Queen of Sweden. She belonged to the Ascanian Dynasty, and her parents were Duke Magnus I of Saxe-Lauenburg and Duchess Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. A sister of hers was Queen Dorothy of Denmark-Norway, married to king Christian III. In September of 1531 she married king Gustav I Vasa of Sweden in spectacular festivities in Stockholm. The marriage was of a strictly political nature. After a year of their marriage Catherine finally gave birth to the future King Eric XIV, giving great joy to king and people alike, who longed for a normal Swedish royal family after nearly 200 years of very complicated situations. In 1535 while her sister of Denmark and brother-in-law were visiting from Copenhagen, Catherine took violently ill after dancing, fell over, and soon she died just short of her 22nd birthday. There were rumors that her highly temperamental husband had killed her with a little silver hammer he normally used to ring for servants. The fact that Gustav I remained on excellent terms with her relatives in Saxony makes the rumor seem incredible, and historians think she may have succumbed to complications of a miscarriage. Her cranium has also been examined without any trace being found of such an injury. She was temporarily laid to rest in Stockholm. In one of the most spectacular mourning caravans ever seen, 45 miles by foot, her remains were transferred to to Upsala Cathedral with those of her husband and his second queen after his death in 1560. The massive marble grave monument there, of the her with them, is the only likeness there is of Queen Catherine.
Queen of Sweden. She belonged to the Ascanian Dynasty, and her parents were Duke Magnus I of Saxe-Lauenburg and Duchess Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. A sister of hers was Queen Dorothy of Denmark-Norway, married to king Christian III. In September of 1531 she married king Gustav I Vasa of Sweden in spectacular festivities in Stockholm. The marriage was of a strictly political nature. After a year of their marriage Catherine finally gave birth to the future King Eric XIV, giving great joy to king and people alike, who longed for a normal Swedish royal family after nearly 200 years of very complicated situations. In 1535 while her sister of Denmark and brother-in-law were visiting from Copenhagen, Catherine took violently ill after dancing, fell over, and soon she died just short of her 22nd birthday. There were rumors that her highly temperamental husband had killed her with a little silver hammer he normally used to ring for servants. The fact that Gustav I remained on excellent terms with her relatives in Saxony makes the rumor seem incredible, and historians think she may have succumbed to complications of a miscarriage. Her cranium has also been examined without any trace being found of such an injury. She was temporarily laid to rest in Stockholm. In one of the most spectacular mourning caravans ever seen, 45 miles by foot, her remains were transferred to to Upsala Cathedral with those of her husband and his second queen after his death in 1560. The massive marble grave monument there, of the her with them, is the only likeness there is of Queen Catherine.
Bio by: Benny Chordt Hansen
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