John III of Sweden
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John III (Johan III) (December 23, 1537 – November 27, 1592) was King of Sweden from 1568 until his death. He was also the ruler of Finland as Duke John or Hertig Johan (1556–1563). In 1581 he assumed also the title the Grand Duke of Finland.
He was the second son of Gustav Vasa. As a Duke of Finland he opposed his half-brother Eric XIV who crushed his rebellion in Finland in 1563 and imprisoned him. Being released from prison, probably because of his brother’s insanity, he again joined the opposition, deposed Eric and made himself the king. Shortly after this he executed his brother's most trusted counsellor, Jöran Persson, whom he held largely responsible for his harsh treatment while in prison.
John finished the Scandinavian Seven Years' War in 1570 without many Swedish concessions and during the following years he successfully fought Russia until 1582, a war that meant a Swedish-Finnish re-conquest of Narva. As a whole his foreign policy was affected by his connection to Poland of which country his son Sigismund was made king in 1587.
In domestic politics he showed clear Catholic sympathies, inspired by his Polish queen, a fact that created frictions to the Swedish clergy and nobility. From time to time he was also at oods with his younger brother Charles (afterwards Charles IX of Sweden). Besides he was an eager patron of art and architecture.
He married his first wife, Catherine Jagellonica of Poland (1526–1583), house of Jagiello, in Vilnius on October 4, 1562. In Sweden she is known as Katarina Jagellonica and she was the sister of king Sigismund II of Poland. Their children were:
He married his second wife Gunilla Bielke (1568–c. 1592) on February 21, 1584 and together they had the son:
- John (Johan) (1589–1618), Duke of Ostrogothia. The young duke married his first cousin Mary Elisabeth, daughter of Charles IX of Sweden
Together with his mistress Karin Hansdotter he had at least four illegitimate children:
- Julius Gyllenhielm (1559–1581)
- Augustus (died 1560)
- Sofia (ca 1559–1583) who married Ponce (Pontus) de la Gardei
- Lucretia (died 1585)
See also: History of Sweden — Foundation of Modern Sweden
External links
Template:Start box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:End boxde:Johann III. (Schweden) et:Johan III es:Juan III de Suecia fr:Jean III de Suède id:Johan III dari Swedia ja:ヨハン3世 (スウェーデン王) pl:Jan III Waza fi:Juhana III sv:Johan III