Algot Magnusson

Algot Magnusson, Lord of Räfsnäs (c. 1355 – c. 1426) was a medieval Swedish magnate of the Sture (Sjöblad) family. He served as castellan of the fortification of Styresholm at Kramfors and governor of Ångermanland.

Biography Algot Magnusson was first mentioned in historical sources in 1374. He was born the son of Magnus Anundsson Sture and Karin Algotsdotter, daughter of Algot Magnusson who belonged to the ancient Västergötland dynasty of justiciars. The family byname Sture, although already used by his father, was not used of Algot.

In 1388, Algot was the first Swedish aristocrat to start support Margaret I of Denmark against Albert, King of Sweden. By 1389, Albert was deposed of Sweden and incarcerated, while the Dowager Queen Margaret became the new ruler.

In 1392–1393 Algot was castellan of Örebro, and the winter 1393–1394 he held power in all Uppland and led the siege of Stockholm, the principal town yet in hands of the deposed King Albert's representatives. King Albert himself was kept imprisoned at Lindholmen Castle in Scania where he spent the next six years.

Family

Around 30 August 1381 Algot married Märta Bosdotter of Ringshult, scion of an important Östgöta family and widow of castellan Christopher Mikelsdorp. Her father was lord Bo Bosson of Ringshult, and her grandmother had been Cecilia Knutsdotter of Aspanes, descendant of several dukes.

The couple had four historically known surviving children:

Anund Algotson Sture, lord of Räfsnes, who married heiress of Grönskog Gustav Algotson Sture, holder of Ängsö who married firstly heiress of Ängsö, and secondly heiress of Lagmansö. Karin (Katarina) Algotsdotter of Räfsnes, who first married Karl Karlsson, lord of Ulvåsa (grandson of St. Bridget of Sweden), and secondly knight Håkan Nilsson. Marta (Margareta) Algotsdotter of Räfsnes, married the rich knight Erik Jonsson Ummereise, lord of Björnö near Kalmar

When Märta's son Johan Erikson Ummereise died in c. 1440 as last of his line, the Ummereise inheritance became inherited by his surviving cousins. Algot Gustavson Sture from Lagmansö became lord of Björnö.

Karin Algotsdotter had one known daughter from both of her marriages. When the elder, Birgitta Karlsdotter of Ulvåsa, died at the approximate age of nine, bringing to extinction her paternal grandfather's entire line, the surviving mother Karin Algotsdotter inherited Ulvåsa, St. Bridget's family seat. Karin's younger daughter (who inherited Ulvåsa from the mother) married and had children, one of whom married but her children did not survive, and Ulvåsa ended to Ellen Gisladotter of Geddeholm, a half-sibling of these last ones.

Whereas lineages from both sons survive to the present day. One son's family produced, among others, the regent Sten Sture the Elder and his nephews, while the Lagmansö branch on the other hand cognatically continued through short-lived branches of families of Oxenstierna, Tillbakaseende Ulv, Thott, Färla and Gera to barons Oxenstierna.