Queen of Sweden. She was a Jagiellan Dynasty princess of Poland and the daughter of King Sigmund I and Queen Bona, née of the Sforza Dynasty of Milan. In 1562, against the wishes of her brother-in-law, King Eric XIV of Sweden, she married Duke John of Finland (later King John III). The Duke and his new Duchess were arrested in Turku and imprisoned at Gripsholm Castle south of Stockholm, where two of their 3 children were born. One of them was the future King Sigmund (III) of Poland and Sweden. When in 1568 Eric XIV had been forced to abdicate, a year went by and John III and Catherine were crowned King and Queen. She appears to have influenced John in leanings toward reestablishing the Catholic Church in Sweden. The effect of her artistic Italian roots and knowledge on her husband's many architectural projects at castles and palaces around the country is still obvious to the initiated eye today and has been the subject of special publications. The kindness of her nature has made her lasting reputation a good one. A notable example was the generous and amicable Three Queen Meeting (all of them named Catherine) that she initiated and held with the widows of Eric and of his long deceased father, Gustav I Vasa.
Queen of Sweden. She was a Jagiellan Dynasty princess of Poland and the daughter of King Sigmund I and Queen Bona, née of the Sforza Dynasty of Milan. In 1562, against the wishes of her brother-in-law, King Eric XIV of Sweden, she married Duke John of Finland (later King John III). The Duke and his new Duchess were arrested in Turku and imprisoned at Gripsholm Castle south of Stockholm, where two of their 3 children were born. One of them was the future King Sigmund (III) of Poland and Sweden. When in 1568 Eric XIV had been forced to abdicate, a year went by and John III and Catherine were crowned King and Queen. She appears to have influenced John in leanings toward reestablishing the Catholic Church in Sweden. The effect of her artistic Italian roots and knowledge on her husband's many architectural projects at castles and palaces around the country is still obvious to the initiated eye today and has been the subject of special publications. The kindness of her nature has made her lasting reputation a good one. A notable example was the generous and amicable Three Queen Meeting (all of them named Catherine) that she initiated and held with the widows of Eric and of his long deceased father, Gustav I Vasa.
Bio by: Benny Chordt Hansen
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