Arvid Trolle
Encyclopedia
Arvid Birgersson, Lord of Bergkvara (c. 1440 – 20 February 1505) was a Swedish
magnate and politician in the last decades of Middle Ages. He was justiciar of Östergötland
and then of Tiohärad, as well as a Lord High Councillor of Sweden, and once a candidate for the Regentship.
, and his royally-descended wife Cecilia Knutsdotter of Aspenäs. His family coat of arms
depict a headless troll whereby some have retrospectively called him Arvid Trolle. His elder brother Erik Birgersson was murdered in Lübeck
in c 1460, which left Arvid as the heir of their parents' lands.
In 1460s, Arvid sympathized and somewhat supported King Charles VIII of Sweden
in his opposition against the Kalmar Union
. He was married with Beate, daughter of Iver Axelsen of Lilloe in Skåne, fiefholder of Gotland
, who was in almost open opposition against Danish central government, and himself became a son-in-law of Charles VIII.
Iver Axelsen, Charles' mightiest and chief ally in late 1460s, had once been promised succession after him by King Charles, but Charles' nephew Sten Sture the Elder
managed to wrest the regentship. Iver supported Arvid's election to regent to replace Sten Sture. They actually succeeded once in a coup in Stockholm
, so the Swedish High Council chose Arvid, but they soon lost their base to Sten Sture who had the support of burghers and peasantry.
In 1487, Iver Axelsen died and his daughter Beate inherited his lands in Skåne. It had been the intention that Beate and Arvid succeed him also in Gotland
, but Iver had lost it to the Danish king during his last year and the island was never recovered. Soon Beate died, and her sizable inheritance in Eastern Denmark became property of the couple's underage children, under guardianship of Arvid.
After Arvid's third marriage with daughter of High Constable Ture Turesson of Kråkerum, the leading union-supporter in Sweden, Arvid took a clear stance in support of union with Denmark.
Arvid was a leader of the 1497 rebellion against the regency of Sten Sture, which led to enthronement of King Hans of Denmark as ruler of Sweden, and the regency was abolished for four years. In 1501 Swedes revolted against King Hans and Sten Sture returned to regentcy. Arvid had to flee to Denmark, where he died.
Arvid was his era's biggest landowner within Scandinavia
. Almost 1000 manors in Sweden were in his allodial possession, and additionally he received over 475 manors more in Eastern Denmark jure uxoris upon the death of Iver Axelsen, fiefholder of Gotland, his second wife's father, in 1487. He also sometimes held as fief counties of Nyköping
, Stegeborg and Borgholm
.
He had children from all his three marriages. Eric Trolle
was his son by his first wife. Archbishop Gustav Trolle
was his grandson through Eric, and Admiral Herluf Trolle
was Arvid's grandson through the second wife.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
magnate and politician in the last decades of Middle Ages. He was justiciar of Östergötland
Östergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
and then of Tiohärad, as well as a Lord High Councillor of Sweden, and once a candidate for the Regentship.
Biography
Arvid Birgersson was born as second son of Birger Birgersson, Lord of Bo and BergkvaraBergkvara
Bergkvara is a locality situated in Torsås Municipality, Kalmar County, Sweden with 974 inhabitants in 2005....
, and his royally-descended wife Cecilia Knutsdotter of Aspenäs. His family coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
depict a headless troll whereby some have retrospectively called him Arvid Trolle. His elder brother Erik Birgersson was murdered in Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
in c 1460, which left Arvid as the heir of their parents' lands.
In 1460s, Arvid sympathized and somewhat supported King Charles VIII of Sweden
Charles VIII of Sweden
Charles VIII of Sweden , Charles I of Norway, also Carl, , was king of Sweden and king of Norway ....
in his opposition against the Kalmar Union
Kalmar Union
The Kalmar Union is a historiographical term meaning a series of personal unions that united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway , and Sweden under a single monarch, though intermittently and with a population...
. He was married with Beate, daughter of Iver Axelsen of Lilloe in Skåne, fiefholder of Gotland
Gotland
Gotland is a county, province, municipality and diocese of Sweden; it is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. At 3,140 square kilometers in area, the region makes up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area...
, who was in almost open opposition against Danish central government, and himself became a son-in-law of Charles VIII.
Iver Axelsen, Charles' mightiest and chief ally in late 1460s, had once been promised succession after him by King Charles, but Charles' nephew Sten Sture the Elder
Sten Sture the Elder
Sten Sture the Elder was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden from .-Background:...
managed to wrest the regentship. Iver supported Arvid's election to regent to replace Sten Sture. They actually succeeded once in a coup in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, so the Swedish High Council chose Arvid, but they soon lost their base to Sten Sture who had the support of burghers and peasantry.
In 1487, Iver Axelsen died and his daughter Beate inherited his lands in Skåne. It had been the intention that Beate and Arvid succeed him also in Gotland
Gotland
Gotland is a county, province, municipality and diocese of Sweden; it is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. At 3,140 square kilometers in area, the region makes up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area...
, but Iver had lost it to the Danish king during his last year and the island was never recovered. Soon Beate died, and her sizable inheritance in Eastern Denmark became property of the couple's underage children, under guardianship of Arvid.
After Arvid's third marriage with daughter of High Constable Ture Turesson of Kråkerum, the leading union-supporter in Sweden, Arvid took a clear stance in support of union with Denmark.
Arvid was a leader of the 1497 rebellion against the regency of Sten Sture, which led to enthronement of King Hans of Denmark as ruler of Sweden, and the regency was abolished for four years. In 1501 Swedes revolted against King Hans and Sten Sture returned to regentcy. Arvid had to flee to Denmark, where he died.
Arvid was his era's biggest landowner within Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. Almost 1000 manors in Sweden were in his allodial possession, and additionally he received over 475 manors more in Eastern Denmark jure uxoris upon the death of Iver Axelsen, fiefholder of Gotland, his second wife's father, in 1487. He also sometimes held as fief counties of Nyköping
Nyköping
Nyköping is a locality and the seat of Nyköping Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 32,427 inhabitants in 2005. The city is also the capital of Södermanland County.- History :...
, Stegeborg and Borgholm
Borgholm
Borgholm is a city and the seat of Borgholm Municipality, Kalmar County, Sweden with 3,093 inhabitants in 2005. It is located on the island of Öland in the Baltic Sea....
.
Family
Arvid Birgersson married three times:- Kerstin Jonsdotter of Fållnäs (family of Gädda), c 1459 who died c 1465
- Beate Iversdatter of Lilloe (Skånish family of Thott) 1440 - 5 December 1487 (married 1466, succumbed to plague)
- Birgita Turesdotter of Kråkerum (family of Bielke), married 23 September 1488, died 1513
He had children from all his three marriages. Eric Trolle
Eric Trolle
Eric Trolle was elected regent of Sweden in 1512, during the era of Kalmar Union. He was Justiciar of Närke and a Lord High Councillor of Sweden from 1487.-Biography:...
was his son by his first wife. Archbishop Gustav Trolle
Gustav Trolle
Gustav Eriksson Trolle was Archbishop of Uppsala, Sweden, in two sessions, during the turbulent Reformation events.After returning from studies abroad, in Cologne and Rome, he was in 1513 elected vicar in Linköping. One year later he became Archbishop of Uppsala...
was his grandson through Eric, and Admiral Herluf Trolle
Herluf Trolle
Herluf Trolle was a Danish naval hero, born at Lillö, Scania.- Early life :Herluf Trolle was born of the Trolle, a Swedish-originated family of high nobility, was son of Kirsten Herlufsdatter Skave and sir Joachim Arvidsen Trolle, Lord of Lilloe; thus grandson of justiciar Arvid Trolle, Lord of...
was Arvid's grandson through the second wife.