Duke of Finland
Encyclopedia
Duke of Finland was an occasional medieval title granted as a tertiogeniture to the relatives of the King of Sweden between the 13th and 16th centuries. It included a duchy
along with the feudal customs, and often meant a veritably independent
principality
. The title was gradually replaced by a nominal royal title Grand Duke of Finland by the early 17th century and has not been in usage since.
and came to mean duke
only hundred years later. Ericus Olai's claim is not supported by other sources. However, some historians date the small Stenberga Castle
in Masku
to the late 12th century, when the Novgorodian wars
reached Finland and may have resulted in temporary Swedish military presence in the area.
Noteworthy is also that the Bishops of Linköping had an unexplained connection to eastern activities during the 13th century. Pope used him in 1229 to assist the Bishop of Finland to organize the diocese, and the first known Duke of Finland, Benedict, was soon after his nomination elected also as the Bishop of Linköping. Bishop of Linköping had also accompanied the Swedish ledung on their unsuccessful Estonian expedition
.
Bengt Birgersson
(1254–91), also known as Benedict, an eccleasiastic, the youngest brother of king Valdemar I of Sweden
and Duke Magnus of Sweden (later king Magnus III), was about 1284 granted the Duchy of Finland by his elder brother king Magnus. Bengt's appointment ended a 35-year-long period of episcopal rule in Finland, effective since the Second Swedish Crusade
around 1249.
Bengt's reign did not last long. Soon thereafter, the duke, a consecrated priest and the chancellor of the realm, was elected in 1286 bishop of Linköping
. As far as is known, he bore revenues from Finland until his death but did not attempt any independent rule. He was the first known holder of the appanage
of Finland.
The youngest son of the late king Magnus III of Sweden
(1240–90), Valdemar
(1280s-1318), was given his late uncle Bengt's Duchy of Finland at the coronation of his eldest brother King Birger I of Sweden in 1302. Valdemar's elder brother Duke Eric
was in the 1310s establishing a truly independent principality in Western Sweden, duke Valdemar being his ally. There is no evidence that duke Valdemar succeeded in having as independent position as his brother, but it is obvious that Valdemar used his ducal revenues to assist Eric's campaign against the king and kept his Finnish appanage and administration under Eric instead of the king.
In 1315, in alliance with Eric, Valdemar gained Turku castle
and Häme Castle
together with their provinces, i.e. most of Finland, as well as Stockholm Castle, most of Uppland
and Borgholm
with Öland
, as the result of their civil war against the king. On December 10, 1317 he was imprisoned in Nyköping
together with his brother Eric by their brother Birger. Sometime in 1318, Duke Valdemar (and Duke Eric) died while incarcerated.
With his second wife Ingeborg of Norway, Duke Valdemar had a son, born in 1316, who presumably died young.
(nephew of Duke Valdemar, above) had already in 1353 recognized as Duke of Halland (an originally Danish principality) as the heir of its earlier dukes, Dukes of Estonia and Reval, was in 1353 or 1354 given the duchy of Finland, too.
The duke apparently did not make any bigger efforts to establish himself as ruler in Finland, being satisfied to bear revenues from the duchy. He had his seat in Southern Sweden, where he acted as Viceroy of Skane.
The duke was trampled under certain nobility's opposition against the king. He was exiled in 1357, and killed without an heir in 1360. In 1357, his holdings, including Finland, were given to Eric
. Eric was co-ruler of the king, and did not need the ducal title which was left aside for almost 200 years.
In 1556, two hundred years after it was vacated by deposition of Duke Bengt Algotsson, King Gustav I of Sweden
(reigned 1523–60) gave the duchy
of Finland to his second son, the then 18-year-old John
(1537–92). John was the only holder of the title to establish a real princely rule in Finland. The duchy included the Finland Proper
, Raasepori together with Western Uusimaa
, and Lower Satakunta. The duchy thus formed was given extraordinarily independent feudal rights by the king. Additionally, John was appointed as Governor-General of Finland
, meaning all the other areas beyond Gulf of Bothnia and up to the eastern border. These additions he however did not hold by feudal right but as a royal appointee.
Duke John settled in Turku
, where he created a cultivated princely court at the Turku castle
. John was an enthusiastic patron of arts and architecture, and he decorated the castle to splendor never before seen in Finland. Before his marriage, he had a Finnish mistress, Kaarina Hannuntytär. Several Finnish and Swedish families claim descendancy from their bastards. After the death of his father, John drove his own foreign policy which at times was at odds with his elder brother King Eric XIV of Sweden
(reigned 1560–68). Also in domestic affairs, John soon opposed the king, together with a party of high nobility who all opposed the increasing centralization of the government. On October 4, 1562, John married his first wife Catherine Jagellonica (1526–83), daughter of Sigismund I
of Poland
(1467–1548), against the wishes of his elder brother. Eric regarded his conduct as a rebellion. John and Catherine were imprisoned to Gripsholm Castle
in 1563, after a siege of the Turku castle and its conquest by king's troops. The imprisoned duke kept his title, but the duchy itself became administered by royal officials.
Eric was deposed by leaders of nobility in 1568, and John, recently released, ascended the throne of Sweden. He reigned until his death in 1592 as King John III. Apparently he made, in 1589, arrangements to grant the Duchy of Finland to his youngest son Duke John (see below).
In 1581, King John III assumed the subsidiary title Grand Prince
of Finland and Karelia
. "Karelia" was soon dropped from the title and assumed a part of Finland, which thus started to have its later eastern extent. The title became established in Latin renderings, and later in the 19th century also in English, as the Grand Duke of Finland, however using the Finnish (ruhtinas) and Swedish (furst) names for a prince in its local renderings.
Shortly before his death, King John III, the previous Duke of Finland, gave his old Duchy and its title as a royal duke to John the Younger (1589–1618), his newborn son from his second marriage with Gunilla Bielke
(1568–97). King Sigismund III, child John's half-brother, seems to have confirmed this appanage
.
Royal chancellery administered the duchy on behalf of the underage duke, and provided him his allotted revenues. However, when young Duke John approached adulthood, his duchy
was in 1606 changed to that of Östergötland
, previously held by King John's brother, the late Duke Magnus. Duke John the Younger married his first cousin Maria Elisabeth of Sweden (1596–1618). They died childless.
During 1590-1599, John's father and half-brother continued to call themselves Grand Dukes of Finland.
, the heir-apparent, was in 1606 made Duke of Finland, upon assigning Östergötland to Duke John the younger, and started to receive ducal revenues from Finland.
Gustav Adolf ascended the throne of Sweden in 1611 and readopted the Grand Duke of Finland among his titles. He was the last to have a real feudal principality of Finland and revenues therefrom.
No duke of Finland has left descendants in marital
lines which survive to our time. Except John III's legitimate descent (kings of Sweden and Poland and totally extinct since 1672), lineage of all the others went extinct upon their own death or at the death of an only surviving legitimate child.
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
along with the feudal customs, and often meant a veritably independent
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
principality
Principality
A principality is a monarchical feudatory or sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a monarch with the title of prince or princess, or by a monarch with another title within the generic use of the term prince....
. The title was gradually replaced by a nominal royal title Grand Duke of Finland by the early 17th century and has not been in usage since.
Bishop-Duke Kol
In the late 15th century, historian Ericus Olai claimed that bishop Kol of Linköping (d. 1196?) had been the Duke of Finland (Dux Finlandiae). In the late 12th century, the title "dux" was still used in the meaning of jarlJarl in Sweden
In Sweden, members of medieval royal families, such as the House of Stenkil and House of Bjelbo, held the title of jarl before their accession to the throne. Since the early 12th century, there usually was only one holder of the title at a time, second only to the King of Sweden.For special...
and came to mean duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
only hundred years later. Ericus Olai's claim is not supported by other sources. However, some historians date the small Stenberga Castle
Stenberga Castle
Stenberga Castle was a small medieval castle in Masku, Finland. It was originally built of gray stone, consisting of two towers with outer dimensions of 13 x 13 and 9 x 7 metres, respectively. The castle walls were two metres thick. In a later phase, bricks were also used in the construction...
in Masku
Masku
Masku is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Finland Proper region. The municipality, which is located just north of Turku, has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich...
to the late 12th century, when the Novgorodian wars
Finnish-Novgorodian wars
The Finnish–Novgorodian wars were a series of conflicts that took place between Finnic tribes in eastern Fennoscandia called "Yem", and the Republic of Novgorod from the 11th or 12th century to early 13th century. The wars seem to have contributed to the eventual Swedish conquest of Finland in...
reached Finland and may have resulted in temporary Swedish military presence in the area.
Noteworthy is also that the Bishops of Linköping had an unexplained connection to eastern activities during the 13th century. Pope used him in 1229 to assist the Bishop of Finland to organize the diocese, and the first known Duke of Finland, Benedict, was soon after his nomination elected also as the Bishop of Linköping. Bishop of Linköping had also accompanied the Swedish ledung on their unsuccessful Estonian expedition
Battle of Lihula
Battle of Lihula was fought between invading Swedes and Estonians for the control of a castle in Lihula, Estonia in 1220. The exact date remains uncertain, though some historians suggest that the battle took place on August 8...
.
Bishop-Duke Bengt Birgersson
Bengt Birgersson
Benedict, Duke of Finland
Bishop Benedict, Duke of Finland was a Swedish prelate and a royal duke.His father was Birger jarl, the real ruler of Sweden 1250-66 and Benedict was from legitimate marriage...
(1254–91), also known as Benedict, an eccleasiastic, the youngest brother of king Valdemar I of Sweden
Valdemar I of Sweden
Valdemar, English also Waldemar; , was King of Sweden 1250–1275.-Biography:Valdemar was the son of princess Ingeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden and Birger jarl, from the House of Bjelbo. During the first sixteen years of his reign, it was Birger Jarl who was the real ruler...
and Duke Magnus of Sweden (later king Magnus III), was about 1284 granted the Duchy of Finland by his elder brother king Magnus. Bengt's appointment ended a 35-year-long period of episcopal rule in Finland, effective since the Second Swedish Crusade
Second Swedish Crusade
The Second Swedish Crusade was a Swedish military expedition to areas in present-day Finland by Birger jarl in the 13th century. As a result of the crusade, Finland became permanently part of Sweden for the next 550 years.-Year of the crusade:...
around 1249.
Bengt's reign did not last long. Soon thereafter, the duke, a consecrated priest and the chancellor of the realm, was elected in 1286 bishop of Linköping
Bishop of Linköping
-Before the reformation:* Herbert?* Rikard?* 1139-1160s Gisle* 1170-1171 Stenar* 1187-1195/96 Kol* Johannes* 1216-1220 Karl Magnusson* 1220-1236 Bengt Magnusson* 1236-1258 Lars* 1258-1283 Henrik* 1258-1286 Bo...
. As far as is known, he bore revenues from Finland until his death but did not attempt any independent rule. He was the first known holder of the appanage
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
of Finland.
Duke Valdemar
The youngest son of the late king Magnus III of Sweden
Magnus III of Sweden
Magnus III Ladulås of Sweden, Swedish: Magnus Birgersson or Magnus Ladulås was King of Sweden from 1275 until his death in 1290....
(1240–90), Valdemar
Valdemar, Duke of Finland
Valdemar Magnusson was a Swedish prince, heir to the throne of Sweden and Duke of Finland.-Background:Valdemar was the third son of King Magnus III of Sweden and his queen Helvig of Holstein. At the coronation of his older brother King Birger of Sweden, Valdemar became the duke of Finland...
(1280s-1318), was given his late uncle Bengt's Duchy of Finland at the coronation of his eldest brother King Birger I of Sweden in 1302. Valdemar's elder brother Duke Eric
Eric, Duke of Södermanland
Eric Magnusson was a Swedish prince, Duke of Svealand, Södermanland, Dalsland, Västergötland, Värmland and North Halland and heir to the throne of Sweden. He was the father of King Magnus who became king of both Norway and Sweden.-Background:...
was in the 1310s establishing a truly independent principality in Western Sweden, duke Valdemar being his ally. There is no evidence that duke Valdemar succeeded in having as independent position as his brother, but it is obvious that Valdemar used his ducal revenues to assist Eric's campaign against the king and kept his Finnish appanage and administration under Eric instead of the king.
In 1315, in alliance with Eric, Valdemar gained Turku castle
Turku Castle
Turku Castle is a monument of Finnish history situated in the city of Turku in Finland. Together with Turku Cathedral, the castle is one of the oldest buildings still in use in Finland. Turku Castle is the largest surviving medieval building in Finland and one of the largest surviving medieval...
and Häme Castle
Häme castle
Häme Castle is a medieval castle in Hämeenlinna, Finland. The castle is located on the coast of lake Vanajavesi in the city center. The castle was originally located on an island....
together with their provinces, i.e. most of Finland, as well as Stockholm Castle, most of Uppland
Uppland
Uppland is a historical province or landskap on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea...
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....
with Öland
Öland
' is the second largest Swedish island and the smallest of the traditional provinces of Sweden. Öland has an area of 1,342 km² and is located in the Baltic Sea just off the coast of Småland. The island has 25,000 inhabitants, but during Swedish Midsummer it is visited by up to 500,000 people...
, as the result of their civil war against the king. On December 10, 1317 he was imprisoned in 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 :...
together with his brother Eric by their brother Birger. Sometime in 1318, Duke Valdemar (and Duke Eric) died while incarcerated.
With his second wife Ingeborg of Norway, Duke Valdemar had a son, born in 1316, who presumably died young.
Duke Bengt Algotsson
Bengt Algotsson (1330–60), whom his alleged homosexual lover King Magnus IV of SwedenMagnus IV of Sweden
Magnus Eriksson as Magnus IV was king of Sweden , including Finland, as Magnus VII King of Norway , including Iceland and Greenland, and also ruled Scania . He has also vindictively been called Magnus Smek...
(nephew of Duke Valdemar, above) had already in 1353 recognized as Duke of Halland (an originally Danish principality) as the heir of its earlier dukes, Dukes of Estonia and Reval, was in 1353 or 1354 given the duchy of Finland, too.
The duke apparently did not make any bigger efforts to establish himself as ruler in Finland, being satisfied to bear revenues from the duchy. He had his seat in Southern Sweden, where he acted as Viceroy of Skane.
The duke was trampled under certain nobility's opposition against the king. He was exiled in 1357, and killed without an heir in 1360. In 1357, his holdings, including Finland, were given to Eric
Eric XII of Sweden
Eric "XII" of Sweden was a rival king of Sweden of his father Magnus IV from 1356 to his death in 1359. He was married to Beatrix of Bavaria, daughter of Louis IV of Bavaria....
. Eric was co-ruler of the king, and did not need the ducal title which was left aside for almost 200 years.
Duke John: From duchy to grand duchy
Gustav I of Sweden
Gustav I of Sweden, born Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa noble family and later known simply as Gustav Vasa , was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death....
(reigned 1523–60) gave the duchy
Dukes of Swedish provinces
Duchies in Sweden have been allotted since the 13th century to powerful Swedes, almost always to Princes of Sweden and wives of the latter. From the beginning these duchies were often centers of regional power, where their dukes and duchesses had considerable executive authority of their own,...
of Finland to his second son, the then 18-year-old John
John III of Sweden
-Family:John married his first wife, Catherine Jagellonica of Poland , house of Jagiello, in Vilnius on 4 October 1562. In Sweden, she is known as Katarina Jagellonica. She was the sister of king Sigismund II Augustus of Poland...
(1537–92). John was the only holder of the title to establish a real princely rule in Finland. The duchy included the Finland Proper
Finland Proper
Finland Proper or Southwest Finland , is a region in south-western Finland. It borders the regions of Satakunta, Tavastia Proper, Ahvenanmaa and Uusimaa.- Municipalities :...
, Raasepori together with Western Uusimaa
Uusimaa
Uusimaa, or Nyland in Swedish, is a region in Finland. It borders the regions Finland Proper, Tavastia Proper, Päijänne Tavastia and Kymenlaakso...
, and Lower Satakunta. The duchy thus formed was given extraordinarily independent feudal rights by the king. Additionally, John was appointed as Governor-General of Finland
Governor-General of Finland
Governor-General of Finland ; was the military commander and the highest administrator of Finland sporadically under Swedish rule in the 17th and 18th centuries and continuously in the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland between 1808 and 1917.-Swedish rule:...
, meaning all the other areas beyond Gulf of Bothnia and up to the eastern border. These additions he however did not hold by feudal right but as a royal appointee.
Turku
Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...
, where he created a cultivated princely court at the Turku castle
Turku Castle
Turku Castle is a monument of Finnish history situated in the city of Turku in Finland. Together with Turku Cathedral, the castle is one of the oldest buildings still in use in Finland. Turku Castle is the largest surviving medieval building in Finland and one of the largest surviving medieval...
. John was an enthusiastic patron of arts and architecture, and he decorated the castle to splendor never before seen in Finland. Before his marriage, he had a Finnish mistress, Kaarina Hannuntytär. Several Finnish and Swedish families claim descendancy from their bastards. After the death of his father, John drove his own foreign policy which at times was at odds with his elder brother King Eric XIV of Sweden
Eric XIV of Sweden
-Family and descendants:Eric XIV had several relationships before his marriage. With Agda Persdotter he had four daughters:#Margareta Eriksdotter , married 1592 to Olov Simonsson, vicar of Horn....
(reigned 1560–68). Also in domestic affairs, John soon opposed the king, together with a party of high nobility who all opposed the increasing centralization of the government. On October 4, 1562, John married his first wife Catherine Jagellonica (1526–83), daughter of Sigismund I
Sigismund I the Old
Sigismund I of Poland , of the Jagiellon dynasty, reigned as King of Poland and also as the Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1506 until 1548...
of Poland
Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569)
The Kingdom of Poland of the Jagiellons was the Polish state created by the accession of Jogaila , Grand Duke of Lithuania, to the Polish throne in 1386. The Union of Krewo or Krėva Act, united Poland and Lithuania under the rule of a single monarch...
(1467–1548), against the wishes of his elder brother. Eric regarded his conduct as a rebellion. John and Catherine were imprisoned to Gripsholm Castle
Gripsholm Castle
Gripsholm Castle is a castle in Mariefred, Södermanland, in Sweden and is regarded as one of Sweden's finest historical monuments. It is located by lake Mälaren in south central Sweden, in the municipality of Strängnäs, about 60 km west of Stockholm....
in 1563, after a siege of the Turku castle and its conquest by king's troops. The imprisoned duke kept his title, but the duchy itself became administered by royal officials.
Eric was deposed by leaders of nobility in 1568, and John, recently released, ascended the throne of Sweden. He reigned until his death in 1592 as King John III. Apparently he made, in 1589, arrangements to grant the Duchy of Finland to his youngest son Duke John (see below).
In 1581, King John III assumed the subsidiary title Grand Prince
Grand Prince
The title grand prince or great prince ranked in honour below emperor and tsar and above a sovereign prince .Grand duke is the usual and established, though not literal, translation of these terms in English and Romance languages, which do not normally use separate words for a "prince" who reigns...
of Finland and Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
. "Karelia" was soon dropped from the title and assumed a part of Finland, which thus started to have its later eastern extent. The title became established in Latin renderings, and later in the 19th century also in English, as the Grand Duke of Finland, however using the Finnish (ruhtinas) and Swedish (furst) names for a prince in its local renderings.
Late titular use
Before fully demolished, there was a brief titular use of Duke of Finland among the royal family.John the Younger
Gunilla Bielke
Gunilla Bielke; full name: Gunilla Johansdotter Bielke , was Queen of Sweden, the second spouse and queen consort of king John III of Sweden...
(1568–97). King Sigismund III, child John's half-brother, seems to have confirmed this appanage
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
.
Royal chancellery administered the duchy on behalf of the underage duke, and provided him his allotted revenues. However, when young Duke John approached adulthood, his duchy
Dukes of Swedish provinces
Duchies in Sweden have been allotted since the 13th century to powerful Swedes, almost always to Princes of Sweden and wives of the latter. From the beginning these duchies were often centers of regional power, where their dukes and duchesses had considerable executive authority of their own,...
was in 1606 changed to that 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...
, previously held by King John's brother, the late Duke Magnus. Duke John the Younger married his first cousin Maria Elisabeth of Sweden (1596–1618). They died childless.
During 1590-1599, John's father and half-brother continued to call themselves Grand Dukes of Finland.
Gustav Adolf
Crown Prince Gustav Adolf (1594–1632), elder son of Charles IX of SwedenCharles IX of Sweden
Charles IX of Sweden also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1604 until his death. He was the youngest son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife, Margaret Leijonhufvud, brother of Eric XIV and John III of Sweden, and uncle of Sigismund III Vasa king of both Sweden and Poland...
, the heir-apparent, was in 1606 made Duke of Finland, upon assigning Östergötland to Duke John the younger, and started to receive ducal revenues from Finland.
Gustav Adolf ascended the throne of Sweden in 1611 and readopted the Grand Duke of Finland among his titles. He was the last to have a real feudal principality of Finland and revenues therefrom.
List of Dukes and Duchesses of Finland
Includes Swedish Lords of Finland by other titles.- Benedict, Duke of FinlandBenedict, Duke of FinlandBishop Benedict, Duke of Finland was a Swedish prelate and a royal duke.His father was Birger jarl, the real ruler of Sweden 1250-66 and Benedict was from legitimate marriage...
1284-1291 (also Bishop of LinköpingLinköpingLinköping is a city in southern middle Sweden, with 104 232 inhabitants in 2010. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality with 146 736 inhabitants and the capital of Östergötland County...
) - Prince WaldemarValdemar, Duke of FinlandValdemar Magnusson was a Swedish prince, heir to the throne of Sweden and Duke of Finland.-Background:Valdemar was the third son of King Magnus III of Sweden and his queen Helvig of Holstein. At the coronation of his older brother King Birger of Sweden, Valdemar became the duke of Finland...
, Duke of Finland 1302-1318 (also 1310-1318 of UpplandUpplandUppland is a historical province or landskap on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea...
and ÖlandÖland' is the second largest Swedish island and the smallest of the traditional provinces of Sweden. Öland has an area of 1,342 km² and is located in the Baltic Sea just off the coast of Småland. The island has 25,000 inhabitants, but during Swedish Midsummer it is visited by up to 500,000 people...
) - Christina (daughter of Lord ThorchetelTorkel KnutssonTorkel Knutsson, known well as Marshal Torkel, of Aranäs, was constable and virtual ruler of Sweden during the early reign of King Birger Magnusson ....
), Duchess of Finland 1302-1305 as consort of Prince Waldemar - Princess IngeborgIngeborg Eriksdottir of NorwayIngeborg Eriksdottir of Norway was a medieval Norwegian princess and by marriage a Swedish princess, Duchess of Uppland, Öland and Finland, with a seat in the regency government of her nephew, Magnus IV of Sweden.-Family:Ingeborg was the daughter of King Eric II of Norway and Isabel Bruce...
, Duchess of Finland 1312-1353 as second consort of Prince Waldemar - BenedictBenedict, Duke of HallandDuke Benedict of Halland and Finland , aka Bengt Algotsson, was a medieval Swedish lord, and royal favourite.He was born to a family who descended from Svantepolk of Skarsholm and his wife Benedikta Sunadotter...
, Duke of Finland 1353-1357 (also of HallandHalland' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , on the western coast of Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat.-Administration:...
) - Ex-King CarlCharles VIII of SwedenCharles VIII of Sweden , Charles I of Norway, also Carl, , was king of Sweden and king of Norway ....
, Lord of Finland 1465-1467, then (again) King Carl II (VIII) of Sweden - Prince JohnJohn III of Sweden-Family:John married his first wife, Catherine Jagellonica of Poland , house of Jagiello, in Vilnius on 4 October 1562. In Sweden, she is known as Katarina Jagellonica. She was the sister of king Sigismund II Augustus of Poland...
, Duke of Finland 1556-1563, later King John III of Sweden - Princess Catherine, Duchess of Finland 1562-1563 as consort of Prince John, later Queen of Sweden
- Prince John, Duke of Finland 1589-1607 (also of 1606-1618 of East Gothland)
- Crown Prince Gustav AdolphGustavus Adolphus of SwedenGustav II Adolf has been widely known in English by his Latinized name Gustavus Adolphus Magnus and variously in historical writings also as Gustavus, or Gustavus the Great, or Gustav Adolph the Great,...
, Grand Duke of Finland 1607-1611 (also Duke of SödermanlandSödermanland', sometimes referred to under its Latin form Sudermannia or Sudermania, is a historical province or landskap on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västmanland and Uppland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic sea.In Swedish, the province name is...
, EstoniaEstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
and VästmanlandVästmanland' is a historical Swedish province, or landskap, in middle Sweden. It borders Södermanland, Närke, Värmland, Dalarna and Uppland.The name comes from "West men", referring to the people west of Uppland, the core province of early Sweden.- Administration :...
, then King Gustav II Adolph of Sweden - Prince Carl Gustav, Great Prince of Finland 1805-1805, son of King Gustav IV Adolf of SwedenGustav IV Adolf of SwedenGustav IV Adolf of Sweden also Gustav Adolph was King of Sweden from 1792 until his abdication in 1809. He was the son of Gustav III of Sweden and his queen consort Sophia Magdalena, eldest daughter of Frederick V of Denmark and his first wife Louise of Great Britain. He was the last Swedish...
No duke of Finland has left descendants in marital
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
lines which survive to our time. Except John III's legitimate descent (kings of Sweden and Poland and totally extinct since 1672), lineage of all the others went extinct upon their own death or at the death of an only surviving legitimate child.
See also
- Monarchy of FinlandMonarchy of FinlandThe nation of Finland has never been an independent sovereign monarchy: no attempt to establish one was crowned with success. When it finally became established as a modern independent nation-state, it was— despite a very brief flirtation with monarchy—in the form of a republic.-Early...
- Grand Duchy of FinlandGrand Duchy of FinlandThe Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian czar as Grand Prince.- History :...
- Dukes of Swedish ProvincesDukes of Swedish provincesDuchies in Sweden have been allotted since the 13th century to powerful Swedes, almost always to Princes of Sweden and wives of the latter. From the beginning these duchies were often centers of regional power, where their dukes and duchesses had considerable executive authority of their own,...
- List of Finnish monarchs
- Governor-General of FinlandGovernor-General of FinlandGovernor-General of Finland ; was the military commander and the highest administrator of Finland sporadically under Swedish rule in the 17th and 18th centuries and continuously in the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland between 1808 and 1917.-Swedish rule:...