Johannes (archbishop of Uppsala)
Encyclopedia
Johannes was the second Archbishop of Uppsala
, Sweden. His short-lived reign was between 1185 and 1187.
His name is sometimes spelled as Johan, the Swedish form of Johannes, but since the Swedish language
had yet to be established it is of little importance. About Johannes little is known. Only a few months after the death of the first Archbishop Stefan
, Johannes was selected by the Pope to be his successor. He was ordained by the Archbishop of Lund, Absalon
-- the primate
over the newly established Swedish archbishopric -- by November 1185.
In 1187, a ship from the not yet christianed Estonia
entered Mälaren
, a lake close to Uppsala, on a plundering expedition. It sailed to Sigtuna
, a prosperous city at that time, and plundered it. On its way back, barricades had been set up at Almarestäket
, the only exist point and the place where Johannes was currently residing, to prevent the ship from escaping. The ship was however able to get around the barricades through a creek. There followed a battle, and during the battle Johannes was killed.
Archbishop of Uppsala
The Archbishop of Uppsala has been the primate in Sweden in an unbroken succession since 1164, first during the Catholic era, and from the 1530s and onward under the Lutheran church.- Historical overview :...
, Sweden. His short-lived reign was between 1185 and 1187.
His name is sometimes spelled as Johan, the Swedish form of Johannes, but since the Swedish language
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
had yet to be established it is of little importance. About Johannes little is known. Only a few months after the death of the first Archbishop Stefan
Stefan (archbishop of Uppsala)
Stefan was created the first Archbishop of Uppsala in Sweden in the year 1164, a post he held until his death.Stefan was a Cistercian monk from Alvastra monastery...
, Johannes was selected by the Pope to be his successor. He was ordained by the Archbishop of Lund, Absalon
Absalon
Absalon was a Danish archbishop and statesman, who was the Bishop of Roskilde from 1158 to 1192 and Archbishop of Lund from 1178 until his death. He was the foremost politician and churchfather of Denmark in the second half of the 12th century, and was the closest advisor of King Valdemar I of...
-- the primate
Primate (religion)
Primate is a title or rank bestowed on some bishops in certain Christian churches. Depending on the particular tradition, it can denote either jurisdictional authority or ceremonial precedence ....
over the newly established Swedish archbishopric -- by November 1185.
In 1187, a ship from the not yet christianed Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , 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...
entered Mälaren
Mälaren
Lake Mälaren is the third-largest lake in Sweden, after Lakes Vänern and Vättern. Its area is 1,140 km² and its greatest depth is 64 m. Mälaren spans 120 kilometers from east to west...
, a lake close to Uppsala, on a plundering expedition. It sailed to Sigtuna
Sigtuna
Sigtuna is a locality situated in Sigtuna Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 18 inhabitants in 2005. It is the namesake of the municipality even though the seat is in Märsta....
, a prosperous city at that time, and plundered it. On its way back, barricades had been set up at Almarestäket
Almarestäket
Almarestäket, or Stäket, is a strait at the inlet of Lake Mälaren in mid-east Sweden. A fortress existed there between about 1370 and 1517, also named Almarestäket....
, the only exist point and the place where Johannes was currently residing, to prevent the ship from escaping. The ship was however able to get around the barricades through a creek. There followed a battle, and during the battle Johannes was killed.