| Kingdom of Sweden |
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This is a list of Swedish monarchs, that is, the Kings and ruling Queens of Sweden, including regents and viceroys of the Kalmar Union, up to the present time.
The earliest record of what is generally considered to be a Swedish king appears in Tacitus' work Germania, c. 100 AD (the king of the Suiones). However, due to scant and unreliable sources before the 11th century, lists of succession traditionally start in the 10th century with king Olof Skötkonung, and his father Eric the Victorious, who also were the first Swedish kings to be baptized. There are, however, lists of Swedish pagan monarchs with far older dates, but in many cases these kings appear in sources of disputed historical reliability. These records notably deal with the legendary House of Yngling, and based on the Danish chronicler Saxo Grammaticus, Erik Segersäll and Olof Skötkonung have often been classified as belonging to the Swedish house of Ynglings. However, according to Icelandic sources this line of kings was broken (see Ingjald and Ivar Vidfamne), and trace them back to Sigurd Ring and Ragnar Lodbrok (whom Saxo, on the other hand, considered to belong to the House of Yngling). As there is no evidence that Eric and Olof ever used the Yngling name themselves, modern historians instead refer to their family as the House of Munsö, the Old Dynasty or the House of Uppsala.
In the 16th century, Johannes Magnus constructed a mythical line of Swedish kings, beginning with Magog, the son of Japheth, to demonstrate the antiquity of the Swedish throne. On the basis of his list, Eric XIV and Charles IX adopted their high ordinals; previous monarchs with those names are traditionally numbered counting backward from Eric XIV and Charles IX. In contemporary Swedish usage, medieval kings are usually not given any ordinal at all.
Sweden has been ruled by queens regnant on three separate occasions: by Margaret I of Denmark (1389–1412), Christina of Sweden (1632–1654), Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden (1718–1720) respectively.
In addition to the list below, the Swedish throne was also claimed by the kings of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1599 to 1660. Following his abdication Sigismund continued to claim the throne from 1599 to his death in 1632. After his death the claim was continued by his sons Wladyslaw IV (from 1632 to 1648) and John II Casimir (from 1648 to 1660).
The Swedish monarchs have been of the House of Bernadotte since 1818, based on the Swedish Act of Succession of 1810. The Constitution of 1809 assumed that the monarch would appoint his Cabinet as he saw fit, but growing calls for democratisation during the end of the 19th century made such an idea impossible to sustain. 1917 marks the end of any real political power for the Swedish monarch. The Constitution of 1974 codifies this development by removing all decision-making powers from the monarch, making it both de facto and de jure a ceremonial position. Today, it is the Government, not the King, which holds chief executive power.
In 1980, the rule of succession was changed from agnatic to equal primogeniture, to the benefit of princess Victoria (b. 1977), the current heir apparent of Sweden.
For lists of the prehistoric kings of Sweden see
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eric the Victorious (Erik Segersäll) c. 970 – c. 995 |
945?, son of Björn Eriksson | Sigrid the Haughty or 'Świętosława' of Poland |
Sotdöd (died in sickness) in Old Uppsala[1] c. 995, aged about 50 | |
| Olof Skötkonung c. 995 – c. 1022 |
c. 980, son of Eric the Victorious | Estrid of the Obotrites | c. 1022, aged about 42 | |
| Anund Jacob (Anund Jakob) c. 1022–1050 |
25 July 1008 or 1010 son of Olof Skötkonung and Estrid of the Obotrites | c. 1050, aged about 40 | ||
| Emund the Old (Emund den gamle) 1050–1060 |
Illegitimate son of Olof Skötkonung | Astrid Njalsdotter | 1060 |
House of Stenkil
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stenkil (Stenkil Ragnvaldsson) 1060–1066 |
Probably from Västergötland, son of Ragnvald Ulfsson (according to Hervarar saga) | Ingamoder Emundsdotter | Sotdöd (died in sickness) in "Svitjod", 1066 | |
| Eric Stenkilsson (Erik Stenkilsson) 1066–1067 |
son of Stenkil | 1067, dies in a war against Eric the Pagan | ||
| Eric the Pagan (Erik Hedningen) 1066–1067 |
1067, dies in a war against Eric Stenkilsson | |||
| Halsten Stenkilsson (Halsten) 1067–1070 |
c. 1050 son of Stenkil | 1084, aged about 34 | ||
| Anund Gårdske 1070–1075 |
Coming from Garðaríki, (Kievan Rus'), although probably with ancestral links to Scandinavia | |||
| Håkan the Red (Håkan Röde) 1075–1079 |
Levene, Västergötland, c. 1040, son of Stenkil | |||
| Inge the Elder (Inge den äldre) 1079–1084, 1087–1105 |
son of Stenkil and Ingamoder Emundsdotter | Helena, sister of Blot-Sweyn | Died in sickness, 1105. First buried in Hånger, but then moved to Varnhem Abbey | |
| Blot-Sweyn (Blot-Sven) 1084–1087 |
1087, ambushed by Inge the Elder's troops | |||
| 1087–1105, Inge the Elder (Inge den äldre) (second period) | ||||
| Philip Halstensson (Filip Halstensson) 1105–1118 | son of king Halsten | Ingegerd, daughter of Harald Hardrada | Assumed to be buried in Vreta Abbey with his brother Inge II | |
| Inge the Younger (Inge den yngre) 1110–1125 |
son of king Halsten | Ulvhild Håkansdotter | Östergötland, 1125, Accusations has it that he was poisoned by his wife with an "evil drink". Assumed to be buried in Vreta Abbey with his brother Philip | |
| Ragnvald Knaphövde 1125–1126 |
Assumed to be related in some way to the House of Stenkil | 1126, killed before accepted in Västergötland by the supporters of Magnus the Strong | ||
| 1126-30 Magnus I of Sweden was ruling over the West Geats, and soon-to-be King Sverker was already ruling over the East Geats. | ||||
House of Stenkil
House of Eric
House of Sverker
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sverker I the Elder (also called Clubfoot, Sverker den äldre or Klumpfot; king from 1125 in Östergötland), 1130–25 December 1156 | of East Geatish ancestry, son of Cornube or Kol | Ulvhild Håkansdotter, Richeza of Poland |
Murdered by his own coach on Christmas Day 1156 while going to church. Some appoint Magnus Henriksen to be behind the murder, buried at Alvastra Abbey | |
| Eric (IX) the Saint (Erik den helige), 1156–18 May 1160 |
c. 1120, some appoint him to have West Geatish roots | Christina of Denmark | Killed by Magnus Henriksen as he came out of the church in Uppsala, 18 May 1160, aged about 40, enshrined in Uppsala Cathedral | |
| Magnus II, 1160–1161 |
son of Henry and Ingrid Ragvaldsdotter (the granddaughter of Inge the Elder) | Married to his stepsister Brigida Haraldsdotter, the daughter of Harald IV (Gille) of Norway | Died in the battle of Örebro againtst Charles VII, 1161 | |
| Charles I (Karl Sverkersson), 1161–12 April 1167 |
1130, son of Sverker I the Elder and Ulvhild Håkansdotter | Christina Hvide, 1163 | Killed by Canute I Ericson on Visingsö, 12 April 1167, aged about 37, buried at Alvastra Abbey | |
| Canute I Ericson (Knut Eriksson) (1167–1173 not in Östergötland; from 1173 also in Östergötland), 1167–1195/1196 | before 1150, son of Eric the Saint and Kristina (probably a granddaughter of Inge the Elder) | Cecilia Johansdotter | Died peacefully in 1195 or 1196, buried at Varnhem Abbey | |
| Sverker II the Younger (Sverker den yngre), 1196–31 January 1208 | born before 1167, probably already c. 1164 son of king Charles VII and queen Christine Stigsdatter of Hvide | Benedicta Ebbesdotter of Hvide Ingegerd Birgersdotter of Bjelbo daughter of Birger Brosa |
Died in the Battle of Gestilren, 17 July 1210, aged about 45, buried at Alvastra Abbey | |
| Eric (X) (Erik Knutsson), 31 January 1208–10 April 1216 |
1180 son of Canute I Ericson | Richeza of Denmark (the daughter of Valdemar I of Denmark) | Died suddenly in fever on Näs Castle, Visingsö, 10 April 1216, aged about 36, buried at Varnhem Abbey | |
| John I the Child (Johan Sverkersson unge), Spring 1216–10 March 1222 | 1201 son of Sverker II | Died on Visingsö, 10 March 1222, aged about 21, buried at Alvastra Abbey | ||
| Eric (XI) the Lisp and Lame (Erik läspe och halte), Summer 1222–28 or 29 November 1229 |
1216 son of king Erik X of Sweden and Richeza of Denmark | Catherine of Ymseborg | 2 February 1250, aged about 34, buried at Varnhem Abbey | |
| Canute II the Tall (Knut Långe) 28 or 29 November 1229 – 1234 |
son of Holmger who was "nepos" (nephew?) of Canute I Ericson | Helena Pedersdatter Strange | 1234, buried at Sko kloster | |
| Eric (XI) the Lisp and Lame (Erik läspe och halte), 1234–2 February 1250 |
1216 son of king Erik X of Sweden and Richeza of Denmark | Catherine of Ymseborg | 2 February 1250, aged about 34, buried at Varnhem Abbey |
The House of Bjälbo is sometimes referred to as the House of Folkung
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valdemar (Valdemar Birgersson) Spring 1250–22 July 1275 |
1239 son of Birger jarl and Ingeborg Eriksdotter (a daughter of Eric X) | Sophia of Denmark, daughter of Eric IV of Denmark | Died while imprisoned by his brother Magnus at Nyköping Castle, 26 December 1302, aged about 63, buried at Vreta Abbey or Riddarholmen Church | |
| Magnus III Barnlock (Magnus Ladulås) 22 July 1275–18 December 1290 |
1240 son of Birger jarl and Ingeborg Eriksdotter (the daughter of Eric X) | Helwig of Holstein | Visingsö, 18 December 1290, aged about 50, buried in Riddarholmen Church | |
| Birger (Birger Magnusson) 18 December 1290–March/April 1318 |
1280 son of Magnus III Ladislaus and Helwig of Holstein | Martha of Denmark, 1298 | 31 May 1321, in exile in Denmark, after murdering his brothers at Nyköping Banquet, aged about 41, buried at Ringsted, Zealand | |
| Mats Kettilmundsson Regent 27 June 1318–8 July 1319 (not of the House of Bjälbo) |
Unknown birthyear | None | May 1326, in Åbo, as hövitsman of Finland | |
| Magnus IV Ericson (Magnus Eriksson) 8 July 1319–15 February 1364 |
Norway, 1316 son of Erik Magnusson (brother of Birger) and Ingeborg Håkonsdotter | Blanche of Namur,1335 | Drowned in a shipwreck when seeking refuge with his son in Bømlofjord, Norway, 1 December 1374, aged about 58 | |
| Eric (XII) (Erik Magnusson) 17 October 1356–20 June 1359 (rival king until 1359; joint-rule with father months before death) |
1339 son of Magnus IV Eriksson and Blanche of Namur | Beatrice of Bavaria | Generally believed that he and his wife died in the plague, 20 June 1359, aged about 20 | |
| Hacon (Håkan Magnusson) 15 February 1362–15 February 1364 (joint-rule with father) |
1340 son of Magnus IV Eriksson and Blanche of Namur | Margrete Valdemarsdotter, 9 April 1363 in Copenhagen | Oslo, 11 September 1380, aged about 40, buried in Oslo |
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert of Sweden (Albrekt av Mecklenburg) 15 February 1364–24 February 1389 |
Mecklenburg, c. 1338, son of Albert II, Duke of Mecklenburg and Euphemia of Sweden | Richardis of Schwerin | Mecklenburg, 1 April 1412, aged about 74, buried in Mecklenburg |
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Margaret (Margareta Valdemarsdotter) 24 February 1389–28 October 1412 |
Vordingborg Castle, 1353 daughter of Valdemar IV and Helvig of Sønderjylland | Haakon VI of Norway | Flensburg Fjord, 28 October 1412, aged about 55, buried in Roskilde Cathedral | |
| Eric (XIII) (Erik av Pommern) 23 July 1396–24 September 1439 (deposed 1434–1435 and 1436) |
Rügenwalde, Pomerania, 1382, son of Wartislaw VII, Duke of Pomerania and Mary of Mecklenburg-Schwerin | Philippa of England | Rügenwalde Castle, 3 May 1459, aged about 77, buried in Rügenwalde, Pomerania | |
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| Christopher (Kristoffer av Bayern) Autumn 1441–6 January 1448 | Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz in Bavaria, February 26, 1418 son of Duke John of Pfalz-Neumarkt and Catherine Vratislava | Dorothea of Brandenburg | Helsingborg, 5 January or 6 January 1448, aged 29, buried at Roskilde Cathedral | |
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| Charles II (Karl Knutsson Bonde) 20 June 1448–24 February 1457, 9 August 1464–30 January 1465 and 12 November 1467–15 May 1470 |
Ekholmen Castle, 1408 or 1409 son of Knut Tordsson (Bonde) and Margareta Karlsdotter (Sparre av Tofta) | Birgitta Turesdotter (Bielke) (died before he became king) Katarina Karlsdotter Kristina Abrahamsdotter |
15 May 1470, aged about 61 or 62, buried at Riddarholmen Church | |
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| Christian I (Kristian I) 23 June 1457–23 June 1464 |
Oldenburg, Lower Saxony, February 1426, son of Dietrich of Oldenburg and Helvig of Schauenburg | Dorothea of Brandenburg | Copenhagen, 21 May 1481, aged 55, buried at Roskilde Cathedral | |
9 August 1464–30 January 1465 Charles II (Karl Knutsson Bonde) (second period)
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12 November 1467 – 15 May 1470 Charles II (Karl Knutsson Bonde) (third period)
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| John II ("Hans") 6 October 1497–August 1501 |
Aalborg Castle, 2 February 1455, son of Christian I and Dorothea of Brandenburg | Christina of Saxony | Aalborg Castle, 20 February 1513, aged 58, buried in Odense | |
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| Christian II the Tyrant (Kristian Tyrann) 1 November 1520–23 August 1521 |
Nyborg Castle, 1 July 1481 son of Hans and Christina of Saxony | Isabella of Austria | Kalundborg Castle, 25 January 1559, aged 77, buried in Odense | |
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gustav I (Gustav Vasa) 6 June 1523 – 29 September 1560 also as regent Gustav Eriksson (Vasa), 1521–1523 |
Rydboholm Castle or Lindholmen in Uppland, 12 May 1496 son of Erik Johansson and Cecilia Månsdotter | Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg (1531–1535) Margareta Leijonhufvud (1536–1551) Katarina Stenbock (1552–1560) |
Tre Kronor (castle), 29 September 1560, aged 64, buried in Uppsala Cathedral | |
| Eric XIV (Erik XIV) 29 September 1560 – 29 September 1568 |
Tre Kronor (castle), 13 December 1533 son of Gustav I and Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg | Karin Månsdotter | Died (Poisoned) while imprisoned in Örbyhus Castle, 26 February 1577. Aged 43, buried at Västerås Cathedral | |
| John III (Johan III) 30 September 1568 – 17 November 1592 |
Stegeborg Castle, Östergötland, 20 December 1537 son of Gustav I and Margaret Leijonhufvud | Catherine Jagellonica (1562 – 1583), Gunilla Bielke (1585–1597) |
Tre Kronor (castle), 17 November 1592, aged 54, buried at Uppsala Cathedral | |
| Sigmund (Sigismund) 17 November 1592 – 24 July 1599 |
Gripsholm Castle, 20 June 1566, son of John III and Catherine Jagellonica of Poland. | Anna of Austria (1592–1598), Constance of Austria (1605–1631) |
Warsaw, Poland, 30 April 1632, aged 65, buried at Wawel Cathedral, Kraków, Poland | |
| Charles IX (Karl IX) 22 March 1604 – 30 October 1611 also as regent Duke Charles, 1599–1604 |
Tre Kronor (castle), 4 October 1550 son of Gustav I and Margaret Leijonhufvud | Maria of Palatinate-Simmern (1579–1589), Christina of Holstein-Gottorp (1592–1611) |
Nyköping Castle, 30 October 1611, aged 61, buried at Strängnäs Cathedral | |
| Gustav II Adolph (Gustav II Adolf) 30 October 1611 – 6 November 1632 |
Tre Kronor (castle), 9 December 1594, son of Charles IX and Christina of Holstein-Gottorp. | Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg | 6 November 1632, in the Battle of Lützen, Electorate of Saxony, aged 37, buried in Riddarholmen Church | |
| Christina (Kristina) 6 November 1632 – 6 June 1654 |
Stockholm, 8 December[2] 1626, daughter of Gustavus Adolphus and Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg | Unmarried | Rome, 19 April 1689, aged 62, buried at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City |
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles X Gustav (Karl X Gustav) 6 June 1654 – 13 February 1660 |
Nyköping Castle, 8 November 1622, son of John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Catharina of Sweden (daughter of Charles IX) | Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp | Gothenburg, 13 February 1660, aged 37, buried in Riddarholmen Church | |
| Charles XI (Karl XI) 13 February 1660 – 5 April 1697 |
Tre Kronor (castle), 24 November 1655 son of Charles X and Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp | Ulrike Eleonora of Denmark | Tre Kronor (castle), 5 April 1697, aged 41, buried in Riddarholmen Church | |
| Charles XII (Karl XII) 5 April 1697 – 30 November 1718 |
Tre Kronor (castle), 17 June 1682 son of Charles XI and Ulrika Eleonora the Elder | Unmarried | Fredrikshald, Norway, 30 November 1718, aged 36, buried in Riddarholmen Church | |
| Ulrica Eleanor (Ulrika Eleonora) 5 December 1718 – 29 February 1720 |
Tre Kronor (castle), 23 January 1688 daughter of Charles XI and Ulrika Eleonora the Elder | Frederick I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel | Stockholm, 24 November 1741, aged 53, buried in Riddarholmen Church |
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frederick (Fredrik I av Hessen) 24 March 1720 – 25 March 1751 |
Kassel, (in today's Germany), 23 April 1676 son of Charles I, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel and Princess Maria Amalia of Courland | Louise Dorothea of Prussia Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden |
Stockholm, 25 March 1751, aged 74, buried in Riddarholmen Church |
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adolph Frederick (Adolf Fredrik) 25 March 1751 – 12 February 1771 |
Gottorp, Schleswig, (in today's Germany), 14 May 1710 son of Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp, Prince of Eutin and Albertina Frederica of Baden-Durlach | Louisa Ulrika of Prussia | Stockholm Palace, 12 February 1771, aged 60, buried in Riddarholmen Church | |
| Gustav III 12 February 1771 – 29 March 1792 |
Stockholm, 24 January [O.S. 13 January] 1746 son of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Louisa Ulrika of Prussia | Sophia Magdalena of Denmark | Assassinated (shot in the back when he was on a masked ball at the opera, 16 March 1792). Died in Stockholm Palace, 29 March 1792, aged 46, buried in Riddarholmen Church | |
| Gustav IV Adolph 29 March 1792 – 10 May 1809 with Charles, Duke of Södermanland as regent 1792–1796 |
Stockholm Palace, 1 November 1778 son of Gustav III and Sophie Magdalena | Frederica of Baden | St. Gallen, Switzerland, 7 February 1837, aged 58, buried in Riddarholmen Church | |
| Charles XIII (Karl XIII) 6 June 1809 – 5 February 1818 |
Stockholm, 7 October 1748 son of Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Louisa Ulrika of Prussia | Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp | Stockholm, 5 February 1818, aged 69, buried in Riddarholmen Church |
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles XIV John (Karl XIV Johan) 5 February 1818 – 8 March 1844 |
Pau, France, 26 January 1763 son of Jean Henri Bernadotte and Jeanne de Saint-Vincent | Désirée Clary | Stockholm Palace, 8 March 1844, aged 81, buried in Riddarholmen Church | |
| Oscar I 8 March 1844 – 8 July 1859 |
Paris, France, 4 July 1799, son of Charles XIV John and Désirée Clary | Josephine of Leuchtenberg | Stockholm Palace, 8 July 1859, aged 60, buried in Riddarholmen Church | |
| Charles XV (Karl XV) 8 July 1859 – 18 September 1872 |
Stockholm Palace, 3 May 1826 son of Oscar I and Josephine of Leuchtenberg | Louise of the Netherlands | Malmö, 18 September 1872, aged 46, buried in Riddarholmen Church | |
| Oscar II 18 September 1872 – 8 December 1907 |
Stockholm, 21 January 1829 son of Oscar I and Josephine of Leuchtenberg | Sofia of Nassau | Stockholm, 8 December 1907, aged 78, buried in Riddarholmen Church | |
| Gustaf V 8 December 1907 – 29 October 1950 |
Drottningholm Palace, 16 June 1858 son of Oscar II and Sofia of Nassau | Victoria of Baden | Drottningholm Palace, 29 October 1950, aged 92, buried in Riddarholmen Church | |
| Gustaf VI Adolf 29 October 1950 – 15 September 1973 |
Stockholm, 11 November 1882 son of Gustav V and Victoria of Baden | Princess Margaret of Connaught Lady Louise Mountbatten |
Helsingborg, 15 September 1973, aged 90, buried at Royal Burial Ground | |
| Carl XVI Gustaf 15 September 1973 – present |
Haga Palace, 30 April 1946 son of Prince Gustav Adolf, Duke of Västerbotten and Princess Sibylla of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha | Silvia Sommerlath |
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