Margaret Leijonhufvud

Margaret Leijonhufvud or Margareta Eriksdotter (1 January 1516 – 26 August 1551) was Queen of Sweden from 1536 to 1551 by marriage to King Gustav I. She played a political role as the advisor and intermediary to her spouse.

Biography

Early life Margaret Leijonhuvfud was a member of one of Sweden's most powerful noble families: the early Leijonhufvud clan of Swedish nobility (the name meaning Lion's Head), being the daughter of , a man executed in the Stockholm bloodbath, and wife Ebba Eriksdotter Vasa, the second cousin of king Gustav.

There is very little known of her life prior to her marriage. Her father was executed when she was four years old, during which time she hid with her mother and siblings in the Västerås Monastery. She spent her childhood mainly at in Västergötland and Ekeberg in Närke. At that time, the contemporary educational ideal for a Swedish noblewoman was to be tutored in reading, writing, economics, and mathematics. She was expected to learn how to manage a large estate and landholding and perform the duties of her future spouse in his absence, as well as to have knowledge at least in the German language except Swedish, and to deport herself with humility but also dignity by reading religious literature. Finally, it was customary for a girl from the nobility to spend some time in a convent to complete her education, and Margaret is likely to have received this customary education.

Margaret was selected to marry the king as she belonged to one of the leading noble families of the realm, creating an alliance between the king and one of the most powerful factions of the nobility; her mother was a relative of the king, and her sisters were both married to the king's favorite courtiers: Birgitta "Brita" to Gustav Olofsson Stenbock, and Anna to Axel Eriksson Bielke. During the first years of their marriage, Margaret's mother Ebba played a dominating role in the royal court, and it was said that even the king did not dare to oppose his mother-in-law.

According to tradition, Margaret was engaged to Svante Sture when the king decided to marry her, but her family broke the engagement and her former fiancé was married to her sister, Martha Leijonhufvud, instead. A story describes how her sister's marriage came about. According to tradition, the king caught his new queen and her former fiancé together alone, with the young man, Svante Sture, on his knees before the queen. The king reportedly asked in a rage: "What is this?!" upon which Queen Margaret swiftly answered: "My Lord Sture is asking me for the hand of my sister!" At this, the king just as swiftly answered: "Granted!"

Queen Margaret is credited with meaningful influence over the monarch. Her influence was of the kind accepted for a queen consort in accordance with contemporary ideals — that of speaking to the King on the behalf of others, as well as performing political tasks he assigned to her as his deputy, rather than to have used her influence to promote any personal agenda.

Because of this activity she received a large number of petitions from supplicants who used her as a go-between for them and the king. When the king arrested statesman Conrad von Pyhy, the queen sent for his wife Anna von Pyhy and gave her money so that she might return to her relatives in Germany before she would be in any danger due to her spouse's arrest.

Children John III (Johan III) (1537–1592), Duke of Finland, King of Sweden 1567-1592 Catherine (1539–1610), wife of Edzard II, Count of East Frisia Cecilia (1540–1627), wife of Christopher II, Margrave of Baden-Rodemachern Magnus (1542–1595), Duke of Västanstång (western Östergötland) and Count of Dal (Dalsland), mentally ill Karl (1544-1544) Anna (1545–1610), wife of George John I, Count Palatine of Veldenz Sten (1546–1547) Sophia (1547–1611), wife of Duke Magnus II of Saxe-Lauenburg, who was nephew of Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg Elizabeth (1549–1597), wife of Christopher, Duke of Mecklenburg-Gadebusch Charles IX (Karl IX) (1550–1611), Duke of Södermanland, Närke, Värmland and northern Västergötland, Regent of Sweden 1599–1604, King of Sweden 1604-1611