Swedish Monarch. He reigned as King of Sweden from 1364 to 1389. A member of the Nicholan Dynasty, he was a Prince of Mecklenburg and the nephew of Sweden's King Magnus IV (Magnus VII of Norway). The kingdom he reigned over then included Finland and the Vyborg area of Russia. He was also Sovereign Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (now part of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Germany) from 1388 till his death, as Albert III. Called in to rule Sweden by noblemen opposed to his uncle's long reign there, he imprisoned Magnus for three years in Stockholm. Through and with his powerful father, Duke Albert I, he was supported by the many German townspeople already living there. To keep his throne, however, he had to give up more and more of his royal powers to Swedish nobles and was finally dethroned when he tried to restrict their vast land ownership and curtail widespread judicial misconduct. Albert seems to have been sincere, though he was widely criticized for extravagance in court entertainment and music. His 25-year reign was practically a period of anarchy. His first consort, Queen Richardice, died in Stockholm in 1377 and was buried there. After being toppled, he was incarcerated for six years in Denmark by his uncle's daughter-in-law, Queen Regnant Margaret I, whom he publicly had called "King Nopants". Eventually he was allowed to return to his native Mecklenburg and rule his duchy there, while his son Eric took over the island of Gothland (Gotland) in the Baltic. Albert remarried and had another son who succeeded him in the duchy, but not in Sweden.
Swedish Monarch. He reigned as King of Sweden from 1364 to 1389. A member of the Nicholan Dynasty, he was a Prince of Mecklenburg and the nephew of Sweden's King Magnus IV (Magnus VII of Norway). The kingdom he reigned over then included Finland and the Vyborg area of Russia. He was also Sovereign Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin (now part of Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Germany) from 1388 till his death, as Albert III. Called in to rule Sweden by noblemen opposed to his uncle's long reign there, he imprisoned Magnus for three years in Stockholm. Through and with his powerful father, Duke Albert I, he was supported by the many German townspeople already living there. To keep his throne, however, he had to give up more and more of his royal powers to Swedish nobles and was finally dethroned when he tried to restrict their vast land ownership and curtail widespread judicial misconduct. Albert seems to have been sincere, though he was widely criticized for extravagance in court entertainment and music. His 25-year reign was practically a period of anarchy. His first consort, Queen Richardice, died in Stockholm in 1377 and was buried there. After being toppled, he was incarcerated for six years in Denmark by his uncle's daughter-in-law, Queen Regnant Margaret I, whom he publicly had called "King Nopants". Eventually he was allowed to return to his native Mecklenburg and rule his duchy there, while his son Eric took over the island of Gothland (Gotland) in the Baltic. Albert remarried and had another son who succeeded him in the duchy, but not in Sweden.
Bio by: Count Demitz
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