Sten Sture the Elder
Encyclopedia
Sten Sture the Elder was a Swedish
statesman and regent
of Sweden
from (1470–1497 and 1501–1503).
family and Birgitta Stensdotter Bielke, half-sister of the future Charles VIII
. He was married to Ingeborg Tott
, niece by marriage of Magdalen of Sweden
, in 1467; she was a renaissance personality interested in theology and science and seemed to have had some importance in the intellectual development during his reign, but the marriage remained childless. According to genealogical research, Sten Sture's father descended from King Sverker II of Sweden
(both through family of Vinga and through family of Aspenäs).
_mlning_av_georg_von_rosen.jpg)
Sture came to power after the death of Charles VIII
and consolidated his position through the victory of Brunkeberg. For a quarter of a century he ruled Sweden making the regency almost an office in its own right. He was supported by the peasantry and the lower nobility, wisely playing them out against the high-ranked nobility and managing a clever act of balance towards the Danish demands of reunion.
At the Battle of Brunkeberg
in 1471, he triumphed against Swedish and Danish
forces in the support of Christian I
. This victory elevated Sture to the position of a national savior. The sculpture St. George and the Dragon created by the German sculptor Bernt Notke
in Storkyrkan
in Stockholm
was raised to commemorate the battle.
In 1493, the Danish and Norwegian king, Hans, concluded an alliance with Ivan III of Russia
against Sten Sture. From 1495 to 1497, Sten successfully repelled a Russian invasion of Finland
. However, he subsequently fell out with the majority of the Swedish nobility, most prominently Svante Nilsson, and the Swedish council of the realm
declared him to be deposed as regent on 8 March 1497.
His closest relatives and heirs were his deceased sister's, the House of Vasa
. His great-nephew the future King Gustav I of Sweden
had been born a few years before Sten's death. At the time, however, none of them were members of the experienced political elite of Sweden. Regent Sten was succeeded by his colleague from the Privy Council of Sweden
and former enemy Svante Nilsson as regent.
is named after Sten Sture. In 1792 it was a prison, where the murderer of King Gustav III of Sweden
was jailed before his execution.
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....
statesman and regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of 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....
from (1470–1497 and 1501–1503).
Background
He was born around 1440, the son of Gustav Anundsson of the StureSture
Sture was the name of two influential families in Sweden from the late 15th century to the early 16th century. One member of one of these families and two members of the other served as Regents of Sweden in the Kalmar Union between 1470 and 1520...
family and Birgitta Stensdotter Bielke, half-sister of the future Charles VIII
Charles VIII of Sweden
Charles VIII of Sweden , Charles I of Norway, also Carl, , was king of Sweden and king of Norway ....
. He was married to Ingeborg Tott
Ingeborg Tott
Lady Ingeborg Åkesdotter Tott , in her lifetime called Ingeborg Åkesdotter , was a Swedish noble, the consort of the Swedish regent Sten Sture the elder . She was also the fiefholder and regent of Häme in Finland...
, niece by marriage of Magdalen of Sweden
Magdalen of Sweden
Magdalena of Sweden was a Swedish princess. She was the daughter of King Charles VIII of Sweden and his first queen consort, Catherine of Bjurum. In 1468-1470, her spouse Ivar Axelsson was the promised successor of her father as regent.-Biography:Magdalena was one of Charles's nine children, most...
, in 1467; she was a renaissance personality interested in theology and science and seemed to have had some importance in the intellectual development during his reign, but the marriage remained childless. According to genealogical research, Sten Sture's father descended from King Sverker II of Sweden
Sverker II of Sweden
Sverker II was King of Sweden from 1196 to 1208.-Biography:...
(both through family of Vinga and through family of Aspenäs).
First regency
Charles VIII of Sweden
Charles VIII of Sweden , Charles I of Norway, also Carl, , was king of Sweden and king of Norway ....
and consolidated his position through the victory of Brunkeberg. For a quarter of a century he ruled Sweden making the regency almost an office in its own right. He was supported by the peasantry and the lower nobility, wisely playing them out against the high-ranked nobility and managing a clever act of balance towards the Danish demands of reunion.
At the Battle of Brunkeberg
Battle of Brunkeberg
The Battle of Brunkeberg was fought on October 10, 1471 between the Swedish regent Sten Sture the Elder and forces led by Danish king Christian I.-Background:...
in 1471, he triumphed against Swedish and Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
forces in the support of Christian I
Christian I of Denmark
Christian I was a Danish monarch, king of Denmark , Norway and Sweden , under the Kalmar Union. In Sweden his short tenure as monarch was preceded by regents, Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna and Erik Axelsson Tott and succeeded by regent Kettil Karlsson Vasa...
. This victory elevated Sture to the position of a national savior. The sculpture St. George and the Dragon created by the German sculptor Bernt Notke
Bernt Notke
' was the most important German painter and sculptor in Northern Europe in his times....
in Storkyrkan
Storkyrkan
Sankt Nikolai kyrka , most commonly known as Storkyrkan and Stockholms domkyrka , is the oldest church in Gamla Stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. It is an important example of Swedish Brick Gothic...
in Stockholm
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 raised to commemorate the battle.
In 1493, the Danish and Norwegian king, Hans, concluded an alliance with Ivan III of Russia
Ivan III of Russia
Ivan III Vasilyevich , also known as Ivan the Great, was a Grand Prince of Moscow and "Grand Prince of all Rus"...
against Sten Sture. From 1495 to 1497, Sten successfully repelled a Russian invasion of Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. However, he subsequently fell out with the majority of the Swedish nobility, most prominently Svante Nilsson, and the Swedish council of the realm
Rigsraadet
Rigsraadet, or Riksrådet, , is the name of the councils of the Scandinavian countries that ruled the countries together with the kings from late Middle Ages to the 17th century...
declared him to be deposed as regent on 8 March 1497.
Second regency
In the ensuing war, Sten was supported by peasant forces, but they were defeated by King John, who invaded Sweden in July the same year. On 6 October, Sten surrendered to King John in Stockholm and was reconciled with him. John was crowned King of Sweden, and Sten was given the highest position of authority in Sweden below the King. However, during the next rebellion against the Danes in 1501, he again took office as regent, leading the Swedish struggle for independence until his death.His closest relatives and heirs were his deceased sister's, the House of Vasa
Vasa
Vasa may refer to:* House of Vasa, a medieval Swedish noble family, the royal house of Sweden 1523–1654 and of Poland 1587–1668** Vasa , a Swedish warship that sank in 1628, since restored...
. His great-nephew the future King Gustav I of Sweden
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....
had been born a few years before Sten's death. At the time, however, none of them were members of the experienced political elite of Sweden. Regent Sten was succeeded by his colleague from the Privy Council of Sweden
Privy Council of Sweden
The High Council of Sweden or Council of the Realm consisted originally of those men of noble, common and clergical background, that the king saw fit for advisory service...
and former enemy Svante Nilsson as regent.
Trivia
An underground restaurant in Stockholm, close to the Royal PalaceStockholm Palace
The Stockholm Palace is the official residence and major royal palace of the Swedish monarch. . Stockholm Palace is located on Stadsholmen , in Gamla Stan in the capital, Stockholm...
is named after Sten Sture. In 1792 it was a prison, where the murderer of King Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
was jailed before his execution.