Cecilia Johansdotter of Sweden

Cecilia Johansdotter
Queen consort of Sweden
Tenure 1167–1190
Spouse Canute I of Sweden

Cecilia Johansdotter of Sweden, (fl. 1193), is the traditional name of the Queen consort of King Canute I of Sweden and mother of King Eric X of Sweden.

Biography

Despite the fact that she was queen for over twenty years, the queen consort of King Canute is one of the most unknown of Swedish queens. Neither her name, her parents or her birth and death years are confirmed. Some sources guess that she was the daughter of Prince John (Johan) Sverkersson of Sweden (d. 1150), son of King Sverker I of Sweden (d. 1156).[1] The name Cecilia is not confirmed. She was to have been married to Canute about the year 1160.[1] In 1167, seven years later, her husband became King and she was made Queen of Sweden.

There is only one story that truly mentions the queen in more detail. In 1190, the queen was taken ill. It was a grave illness, and people worried that she would die. To avoid death, the queen promised on her sick bed, that if God would spare her life, she would enter a convent after her recovery to show her gratitude. Eventually, she recovered from her sickness, but did not wish to become a nun, nor did her husband wish it. They sent an appeal to Pope Clement III in Rome to ask if she could be released from her promise and continue her marital obligations. The Pope answered that the queen should honour her promise to God, and Queen Cecilia was forced to abandon her throne and enter a convent. This letter is dated to 1193.[1] The year of her death is unknown.

Cecilia Blanka

Queen Cecilia Johansdotter is used as a character in a book by author Jan Guillou in 1998, where she was used to create the fictional queen, Cecilia Blanka.

Marriage

She married, around 1160, Prince Canute Eriksson of Sweden (King, 1167). The marriage was dissolved when she was obliged to enter a convent in the 1190s (see above).

Children

References

  1. 1 2 3
    • Lars O. Lagerqvist (1982). "Sverige och dess regenter under 1.000 år",("Sweden and its rulers during 1000 years"). (in Swedish). Albert Bonniers Förlag AB. ISBN 91-0-075007-7.

Succession

Cecilia Johansdotter
Died: after 1193
Swedish royalty
Preceded by
Christine Stigsdotter
Queen consort of Sweden
1167–1190
Succeeded by
Benedikte Ebbesdotter
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