St. Clare's Priory, Stockholm
Encyclopedia
St. Clare's Priory, Stockholm
, was a Roman Catholic nunnery of the order of Saint Clare
in Stockholm in Sweden
, active 1289 until the reformation
in 1527.
. King Magnus also gave his daughter Princess Richeza Magnusdotter of Sweden to the nunnery; she was to serve as its abbess
in 1335-1347.
During the Swedish War of Liberation
of 1521-23, Danish-controlled Stockholm was under siege by the Swedes. The abbess
of the nunnery, Anna Leuhusen
, offered to allow Swedes living in Stockholm to safely escape the Danes by exiting the city through the nunnery. When they arrived to the nunnery, however, she signaled the Danish authorities, and the refugees were executed as traitors. In June 1523, Stockholm was retaken by the Swedes and made capital of the independent Kingdom of Sweden. In 1525, Elin Thomasdotter is noted to have replaced Anna Leuhusen as abbess.
in 1527. This has been contributed to the acts of Anna Leuhusen during the war, for which the King felt vengefulThe nuns were allowed to do as they pleased. Former Abbess Anna Leuhusen and the rest of the nun
s was allowed to settle in the Grey Friar's Abbey of Riddarholmen
, which had been dissolved the same year and which had been left empty by the monks, where they worked as nurses the rest of their lives. Edelina, believed to have been the last of the nuns, died in the Danviken Hospital
in 1573.
The building was demolished as the stones were needed to fortify the city walls. The stones from the nunnery were used to build the Birger Jarls torn (Birger Jarl's Tower).
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...
, was a Roman Catholic nunnery of the order of Saint Clare
Saint Clare
Saint Clare may refer to:*Saint Clare of Assisi, founder of the Poor Clares and companion of Saint Francis of Assisi*Saint Clare of the Cross or Clare of Montefalco, 13th-century Italian abbess...
in Stockholm in Sweden
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....
, active 1289 until the reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
in 1527.
History
The nunnery was given large donations and lands upon its foundation by King Magnus III of SwedenMagnus 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....
. King Magnus also gave his daughter Princess Richeza Magnusdotter of Sweden to the nunnery; she was to serve as its abbess
Abbess
An abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
in 1335-1347.
During the Swedish War of Liberation
Swedish War of Liberation
The Swedish War of Liberation , , was a civil war in which the Swedish nobleman Gustav Vasa successfully deposed the Danish king Christian II as regent of the Kalmar Union in Sweden. The war started in January 1521 when Gustav Vasa was appointed "hövitsman" over Dalarna. After Gustav Vasa sacked...
of 1521-23, Danish-controlled Stockholm was under siege by the Swedes. The abbess
Abbess
An abbess is the female superior, or mother superior, of a community of nuns, often an abbey....
of the nunnery, Anna Leuhusen
Anna Leuhusen
Anna Rheinholdsdotter Leuhusen , was the an Abbess of St. Clare's Priory in Stockholm. She became known for her involvement in the Swedish War of Liberation between Sweden and Denmark in the 1520s.-Background:...
, offered to allow Swedes living in Stockholm to safely escape the Danes by exiting the city through the nunnery. When they arrived to the nunnery, however, she signaled the Danish authorities, and the refugees were executed as traitors. In June 1523, Stockholm was retaken by the Swedes and made capital of the independent Kingdom of Sweden. In 1525, Elin Thomasdotter is noted to have replaced Anna Leuhusen as abbess.
Dissolution
The St. Clare's Priory was to be one of the very first convents to be dissolved during the Swedish ReformationSwedish Reformation
The Protestant reformation in Sweden was introduced beginning in 1527 during the reign of king Gustav I of Sweden. The Swedish reformation ment the break with the Roman Catholic Church and the foundation of the Swedish Church. It is considered the ending point of the Swedish Middle Ages. The...
in 1527. This has been contributed to the acts of Anna Leuhusen during the war, for which the King felt vengefulThe nuns were allowed to do as they pleased. Former Abbess Anna Leuhusen and the rest of the 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...
s was allowed to settle in the Grey Friar's Abbey of Riddarholmen
Riddarholmen
Riddarholmen is a small islet in central Stockholm, Sweden. The island forms part of Gamla Stan, the old town, and houses a number of private palaces dating from the 17th century...
, which had been dissolved the same year and which had been left empty by the monks, where they worked as nurses the rest of their lives. Edelina, believed to have been the last of the nuns, died in the Danviken Hospital
Danviken Hospital
Danvikens hospital was a historical Swedish hospital, Insane Asylum and Retirement home in Stockholm, active in 1558-1861. The area belonged to Stockholms kommun until 1984, when it was transferred to Nacka kommun....
in 1573.
The building was demolished as the stones were needed to fortify the city walls. The stones from the nunnery were used to build the Birger Jarls torn (Birger Jarl's Tower).