Kalmar Union. Under his rule the influence of the Hanseatic League in Sweden was suppressed and the church reformation was promoted. The head of the Swedish church was now Gustav Wasa.
Erik XIV (born December 13, 1533 - † February 26, 1577)	1560-1568	The son of Gustav I. Erik found himself in constant quarrel with his brother Johann, who as Duke of Finland had great influence. His weak government policy led to his dismissal and coronation in 1568.
Johann III. (December 20, 1537 - November 17, 1592)	1568-1592	Son of Gustav I. His support for the Catholic Church and ongoing wars weakened Sweden.
Sigismund (June 20, 1566 - April 30, 1632)	1592-1599	Son of John III, since 1587 also King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania . His uncle Karl, who led the Swedish government, tried in 1598 to seize power in Sweden. Sigismund succumbed to him and was deposed in 1599, but never gave up his claim to the throne.
Charles IX (October 4, 1550 - October 30, 1611)	1599-1611	Son of Gustav I .; 1599–1604 imperial administrator, from 1604 king. He waged several wars against Poland, but could not achieve a lasting victory. A war against Denmark in 1611 led to the loss of the city of Kalmar.
Gustav II Adolf (December 19, 1594 - November 16, 1632)	1611-1632	Son of Charles IX Gustav II Adolf carried out extensive army reforms and made Sweden a great power. Successful wars against Denmark, Russia and Poland led to considerable territorial gains. In 1630 he intervened on the Protestant side in the Thirty Years' War and successfully pushed back the imperial troops. In 1632 he fell in the battle of Lützen .
Christina (December 17, 1626 - April 19, 1689)	1632-1654	Daughter of Gustav II Adolf. She came to the throne at the age of five and ruled under the tutelage of Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna until 1644 . Christina was an important sponsor of science and art. In 1654 she abdicated at her own request after she had converted to Catholicism. She spent her twilight years in Rome.

Pfalz-Zweibrücken-Kleeburg , a branch of the Wittelsbach family

Name (life data)	Reign	Remarks
Karl X. Gustav (8 November 1622 - 13 February 1660)	1654-1660	Grandson of Charles IX and Christina's cousin. He successfully waged war against Denmark and Poland and was able to permanently consolidate the Swedish claims to Livonia. Under him, Sweden reached its greatest territorial expansion.
Charles XI. (December 4, 1655 - April 15, 1697)	1660-1697	Son of Charles X. Because of being a minor, he ruled until 1672 under the tutelage of his mother Hedwig Eleonora von Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf and the five highest state officials. An alliance with France involved Sweden in a series of wars in which the Swedish fleet was badly defeated but which otherwise ended well for Sweden.
Charles XII. (June 27, 1682 - December 11, 1718)	1697-1718	Son of Charles XI. In 1700, when Denmark, Saxony and Russia invaded Sweden, the Great Northern War began . After initial victories and peace agreements, the anti-Swedish alliance was renewed and Sweden lost large areas in the Baltic States and Finland to Russia. In 1718 he died during the siege of Frederikshald .
Ulrike Eleonore (February 2, 1688 - December 5, 1741)	1718-1720	Daughter of Charles XI. and successor to her childless brother. In 1720 she abdicated in favor of her husband Friedrich von Hessen-Kassel.

Hessen-Kassel

	Name (life data)	Reign	Remarks
	Friedrich (April 27, 1676 - April 5, 1751)	1720-1751	Husband Ulrike Eleonores. In 1721 the Great Northern War ended with considerable reparations payments and territorial cessions by Sweden. Another war against Russia followed in 1741, which Sweden also lost.

Holstein-Gottorp

Name (life data)	Reign	Remarks
Adolf Friedrich (* May 14, 1710; † February 12, 1771)	1751-1771	Nephew of Frederick IV of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf , whose wife Hedwig Sophia was a daughter of Charles XI. was. Adolf Friedrich was a rather weak king who lost a lot of power to the Swedish Imperial Council.
Gustav III (January 24, 1746 - March 29, 1792)	1771-1792	Son of Adolf Friedrich. With military force he succeeded in 1772 in breaking the power of the Imperial Council and in introducing a new constitution. In 1792 he died as a result of an assassination attempt.
Gustav IV Adolf (November 1, 1778 - February 7, 1837)	1792-1809	Son of Gustav III. Until 1796 he ruled under the tutelage of his uncle Karl because of being a minor. He waged war against France and Russia, which eventually led to the loss of Finland. In 1809 he was deposed.
Charles XIII (7 October 1748 - 5 February 1818)	1809-1818	Son of Adolf Friedrich. In 1809 he became the successor of his deposed nephew and from then on pursued a policy that was friendly to France. In 1814 he became King of Norway, which had to cede Denmark, which was allied with France, to Sweden after Napoleon's defeat.

Bernadotte

Name (life data)	Reign	Remarks
Karl XIV. Johann (born January 26, 1763 - † March 8, 1844)	1818-1844	Marshal of France and adopted son of Charles XIII; King of Sweden and Norway. From 1810 he was crown prince and turned against Napoléon. His actual reign was peaceful and Sweden flourished in culture and science.
Oskar I. (July 4, 1799 - July 8, 1859)	1844-1859	Son of Karl XIV Johanns; King of Sweden and Norway. He carried out a number of liberal reforms and pursued anti-Russian policies.
Charles XV (May 3, 1826 - September 18, 1872)	1859-1872	Son of Oscar I; King of Sweden and Norway. By 1866 a constitutional reform introduced a bicameral parliament.
Oskar II (January 21, 1829 - December 8, 1907)	1872-1907	Son of Oscar I; King of Sweden and Norway. He led a very pro-German policy. In 1905 Norway terminated the personal union.
Gustav V (June 16, 1858 - October 29, 1950)	1907-1950	Son of Oscar II. After the First World War , Sweden became a de facto parliamentary monarchy .
Gustav VI. Adolf (November 11, 1882 - September 15, 1973)	1950-1973	Son of Gustav V.
Carl XVI. Gustaf (born April 30, 1946)	since 1973	Grandson of Gustav VI. A new constitution confirmed Sweden's form of government as a parliamentary monarchy. A new law of succession made his daughter Victoria heir to the throne. His term in office is the longest of all Swedish kings to date.