This is a list of Swedish queens consort and spouses of Swedish monarchs and regents. The list covers a large time span and the role of a consort has changed much over the centuries. The first Swedish consorts are spoken of in legends. Consorts until c. 1000 are often semi-legendary, as are monarchs.
Due to unions with Denmark and Norway, many of the Swedish consorts were also consorts of monarchs of those countries. Consorts listed during the period of 1380–1520 were in fact also consorts to monarchs of Denmark. The consorts listed during the period of 1814-1905 were also consorts to monarchs of Norway.
Finland was from the Middle Ages a part of Sweden, and although there was no official title, such as "Queen Consort of Finland", from the 16th century until the year of 1809; the queen consort of Sweden also held the title "Grand Princess of Finland."[ citation needed ]
Sweden has had three female monarchs. One of the consorts listed below is male.
This is a list of Swedish queens of legend.
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Świętosława of Poland [1] [2] | Mieszko I of Poland (Piast) | c. 955 | 978 | c. 990s divorce | 02 February 1014 | Eric the Victorious | ||
Aud Haakonsdottir of Lade | Ladejarl Haakon Sigurdsson, regent of Norway | c. 970 | c. 990s | 992 husband's death | c. 1015 | |||
Estrid of the Obotrites | a tribal chief of the Polabian Obotrites | c. 979 | c. 1000 | c. 1022 husband's death | c. 1035 | Olof Skötkonung | ||
Gunhild Sveinsdotter/Haraldsdotter | Sveinn Hákonarson or Saint Harald | c. 1008 | ? | c. 1022 husband's accession | c. 1050 husband's death | c. 1060 | Anund Jacob | |
Unknown name, called Ingamoder | Emund the Old of Sweden (Munsö) | c. 1043 | c. 1058 | c. 1061 husband's accession | c. 1066 husband's death | c. 1090 | Stenkil | |
Gyla [3] | ? | ? | ? | c. 1075 husband's accession | c. 1079 husband's death | ? | Haakon I | |
Helena [4] | Sigtorn or Ingvar the Far-Travelled | c. 1065 | before 1075 | c. 1079 husband's accession | c. 1084 husband's deposition | 1140 | Inge the Elder | |
Blotstulka | ? | ? | before 1094 | c. 1084 husband's accession | c. 1087 husband's death | ? | Blot-Sweyn | |
Helena [3] | Sigtorn or Prince Ingvar Vittfarne of Sweden | ? | ? | c. 1088 husband's accession | c. 1105 husband's death | after 1105 | Inge the Elder | |
Ingegerd Haraldsdotter of Norway [1] | Harald III of Norway (Hardrada) | c. 1046 | c. 1095 or 1096 | c. 1105/1110 husband's accession | c. 1118 husband's death | c. 1120 | Philip | |
Non-contemporary | Ragnhild | Halsten | c. 1075 | ? | ? | c. 1117 | Inge the Younger | |
Ulvhild Håkansdotter [1] [4] | Haakon Finnsson (Thjotta) | c. 1095 | c. 1116/17 | c. 1125 husband's death | c. 1148 | |||
Richeza of Poland [4] | Boleslaw III of Poland (Piast) | c. 12 April 1106/1116 | c. 1127 | c. 1130 husband's deposition | after 1156 | Magnus I |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ulvhild Håkansdotter [1] [3] | Haakon Finnsson (Thjotta) | c. 1095 | c. 1134 | c. 1148 | Sverker I | |||
Richeza of Poland [3] | Boleslaw III of Poland (Piast) | c. 12 April 1116 | c. 1148 | 25 December 1156 husband's assassination | after 1156 | |||
Christina of Denmark | Björn Haraldsen Ironside (Estridsen) | c. 1120/25 | 1149 or 1150 | c. 1156 husband's accession | 18 May 1160 husband's assassination | c. 1170 | Eric the Holy | |
Bridget Haraldsdotter | Harald IV of Norway (Hardrada) | c. 1131 | ? | 18 May 1160 husband's accession | c. 1161 husband's assassination | c. 1208 | Magnus II | |
Christina Hvide | Stig Tokesen Hvide (Hvide) | c. 1145 | 1163 or 1164 | 12 April 1167 husband's assassination | c. 1200 | Charles VII (actually Charles I) | ||
Cecilia (?) | Prince Johan Sverkersson of Sweden (Sverker) | c. 1145 | 1160 | 12 April 1167 husband's accession | c. 1190 entered a convent | after 1193 | Canute I | |
Benedicta Hvide | Ebbe Sunesson Hvide (Hvide) | c. 1165/1170 | c. 1185 | c. 1196 husband's accession | c. 1199/1200 | Sverker II | ||
Ingegerd Birgersdotter | Birger Brosa, Earl of the Swedes (Bjälbo) | c. 1180 | 1200 | 31 January 1208 husband's deposition | 7 April after 1210, possibly 1230 | |||
Rikissa of Denmark | Valdemar I of Denmark (Estridsen) | c. 1190/1191 | 1210 | 10 April 1216 husband's death | 8 May 1220 | Eric (X) | ||
Helena Pedersdatter Strange | Peder Strangesson | c. 1200 | c. 1225 | c. 1229 husband's accession | c. 1234 husband's death | c. 1255 | Canute II | |
Catherine Sunesdotter | Sune Folkesson (Bjälbo) | c. 1215 | c. 1243/1244 | 2 February 1250 husband's death | fl. 17 January 1251 | Eric (XI) |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sofia of Denmark | Eric IV of Denmark (Estridsen) | 1241 | 1260 | 22 July 1275 husband's deposition | 1286 | Valdemar | ||
Helvig of Holstein [5] [6] | Gerhard I, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe (Schauenburg) | c. 1260 | 11 November 1276 | 18 December 1290 husband's death | fl. 1324 | Magnus III | ||
Martha of Denmark [5] [6] | Eric V of Denmark (Estridsen) | 1277 | November 1298 | March or April 1318 husband's deposition | 3 October 1341 | Birger | ||
Non-contemporary | Blanche of Namur [5] [6] [2] | John I, Marquis of Namur (Dampierre) | c. 1320 | October or early November 1335 | 1363 | Magnus IV & Magnus VII of Norway | ||
Beatrix of Bavaria [5] [6] | Louis V, Duke of Bavaria (Wittelsbach) | 17 October 1356 husband's accession as joint-queen with Blanka, her mother-in-law | 20 June 1359 husband's death | 1359 | Eric (XII) | |||
Margaret of Denmark [5] [6] [2] | Valdemar IV of Denmark (Estridsen) | Spring 1353 | 9 April 1363 as co-queen consort then claimant | 15 February 1364 husband's deposition (claimed until 1380) | 28 October 1412 | Haakon, also Haakon VI of Norway |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Richardis of Schwerin [5] [6] | Otto I, Count of Schwerin (Hagen) | 1347/8 | 1365 | 23 April/11 July 1377 | Albert |
Several of the Queens on this list were also Queen of Denmark and Norway, as well as spouses to Swedish regents who did not have the title king.Queen consorts
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Non-contemporary | Philippa of England [5] [6] [1] [2] [7] | Henry IV of England (Lancaster) | 4 June 1394 | 26 October 1406 | 7 January 1430 | Eric the Pomeranian, also king of Denmark & Norway | ||
Dorothea of Brandenburg [5] [6] [1] [2] [4] [7] | John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (Hohenzollern) | 1430/1431 | 12 September 1445 | 6 January 1448 husband's death | 10 November 1495 | Christopher the Bavarian, also king of Denmark & Norway |
Regent consorts
Queen consorts
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Catherine of Bjurum [5] [6] [2] | Karl Ormsson Gumsehuvud (Gumsehufvud) | ? | 5 October 1438 | 20 June 1448 husband's accession | 7 September 1450 | Charles VIII (actually Charles II, then also Charles I of Norway) | ||
Dorothea of Brandenburg [5] [6] [1] [2] [3] [7] | John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (Hohenzollern) | 1430/1431 | 28 October 1449 | 23 June 1457 husband's accession | 23 June 1464 husband's deposition | 10 November 1495 | Christian I, also king of Denmark & Norway |
Regent consorts
Queen consorts
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Christina Abrahamsdotter [5] [6] | Abraham Pedersson, governor of Raseborg | 1432 | 1470 | 15 May 1470 husband's death | 1492 | Charles VIII (actually Charles II) |
Regent consorts
Queen consorts
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Christina of Saxony [5] [6] [1] [2] [7] | Ernst, Elector of Saxony (Wettin) | 25 December 1461 | 6 September 1478 | 6 October 1497 husband's accession | August 1501 husband lost Sweden | 8 December 1521 | John II, also king of Denmark & Norway |
Regent consorts
Queen consorts
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Isabella of Austria [5] [6] [1] [2] [7] | Philip the Handsome (Habsburg) | 18 July 1501 | 12 August 1515 | 1 November 1520 husband's accession | 23 August 1521 husband lost Sweden | 19 January 1526 | Christian II, also king of Denmark & Norway |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg [5] [6] | Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg (Ascania) | 24 September 1513 | 24 September 1531 | 23 September 1535 | Gustav I | |||
Margaret Leijonhufvud [7] | Erik Abrahamsson Leijonhufvud (Leijonhufvud) | 1 January 1516 | 1 October 1536 | 26 August 1551 | ||||
Catherine Stenbock [5] [6] [7] | Gustaf Olofsson Stenbock (Stenbock) | 22 July 1535 | 22 August 1552 | 29 September 1560 husband's death | 13 December 1621 | |||
Catherine "Karin" [5] [6] [7] | Måns | 6 October 1550 | 13 July 1567 (unofficially) 4 July 1568 (officially) | January 1569 husband's deposition | 13 September 1612 | Eric XIV | ||
Catherine Jagiellon [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] | Sigismund I of Poland (Jagellon) | 1 November 1526 | 4 October 1562 | January 1569 husband's accession | 16 September 1583 | John III | ||
Gunilla Johansdotter Bielke [5] [6] [7] [9] | Johan Axelsson Bielke, governor of Östergötland (Bielke) | 25 June 1568 | 15 February 1585 | 17 November 1592 husband's death | 19 July 1597 | |||
Anne of Austria [5] [6] [7] [9] [10] | Charles II, Archduke of Austria (Habsburg) | 16 August 1573 | 31 May 1592 | 17 November 1592 husband's accession | 10 February 1598 | Sigismund III Vasa, also King of Poland | ||
Christina of Holstein-Gottorp [5] [6] [7] [9] [11] | Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp (Holstein-Gottorp) | 13 April 1573 | 8 July 1592 | 22 March 1604 husband's accession | 30 October 1611 husband's death | 8 December 1625 | Charles IX | |
Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg [5] [6] [7] [9] | John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg (Hohenzollern) | 11 November 1599 | 25 November 1620 | 6 November 1632 husband's death | 28 March 1655 | Gustav II Adolph |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp [5] [6] [7] [9] [12] | Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp (Holstein-Gottorp) | 23 October 1636 | 24 October 1654 | 13 February 1660 husband's death | 24 November 1715 | Charles X Gustav | ||
Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark [5] [6] [7] [9] [12] | Frederick III of Denmark (Oldenburg) | 11 September 1656 | 6 May 1680 | 26 July 1693 | Charles XI | |||
Frederick of Hesse-Kassel | Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel (Hesse-Kassel) | 18 April 1676 | 24 March 1715 | 5 December 1718 wife's accession | 29 February 1720 wife's abdication, his own accession | 25 March 1751 | Ulrika Eleonora |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden [5] [6] [7] | Charles XI (Palatinate-Zweibrücken) | 23 January 1688 | 24 March 1715 | 24 March 1720 husband's accession | 24 November 1741 | Frederick I |
Picture | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Louisa Ulrika of Prussia [5] [6] [7] | Frederick William I of Prussia (Hohenzollern) | 24 July 1720 | 18 August 1744 | 25 March 1751 husband's accession | 12 February 1771 husband's death | 16 July 1782 | Adolf Frederick | |
Sophia Magdalena of Denmark [5] [6] [7] | Frederick V of Denmark (Oldenburg) | 3 July 1746 | 4 November 1766 | 12 February 1771 husband's accession | 29 March 1792 husband's death | 21 August 1813 | Gustav III | |
Frederica of Baden [5] [6] [7] | Charles Louis, Hereditary Prince of Baden (Zähringen) | 12 March 1781 | 31 October 1797 | 29 March 1809 husband's abdication | 25 September 1826 | Gustav IV Adolf | ||
Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp [5] [6] [2] [7] | Frederick August I, Duke of Oldenburg (Holstein-Gottorp) | 22 March 1759 | 7 July 1774 | 6 June 1809 husband's accession | 5 February 1818 husband's death | 20 June 1818 | Charles XIII, also Charles II of Norway |
Picture | Coat of Arms | Name | Father | Birth | Marriage | Became Consort | Ceased to be Consort | Death | Spouse |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Desideria [5] [6] [2] [7] | François Clary (Clary family) | 8 November 1777 | 17 August 1798 | 5 February 1818 husband's accession | 8 March 1844 husband's death | 17 December 1860 | Charles XIV John, also Charles III John of Norway) | ||
Josephine of Leuchtenberg [5] [6] [2] [7] | Eugène de Beauharnais (Beauharnais) | 14 March 1807 | 19 June 1823 | 8 March 1844 husband's accession | 8 July 1859 husband's death | 7 June 1876 | Oscar I, also King of Norway | ||
Louise of the Netherlands [5] [6] [2] [7] | Prince Frederick of the Netherlands (Orange-Nassau) | 5 August 1828 | 19 June 1850 | 8 July 1859 husband's accession | 30 March 1871 | Charles XV, also Charles IV of Norway | |||
Sophia of Nassau [5] [6] [2] [7] | Wilhelm, Duke of Nassau (Nassau-Weilburg) | 9 July 1836 | 6 June 1857 | 18 September 1872 husband's accession | 8 December 1907 husband's death | 30 December 1913 | Oscar II, also King of Norway | ||
Victoria of Baden [5] [6] [7] | Friedrich I, Grand Duke of Baden (Zähringen) | 7 August 1862 | 20 September 1881 | 8 December 1907 husband's accession | 4 April 1930 | Gustaf V | |||
Louise Mountbatten [5] [6] [7] | Prince Louis of Battenberg (Battenberg) | 13 July 1889 | 3 November 1923 | 29 October 1950 husband's accession | 7 March 1965 | Gustaf VI Adolf | |||
Silvia | Walther Sommerlath | 23 December 1943 | 19 June 1976 | Incumbent | - | Carl XVI Gustaf |
Some Swedish consorts acted as regents for their husbands or children, and had seats in the governments. These were:
This is a list of Swedish queens regnant:
Frederick I was King of Sweden from 1720 until his death, having been prince consort of Sweden from 1718 to 1720, and was also Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel from 1730. He ascended the throne following the death of his brother-in-law absolutist Charles XII in the Great Northern War, and the abdication of his wife, Charles's sister and successor Ulrika Eleonora, after she had to relinquish most powers to the Riksdag of the Estates and thus chose to abdicate. His powerless reign and lack of legitimate heirs of his own saw his family's elimination from the line of succession after the parliamentary government dominated by pro-revanchist Hat Party politicians ventured into a war with Russia, which ended in defeat and the Russian tsarina Elizabeth getting Adolf Frederick of Holstein-Gottorp instated following the death of the king. Whilst being the only Swedish monarch called Frederick, he was Frederick I of Hesse-Kassel and thus Frederick I also of Sweden, though other Swedish monarchs with non-repeating names had not been enumerated.
Ulrika Eleonora or Ulrica Eleanor, known as Ulrika Eleonora the Younger, reigned as Queen of Sweden from 5 December 1718 until her abdication on 29 February 1720 in favour of her husband Frederick. Following her husband's accession as King Frederick I, Ulrika Eleonora served as his queen consort until her death in 1741.
Sten Sture the Elder was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden from 1470 to 1497 and again from 1501 to 1503. As the leader of the victorious Swedish separatist forces against the royal unionist forces during the Battle of Brunkeberg in 1471, he weakened the Kalmar Union considerably and became the effective ruler of Sweden as Lord Regent for most of his remaining life.
Karl Knutsson Bonde, also known as Charles VIII and called Charles I in Norwegian contexts, was King of Sweden and King of Norway (1449–1450).
Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark was Queen of Sweden as the wife of King Charles XI. She is often admired for her generosity and charity.
Christina Nilsdotter Gyllenstierna of Fogelvik was a Swedish noblewoman. She was married to the Swedish regent Sten Sture the Younger, and led the Swedish resistance against Christian II of Denmark after the death of her spouse. In her own lifetime she was simply referred to as Fru Kristina, but she has become known in history as Kristina Gyllenstierna because of the house of nobility to which she belonged.
Hedvig Sophia Augusta of Sweden, Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp, was the eldest child of Charles XI of Sweden and Ulrike Eleonore of Denmark. She was heiress presumptive to the Swedish throne from her birth until that of her brother one year later and again from the start of his reign as King of Sweden, in 1697, until her death and the regent of the duchy of Holstein-Gottorp for her minor son from 1702 to 1708. Some sources refer to her as Sofia.
Ingeborg is a Germanic feminine given name, mostly used in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, derived from Old Norse Ingiborg, Ingibjǫrg, combining the theonym Ing with the element borg "stronghold, protection". Ingebjørg is the Norwegian most used variant of the name, and Ingibjörg is the Icelandic variant.
Charles Frederick, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp was a Prince of Sweden and Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp and an important member of European royalty. His dynasty, the Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, were a cadet branch of the ancient House of Oldenburg, which at that time was ruling Denmark-Norway. His mother was a sister of Charles XII of Sweden. Charles Frederick married a daughter of Peter the Great and became the father of the future Peter III of Russia. As such, he is the progenitor of the Russian imperial house of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov and the patrilineal ancestor of all Russian emperors starting with Peter III, except for Catherine II.
Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp was Queen of Sweden from 1654 until 1660 as the wife of King Charles X Gustav. She served as regent during the minority of her son, King Charles XI, from 1660 until 1672, and during the minority of her grandson, King Charles XII, in 1697. She also represented Charles XII during his absence in the Great Northern War from 1700 until the regency of her granddaughter Ulrika Eleonora in 1713. Hedwig Eleonora was described as a dominant personality, and was regarded as the de facto first lady of the royal court for 61 years, from 1654 until her death.
Princess Frederica Amalia of Denmark and Norway was the second daughter of King Frederick III of Denmark and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg, and Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp from 1667 to 1695 as the consort of Duke Christian Albert.
Ingeborg Åkesdotter Tott, in her lifetime called Ingeborg Åkesdotter or simply Fru Ingeborg, was a Swedish noble and the consort of the Swedish regent Sten Sture the Elder. She was the fiefholder of Häme in Finland. She functioned as the de facto queen consort of Sweden for over three decades and participated in state affairs during the reign of her spouse.
Brita Olovsdotter Tott or Birgitte Olufsdatter Thott, was a Danish and Swedish noble, landowner and royal county administrator She was judged for treason and for the forgery of seals. She was one of the biggest landowners in Scandinavia, and her estates played a role in politics in Sweden and Denmark.
A queen mother is a former queen, often a queen dowager, who is the mother of the reigning monarch. The term has been used in English since the early 1560s. It arises in hereditary monarchies in Europe and is also used to describe a number of similar yet distinct monarchical concepts in non-European cultures around the world. The rank does not go to all mothers of monarchs though. A mother of a ruling monarch may only be referred to as queen mother if she was a queen consort as opposed to a princess consort.
Magdalena of Sweden was a Swedish princess. She was the daughter of Charles VIII of Sweden and his first queen consort, Catherine Karlsdotter. In 1468–1470, her spouse Ivar Axelsson (Tott) was the promised successor of her father as regent.
Events from the 1520s in Denmark.
Events from the year 1718 in Sweden
Eleonora of Sweden may refer to: