Gustaf Banér
Encyclopedia
Gustaf Banér was a Swedish nobleman and member of the Privy Council of Sweden
.
Gustaf Axelsson Banér was born at Djursholm Castle
, the son of the Privy Council Axel Nilsson and Margareta Pedersdotter (Bielke). Gustaf Banér studied at the University of Rostock
, took part in the insurgence against King Eric XIV
and he was appointed member of the Privy Council in 1569 by King John III
. He remained favoured by King John for a long time and was entrusted with several diplomatic missions, such as the royal election in Poland
, in 1587, when King John's son Sigismund III
was elected.
He was then appointed as stadtholder
in Reval
, where there was a meeting in 1589 during which there was a rupture between Banér and the members of the privy council on the one side and King John III on the other.
In 1592, when Sigismund III had succeeded John III as the king of Sweden, Banér initially supported Duke Charles
in his power struggle against Sigismund. Banér's ambition was to ensure more power for the high nobility
in the government. When the duke's actions had led to a rupture with most of the members of the Privy council, Banér escaped to Denmark
from where he tried to incite a Swedish rebellion.
He joined King Sigismund III upon his arrival in Sweden in 1598, but after the Battle of Stångebro
, Banér was handed over to King Charles. Banér was one of five noblemen sentenced to death and executed in Linköping
. This event, at the main square of Linköping on March 20, 1600, became known as the Linköping Bloodbath
.
and thus she was a first cousin to King Eric XIV, King John III and King Charles IX of Sweden
. Gustav and Kristina had a total of 14 children. However, four died in infancy:
Privy Council of Sweden
The High Council of Sweden or Council of the Realm consisted originally of those men of noble, common and clergical background, that the king saw fit for advisory service...
.
Gustaf Axelsson Banér was born at Djursholm Castle
Djursholm Castle
Djursholm Castle is a former castle in Sweden.Djursholm is located in Danderyd Municipality, within Stockholm urban area. The castle includes building components from the late Middle Ages. It was the main building on the estate Djursholm, which was owned by the House of Banér from 1508-1813...
, the son of the Privy Council Axel Nilsson and Margareta Pedersdotter (Bielke). Gustaf Banér studied at the University of Rostock
University of Rostock
The University of Rostock is the university of the city Rostock, in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.Founded in 1419, it is the oldest and largest university in continental northern Europe and the Baltic Sea area...
, took part in the insurgence against King Eric XIV
Eric XIV of Sweden
-Family and descendants:Eric XIV had several relationships before his marriage. With Agda Persdotter he had four daughters:#Margareta Eriksdotter , married 1592 to Olov Simonsson, vicar of Horn....
and he was appointed member of the Privy Council in 1569 by King John III
John III of Sweden
-Family:John married his first wife, Catherine Jagellonica of Poland , house of Jagiello, in Vilnius on 4 October 1562. In Sweden, she is known as Katarina Jagellonica. She was the sister of king Sigismund II Augustus of Poland...
. He remained favoured by King John for a long time and was entrusted with several diplomatic missions, such as the royal election in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, in 1587, when King John's son Sigismund III
Sigismund III Vasa
Sigismund III Vasa was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, a monarch of the united Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth from 1587 to 1632, and King of Sweden from 1592 until he was deposed in 1599...
was elected.
He was then appointed as stadtholder
Stadtholder
A Stadtholder A Stadtholder A Stadtholder (Dutch: stadhouder [], "steward" or "lieutenant", literally place holder, holding someones place, possibly a calque of German Statthalter, French lieutenant, or Middle Latin locum tenens...
in Reval
Tallinn
Tallinn is the capital and largest city of Estonia. It occupies an area of with a population of 414,940. It is situated on the northern coast of the country, on the banks of the Gulf of Finland, south of Helsinki, east of Stockholm and west of Saint Petersburg. Tallinn's Old Town is in the list...
, where there was a meeting in 1589 during which there was a rupture between Banér and the members of the privy council on the one side and King John III on the other.
In 1592, when Sigismund III had succeeded John III as the king of Sweden, Banér initially supported Duke Charles
Charles IX of Sweden
Charles IX of Sweden also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1604 until his death. He was the youngest son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife, Margaret Leijonhufvud, brother of Eric XIV and John III of Sweden, and uncle of Sigismund III Vasa king of both Sweden and Poland...
in his power struggle against Sigismund. Banér's ambition was to ensure more power for the high nobility
Swedish nobility
The Swedish nobility were historically a legally and/or socially privileged class in Sweden, part of the so-called frälse . Today, the nobility is still very much a part of Swedish society but they do not maintain many of their former privileges...
in the government. When the duke's actions had led to a rupture with most of the members of the Privy council, Banér escaped to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
from where he tried to incite a Swedish rebellion.
He joined King Sigismund III upon his arrival in Sweden in 1598, but after the Battle of Stångebro
Battle of Stångebro
The Battle of Stångebro or Battle of Linköping took place at Linköping, Sweden on September 25, 1598, and effectively ended the personal union between Sweden and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, that had only existed since 1592...
, Banér was handed over to King Charles. Banér was one of five noblemen sentenced to death and executed in Linköping
Linköping
Linköping is a city in southern middle Sweden, with 104 232 inhabitants in 2010. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality with 146 736 inhabitants and the capital of Östergötland County...
. This event, at the main square of Linköping on March 20, 1600, became known as the Linköping Bloodbath
Linköping Bloodbath
The Linköping Bloodbath on Maundy Thursday 20 March 1600 was the public execution by beheading of five Swedish nobles in the aftermath of the Battle of Stångebro and the de facto deposition of the Polish and Swedish king Sigismund III Vasa as king of Sweden...
.
Personal life
He was married on October 8, 1581 to Kristina Svantesdotter Sture (1559-1619), daughter of the Privy Council and Riksmarsalken, Svante Sture the Younger (1517–1567). Her mother was Märta Erikdotter LeijonhufvudKing Martha (Swedish noblewoman)
Märta Erikdotter Leijonhufvud, known as King Märta , was a Swedish noble...
and thus she was a first cousin to King Eric XIV, King John III and King Charles IX of Sweden
Charles IX of Sweden
Charles IX of Sweden also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1604 until his death. He was the youngest son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife, Margaret Leijonhufvud, brother of Eric XIV and John III of Sweden, and uncle of Sigismund III Vasa king of both Sweden and Poland...
. Gustav and Kristina had a total of 14 children. However, four died in infancy:
- Margareta Gustafsdotter Banér ( (1582-1618)
- Svante Gustafsson Banér(1584-1628). Privy Councilor and Governor of RigaRigaRiga is the capital and largest city of Latvia. With 702,891 inhabitants Riga is the largest city of the Baltic states, one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and home to more than one third of Latvia's population. The city is an important seaport and a major industrial, commercial,...
- Anna Gustafsdotter Banér (1585-1656)
- Martha Gustafsdotter Banér (1586-1586)
- Axel Gustafsson Banér (1587-1594)
- Peder Gustafsson Banér (1588-1644)
- Nils Gustafsson Banér (1589-1614)
- daughter died at birth (1590)
- Sigrid Gustafsdotter Banér (1592-1669)
- Martha Gustafsdotter Banér (1593-1638)
- Axel Gustafsson Banér (1594-1642). Privy Councilor and Reichsmarshal
- Johan Gustafsson BanérJohan BanérJohan Banér was a Swedish Field Marshal in the Thirty Years' War.-Biography:Johan Banér was born at Djursholm Castle in Uppland. As a four year old he was forced to witness how his father, the Privy Councillour Gustaf Banér, and uncle, Sten Axelsson Banér , were executed at the Linköping Bloodbath...
(1596-1641). Privy Councilor and Field MarshalField MarshalField Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical... - Erik Gustafsson Banér (1597-1597)
- Karl Gustafsson Banér (1598-1632). State Secretary, Deputy Governor of PrussiaPrussiaPrussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
Other sources
- The article Banér, Gustaf in NationalencyklopedinNationalencyklopedinNationalencyklopedin is the most comprehensive contemporary Swedish language encyclopedia, initiated by a favourable loan from the Government of Sweden of 17 million Swedish kronor in 1980, which was repaid by December 1990...
(1990) - Lindqvist, Herman Historien om Gustav Vasa och hans soner och dottrar (Historien om Sverige) (Norstedt. 1993)