Margarita Leyonhuvud

Marriage

Margarita Leyonhuvud was a member of one of Sweden's most influential and noble families. She was the daughter of Eric Abrahamsson Leyonhuvuda executed in a blood bath in Stockholm , and Ebba Ericksdotter Waza, a relative of the king. She was engaged to Svante Sture when the king decided to marry her after the death of his first wife Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg . Her family broke the engagement for her daughter’s marriage to the king; her fiancé married her sister Martha Leyonhuvud.

In history, the circumstances of her sister's engagement with Svante have survived. The king saw his young queen and her ex-boyfriend Svante Stura together in private, with the young man kneeling before the queen. The king furiously asked: “What is going on here ?!”, to which Queen Margarita quickly replied: “My lord Sture asks my sister’s hands for me!” To which the king just as quickly answered: “I allow it!” Thus, Svante Sture hurriedly married Queen Martha Leyonhuvud's sister. Apparently, Queen Margarita and Svante Sture never again did anything that could be considered inappropriate.

In the early years of their marriage, Margarita's mother, Ebba, played a dominant role in the royal court, which even the king did not dare to confront his mother-in-law; however, its influence did not extend to politics.

Queen of Sweden

Margarita was described by an intelligent and beautiful woman. The marriage was considered happy and there is no evidence that the king was unfaithful to her. Queen Margarita is credited with a significant influence on the monarch. Her influence was appropriate for the consort queen - she spoke with the king on behalf of other people. She was very active in this regard and often successful, as Gustav himself admitted when he shortened her sentence at her request ^[3] . However, she did not use her influence to achieve any personal goals and did not exert pressure on him more than was traditionally allowed for a woman of her position. Her behavior contrasted with the behavior of Queen Gunilla Johanssdotter , who intervened in politics. Margarita was not considered politically active ^[3] .

Margarita had the ability to control the monarch's temperament and acted on him soothingly. She managed to mitigate the punishments imposed by her husband, advised him to show mercy and condescension - all this made her popular among the people ^[4] . She made donations to Wadsten Abbey, following the example of her mother, who was a philanthropist of Wretz Abbey ^[5] . Margarita often used the services of a healer, Brigitte Andersdotter's peasant wife, who was highly appreciated for her skills. She often hired her to care for her sister Marta and their children. Queen Margarita devoted her life to household chores and family life. She remained a Catholic all her life, and it was painful for her to make clothes and curtains from fabrics that the king confiscated from Catholic monasteries.

The monarch trusted Margarita. He instructed her to oversee the governors of the royal estates, bailiffs or feudal lords in order to prevent abuse of power, which could lead to political unrest. In 1543, he asked her to send spies to Södermanland to find out if the rumors about the uprising planned there were true ^[3] . In the early 1540s, he instructed the governors of royal castles to keep them for her on her behalf until his son reached adulthood; it was a precaution in case he died while his heir was still a child. In his order of succession in 1544, he stated that if he dies when his successor is still a minor, Margarita should become regent and rule along with a council consisting of nobles ^[3] .

Death

Margarita's constant pregnancies undermined her health ^[4] . In August 1551, she and her children took a boat trip along Mälaren between Gripsholm and Westeros , and after returning to the castle she contracted pneumonia. According to the chronicles of Egidius Girs, Margarita thanked her husband on the deathbed for making her queen, regretted that she was not worthy of this, and asked her children not to quarrel. When she died, the king mourned her bitterly. It is believed that after her death, a solar eclipse occurred ^[6] .

Margarita Leyonhuvud and Gustav Vasa had ten children: five sons and five daughters. Two sons died in infancy, and two more became kings of Sweden.

1. Johan III (1537-1592), Duke of Finland, King of Sweden (1567-1592)
2. Katarina (1539–1610), wife of Edzard II , Count of East Friesland
3. Cecilia (1540-1627), wife of Christophe II , Margrave of Baden-Rodemahern
4. Magnus (1542–1595), Duke of Westanston (western Östergötland) and Count Dahl (Dalsland), mentally ill
5. Karl (1544)
6. Anna (1545-1610), wife of George Johann I , Count von Veldenz
7. Sten (1546-1547)
8. Sophia (1547–1611), wife of Magnus II , Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg, who was the nephew of Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg
9. Elizabeth (1549–1597), wife of Christophe , Duke of Mecklenburg
10. Charles IX (1550–1611), Duke of Södermanland, Nerke, Vermland and northern Westergötland, regent of Sweden (1599–1604), King of Sweden (1604–1611)

• Carl Silfverstolpe: Vadstena klosters uppbörds- och utgiftsbok (The account-book of Vadstena Abbey) (in Swedish)
• Wilhelmina Stålberg, PG Berg: Anteckningar om svenska qvinnor (Notes of Swedish women) (in Swedish)
• Karin Tegenborg Falkdalen (2010). Vasadöttrarna (The Vasa Daughters). Falun: Historiska Media. ISBN 978-91-85873-87-6 (in Swedish)