The 'House of Vasa' was the
Royal House of
Sweden 1523-
1654 and of
Poland 1587-
1668. It origined from a noble family in
Uppland of which several members had high offices during the 15th century. The name continues to be associated with the
Swedish royalty.
Kings and Queens of Sweden
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Gustav I (
1523-
1560)
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Eric XIV (
1560-
1568)
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John III (
1568-
1592)
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Sigismund I (
1592-
1599)
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Charles IX (
1599-
1611)
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Gustavus Adolphus (Gustav the Great) (
1611-
1632)
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Christina (
1632-
1654)
In 1654 Christina, the daughter of Gustavus Adolphus, the
Protestant Champion of the
Thirty Years' War, abdicated, converted to
Catholicism and left the country. The throne passed to her cousin
Charles X of the
House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, a cadet branch of the
Wittelsbachs.
The kings of the house of
Holstein-Gottorp, which produced the kings of Sweden from 1751 to 1818, emphasized their Vasa descent through a female line. The currently ruling house of
Bernadotte similarly claims a Vasa mantle, as
Charles XIV was an adopted son of
Charles XIII, and his son
Oscar I married a Vasa descendant.
Kings of Poland
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Sigismund III Vasa (
1589-
1632) ''(Son of John III)''
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Ladislaus IV (
1632-
1648)
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John II (
1648-
1668)
John III of Sweden married
Catherine Jagellonica, the sister of
Sigismund II Augustus of Poland, and when Sigismund died without a male heir, their son was elected king of Poland as Sigismund III in
1587. On John's death Sigismund also gained the Swedish throne.
Sigismund was
Catholic however, which ultimately led to his losing the throne in Sweden. His uncle
Charles IX succeeded him. We thus have two Houses of Vasa from this point onwards: the senior, Catholic branch ruling in Poland, and the cadet,
Protestant branch ruling in Sweden. This arrangement led to numerous wars between the two states. After John, the Polish Vasa died out. See also
Rulers of Poland.
See also
★
Vasa, listing many things named for the House of Vasa
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Swedish monarchs family tree
★ Warship
Vasa
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Vasa,
Finland
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House of Vasaborg
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Vasa Order of America
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List of Swedish wars