Katarina Bengtsdotter Gylta
Encyclopedia
Katarina Bengtsdotter Gylta, in Latin
: Catharina Benedicta (1520 - 3 June 1593), was a Swedish nun of the Bridgettine Order, Abbess of Vadstena Abbey
in 1553-1564 and 1565-1593. She was the second last abbess in Sweden and Vadstena Abbey after the reformation
.
Katarina Bengtsdotter Gylta was the daughter of riksråd and nobleman Benkt Pedersson Gylta (d. 1520) and Brita Bengtsdotter Lillie (d.1560) and the sister of riksråd Bengt Gylta (1514-1574) and the historian Jöran Gylta. Her paternal aunt and her paternal grandfather were both members of Vadstena Abbey.
Katarina Bengtsdotter Gylta was described as well educated and could speak Latin
as well as Swedish. She was elected abbess in 1553. She lost the position in 1564, but was elected for a second term already the year after, and after that, she kept the position until her death. Her period of office was longer than any other abbess before her, and also a turbulent period for the abbey. Vadstena Abbey had been allowed to remain after the reformation, but not without conflict. In 1555, the male section of the abbey was closed and the monks was ordered to leave. In 1567, the abbey was plundered by Danish soldiers during the Northern Seven Years' War
. The year after, the number of nuns at Vadstena are counted as 18. The abbey was, however, still benefited by many private benefactors, and in 1568, she received large donations from Queen Karin Månsdotter
and Jöran Persson
during the illness of Erik XIV of Sweden.
During the reign of King John III of Sweden
, the abbey was favored by the royal house and Katarina Bengtsdotter Gylta maintained a good relation to the King and the Queen, Catherine Jagellon. It is described how she use to talk to the King while they walked in the convents gardens, were he held her under the arm due to her infirmity. In 1575, the Vadstena Abbey was granted unlimited permission to receive novices again, which had been difficult since the reformation. In 1580, Gylta wrote to the Pope to ask for assistance, a letter which i still preserved. In the letter, she expressed her concern that there was at that time only one convent
left in Sweden except for the Vadstena Abbey, that the nuns had been forced to do without the monks for thirty years and that there were only two Catholic priests left in the abbey, both crippled with age. It is likely that it was due to the Queen that the Vadstena Abbey was visited by a cardinal of the Pope, Antonio Possevino
, whom Gylta received later the same year. The abbey was during his visitation reformed according to the latest regulations of the Catholic church, and Katarina Bengtsdotter Gylta and her prioress swore the Tridentian oath from 1564. In 1587, she hosted the monarch and Crown Prince Sigismund, and during their visit, the first great Catholic mass since the reformation was held. In 1592, a school for Catholic priests was founded in the abbey by Anders Magnusson.
She died, as it was said, full of concerns for the future of the abbey.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
: Catharina Benedicta (1520 - 3 June 1593), was a Swedish nun of the Bridgettine Order, Abbess of Vadstena Abbey
Vadstena Abbey
Vadstena Abbey was the motherhouse of the Bridgettine Order, situated on Lake Vättern, in the Diocese of Linköping, Sweden. The abbey started as one of the farms donated by the king, but the town of Vadstena grew up around it...
in 1553-1564 and 1565-1593. She was the second last abbess in Sweden and Vadstena Abbey after the reformation
Reformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
.
Katarina Bengtsdotter Gylta was the daughter of riksråd and nobleman Benkt Pedersson Gylta (d. 1520) and Brita Bengtsdotter Lillie (d.1560) and the sister of riksråd Bengt Gylta (1514-1574) and the historian Jöran Gylta. Her paternal aunt and her paternal grandfather were both members of Vadstena Abbey.
Katarina Bengtsdotter Gylta was described as well educated and could speak Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
as well as Swedish. She was elected abbess in 1553. She lost the position in 1564, but was elected for a second term already the year after, and after that, she kept the position until her death. Her period of office was longer than any other abbess before her, and also a turbulent period for the abbey. Vadstena Abbey had been allowed to remain after the reformation, but not without conflict. In 1555, the male section of the abbey was closed and the monks was ordered to leave. In 1567, the abbey was plundered by Danish soldiers during the Northern Seven Years' War
Northern Seven Years' War
The Northern Seven Years' War was the war between Kingdom of Sweden and a coalition of Denmark–Norway, Lübeck and the Polish–Lithuanian union, fought between 1563 and 1570...
. The year after, the number of nuns at Vadstena are counted as 18. The abbey was, however, still benefited by many private benefactors, and in 1568, she received large donations from Queen Karin Månsdotter
Karin Månsdotter
Karin Månsdotter was Queen of Sweden, first a mistress and then the spouse of King Eric XIV of Sweden...
and Jöran Persson
Jöran Persson
Jöran Persson, alternatively Göran Persson , was King Eric XIV of Sweden's favorite, most trusted, counsellor and head of the King's network of spies. He was widely seen as a Machiavellian figure, and of holding too much influence over Eric...
during the illness of Erik XIV of Sweden.
During the reign 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...
, the abbey was favored by the royal house and Katarina Bengtsdotter Gylta maintained a good relation to the King and the Queen, Catherine Jagellon. It is described how she use to talk to the King while they walked in the convents gardens, were he held her under the arm due to her infirmity. In 1575, the Vadstena Abbey was granted unlimited permission to receive novices again, which had been difficult since the reformation. In 1580, Gylta wrote to the Pope to ask for assistance, a letter which i still preserved. In the letter, she expressed her concern that there was at that time only one convent
Vreta Abbey
Vreta Abbey, Swedish Vreta Kloster, in operation from the beginning of the 12th century to 1582, was the first nunnery in Sweden, initially Benedictine and later Cistercian, and one of the oldest in Scandinavia. It was located in the municipality of Linköping in Östergötland.- History :The exact...
left in Sweden except for the Vadstena Abbey, that the nuns had been forced to do without the monks for thirty years and that there were only two Catholic priests left in the abbey, both crippled with age. It is likely that it was due to the Queen that the Vadstena Abbey was visited by a cardinal of the Pope, Antonio Possevino
Antonio Possevino
Antonio Possevino was a Jesuit protagonist of Counter Reformation as a papal diplomat and a Jesuit controversialist, encyclopedist and bibliographer...
, whom Gylta received later the same year. The abbey was during his visitation reformed according to the latest regulations of the Catholic church, and Katarina Bengtsdotter Gylta and her prioress swore the Tridentian oath from 1564. In 1587, she hosted the monarch and Crown Prince Sigismund, and during their visit, the first great Catholic mass since the reformation was held. In 1592, a school for Catholic priests was founded in the abbey by Anders Magnusson.
She died, as it was said, full of concerns for the future of the abbey.