Meet Cecilia Vasa: Sweden’s most scandalous princess, and the last of the women in the Forgotten Royal Women theme.
Born into the newly founded Vasa dynasty in 1540, Cecilia became known for her beauty, intellect, tenacity – and for the scandals surrounding her. From being found in her bed chamber late at night with a barely dressed man, to freeloading of queen Elizabeth I herself, to planning coups against her own brothers and engaging in piracy – the life of Cecilia was glamorous, fast-paced and chaotic.
Her escapades took her across Europe, where she made both powerful friends and enemies. Her lavish spending, extramarital affairs and involvement in politics made her a controversial person in her own time, and has tarnished her reputation for centuries.
She might not be as forgotten as some of the other royal women in this theme, but non the less her story is mostly told in relation to her father or brothers. But now, it is time for Cecilia to step out of their shadows and have her story told.
Again, before we start Cecilia’s story, I need to make a short summary what happened in the north since we left queen Christine. Christine’s son, king Christian II, finally defeated the Swedish rebels in 1520 and was crowned king of Sweden. After the coronation, he held a feast at Stockholm castle, to which all his old enemies were invited, granted amnesty.
But the celebrations turned into what has gone down in history as Stockholm’s bloodbath, where Christian had most of the Swedish nobility executed. A certain young nobleman had been to suspicious of the Danish king to attend the coronation however – Gustav Eriksson Vasa.
To make a long story very short – he rekindled the rebellion, and three years later, the Danes were defeated, Gustav was made king and the Kalmar Union were dissolved forever. This Gustav Vasa is Cecilia’s father.
Cecilia Vasa was born on November 6, 1540, as the third child of Gustav Vasa and his second wife, Margareta Leijonhufvud. Another five (surviving) children would follow.
At this time, many princes and princesses were sent away to be raised in their own courts, but the Vasa family stayed together. Maybe because Gustav vas insecure in his position and was afraid his children could be kidnapped by political enemies – and/or the finances didn’t allow to set up courts for all his nine children. This led to a familiarity – and a rivalry – between the siblings that would last throughout their lives.
Cecilia and her siblings received a good education. The sisters were mainly taught by their mother and other female relatives. Their mother, Margareta Leijonhufvud, was a very capable woman who ran the large household and managed both her own and the crown’s estates, so she was not at all a bad teacher and role model for her young daughters.
She had given birth to ten children, and the many pregnancies and child births had taken a toll on her health. In August 1551, queen Margareta died, only 35 years old. Cecilia was 11, and Karl, the youngest, had not yet turned one.
Even though Cecilia’s father is said to have mourned his wife, he remarried just a year later. His new bride was 17-year-old Katarina Stenbock. Although she got on well with the Vasa children (who were, by the way, her cousins), it’s safe to say she never became a mother figure, since she was not much older than them.
Shortly thereafter, Gustav began looking for suitable husbands for his three eldest daughters, Katarina, Cecilia and Anna. Their portraits were painted and sent to potential suitors, with praises of their beauty, chastity, wit and talent. Cecilia was often singled out as the most beautiful.
It was however her older sister, Katarina, that would be married first. But despite this, it was Cecilia who made a lasting impact on history in connection with Katarina’s wedding. Find out about the infamous Vadstena thunder in the next post!
Sources:
Carlstedt, Anna. Renässansrebeller – från Cecilia Vasa till kung Kristina. (2020)
Tegenborg Falkdalen, Karin. Vasadöttrarna. (2010)