The style of the Swedish sovereign is the formal mode of address used by the monarch of Sweden. Its precise form has changed over the years, either by geopolitical changes or the replacement of ruling house. Traditionally, the monarch's official short title was 'by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends' and have been used since the early modern period. [2] The title of 'King of the Wends' was adopted by Gustav I of Sweden to contend against Christian III of Denmark, who included 'King of the Goths' to the Danish royal style without justification. [3] Later upon their ascensions to the throne, Margrethe II of Denmark and Charles XVI Gustav of Sweden removed all titles except 'Queen of Denmark' and 'King of Sweden' respectively, thus ending nearly five centuries of dispute.
This list only include monarchs subsequent to the reign of Christian II of Denmark, specifically since 6 June 1523 when Gustav Ericsson of Vasa was elected king, thereby marking the end of foreign rule. Due to him, the House of Vasa was inaugurated as the first monarchical dynasty to rule a unified Swedish kingdom. However, the Kingdom of Sweden was part of the Kalmar Union prior to his process of radical change. During the period of consolidation until the reign of Magnus IV of Sweden, most monarchs was styled 'King of the Swedes'.
Monarch | Period | Style in Swedish | English translation | Ref | |
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House of Vasa | |||||
Gustav I (1496–1560) | 1521–1523 | Jach Göstaff Eriichson paa Ribbeholm wtwald höffuitzman tiil Swerighe | Me Gustav Ericsson of Rydboholm, Elected Headman of Sweden | ||
1523–1528 | Wij Göstaff medth Gudz naadth wtwaldth Swerigis ok Götes konungh | We Gustav, by the Grace of God, Elected King of Sweden and the Goths | |||
1528–1538 | Wii Göstuff medh Gudz nadhe Suerigis och Götes konung | We Gustav, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden and the Goths | |||
1538–1560 | Wij Gustaf medh Gudz Nåde, Sweriges, Göthes och Wendes Konung | We Gustav, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends | |||
Eric XIV (1533–1577) | 1560–1568 | Wij Erich then fiorttonde Medh Gudz Nådz Sweriges, Götis ock Wendes etc. Konungh | We Eric, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends | ||
John III (1537–1592) | 1568–1581 | Wy Jahan then Tridie medh Gudz näde Swerigis, Göthes ock Wendes konungh, storfurste till Findlandh, Carelen, Wätzski Petin ock Ingermannlandh i Rydzlandh ock öfwer the Eester i Liffland hertig | We John III, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Grand Prince of Finland, Duke of Karelia, the Piatina of the Wods, Ingria, Russia, the Estonians and Livonia | ||
1581–1583 | Vi Jahan then tridie medh Gudz nådhe Sverigis, Göthes och Vändes konung, storfurste till Finland, Carelen, Ingermanland och Solonski Petin i Rydzland och öfver the Ester i Lifland hertigh | We John III, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Grand Prince of Finland, Duke of Karelia, the Piatina of Shelon, Ingria, Russia, the Estonians and Livonia | |||
1583–1592 | Wy Jahan then Tridie med Gudz näde Swerigis, Göthes och Wendes konungh, storfurste till Findlandh, Carelen, Wätzski Petin och Ingermanlandh i Rydzlandh och öfwer the Eester i Liffland hertig | We John III, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Grand Prince of Finland, Duke of Karelia, the Piatina of the Wods, Ingria, Russia, the Estonians and Livonia | |||
Sigismund (1566–1632) | 1592–1599 | Wii Sigismundus medh Guds nåde Sweriges, Göthes ock Wändes konungh, storfurste till Finland, Karelen, Wåtschipethin ock Ingermannland vthi Rysland ock öfwer the Ester i Liffland hertig, så ock konungh till Pålen, storfurste till Littawen, Rydzen, Pryssen, Masurien, Samogitien, Kiouenn, Wolin ock Liffland herre | We Sigismund, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Grand Prince of Finland, Duke of Karelia, the Piatina of the Wods, Ingria, Russia, the Estonians and Livonia, King of Poland, Grand Duke of Lithuania, Lord of Russia, Prussia, Mazovia, Samogitia, Kiev, Wolyn and Livonia | ||
Charles IX (1550–1611) | 1599–1604 | Wii Karl medh Gudz nåde Swerigis riikis arffurste ock föreståndere, hertig till Sudermannelanndh, Näriche ock Wermelanndh | We Charles, by the Grace of God, Hereditary Prince and Regent of Sweden, Duke of Södermanland, Närke and Värmland | ||
1604–1607 | Wii Carll medh Gudz nåde Sweriges riikis wttkorade konungh ock arffurste, hertig till Sudermannelanndh, Näriche ock Wermelanndh | We Charles, by the Grace of God, Hereditary Prince and Regent of Sweden, Duke of Södermanland, Närke and Värmland | |||
1607–1611 | Wii Karll then Nijonde medh Gudz nåde Sweriges, Göthes, Wändes, Finners, Carelers, Lappers i Norlanden, the Caijaners ock Esters i Liffland &c. Konungh | We Charles IX, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths, the Wends, the Finns, the Karels, the Lapps of the Northern Land, Kajanas, the Estonians and Livonia | |||
Gustav II Adolph (1594–1632) | 1611–1617 | Wii Gustaf Adolf medh Gudz näde Swerigis Göthis och Wändis vttkorade konung och arffurste, storfurste till Finlandh, hertigh till Estlandh och Wässmaunelandh | We Gustav Adolph, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Grand Prince of Finland, Duke of Estonia and Västmanland | ||
1617–1632 | Wij Gustaf Adolph medh Gudz nåde, Sueriges, Giötes och Wändes konungh och storfurste till Finlandh, Hertigh wtij Estlandh och Carelen, herre vtöfuer Ingermanlandh | We Gustav Adolph, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths, the Wends, Grand Prince of Finland, Duke of Estonia and Karelia, Lord of Ingria | |||
Christina (1626–1689) | 1632–1650 | Wii Christina medh Gudz nåde Sweriges, Göthes och Wendes vttkorade drottningh och arffurstinna, storfurstinna till Finlandh, hertiginna uthi Estlandh och Carelen, fröken vttöffuer Ingermannelandh | We Christina, by the Grace of God, Queen of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Grand Princess of Finland, Duchess of Estonia and Karelia, Lady of Ingria | ||
1650–1654 | Wii Christina medh Gudz nåde Sweriges, Göthes och Wändes drotning, stoorfurstinna till Finland, härtiginna vthi Estland, Carelen, Brehmen, Verden, Stettin, Pommern, Cassuben och Wänden, furstinna till Rügen, frw öfwer Ingermannelandh och Wissmar | We Christina, by the Grace of God, Queen of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Grand Princess of Finland, Duchess of Estonia, Karelia, Bremen, Verden, Stettin, Pomerania, the Kashubes and the Wends, Princess of Rügen, Lady of Ingria and Wismar |
Monarch | Period | Style in Swedish | English translation | |
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Charles X Gustav (1622–1660) | 1654–1658 | Wij Carl Gustaff medh Gudz nåde, Sweriges Göthes och Wändes Konung, Storfurste till Finland, Hertig vthi Estland Carelen Brehmen, Vehrden, Stettin, Pommern, Cassuben, och Wänden, Furste till Rügen, Herre öfwer Ingermanneland och Wissmar; sa och Pfaltz-Grefwe widh Rhein i Beyern, till Gülich, Clewe och Bergen, Hertig | We Charles Gustav, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Grand Prince of Finland, Duke of Estonia, Karelia, Bremen, Verden, Stettin, Pomerania, the Kashubes and the Wends, Prince of Rugen, Lord of Ingria and Wismar, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke in Bavaria, of Jülich, Kleve and Berg | |
1658–1660 | Wij Carl, medh Gudz nådhe, Sweriges, Göthes och Wendes Konungh och Arffurste, Storfurste til Finnlandh, Hertigh vthi Skåne, Estlandh, Lijfflandh, Carelen, Brehmen, Vehrden, Stettin, Pommern, Cassuben och Wenden, Furste til Rügen, Herre öfwer Ingermanland och Wissmar; så och Pfaltz-Grefwe widh Rhein i Beyern, til Gülich, Cleve och Berghen Hertigh, etc. | We Charles Gustav, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Grand Prince of Finland, Duke of Scania, Estonia, Livonia, Karelia, Bremen, Verden, Stettin, Pomerania, the Kashubes and the Wends, Prince of Rugen, Lord of Ingria and Wismar, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke in Bavaria, of Jülich, Kleve and Berg | ||
Charles XI (1655–1697) | 1660–1697 | Wii Carl medh Gudz nåde Sweriges, Göthes och Wändes konung, storförste till Finland, hertigh uthi Skäne, Estland, Liiffland, Carelen, Brehmen, Vehrden, Stettin, Pommern, Cassuben och Wänden, förste till Rügen, herre öfwer Ingermanland och Wissmar, så och pfaltzgrefwe widh Rhein, i Beyern till Gülich, Clewe och Bergen hertigh | We Charles, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Grand Prince of Finland, Duke of Scania, Estonia, Livonia, Karelia, Bremen, Verden, Stettin, Pomerania, the Kashubes and the Wends, Prince of Rugen, Lord of Ingria and Wismar, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke in Bavaria, of Jülich, Kleve and Berg | |
Charles XII (1682–1718) | 1697–1718 | Den stormäktige ock nådige herren, Karl, medh Gudz Nåde, Sweriges, Göthes ock Vendes Konung, Storfurste till Finland, Hertig uti Skåne, Estland, Livland, Karelen, Bremen, Verden, Stettin, Pommern, Kassuben ock Venden, Furste till Rügen, Herre öffwer Ingermannland ock Wismar, så ock Pfalzgrefve vid Rhen, i Bayern, samt till Jülich, Kleve ock Bergen Hertig. Grefve till Valdens, Spanheim, Mark ock Ravensburg ock Herre till Ravenstein. | Most Supreme and Gracious Lord, Charles, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Grand Prince of Finland, Duke of Scania, Estonia, Livonia, Karelia, Bremen, Verden, Stettin, Pomerania, the Kashubes and the Wends, Prince of Rugen, Lord of Ingria and Wismar, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke in Bavaria, of Jülich, Kleve and Berg, Count of Veldenz, Sponheim, Mark and Ravensburg, Lord of Ravenstein | |
Ulrica Eleanor (1688–1741) | 1718–1720 | Vi Ulrica Eleonora med Guds nåde, Sveriges, Götes och Vendes utkorade drottning, storförstinna till Finland, hertiginna uti Skåne, Estland, Lifland, Carelen, Bremen, Verden, Stettin, Pommern, Cassuben och Venden, furstinna till Rügen, fru öfver Ingermanland och Wismar, så ock pfaltzgrefvinna vid Rein, i Beijern, till Julich, Cleve och Bergen hertiginna, landtgrefvinna och arfprincessa till Hessen, furstinna till Hirschfeldt, grefvinna till Catzen-Ellenbogen, Dietz, Ziegenheim, Nidda och Schaumburg etc. | We Ulrica Eleanor, by the Grace of God, Queen of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Grand Princess of Finland, Duchess of Scania, Estonia, Livonia, Karelia, Bremen, Verden, Stettin, Pomerania, the Kashubes and the Wends, Princess of Rugen, Lady of Ingria and Wismar, Countess Palatine of the Rhine, Duchess in Bavaria, of Jülich, Kleve and Berg, Landgravine and Hereditary Princcess of Hesse, Princess of Hersfeld, Duchess of Katzenelnbogen, Diez, Ziegenhain, Nidda and Schaumburg |
Monarch | Period | Style in Swedish | English translation | |
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Frederick I (1676–1751) | 1720–1751 | Wi Friedrich med Guds Nåde, Sweriges, Giötes och Wendes Konung, etc. Landt-grefwe til Hessen, Först til Hirschfeld, Grefwe till Catzenelnbogen, Dietz, Ziegenhayn, Nidda och Schaumburg etc. | We Frederick, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Landgrave of Hesse, Prince of Hersfeld, Count of Katzenelnbogen, Diez, Ziegenhain, Nidda and Schaumburg |
Monarch | Period | Style in Swedish | English translation | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Adolph Frederick (1710–1771) | 1751–1771 | Wi Adolph Friedrich med Guds Nåde, Sweriges, Göthes och Wendes utkorade Konung etc. Arfvinge till Norrige, Hertig till Schlesswig-Hollstein, Stormaren och Dittmarschen, Grefve till Oldenburg och Delmenhorst etc. | We Adolph Frederick, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Heir of Norway, Duke of Schleswig, Holstein, Stormarn and Dithmarschen, Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst | |
Gustav III (1746–1792) | 1771–1792 | Wi Gustaf med Guds Nåde, Sveriges, Götes och Vendes Konung etc. Arfvinge till Norrige samt Hertig till Schlesswig-Hollstein, etc. | We Gustav, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Heir of Norway, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein | |
Gustav IV Adolph (1778–1837) | 1792–1809 | Wi Gustaf Adolph med Guds Nåde Sweriges, Göthes och Wendes Konung etc. Arfwinge til Dannemark och Norrige, Hertig til Schlesswig, Hollslein etc. | We Gustav Adolph, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Heir of Denmark and Norway, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein | |
Charles XIII (1748–1818) | 1792–1796 | Wi Carl med Guds nåde Sveriges, Göthes och Wendes Arffurste, Hertig till Södermanland, Arfvinge till Norrige, Hertig till Schleswig, Holstein, Stormarn och Ditmarsen, Grefve till Oldenburg och Delmenborst, Svea Rikes Storamiral | We Charles, by the Grace of God, Regent of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Duke of Södermanland, Heir of Norway, Duke of Schleswig, Holstein, Stormarn and Dithmarschen, Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst, Grand admiral of the Swedish Realm | |
1809–1814 | Wi Carl med Guds Nåde Sweriges, Göthes och Wendes Konung etc. Arfwinge til Norrige, Hertig til Schlesswig Hollstein, Stormarn och Ditmarsen, Grefwe til Oldenburg och Delmenhorst etc. | We Charles, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends, Heir of Norway, Duke of Schleswig, Holstein, Stormarn and Dithmarschen, Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst | ||
1814–1818 | Vi Carl, med Guds Nåde, Sveriges, Norriges, Göthes och Vendes Konung etc. Hertig till Schlesvig, Hollstein, Stormarn och Ditmarsen, Grefve till Oldenburg och Delmenhorst etc. | We Charles, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, Norway, the Goths and the Wends, Duke of Schleswig, Holstein, Stormarn and Dithmarschen, Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst |
Monarch | Period | Style in Swedish | English translation | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Charles XIV John (1763–1844) | 1818–1844 | Wi Carl Johan, med Guds Nåde, Sveriges, Norriges, Göthes och Wendes Konung | We Charles John, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, Norway, the Goths and the Wends | |
Oscar I (1799–1859) | 1844–1859 | Vi Oscar, med Guds Nåde, Sveriges, Norriges, Göthes och Vendes Konung | We Oscar, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, Norway, the Goths and the Wends | |
Charles XV (1826–1872) | 1859–1872 | Wi Carl, med Guds Nåde, Sveriges, Norriges, Göthes och Wendes Konung | We Charles, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, Norway, the Goths and the Wends | |
Oscar II (1829–1907) | 1872–1905 | Vi Oscar, med Guds nåde, Sveriges, Norges, Götes och Vendes Konung | We Oscar, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, Norway, the Goths and the Wends | |
1905–1907 | Vi Oscar, med Guds nåde, Sveriges, Götes och Vendes Konung | We Oscar, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends | ||
Gustav V (1858–1950) | 1907–1950 | Vi Gustaf med Guds nåde, Sveriges, Götes och Vendes Konung | We Gustav, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends | |
Gustav VI Adolph (1882–1973) | 1950–1973 | Vi Gustaf Adolf, med Guds nåde, Sveriges, Götes och Vendes Konung | We Gustav Adolph, by the Grace of God, King of Sweden, the Goths and the Wends | |
Charles XVI Gustav (born 1946) | 1973–present | Vi Carl Gustaf, Sveriges konung | We Charles Gustav, King of Sweden |
The Kalmar Union was a personal union in Scandinavia, agreed at Kalmar in Sweden as designed by widowed Queen Margaret of Norway and Sweden. From 1397 to 1523, it joined under a single monarch the three kingdoms of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, together with Norway's overseas colonies.
Charles XIII, or Carl XIII, was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway from 1814 to his death. He was the second son of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, sister of Frederick the Great.
Adolf Frederick, or Adolph Frederick was King of Sweden from 1751 until his death in 1771. He was the son of Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp, Prince of Eutin, and Albertina Frederica of Baden-Durlach. He was an uncle of Catherine the Great and husband to Louisa Ulrika of Prussia.
The provinces of Sweden are historical, geographical and cultural regions. Sweden has 25 provinces; they have no administrative function but remain historical legacies and a means of cultural identification pertaining to dialects and folklore.
The monarchy of Sweden is centred on the monarchical head of state of Sweden, by law a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system. There have been kings in what now is the Kingdom of Sweden for more than a millennium. Originally an elective monarchy, it became a hereditary monarchy in the 16th century during the reign of Gustav Vasa, though virtually all monarchs before that belonged to a limited and small number of political families which are considered to be the royal dynasties of Sweden.
The Geats, sometimes called Goths, were a large North Germanic tribe who inhabited Götaland in modern southern Sweden from antiquity until the Late Middle Ages. They are one of the progenitor groups of modern Swedes, along with Swedes and Gutes. The name of the Geats also lives on in the Swedish provinces of Västergötland and Östergötland, the western and eastern lands of the Geats, and in many other toponyms.
Kettil Karlsson (Vasa) (c. 1433 – 11 August 1465) was a Swedish clergyman, diplomat, military leader and statesman during the Kalmar Union era. He was a member of the house of Vasa. At age 25, he was elected Bishop of Linköping. He rebelled against King Christian I in 1463, was Captain General (rikshövitsman) and de facto regent of Sweden from February to August 1464, stepping down during the brief return of King Charles Canutesson from exile. After falling out with King Charles, Kettil Karlsson was subsequently elected Lord Protector and Regent (riksföreståndare) of Sweden from 26 December 1464 to his death.
The House of Vasa or Wasa was an early modern royal house founded in 1523 in Sweden. Its members ruled the Kingdom of Sweden from 1523 to 1654 and the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1587 to 1668; its agnatic line became extinct with the death of King John II Casimir of Poland in 1672.
Sture was a name borne by three distinct but interrelated noble families in Sweden in the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern Period. It was originally a nickname, meaning 'haughty, proud', but later became a surname. Particularly famous are the three regents from these families who ruled Sweden in succession during the fifty-year period between 1470 and 1520, namely:
The early Vasa era is a period in Swedish history that lasted between 1523–1611. It began with the reconquest of Stockholm by Gustav Vasa and his men from the Danes in 1523, which was triggered by the event known as the Stockholm Bloodbath in 1520, and then was followed up by Sweden's secession from the Kalmar Union, and continued with the reign of Gustav's sons Eric XIV, John III, John's son Sigismund, and finally Gustav's youngest son Charles IX. The era was followed by a period commonly referred to as the Swedish Empire, or Stormaktstiden in Swedish, which means "Era Of Great Power".
Three Crowns is the national emblem of Sweden, present in the coat of arms of Sweden, and composed of three yellow or gilded coronets ordered two above and one below, placed on a blue background. Similar designs are found on a number of other coats of arms or flags.
Olof Persson, sometimes Petersson, better known under the Latin form of his name, Olaus Petri, was a clergyman, writer, judge, and major contributor to the Protestant Reformation in Sweden. His brother, Laurentius Petri, became the first Evangelical Lutheran Archbishop of Sweden.
The Archbishop of Uppsala has been the primate of Sweden in an unbroken succession since 1164, first during the Catholic era, and from the 1530s and onward under the Lutheran church.
Princess is a title used by a female member of a monarch's family or by a female ruler. The male equivalent is a prince. Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or for the daughter of a monarch. A crown princess can be the heiress apparent to the throne or the spouse of the heir apparent.
King of the Wends was a pan-Scandinavian title denoting sovereignty, lordship or claims over the Wends. It was used from the 12th century to 1972 by kings of Denmark and from c. 1540 to 1973 by the kings of Sweden.
The monarchy of Denmark is a constitutional institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom includes Denmark proper and the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The Kingdom of Denmark was already consolidated in the 8th century, whose rulers are consistently referred to in Frankish sources as "kings". Under the rule of King Gudfred in 804 the Kingdom may have included all the major provinces of medieval Denmark.
The Reformation in Sweden is generally regarded as having begun in 1527 during the reign of King Gustav I of Sweden, but the process was slow and was not definitively decided until the Uppsala Synod of 1593, in the wake of an attempted counter-reformation during the reign of John III (1568–1592).
The Gustavians were a political faction in the Kingdom of Sweden who supported the absolutist regime of King Gustav III of Sweden, and sought after his assassination in 1792 to uphold his legacy and protect the interests of his descendants of the House of Holstein-Gottorp.
Älvsborg, now generally known as Old Älvsborg or Älvsborg Castle to distinguish it from the later New Älvsborg and Älvsborg Fortress, was a medieval castle situated on the rocky outcrop known as Klippan, on the south bank of the Göta Älv river within the urban area of the modern city of Gothenburg. It was demolished in the late seventeenth century, but some of its ruins are still visible today, close to the southern pylon of the Älvsborg Bridge.
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