Karin Hansdotter
Encyclopedia
Karin Hansdotter (1539–1596) was the royal mistress
of King John III of Sweden
in the 1550s before his marriage during his time as Prince and Duke of Finland.
, which had been made priest in Stockholm after the reformation of 1527, and his wife Ingeborg Åkesdotter, a former nun
and the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman. Her father was later fired from his work because of adultery. Karin was employeed at the court of Queen dowager Katarina Stenbock
in 1550. John met her sometime in the middle of the 1550s, and she followed him to his fief in Finland where she was installed as his mistress (1556). In Finland, she lived openly as the hostess of Åbo Castle. In 1560, she and her children left for Sweden.
In 1561, before John's marriage to Catherine Jagellonica of Poland, Karin was married to Klas Andersson Westgöte (d. 1565), a servant (page) of John, and given the Wääksy Manor in Kangasala
in Finland. She lost a lot of her property at John's rebellion against king Eric in 1563, but when John became King in 1568, he continued to support Karin and his illegitimate children.
In 1572 Karin was married again, her earlier husband was murdered by Erik XIV in 1563, to a Lars Henrikson Hordeel (d. 1591). In 1576, Lars was nobled by John on the condition that he took care of his issue with Karin. The same year, her daughter Sofia became a lady-in-waiting
of Princess Elizabeth of Sweden
, and in 1577, her children was ennobled. The same year, she became the neighbour of the deposed queen Karin Månsdotter
, who was given the estate next to her. From 1580, Karin seems to have spent the majority of her time in Åbo
.
Karin died in 1596 during the great Finnish peasant rebellion and did not have to witness the plundering of her estate; the rebellion reached her estate soon after her death.
ren:
Karin and her first husband Klas had one child
:
Karin and her second husband Lars had one child
:
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
of King John III of Sweden
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...
in the 1550s before his marriage during his time as Prince and Duke of Finland.
Biography
Karin is believed to be the daughter of Hans Klasson Kökkemäster, a former monkMonk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
, which had been made priest in Stockholm after the reformation of 1527, and his wife Ingeborg Åkesdotter, a former nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
and the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman. Her father was later fired from his work because of adultery. Karin was employeed at the court of Queen dowager Katarina Stenbock
Katarina Stenbock
Catherine Stenbock was the third and last consort of King Gustav I of Sweden, and Queen consort of Sweden between 1552 and 1560...
in 1550. John met her sometime in the middle of the 1550s, and she followed him to his fief in Finland where she was installed as his mistress (1556). In Finland, she lived openly as the hostess of Åbo Castle. In 1560, she and her children left for Sweden.
In 1561, before John's marriage to Catherine Jagellonica of Poland, Karin was married to Klas Andersson Westgöte (d. 1565), a servant (page) of John, and given the Wääksy Manor in Kangasala
Kangasala
Kangasala is a municipality in Finland, next to Tampere. It was founded in 1865. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
in Finland. She lost a lot of her property at John's rebellion against king Eric in 1563, but when John became King in 1568, he continued to support Karin and his illegitimate children.
In 1572 Karin was married again, her earlier husband was murdered by Erik XIV in 1563, to a Lars Henrikson Hordeel (d. 1591). In 1576, Lars was nobled by John on the condition that he took care of his issue with Karin. The same year, her daughter Sofia became a lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
of Princess Elizabeth of Sweden
Princess Elizabeth of Sweden
Princess Elizabeth of Sweden, , was a Swedish princess and a duchess consort of Mecklenburg-Gadebusch...
, and in 1577, her children was ennobled. The same year, she became the neighbour of the deposed queen Karin Månsdotter
Karin Månsdotter
Karin Månsdotter was Queen of Sweden, first a mistress and then the spouse of King Eric XIV of Sweden...
, who was given the estate next to her. From 1580, Karin seems to have spent the majority of her time in Åbo
Abo
Abo may refer to:* ABO blood group system, a human blood type and blood group system** ABO , enzyme encoded by the ABO gene that determines the ABO blood group of an individual* Abo of Tiflis , an Arab East Orthodox Catholic saint...
.
Karin died in 1596 during the great Finnish peasant rebellion and did not have to witness the plundering of her estate; the rebellion reached her estate soon after her death.
Children and family
Karin and John had four childChild
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
ren:
- Sofia Johansdotter GyllenhielmSofia Johansdotter GyllenhielmSofia Johansdotter Gyllenhielm in Reval, Estonia, was a Swedish noble. She was the illegitimate daughter of King John III of Sweden and Karin Hansdotter....
(b. 1556 d. 1583) - who married Pontus De la GardiePontus De la GardiePontus De la Gardie was a French nobleman and general in the service of Denmark and Sweden.He was born Ponce De La Gardie in Russol , Languedoc, as a son of Jacques De la Gardie and Catherine de Sainte-Colombe. As a youngster, he wanted to become a priest and was educated in a monastery...
(d. 1585), - August Johansdotter Gyllenhielm (b. 1557 d. 1560),
- Julius Johansdotter Gyllenhielm (b. 1559 d. 1583),
- Lucrecia Johansdotter Gyllenhielm (b. 1560 d. 1585).
Karin and her first husband Klas had one child
Child
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
:
- Brita Klasdotter Westgöte (b. about 1563 d. 1620) - who married Carl Stenbock (d. 1609).
Karin and her second husband Lars had one child
Child
Biologically, a child is generally a human between the stages of birth and puberty. Some vernacular definitions of a child include the fetus, as being an unborn child. The legal definition of "child" generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger than the age of majority...
:
- Anna Larsdotter Hordeel (b. 1573 d. 1646) - who married Hans Mårtensson Boije (d. 1617).
External links
- A fuller genealogy about her.