List of Swedish royal consorts

This is a list of Swedish queens consort and spouses of Swedish monarchs and regents. The list covers a large time span and the role of a consort has changed much over the centuries. The first Swedish consorts are spoken of in legends. Consorts until c. 1000 are often semi-legendary, as are monarchs.

Due to unions with Denmark and Norway, many of the Swedish consorts were also consorts of monarchs of those countries. Consorts listed during the period of 1380–1520 were in fact also consorts to monarchs of Denmark. The consorts listed during the period of 1814-1905 were also consorts to monarchs of Norway.

Agne being hanged by his wife Skjalf. Artwork by Hugo Hamilton, 1830

Finland was from the Middle Ages a part of Sweden, and although there was no official title, such as "Queen Consort of Finland", from the 16th century until the year of 1809; the queen consort of Sweden also held the title "Grand Princess of Finland."[citation needed]

Sweden has had three female monarchs. One of the consorts listed below is male.

Yrsa falling in love with Helgi, without knowing that he is her father, by Jenny Nyström (1895).

Semi-legendary queens

[edit]

This is a list of Swedish queens of legend.

House of Uppsala and Stenkil

[edit]
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Świętosława of Poland
[1][2]
Mieszko I of Poland
(Piast)
c. 955 978 c. 990s
divorce
02 February 1014 Eric the Victorious
Aud Haakonsdottir of Lade Ladejarl Haakon Sigurdsson, regent of Norway c. 970 c. 990s 992
husband's death
c. 1015
Estrid of the Obotrites a tribal chief of the Polabian Obotrites c. 979 c. 1000 c. 1022
husband's death
c. 1035 Olof Skötkonung
Gunhild Sveinsdotter/Haraldsdotter Sveinn Hákonarson or Saint Harald c. 1008 ? c. 1022
husband's accession
c. 1050
husband's death
c. 1060 Anund Jacob
Unknown name, called Ingamoder Emund the Old of Sweden
(Munsö)
c. 1043 c. 1058 c. 1061
husband's accession
c. 1066
husband's death
c. 1090 Stenkil
Gyla
[3]
? ? ? c. 1075
husband's accession
c. 1079
husband's death
? Haakon I
Helena
[4]
Sigtorn
or
Ingvar the Far-Travelled
c. 1065 before 1075 c. 1079
husband's accession
c. 1084
husband's deposition
1140 Inge the Elder
Blotstulka ? ? before 1094 c. 1084
husband's accession
c. 1087
husband's death
? Blot-Sweyn
Helena
[3]
Sigtorn
or
Prince Ingvar Vittfarne of Sweden
? ? c. 1088
husband's accession
c. 1105
husband's death
after 1105 Inge the Elder
Ingegerd Haraldsdotter of Norway
[1]
Harald III of Norway (Hardrada) c. 1046 c. 1095 or 1096 c. 1105/1110
husband's accession
c. 1118
husband's death
c. 1120 Philip

Non-contemporary
Ragnhild Halsten c. 1075 ? ? c. 1117 Inge the Younger
Ulvhild Håkansdotter
[1][4]
Haakon Finnsson (Thjotta) c. 1095 c. 1116/17 c. 1125
husband's death
c. 1148
Richeza of Poland
[4]
Boleslaw III of Poland (Piast) c. 12 April 1106/1116 c. 1127 c. 1130
husband's deposition
after 1156 Magnus I

House of Sverker and of Eric

[edit]
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Ulvhild Håkansdotter
[1][3]
Haakon Finnsson (Thjotta) c. 1095 c. 1134 c. 1148 Sverker I
Richeza of Poland
[3]
Boleslaw III of Poland
(Piast)
c. 12 April 1116 c. 1148 25 December 1156
husband's assassination
after 1156
Christina of Denmark Björn Haraldsen Ironside
(Estridsen)
c. 1120/25 1149 or 1150 c. 1156
husband's accession
18 May 1160
husband's assassination
c. 1170 Eric the Holy
Bridget Haraldsdotter Harald IV of Norway
(Hardrada)
c. 1131 ? 18 May 1160
husband's accession
c. 1161
husband's assassination
c. 1208 Magnus II
Christina Hvide Stig Tokesen Hvide
(Hvide)
c. 1145 1163 or 1164 12 April 1167
husband's assassination
c. 1200 Charles VII (actually Charles I)
Cecilia (?) Prince Johan Sverkersson of Sweden
(Sverker)
c. 1145 1160 12 April 1167
husband's accession
c. 1190
entered a convent
after 1193 Canute I
Benedicta Hvide Ebbe Sunesson Hvide
(Hvide)
c. 1165/1170 c. 1185 c. 1196
husband's accession
c. 1199/1200 Sverker II
Ingegerd Birgersdotter Birger Brosa, Earl of the Swedes
(Bjälbo)
c. 1180 1200 31 January 1208
husband's deposition
7 April after 1210, possibly 1230
Rikissa of Denmark Valdemar I of Denmark
(Estridsen)
c. 1190/1191 1210 10 April 1216
husband's death
8 May 1220 Eric (X)
Helena Pedersdatter Strange Peder Strangesson c. 1200 c. 1225 c. 1229
husband's accession
c. 1234
husband's death
c. 1255 Canute II
Catherine Sunesdotter Sune Folkesson
(Bjälbo)
c. 1215 c. 1243/1244 2 February 1250
husband's death
fl. 17 January 1251 Eric (XI)

House of Bjälbo

[edit]
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Sofia of Denmark Eric IV of Denmark
(Estridsen)
1241 1260 22 July 1275
husband's deposition
1286 Valdemar
Helvig of Holstein
[5][6]
Gerhard I, Count of Holstein-Itzehoe
(Schauenburg)
c. 1260 11 November 1276 18 December 1290
husband's death
fl. 1324 Magnus III
Martha of Denmark
[5][6]
Eric V of Denmark
(Estridsen)
1277 November 1298 March or April 1318
husband's deposition
3 October 1341 Birger

Non-contemporary
Blanche of Namur
[5][6][2]
John I, Marquis of Namur
(Dampierre)
c. 1320 October or early November 1335 1363 Magnus IV & Magnus VII of Norway
Beatrix of Bavaria
[5][6]
Louis V, Duke of Bavaria
(Wittelsbach)
17 October 1356
husband's accession
as joint-queen with Blanka, her mother-in-law
20 June 1359
husband's death
1359 Eric (XII)
Margaret of Denmark
[5][6][2]
Valdemar IV of Denmark
(Estridsen)
Spring 1353 9 April 1363 as co-queen consort then claimant 15 February 1364
husband's deposition
(claimed until 1380)
28 October 1412 Haakon, also Haakon VI of Norway

House of Mecklenburg

[edit]
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Richardis of Schwerin
[5][6]
Otto I, Count of Schwerin
(Hagen)
1347/8 1365 23 April/11 July 1377 Albert

Union queens and Regent Consorts 1397–1523

[edit]

Several of the Queens on this list were also Queen of Denmark and Norway, as well as spouses to Swedish regents who did not have the title king. Queen consorts

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse

Non-contemporary
Philippa of England
[5][6][1][2][7]
Henry IV of England (Lancaster) 4 June 1394 26 October 1406 7 January 1430 Eric the Pomeranian, also king of Denmark & Norway
Dorothea of Brandenburg
[5][6][1][2][4][7]
John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
(Hohenzollern)
1430/1431 12 September 1445 6 January 1448
husband's death
10 November 1495 Christopher the Bavarian, also king of Denmark & Norway

Regent consorts

  • 1448: Karin Karlsdotter, third wife of Regent Nils Jönsson
  • 1448: Merete Lydekedatter Stralendorp of Venngarn, second wife of Regent Bengt Jönsson.

Queen consorts

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Catherine of Bjurum
[5][6][2]
Karl Ormsson Gumsehuvud
(Gumsehufvud)
? 5 October 1438 20 June 1448
husband's accession
7 September 1450 Charles VIII (actually Charles II, then also Charles I of Norway)
Dorothea of Brandenburg
[5][6][1][2][3][7]
John, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
(Hohenzollern)
1430/1431 28 October 1449 23 June 1457
husband's accession
23 June 1464
husband's deposition
10 November 1495 Christian I, also king of Denmark & Norway

Regent consorts

Queen consorts

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Christina Abrahamsdotter
[5][6]
Abraham Pedersson, governor of Raseborg 1432 1470 15 May 1470
husband's death
1492 Charles VIII (actually Charles II)

Regent consorts

Queen consorts

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Christina of Saxony
[5][6][1][2][7]
Ernst, Elector of Saxony
(Wettin)
25 December 1461 6 September 1478 6 October 1497
husband's accession
August 1501
husband lost Sweden
8 December 1521 John II, also king of Denmark & Norway

Regent consorts

Queen consorts

Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Isabella of Austria
[5][6][1][2][7]
Philip the Handsome
(Habsburg)
18 July 1501 12 August 1515 1 November 1520
husband's accession
23 August 1521
husband lost Sweden
19 January 1526 Christian II, also king of Denmark & Norway

House of Vasa

[edit]
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg
[5][6]
Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
(Ascania)
24 September 1513 24 September 1531 23 September 1535 Gustav I
Margaret Leijonhufvud
[7]
Erik Abrahamsson Leijonhufvud
(Leijonhufvud)
1 January 1516 1 October 1536 26 August 1551
Catherine Stenbock
[5][6][7]
Gustaf Olofsson Stenbock
(Stenbock)
22 July 1535 22 August 1552 29 September 1560
husband's death
13 December 1621
Catherine "Karin"
[5][6][7]
Måns 6 October 1550 13 July 1567 (unofficially)
4 July 1568 (officially)
January 1569
husband's deposition
13 September 1612 Eric XIV
Catherine Jagiellon
[5][6][7][8][9]
Sigismund I of Poland
(Jagellon)
1 November 1526 4 October 1562 January 1569
husband's accession
16 September 1583 John III
Gunilla Johansdotter Bielke
[5][6][7][9]
Johan Axelsson Bielke, governor of Östergötland
(Bielke)
25 June 1568 15 February 1585 17 November 1592
husband's death
19 July 1597
Anne of Austria
[5][6][7][9][10]
Charles II, Archduke of Austria
(Habsburg)
16 August 1573 31 May 1592 17 November 1592
husband's accession
10 February 1598 Sigismund III Vasa, also King of Poland
Christina of Holstein-Gottorp
[5][6][7][9][11]
Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
(Holstein-Gottorp)
13 April 1573 8 July 1592 22 March 1604
husband's accession
30 October 1611
husband's death
8 December 1625 Charles IX
Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg
[5][6][7][9]
John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg
(Hohenzollern)
11 November 1599 25 November 1620 6 November 1632
husband's death
28 March 1655 Gustav II Adolph

House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken

[edit]
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp
[5][6][7][9][12]
Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp
(Holstein-Gottorp)
23 October 1636 24 October 1654 13 February 1660
husband's death
24 November 1715 Charles X Gustav
Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark
[5][6][7][9][12]
Frederick III of Denmark
(Oldenburg)
11 September 1656 6 May 1680 26 July 1693 Charles XI
Frederick of Hesse-Kassel Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel
(Hesse-Kassel)
18 April 1676 24 March 1715 5 December 1718
wife's accession
29 February 1720
wife's abdication, his own accession
25 March 1751 Ulrika Eleonora

House of Hesse

[edit]
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden
[5][6][7]
Charles XI
(Palatinate-Zweibrücken)
23 January 1688 24 March 1715 24 March 1720
husband's accession
24 November 1741 Frederick I

House of Holstein-Gottorp

[edit]
Picture Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Louisa Ulrika of Prussia
[5][6][7]
Frederick William I of Prussia
(Hohenzollern)
24 July 1720 18 August 1744 25 March 1751
husband's accession
12 February 1771
husband's death
16 July 1782 Adolf Frederick
Sophia Magdalena of Denmark
[5][6][7]
Frederick V of Denmark
(Oldenburg)
3 July 1746 4 November 1766 12 February 1771
husband's accession
29 March 1792
husband's death
21 August 1813 Gustav III
Frederica of Baden
[5][6][7]
Charles Louis, Hereditary Prince of Baden
(Zähringen)
12 March 1781 31 October 1797 29 March 1809
husband's abdication
25 September 1826 Gustav IV Adolf
Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp
[5][6][2][7]
Frederick August I, Duke of Oldenburg
(Holstein-Gottorp)
22 March 1759 7 July 1774 6 June 1809
husband's accession
5 February 1818
husband's death
20 June 1818 Charles XIII, also Charles II of Norway

House of Bernadotte

[edit]
Picture Coat of Arms Name Father Birth Marriage Became Consort Ceased to be Consort Death Spouse
Desideria
[5][6][2][7]
François Clary
(Clary family)
8 November 1777 17 August 1798 5 February 1818
husband's accession
8 March 1844
husband's death
17 December 1860 Charles XIV John, also Charles III John of Norway)
Josephine of Leuchtenberg
[5][6][2][7]
Eugène de Beauharnais
(Beauharnais)
14 March 1807 19 June 1823 8 March 1844
husband's accession
8 July 1859
husband's death
7 June 1876 Oscar I, also King of Norway
Louise of the Netherlands
[5][6][2][7]
Prince Frederick of the Netherlands
(Orange-Nassau)
5 August 1828 19 June 1850 8 July 1859
husband's accession
30 March 1871 Charles XV, also Charles IV of Norway
Sophia of Nassau
[5][6][2][7]
Wilhelm, Duke of Nassau
(Nassau-Weilburg)
9 July 1836 6 June 1857 18 September 1872
husband's accession
8 December 1907
husband's death
30 December 1913 Oscar II, also King of Norway
Victoria of Baden
[5][6][7]
Friedrich I, Grand Duke of Baden
(Zähringen)
7 August 1862 20 September 1881 8 December 1907
husband's accession
4 April 1930 Gustaf V
Louise Mountbatten
[5][6][7]
Prince Louis of Battenberg
(Battenberg)
13 July 1889 3 November 1923 29 October 1950
husband's accession
7 March 1965 Gustaf VI Adolf
Silvia Walther Sommerlath 23 December 1943 19 June 1976 Incumbent - Carl XVI Gustaf

Regents

[edit]

Some Swedish consorts acted as regents for their husbands or children, and had seats in the governments. These were:

Duchess Ingeborg

Queens regnant

[edit]

This is a list of Swedish queens regnant:

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Also Queen consort of Denmark.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Also Queen consort of Norway.
  3. ^ a b c d e 2nd time.
  4. ^ a b c d 1st time.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah Also Queen consort of the Goths.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah Also Queen consort of the Geats.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Also Queen consort of the Wends.
  8. ^ Also Duchess of Finland
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Also Grand Duchess consort of Finland.
  10. ^ Also Queen consort of Poland and Grand Duchess consort of Lithuania.
  11. ^ Also Queen of Finns
  12. ^ a b Also Duchess and Princess consort of Bremen-Verden.