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Eric XIV of Sweden

Tre Kronor Castle, 23 Dec 1533 – Örbyhus, 7 Mar 1572

12 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born23 Dec 1533, Tre Kronor Castlenot verified1 source
  • TitleMonarch of Sweden, 1560–1568not verified1 source
  • EventSture Murdersor Northern Seven Years' Warnot verified1 source
  • EventNorthern Seven Years' Waror Sture Murdersnot verified1 source
  • Died7 Mar 1572, Örbyhusor 26 Feb 1577Records disagree1 source
  • FatherGustav I of Swedennot verified1 source
  • MotherCatherine of Saxe-Lauenburgnot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 23 Dec 1533

    Born in Tre Kronor Castle

  2. 1559–1572

    7 children are born

  3. 1560–1568

    Monarch of Sweden

  4. 7 Mar 1572

    Dies in Örbyhus, aged 38

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 8

During his lifetime

He lived through 5 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Tre Kronor Castle.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1530s · Eric XIV is born in Tre Kronor Castle

In the news1539

First Swedish censorship law established

A law introduced in 1539 mandated that all printed materials be checked by the government before distribution to the public.

Getting around

Costs and customs of travel accommodation

Travelers could obtain food and shelter from appointed hosts in parishes roughly two Swedish miles apart for a cost of two 'Rondstuckh' (about four Kreuzer) per meal. However, foreign travelers were often charged double and had to rely on the willingness of the local host to provide transport.

In the news1531

Church bells sacrificed for state debt

King Gustav ordered the sacrifice of one church bell from every parish to help pay the national debt to Lübeck.

Daily life

Open hearth cooking with simple diets

Cooking was done using open fireplaces, and common staples included porridge, bread, turnips, cabbage, and salted or dried fish and meat, usually washed down with beer.

What people wore

Essential Tools Carried on Belts

Peasants often carried essential daily tools like knives and leather pouches on belts; women additionally kept the keys to their farm on their belts.

Music

Ring dances and outdoor celebrations

People often danced in rings or long rows, singing along as they moved, rather than dancing in pairs. Dancing was common at weddings, christenings, and religious festivals, frequently taking place outdoors in fields or town squares.

At the table

Beer as a primary daily beverage

Water was often avoided due to quality concerns, so people frequently drank large quantities of beer, including warm spiced beer known as bragott. In some religious institutions, nuns were served as much as 1.3 liters of beer with their dinner.