Stegeborg Castle
Encyclopedia
Stegeborg Castle is a ruined castle
in St Anna parish, Söderköping
, Östergötland
, located on an island in a narrow sound
at the bay of Slätbaken.
became a city. A simple fortified residence was added during the 14th century, expanded and supplemented by a wall and a round tower in the west. During the 16th and 17th centuries the building was further expanded, especially during the reign of John III of Sweden
, when the round tower attained its present height. In addition, a castle church was added to the north wing. Several of the Vasa kings
lived in Stegeborg, which was allotted 1652–1689 to the Palatine counts John Casimir
(died 1652) and Adolph John. The crown sold the castle in the 1730s for building materials. The bottom floor's large masonry protected it against complete destruction. Until 1689 the castle was the center of the Östergötland archipelago's local government. The new castle, a whitewashed three-storey building in neoclassical style
, located at the former southern royal farm, was built in 1806.
His successor Lars Albrektsson kept the property. Its strategic location at the entrance to Söderköping
, at the time one of the country's wealthiest cities, was obvious to Birger Magnusson's guardianship, which was led by the marsk Torkel Knutsson
. In 1305 at the latest the bishop's farm was sold to king Birger.
Subsequently, a castle was built on the islet, which is in the sea channel leading toward Söderköping. Its appearance and extent are unknown. The edifice was probably not too extensive, as the island is currently not large and post-glacial isostatic rebound in Östergötland has resulted in land elevation of two meters since the 14th century.
During the period 1310–1316 the king sent several letters from Stegeborg and one can assume that he remained there for long periods. After the Nyköping Banquet
a rebellion broke out against King Birger. He left Stegeborg and sailed to Visby
, but left his son Magnus Birgersson as commander of Stegeborg. The castle was besieged, presumably from Easter
until the end of August 1318. Magnus was taken prisoner to Stockholm
and was sentenced to death in June 1320. He is buried in Riddarholmskyrkan
in Stockholm next to Magnus III of Sweden
. According to the Eric Chronicles
Stegeborg was demolished after the capitulation.
Karl Bååt, bishop of Linköping, sought to reacquire the Skällsvik farm for the diocese. He was able to receive Skällsvik and the castle ruins as a gift from duke Eric's widow Ingeborg Håkansdotter on January 27, 1321. Karl then spent a lot of money rebuilding the estate.
However, in 1332 the bishop was forced to yield the estate to King Magnus
in exchange for properties on Visingsö
. The reason was probably the site's strategic location and the possibility of raising the tariff on ships on the way to Söderköping. An economic crisis, however, forced the king to pawn the castle in 1336. To whom is unknown, but in 1350 Skällsvik was again property of the church. On February 28, 1350 the bishop of Linköping Peter Tyrgilsson signed a letter at the manor (in manerio nostro Skældowijk).
During the dynastic conflicts between King Magnus and Erik Magnusson
in the 1350s, Skällvik manor was held by bishop Nils Markusson. The bishop had taken sides with Erik, and in 1356 the manor was attacked and badly damaged; it is likely that this was on the order of the king. How much was destroyed is unknown, but when Duke Albert of Mecklenburg
attacked Sweden in 1363, even Söderköping was attacked, indicating that Albert's fleet had been able to pass Skällvik unhindered. What is clear is that the Skällsvik manor disappeared and that someone rebuilt Stegeborg on the island in the channel. One guess is that Albert, who rebuilt both Nyköping Castle
and Stäkeholm, also rebuilt Stegeborg.
had appointed the Danish
knight Evert Moltke as sheriff. The diocese complained that he forced the peasants to pay additional taxes, despite crop failures. On Midsummer's Day 1394 Söderköping was attacked by the Victual Brothers
. These pirates attacked with a large force and apparently passed Stegeborg without being stopped.
A few years later, Moltke was transferred and Esbjörn Krisiernsson Djäkn became the new sheriff. In the diary of Vadstena Abbey
he was called a disgusting tyrant. In 1414 Jöns Fridfinnsson became sheriff. He had been sheriff at Västerås Castle
, where the populace had complained to the king about his abuses. Almost nothing is known about his behaviour at Stegeborg.
When King Erik in the 1420s made a pilgrimage
to Jerusalem, he met in Budapest
the Croatian Count Ivan Anz Frankopan
, who followed the king to Jerusalem as an interpreter and was there was appointed Knight of the Holy Sepulchre. At the end of the decade, he was appointed sheriff in Stegeborg. His name has been swedified to Johan Vale or Johan Franco. In Engelbrecht rebellion Stegeborg was captured in 1434 after a brief siege.
The bishop in Linköping Knut Bosson (Natt och Dag) became the new steward. After the 1436 meeting of the Council of the Realm in Söderköping, Nils Stensson (Natt och Dag) was appointed. In 1438 Karl Knutsson (Bonde) had been appointed regent and demanded that Nils yield Stegeborg to him. Nils refused and began a siege in February 1439. In July it was agreed that Nils would voluntarily yield the castle in September unless King Eric sent some relief. King Eric came to Stegeborg during the summer to summon the Privy Council. Karl Knutsson and Eric's negotiators met in Arkösund
but no agreement was reached. In late August, Eric returned to Gotland
and in the autumn Stegeborg was handed to the Privy Council. The new sheriff was Erengisle Nilsson the younger (Hammerstaätten).
Erengisle seems to have been friendly to the Kalmar Union
but was fired as sheriff in 1463 when the king suspected him of sympathizing with Karl Knutsson. The house of Oxenstierna
was also supportive of the Union, and the new sheriff was Erik Nilsson (Oxenstierna). However, the Oxenstierna family lost power in Sweden in 1467 and in their stead Ivar Axelsson (Tott) was appointed as steward instead, by his brother, who was regent. Ivar was married to Karl Knutsson's daughter Magdalena Karlsdotter, which meant a change of allegiance to the group that opposed the Union. By order of the Privy Council on 25 May 1472, he was granted Stegeholm Castle and county as a life fiefdom.
Ivar had his home in Visborg Castle
on Gotland but nonetheless made major alterations to Stegeborg. Among other things, a new wall was built and the round tower which still stands.
Ivar Axelsson owned seven vessels engaged in piracy on the Baltic Sea
and this pastime led to an inevitable conflict with the Privy Council. When discussions led nowhere a military operation against Ivar Axel's Castle was launched. In February 1487 a siege of the castle began and on 14 May 1487 the steward Erland Kagge was forced to capitulate.
On September 3 the same year was appointed Privy Council and the Judge
Gregers Matsson (Lillie) to new slottshövitsman. From his time the accounts for 1487-1492 are preserved.
After Gregers, several people had command of the castle but only for short periods: Privy Councilman Arvid Trolle, Knight Nils Bosson (Sture) and Knight Erik Turesson (Bielke).
In the summer of 1499 John I appointed Svante Nilsson (Sture) to new owners in the fief of Stegeborg. Svante had wanted to succeed his father Nils Bosson, but had been passed over by Sten Sture. Now Castle County had diminished and no longer received revenues from the cities of Söderköping and Norrköping
.
After many years of service in Rome Hemming Gadh
returned to Sweden and became a Bishop of Linköping in January 1501. Surviving correspondence reveals that Hemming was a frequent guest at Stegeborg. During the summer of 1501 a rebellion broke out against King Hans. In August, three of the king's 14 ships attempted to enter Slätbaken and conquer Stegeborg but the landing attempt failed.
After the death of Sten Sture, Svante Nilsson was elected on January 21, 1504, to the regency. It was probably not until 1506 before the Privy Council Trotte Månsson (Eka) was appointed the new castle bailiff. Trotte was faithful to Svante Nilsson and remained sheriff until his death in 1512.
Holger Karlsson Gera was appointed the fiefdome in 1513. Holger's wife was a cousin of Archbishop Gustav Trolle
, which probably was a burden on him in Sture party. In June 1517 the Danish navy managed to burn Söderköping despite Stegeborg blocking the entrance. It is likely, though, that the fleet entered the Bråviken
and then landed a military force.
1518 Stegeborg got a new commander, the Privy Council Erik Ryning. In the summer of 1520 he defeated a Danish force that protected the manor outside the Bishop of Linköping. This eventually led to accusations from both bishop Brask
and Nils Bosson (Grip) and he was one of those beheaded at Stockholm Bloodbath
1520th.
King John III of Sweden
was born and raised in the castle and in 1578 he decided on the continuation of construction on the castle. This castle became more of a Renaissance palace than a medieval castle. Work continued until 1590.
In 1622 the castle was conferred, along with some hundreds (härader) to Gustav II Adolf's brother-in-law John Casimir of Pfalz-Zweibrücken
, who in 1651 was entitled Duke
of Stegeborg. After John Casimir's death in 1652 the ducal title passed on to the eldest living son, Karl Gustav. Two years later Karl Gustav's succeeded his cousin Queen Christina
and became King Charles X Gustav of Sweden, whereupon the ducal titel was transferred to Karl Gustav's younger brother Adolph John
, which then resided in the castle until his death in 1689. After his death the castle reverted to the crown.
Jacob von Hökerstedt bought 1731 Southern Kungsladugården, which took over the name Stegeborg. Due to poor finances, the property was transferred to the bank Rikets städer. The next owners were the von Schwerins (1739–1863).
The palace got its present appearance, however, with the extensive renovations of 1915–1918, for Captain Hakon Wijk to designs by architect Isak Gustaf Clason
.
The main facade (to the east) received a window shade on either side, a middle section and a lantern, a garden facade was narrower trimmed hood (which includes the three middle windows) window and two cups on each side. Putsornamentiken changed and became more uniform, black-glazed roof tiles were retained (now slate). The plaster was originally beige, but is now off-white.
Inside the castle received a partial change of floorplan. The ground floor, formerly storage space, received an entirely new set of library furnishings, men's dining room and pantries in the eastern facade and rooms and servants' dining room with kitchen area to the west. The main entrance leads into the hall which has a double staircase to the upper hall. The parade floor
has among other things two lounges and bedrooms to the east. The third floor has a billiard room in the place that previously housed the Schwerinska Library (now in Thorönsborg).
A reflecting pool
was built in front of the palace (today filled in) and a large orchard was designed by Danish landscape architect I. P. Andersen. The gardener's house (now a hotel) and a number of residential buildings was also built according to plans by Clason. A stable was designed by Clason but was never built.
was fought. The castle ruins are now also a port tavern and a marina.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in St Anna parish, Söderköping
Söderköping
Söderköping is a locality and the seat of Söderköping Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 6,951 inhabitants in 2005. Söderköping is, despite its small population, for historical reasons normally still referred to as a city...
, Östergötland
Östergötland
Östergötland, English exonym: East Gothland, is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland, and the Baltic Sea. In older English literature, one might also encounter the Latinized version, Ostrogothia...
, located on an island in a narrow sound
Sound (geography)
In geography a sound or seaway is a large sea or ocean inlet larger than a bay, deeper than a bight and wider than a fjord; or it may be defined as a narrow sea or ocean channel between two bodies of land ....
at the bay of Slätbaken.
Brief history
The oldest part of the castle is a square brick tower in the southeast corner, built in the early 13th century, when SöderköpingSöderköping
Söderköping is a locality and the seat of Söderköping Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 6,951 inhabitants in 2005. Söderköping is, despite its small population, for historical reasons normally still referred to as a city...
became a city. A simple fortified residence was added during the 14th century, expanded and supplemented by a wall and a round tower in the west. During the 16th and 17th centuries the building was further expanded, especially during the reign of John III of Sweden
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...
, when the round tower attained its present height. In addition, a castle church was added to the north wing. Several of the Vasa kings
House of Vasa
The House of Vasa was the Royal House of Sweden 1523-1654 and of Poland 1587-1668. It originated from a noble family in Uppland of which several members had high offices during the 15th century....
lived in Stegeborg, which was allotted 1652–1689 to the Palatine counts John Casimir
John Casimir, Count Palatine of Kleeburg
John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg was the son of John I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and the founder of a branch of Wittelsbach Counts Palatine often called the Swedish line, because it gave rise to three subsequent kings of Sweden, but more commonly known as the Kleeburg ...
(died 1652) and Adolph John. The crown sold the castle in the 1730s for building materials. The bottom floor's large masonry protected it against complete destruction. Until 1689 the castle was the center of the Östergötland archipelago's local government. The new castle, a whitewashed three-storey building in neoclassical style
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
, located at the former southern royal farm, was built in 1806.
Town name and more detailed story
Town name
The castle is mentioned in 1310 as Stækaborg: the name comes from stæk, mediaeval Swedish for stock, pile, or the other place name Stäket. "Stäk" refers to several systems of pilings submerged in the water which blocked the channel. The oldest of these systems has been dated between the 7th and 9th century. Pilings dating back to the 11th century have been discovered in the waters north of the island. The purpose of the piling barriers was to prevent or hinder shipping. These pilings were still extant in the 19th century, and therefore vessels had to therefore pass the island on the south side to reach Söderköping.Folkung period
The early history of Stegeborg is tied with the estate of Skällsvik. A farm is attested as early as 1287, when it belonged to the Bishop of Linköping, Benedict Birgersson.His successor Lars Albrektsson kept the property. Its strategic location at the entrance to Söderköping
Söderköping
Söderköping is a locality and the seat of Söderköping Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden with 6,951 inhabitants in 2005. Söderköping is, despite its small population, for historical reasons normally still referred to as a city...
, at the time one of the country's wealthiest cities, was obvious to Birger Magnusson's guardianship, which was led by the marsk Torkel Knutsson
Torkel Knutsson
Torkel Knutsson, known well as Marshal Torkel, of Aranäs, was constable and virtual ruler of Sweden during the early reign of King Birger Magnusson ....
. In 1305 at the latest the bishop's farm was sold to king Birger.
Subsequently, a castle was built on the islet, which is in the sea channel leading toward Söderköping. Its appearance and extent are unknown. The edifice was probably not too extensive, as the island is currently not large and post-glacial isostatic rebound in Östergötland has resulted in land elevation of two meters since the 14th century.
During the period 1310–1316 the king sent several letters from Stegeborg and one can assume that he remained there for long periods. After the Nyköping Banquet
Nyköping Banquet
The Nyköping banquet was king Birger of Sweden's Christmas celebration December 11, 1317 at the Nyköping Castle in Sweden...
a rebellion broke out against King Birger. He left Stegeborg and sailed to Visby
Visby
-See also:* Battle of Visby* Gotland University College* List of governors of Gotland County-External links:* - Visby*...
, but left his son Magnus Birgersson as commander of Stegeborg. The castle was besieged, presumably from Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
until the end of August 1318. Magnus was taken prisoner to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
and was sentenced to death in June 1320. He is buried in Riddarholmskyrkan
Riddarholmskyrkan
The Riddarholmen Church is the burial church of the Swedish monarchs. It is located on the island of Riddarholmen, close to the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. The congregation was dissolved in 1807 and today the church is used only for burial and commemorative purposes. Swedish monarchs from...
in Stockholm next to Magnus III of Sweden
Magnus III of Sweden
Magnus III Ladulås of Sweden, Swedish: Magnus Birgersson or Magnus Ladulås was King of Sweden from 1275 until his death in 1290....
. According to the Eric Chronicles
Eric Chronicles
Eric's Chronicle is the oldest surviving Swedish chronicle. It was written by an unknown author between about 1320 and 1335....
Stegeborg was demolished after the capitulation.
Karl Bååt, bishop of Linköping, sought to reacquire the Skällsvik farm for the diocese. He was able to receive Skällsvik and the castle ruins as a gift from duke Eric's widow Ingeborg Håkansdotter on January 27, 1321. Karl then spent a lot of money rebuilding the estate.
However, in 1332 the bishop was forced to yield the estate to King Magnus
Magnus IV of Sweden
Magnus Eriksson as Magnus IV was king of Sweden , including Finland, as Magnus VII King of Norway , including Iceland and Greenland, and also ruled Scania . He has also vindictively been called Magnus Smek...
in exchange for properties on Visingsö
Visingsö
Visingsö is an island in the southern half of the lake Vättern in Sweden.Visingsö lies 30 km north of the city Jönköping and 6 km west of Gränna from which two car ferries connects the island...
. The reason was probably the site's strategic location and the possibility of raising the tariff on ships on the way to Söderköping. An economic crisis, however, forced the king to pawn the castle in 1336. To whom is unknown, but in 1350 Skällsvik was again property of the church. On February 28, 1350 the bishop of Linköping Peter Tyrgilsson signed a letter at the manor (in manerio nostro Skældowijk).
During the dynastic conflicts between King Magnus and Erik Magnusson
Eric XII of Sweden
Eric "XII" of Sweden was a rival king of Sweden of his father Magnus IV from 1356 to his death in 1359. He was married to Beatrix of Bavaria, daughter of Louis IV of Bavaria....
in the 1350s, Skällvik manor was held by bishop Nils Markusson. The bishop had taken sides with Erik, and in 1356 the manor was attacked and badly damaged; it is likely that this was on the order of the king. How much was destroyed is unknown, but when Duke Albert of Mecklenburg
Albert of Sweden
Albert was King of Sweden from 1364 to 1389 and Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 1384 to 1412.-Background:...
attacked Sweden in 1363, even Söderköping was attacked, indicating that Albert's fleet had been able to pass Skällvik unhindered. What is clear is that the Skällsvik manor disappeared and that someone rebuilt Stegeborg on the island in the channel. One guess is that Albert, who rebuilt both Nyköping Castle
Nyköping Castle
Nyköping Castle in Nyköping, Sweden, is a Mediaeval castle from the Birger Jarl era, partly in ruins. The castle is mostly known for the ghastly Nyköping Banquet which took place here in 1317.-Construction:...
and Stäkeholm, also rebuilt Stegeborg.
Kalmar Union era
In 1391 Stegeborg was owned by the Crown, and MargaretMargaret I of Denmark
Margaret I was Queen of Denmark, Norway and Sweden and founder of the Kalmar Union, which united the Scandinavian countries for over a century. Although she acted as queen regnant, the laws of contemporary Danish succession denied her formal queenship. Her title in Denmark was derived from her...
had appointed the Danish
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...
knight Evert Moltke as sheriff. The diocese complained that he forced the peasants to pay additional taxes, despite crop failures. On Midsummer's Day 1394 Söderköping was attacked by the Victual Brothers
Victual Brothers
The Victual Brothers were a companionship of privateers who later turned to piracy. They were hired in 1392 by the Dukes of Mecklenburg to fight against Denmark, because the Danish Queen Margaret I had imprisoned Albrecht of Mecklenburg and his son in order to subdue the kingdom of Sweden...
. These pirates attacked with a large force and apparently passed Stegeborg without being stopped.
A few years later, Moltke was transferred and Esbjörn Krisiernsson Djäkn became the new sheriff. In the diary of Vadstena Abbey
Vadstena Abbey
Vadstena Abbey was the motherhouse of the Bridgettine Order, situated on Lake Vättern, in the Diocese of Linköping, Sweden. The abbey started as one of the farms donated by the king, but the town of Vadstena grew up around it...
he was called a disgusting tyrant. In 1414 Jöns Fridfinnsson became sheriff. He had been sheriff at Västerås Castle
Västerås Castle
Västerås Castle is situated in Västerås, the province of Västmanland, Sweden....
, where the populace had complained to the king about his abuses. Almost nothing is known about his behaviour at Stegeborg.
When King Erik in the 1420s made a pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
to Jerusalem, he met in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
the Croatian Count Ivan Anz Frankopan
Frankopan
The Frankopans are a Croatian noble family. Also called Frankapan, Frangepán in Hungarian, and Frangipani in Italian.The Frankopan family is the leading princely Croatian aristocratic family which dates back to the 12th Century and even earlier to Roman times...
, who followed the king to Jerusalem as an interpreter and was there was appointed Knight of the Holy Sepulchre. At the end of the decade, he was appointed sheriff in Stegeborg. His name has been swedified to Johan Vale or Johan Franco. In Engelbrecht rebellion Stegeborg was captured in 1434 after a brief siege.
The bishop in Linköping Knut Bosson (Natt och Dag) became the new steward. After the 1436 meeting of the Council of the Realm in Söderköping, Nils Stensson (Natt och Dag) was appointed. In 1438 Karl Knutsson (Bonde) had been appointed regent and demanded that Nils yield Stegeborg to him. Nils refused and began a siege in February 1439. In July it was agreed that Nils would voluntarily yield the castle in September unless King Eric sent some relief. King Eric came to Stegeborg during the summer to summon the Privy Council. Karl Knutsson and Eric's negotiators met in Arkösund
Arkösund
Arkösund is a small village on the Swedish East Coast, on Vikbolandet peninsula, Norrköping Municipality. Its population swells in the summer, when the yacht people arrive to anchor up in the marina to shop for food...
but no agreement was reached. In late August, Eric returned to Gotland
Gotland
Gotland is a county, province, municipality and diocese of Sweden; it is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. At 3,140 square kilometers in area, the region makes up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area...
and in the autumn Stegeborg was handed to the Privy Council. The new sheriff was Erengisle Nilsson the younger (Hammerstaätten).
Erengisle seems to have been friendly to the Kalmar Union
Kalmar Union
The Kalmar Union is a historiographical term meaning a series of personal unions that united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway , and Sweden under a single monarch, though intermittently and with a population...
but was fired as sheriff in 1463 when the king suspected him of sympathizing with Karl Knutsson. The house of Oxenstierna
Oxenstierna
Oxenstierna, an ancient Swedish noble family, the origin of which can be traced up to the middle of the 14th century, which had vast estates in Södermanland and Uppland, and began to adopt its armorial designation of Oxenstierna as a personal name towards the end of the 16th century...
was also supportive of the Union, and the new sheriff was Erik Nilsson (Oxenstierna). However, the Oxenstierna family lost power in Sweden in 1467 and in their stead Ivar Axelsson (Tott) was appointed as steward instead, by his brother, who was regent. Ivar was married to Karl Knutsson's daughter Magdalena Karlsdotter, which meant a change of allegiance to the group that opposed the Union. By order of the Privy Council on 25 May 1472, he was granted Stegeholm Castle and county as a life fiefdom.
Ivar had his home in Visborg Castle
Visborg
Visborg refers to a fortress in the town of Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland. There was no one fortress called "Visborg", rather it refers to successive fortresses built in Visby...
on Gotland but nonetheless made major alterations to Stegeborg. Among other things, a new wall was built and the round tower which still stands.
Ivar Axelsson owned seven vessels engaged in piracy on the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
and this pastime led to an inevitable conflict with the Privy Council. When discussions led nowhere a military operation against Ivar Axel's Castle was launched. In February 1487 a siege of the castle began and on 14 May 1487 the steward Erland Kagge was forced to capitulate.
On September 3 the same year was appointed Privy Council and the Judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
Gregers Matsson (Lillie) to new slottshövitsman. From his time the accounts for 1487-1492 are preserved.
After Gregers, several people had command of the castle but only for short periods: Privy Councilman Arvid Trolle, Knight Nils Bosson (Sture) and Knight Erik Turesson (Bielke).
In the summer of 1499 John I appointed Svante Nilsson (Sture) to new owners in the fief of Stegeborg. Svante had wanted to succeed his father Nils Bosson, but had been passed over by Sten Sture. Now Castle County had diminished and no longer received revenues from the cities of Söderköping and Norrköping
Norrköping
Norrköping is a city in the province of Östergötland in eastern Sweden and the seat of Norrköping Municipality, Östergötland County. The city has a population of 87,247 inhabitants in 2010, out of a municipal total of 130,050, making it Sweden's tenth largest city and eighth largest...
.
After many years of service in Rome Hemming Gadh
Hemming Gadh
Hemming Gadh was a Swedish priest and politician. He was a staunch ally of Sten Sture and a fierce opponent of Denmark and the Kalmar Union.- Biography :...
returned to Sweden and became a Bishop of Linköping in January 1501. Surviving correspondence reveals that Hemming was a frequent guest at Stegeborg. During the summer of 1501 a rebellion broke out against King Hans. In August, three of the king's 14 ships attempted to enter Slätbaken and conquer Stegeborg but the landing attempt failed.
After the death of Sten Sture, Svante Nilsson was elected on January 21, 1504, to the regency. It was probably not until 1506 before the Privy Council Trotte Månsson (Eka) was appointed the new castle bailiff. Trotte was faithful to Svante Nilsson and remained sheriff until his death in 1512.
Holger Karlsson Gera was appointed the fiefdome in 1513. Holger's wife was a cousin of Archbishop Gustav Trolle
Gustav Trolle
Gustav Eriksson Trolle was Archbishop of Uppsala, Sweden, in two sessions, during the turbulent Reformation events.After returning from studies abroad, in Cologne and Rome, he was in 1513 elected vicar in Linköping. One year later he became Archbishop of Uppsala...
, which probably was a burden on him in Sture party. In June 1517 the Danish navy managed to burn Söderköping despite Stegeborg blocking the entrance. It is likely, though, that the fleet entered the Bråviken
Bråviken
Bråviken is a bay of the Baltic sea that is located near Norrköping in Östergötland, Sweden....
and then landed a military force.
1518 Stegeborg got a new commander, the Privy Council Erik Ryning. In the summer of 1520 he defeated a Danish force that protected the manor outside the Bishop of Linköping. This eventually led to accusations from both bishop Brask
Brask
Brask may refer to:*Hans Brask , Bishop of Linköping, Sweden*Kristiina Brask , Finnish pop singer...
and Nils Bosson (Grip) and he was one of those beheaded at Stockholm Bloodbath
Stockholm Bloodbath
The Stockholm Bloodbath, or the Stockholm Massacre , took place as the result of a successful invasion of Sweden by Danish forces under the command of King Christian II...
1520th.
Vasa and Palatine dynasties
During the Dacke Feud the castle was attacked but never captured. The castle was renovated in the 1540s. Esbjörn Pedersson Lilliehöök was the bailiff of Stegeborg between 1555–1560.King John III of Sweden
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...
was born and raised in the castle and in 1578 he decided on the continuation of construction on the castle. This castle became more of a Renaissance palace than a medieval castle. Work continued until 1590.
In 1622 the castle was conferred, along with some hundreds (härader) to Gustav II Adolf's brother-in-law John Casimir of Pfalz-Zweibrücken
John Casimir, Count Palatine of Kleeburg
John Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg was the son of John I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and the founder of a branch of Wittelsbach Counts Palatine often called the Swedish line, because it gave rise to three subsequent kings of Sweden, but more commonly known as the Kleeburg ...
, who in 1651 was entitled Duke
Duke
A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of Stegeborg. After John Casimir's death in 1652 the ducal title passed on to the eldest living son, Karl Gustav. Two years later Karl Gustav's succeeded his cousin Queen Christina
Christina of Sweden
Christina , later adopted the name Christina Alexandra, was Queen regnant of Swedes, Goths and Vandals, Grand Princess of Finland, and Duchess of Ingria, Estonia, Livonia and Karelia, from 1633 to 1654. She was the only surviving legitimate child of King Gustav II Adolph and his wife Maria Eleonora...
and became King Charles X Gustav of Sweden, whereupon the ducal titel was transferred to Karl Gustav's younger brother Adolph John
Adolph John I, Count Palatine of Kleeburg
Adolph John I was Count Palatine of Kleeburg from 1654 until 1689 and was considered Prince of Sweden until 1660.-Life:...
, which then resided in the castle until his death in 1689. After his death the castle reverted to the crown.
18th and 19th centuries
The governor Östergötland tried to keep the castle in a satisfactory condition but could not prevent its dilapidation. In 1707 the castle was examined by the commission to decide what to do. The proposed repairs would have been very expensive. The following year all the wooden buildings on the island were auctioned off. Governor Erik Ehrenkrona proposed in the 1720s that three of the four barracks would be demolished and the fourth re-equipped. On behalf of Kammarkollegiet the castle was examined in 1728 but the governor's proposal was rejected. Much of the castle was demolished in the summer of 1731 and the material used in Norrköping.Jacob von Hökerstedt bought 1731 Southern Kungsladugården, which took over the name Stegeborg. Due to poor finances, the property was transferred to the bank Rikets städer. The next owners were the von Schwerins (1739–1863).
20th century
Stegeborg was protected in 1901. In 1938 the Swedish National Heritage Board received a small sum to clear the location of trees and shrubs and the most severely damaged parts of the masonry were repaired. During the years 1948–1955 the heritage board was assisted by national servicemen to excavate the ruins, repair the worst damage and raise protective roofing over certain parts.New main building
The new main building (a private residence) was completed in 1806, by the developer Werner Detloff von Schwerin. The arched lower floor suggest that parts of an old manor house from the 1730s may have been used. Stone from Stegeborg probably used in the old building.The palace got its present appearance, however, with the extensive renovations of 1915–1918, for Captain Hakon Wijk to designs by architect Isak Gustaf Clason
Isak Gustaf Clason
Isak Gustaf Clason was a Swedish architect.- Biography :Clason studied engineering and later architecture at the Institute of Technology in Stockholm, where he was a student of A. T. Gellerstedt, and later at the architectural school of the Academy of Arts, at the time headed by Fredrik Wilhelm...
.
The main facade (to the east) received a window shade on either side, a middle section and a lantern, a garden facade was narrower trimmed hood (which includes the three middle windows) window and two cups on each side. Putsornamentiken changed and became more uniform, black-glazed roof tiles were retained (now slate). The plaster was originally beige, but is now off-white.
Inside the castle received a partial change of floorplan. The ground floor, formerly storage space, received an entirely new set of library furnishings, men's dining room and pantries in the eastern facade and rooms and servants' dining room with kitchen area to the west. The main entrance leads into the hall which has a double staircase to the upper hall. The parade floor
Piano nobile
The piano nobile is the principal floor of a large house, usually built in one of the styles of classical renaissance architecture...
has among other things two lounges and bedrooms to the east. The third floor has a billiard room in the place that previously housed the Schwerinska Library (now in Thorönsborg).
A reflecting pool
Reflecting pool
A reflecting pool or reflection pool is a water feature found in gardens, parks, and at memorial sites. It usually consists of a shallow pool of water, undisturbed by fountain jets, for a calm reflective...
was built in front of the palace (today filled in) and a large orchard was designed by Danish landscape architect I. P. Andersen. The gardener's house (now a hotel) and a number of residential buildings was also built according to plans by Clason. A stable was designed by Clason but was never built.
Stegeborg today
Stegeborg is owned today (2010) by the Danielsson family who operate a major tourist activity in the yard. An airfield was built in the Skällsvik meadow, where the Battle of StegeborgBattle of Stegeborg
The Battle of Stegeborg took place on a meadow near Stegeborg Castle, Sweden on September 8, 1598. It is part of the so-called War against Sigismund, in turn part of the Polish-Swedish Wars....
was fought. The castle ruins are now also a port tavern and a marina.
Notable Births at the castle
- December 21, 1537: John IIIJohn 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...
- November 9, 1539: Magdalena Svantesdotter Sture
- 1568: Anna Vasa
- October 11, 1629: Adolf John of Pfalz