Bo Jonsson (Grip)
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Bo Jonsson (Grip) (b. in the early 1330s, died 20 August 1386) was head of the royal council and marshal under the regency of Magnus II of Sweden. Also in the council was his friend and colleague, Karl Ulfsson av Ulvåsa, eldest son of Saint Birgitta.
Bo Jonsson dominated the political life of Sweden for decades. Jonsson was the most influential representative to the council of aristocracy that deposed Magnus Eriksson in 1365 and installed Albert of Sweden to the Swedish throne. In 1369 Bo Jonsson became Sweden's Officialis Generalis (highest official). The family name, Grip, is Swedish for "Griffin", but was never used by Bo Jonsson himself. It was adopted by his descendants much later when all nobles in Sweden were required to adopt a family name, and they based it on their family's coat of arms which depicted a black griffin on a yellow base. This coat of arms was also adopted as the coat of arms of Södermanland
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[edit] Advancement
Through inheritance and unprejudiced methods, Jonsson came to control the largest private non-royal wealth Sweden has ever seen. The lord usurped 1,500 farms in 350 parishes throughout Sweden, from Kalmar to Falun, through economic and political means. The quantity of land under his control exceeded 1/3 the entirety of the Swedish realms territory, surpassing even the ruling king's national land holdings, which made him Sweden's largest landowner. In 1363 he was the leader of the revolution that replaced Magnus Eriksson with Albert of Sweden
[edit] Authority
From the Gripsholm Castle in Mariefred, which he founded, Bo Jonsson governed the entire valley of Lake Mälaren, Hälsingland, all of Finland, large parts of Västergötland, Eastern Östergötland, and the Småland coast, including the city of Kalmar.
Bo Jonsson Grip controlled a dozen fortresses, among which were Finnish Åbo Castle, Tavastehus and Viborg, Swedish Kalmar Castle and Nyköping Castle, in addition to ones built under his own direction: Bjärkaholm, Ringstaholm, and his most prized holding, Gripsholm.
As the head of the governing council, Jonsson was the most important and influential man in the struggle against German and Danish influence in Sweden.
[edit] Marriage
Bo Jonsson married twice during his life. His first marriage took place with the wealthy Margareta Porse, who died shortly thereafter while undergoing childbirth. Jonsson allowed the baby to be delivered, though it died but one day later. Rumours held that Jonsson allowed the procedure to ensue in order to receive the inheritance right of his wife.
His second wife was the beautiful German Margareta Dume, who had many admirers. One of her many suitors was Karl Nilsson, a nobleman from Södermanland. Nilsson was stabbed in front of the high altar at the church of the Greyfriars (Franciscans), nowadays known as Riddarholmskyrkan, in Stockholm, Sweden. It was rumoured that Bo Jonsson Grip was guilty, although Jonsson maintained witnessed testimonies swearing his presence to have been elsewhere at the time. Nine days later, however, the estate formerly belonging to Karl Nilsson fell into the hands of Jonsson.
[edit] Death
Jonsson died 20th August 1386 and donated in his will a substantial part of his wealth to monasteries and churches in Sweden. In particular he gave aid to the monastery in Vadstena, operated by the Bridgittine Order and dedicated to Saint Birgitta whom Jonsson had dedicated a big part of his life to get canonized. To ensure that the rest of his possessions would not fall into the hands of king Albert of Sweden whom Bo did not hold in very high regard he appointed a council of lords who would govern them in his name. The struggle between the king and this council concerning the huge estates Jonsson left behind would eventually lead to the Kalmar Union
[edit] Progeny
Bo had one child with his first wife, Knut Bosson Grip. With his second wife he had several daughters, most of them unnamed but one called Margareta who later married Detler Bylow, and a son called Jon who died before his first birthday.
His descendants were created barons in 1561 (see Grip av Vinäs).
