What if King Erik VII of Denmark and the Union of Kalmar was able to solidify his rule?
Union of Kalmar (1397-)
1392 - 1459: Erik VII (House of Griffins) [1]
1459 - 1492: Elisabeth (House of Griffins) [2]
1492 - 1523: Gustav I (House of Vasa) [3]
1523 - 1535: Gustav II (House of Vasa) [4]
1535 - 1557: Ursula (House of Vasa) [5]
1557 - 1558: Johan II (House of Wettin)[6]
1558 - 1580: Johan III (House of Wettin) [7]
1580 - 1619: Alvis (House of Tudor) [8]
1619 - 1650: Henik I (House of Tudor) [9]
1650- 1680: Henrik II (House of Tudor) [10]
1680 - 1707: Alvis II (House of Tudor) [11]
1707 - 1750: Gustav III (House of Tudor) [12]
1750 - 1780: Carl Johan (House of Tudor) [13]
1780 - 1892: Johan IV (House of Tudor) [14]
1892 - 1901: Henrik III (House of Bennson) [15]
[1] Erik's early reign was mostly spent under the regency of his Great Aunt and adopted mother Margaret I. Following her death in 1412, Erik began an agressive and controversial centralization process. The Kings efforts were funded and fueled by his descion to make the Sound Toll exclusively a Crown Right. This proved controversial and soon caused Erik to enter conflict with the Hansa Leauge. In an effort to gain allies against them, Erik VII entered into a double marriage with Henry IV of England. Eric VII married his daughter Phillipa and the future Henry V married Erik's sister Catherine of Pomerania. This alliance was able to defeat the Hansa Leauge but the debt incurred would spark a rebellion in Sweden around 1420. Follwoing the truce between Erik and the Swedish nobility, the Union of Kalmar entered the 100 Year War on the England's side. Despite the Union's initial Pro-English stance, the Union would be dragged into the conflict by both sides repeatedly.
[2] Elisabeth, the only surviving legitimate child of Eric VII, took the throne during a time of great turbulence. Due to the endless back and forth of the Hundred Years War the coffers of Kalmar were heavily drained and the Swedish nobility were in near revolt due to the heavy taxes and autocratic rule of her father. To secure Sweden she married Johan Kristiernsson Vasa, a powerful lord and magnate among the Swedish, though the marriage wasn't happy she did bear several children. Most of Elisabeth's reign after the marriage was spent disentangling Kalmar out of the English alliance in order to help the Union to recover.
[3] Gustav was the eldest son of Queen Margaret and King Johann. His reign saw the transfer of the Union's capital from Copenhagen in Denmark to the city of Gothenburg, located in the Swedish crownlands, but considered to be at a center point of the three realms. He oversaw the continuation of a gradual centralization process, although it would frustrate his Danish magnates, who saw it as an attempt to centralize the union under Sweden rather than Denmark.
[4] The third and only surviving son of the previous Gustav, Gustav was only five years old when his father died. His brief reign was spent being torn between rival nobles and his oldest sister, Ursula, who "clung to the regency with all the ferocity of a rabid dog" according to the French ambassador of the time. He died in 1535 at the age of seventeen, leaving no heir. The timing of his death was considered rather convenient, since it occurred only a week before his eighteenth birthday. He was succeeded by his oldest sister, Ursula.
[5] Ursula, the 'She-Bear of Kalmar' took the throne after the death of her brother Gustav II. Known for her fiery temper and cruel sense of humor, she had a tendency to make enemies but was otherwise a competent ruler. She married twice due to her first husband, Ludwig of Saxony dying from drowing, her second husband Prince Henry of England was the father of her children. Sadly it was giving birth to her last child that caused Ursula's death and she was succeeded by her eldest son, Johan II.
[6] Johan II, "The Heretic/The Reformer" (depending on who you ask), Ursula's eldest son, is essentially defined by his abortive attempt to Protestantize the Kalmar Union. In his short reign, he was known for dispossessing the Church of its property, particularly the monasteries, which was supposed to be distributed to his allies; unfortunately, this and a bad harvest led to the Great Peasant Revolt, spurred on by Gustav the Friar, a Dominican, so that towards the end of his short reign he was said to be only "the Burgomaster of Gothenburg". Eventually even the people of Gothenburg tired of him and he died at the hands of an angry mob, his own guards having abandoned him. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the infant Johann.
[7] Johann III was held under hostage and raised by Gustav the Friar, who used the Kingdoms resources the help the peasantry and break the power of the oppressive nobility. When Johann came of age he believed in Gustave's ideas and continued them. Tragedy struck though when he fell ill and died at the age of 22. Some claim it was poison from the disgruntled nobility or uncivilised peasantry. Whatever the case may be the noble elected one of their own, related to the past monarchs to be King, while the peasants looked for their own candidate.
[8] The nobility flocked to Alvis, the eldest surviving male heir of Ursula and her second husband Henry of England. Alvis quickly suppressed the peasant rebellion and their 'King Gustav III'. After this Alvis played the noble families off against the rising merchant classes in the newly created Royal Diet in order to reign as an absolute monarch in all but name. Alvis fought off a Russian invasion of the Baltics and supported the establishment of Kalmar's first colonies in newly discovered North America, 'New Scandinavia' (RL Newfoundland).
[9] The grandson of Alvis, Henry succeeded his grandfather due to the premature death of his father, another Alvis. Henry continued his grandfather's policies and also ruled as an absolute monarch in all but name. His arrogance, however, earned him many enemies, and his position was not helped when he married a Protestant Princess of England. The majority of Henry's reign was taken up by his activities in the New World, where his forces conquered several Spanish possessions. Henry's death in 1650 due to a severe attack of appendicitis was sudden, and he left his son, Henry on the verge of war with Spain.
[10] Henry II, known as 'the Sailor King', is known for two things. The first is the steps he took to avert war because of the issues involving the nobility in the Kalmar Union. This only lasted for 5 years in his reign. It is said that the War with Spain happened over fishermen from New Gotland (RL Massachusetts). For the next 25 non-consecutive years Henry II sought any victories over Spain and the issue of the English colonies located in the same area. It isn't known if the nickname 'the Sailor King' came from the practice of letters of marquis issued to interfere with Spain or the increased presence of the Kalmar Navy. Henry II died in 1680 while on a diplomatic mission to England passing the throne to his grandson, Alvis II.
[11] Alvis II reigned over a time of prosperity and power for the Union of Kalmar, it was during this time that a true, coherent identity uniting the various Scandinavian nations within the Union began to emerge, though the Baltic territories and German majority regions still retained their own cultures. As a result of supporting the 'Kalmar Renaissance' Alvis II came to be known as the 'First Kalmaran'.
[12] When Gustav III ascended the throne at the age of 20, he may have perhaps been one of the least willing people in Europe to be king of the Union. Thus, in what has become known as the Era of Gustav's Liberty, he left most affairs of state to his advisors, most notably the Franco-Swedish clergyman Karl de Chambly (who was simultaneously the Archbishop of Uppsala), and to the Riksdag of his various lands. It was largely an era of consolidation and of peace, only being at war for the last six months of his reign with Russia over Finland. What he is most known for is his strong Catholicism, and his scholarship - he was known for surrounding himself with men of learning, especially Jesuits, and is personally responsible for completing the first complete translation of the Bible into Swedish. He also restored many of the royal lands seized from the Church to their original owners. He was known for his genuine, deep and abiding piety, and was a Third Order Dominican. He also moved his seat to Stockholm, and it is there that he died, succeeded by his son, Karl Johan. He was canonized a saint in the Catholic Church in 1800.
[13] Carl Johan followed in his father's footsteps. Karl Johan is known for presiding over the expansion of representation to the colonies in the New World. For this he is known as the 'King over the Water' in New Gotland and 'the Father King' in New Scandinavia. He only ran into problems due to the issue of transportation between these two lands and the English colonies. This led to his heir Johan IV being sent as a Viceroy of New Scandinavia for experience/diplomacy. Towards the end of his life the King pushed for further expansion in India and Asia. Karl Johan died due to a sudden plague that struck Sweden and Johan IV had to come home.
[14] Johan IV started with tremendous promise, establishing the Kalmar East Trading Company to establish trade in the far east. However in 1891 he contracted syphilis from his mistress and died a year later, leaving his only legitimate child, Karl as King at a young age.
[15] When the decayed body of Johann the IV was discovered and the child turned out to be a fraud, the nobles elected a new King, the reactionary Henrik III to defend against the communists. He rescinded many of the liberties due to them coming from a long dead King.
Union of Kalmar (1397-)
1392 - 1459: Erik VII (House of Griffins) [1]
1459 - 1492: Elisabeth (House of Griffins) [2]
1492 - 1523: Gustav I (House of Vasa) [3]
1523 - 1535: Gustav II (House of Vasa) [4]
1535 - 1557: Ursula (House of Vasa) [5]
1557 - 1558: Johan II (House of Wettin)[6]
1558 - 1580: Johan III (House of Wettin) [7]
1580 - 1619: Alvis (House of Tudor) [8]
1619 - 1650: Henik I (House of Tudor) [9]
1650- 1680: Henrik II (House of Tudor) [10]
1680 - 1707: Alvis II (House of Tudor) [11]
1707 - 1750: Gustav III (House of Tudor) [12]
1750 - 1780: Carl Johan (House of Tudor) [13]
1780 - 1892: Johan IV (House of Tudor) [14]
1892 - 1901: Henrik III (House of Bennson) [15]
[1] Erik's early reign was mostly spent under the regency of his Great Aunt and adopted mother Margaret I. Following her death in 1412, Erik began an agressive and controversial centralization process. The Kings efforts were funded and fueled by his descion to make the Sound Toll exclusively a Crown Right. This proved controversial and soon caused Erik to enter conflict with the Hansa Leauge. In an effort to gain allies against them, Erik VII entered into a double marriage with Henry IV of England. Eric VII married his daughter Phillipa and the future Henry V married Erik's sister Catherine of Pomerania. This alliance was able to defeat the Hansa Leauge but the debt incurred would spark a rebellion in Sweden around 1420. Follwoing the truce between Erik and the Swedish nobility, the Union of Kalmar entered the 100 Year War on the England's side. Despite the Union's initial Pro-English stance, the Union would be dragged into the conflict by both sides repeatedly.
[2] Elisabeth, the only surviving legitimate child of Eric VII, took the throne during a time of great turbulence. Due to the endless back and forth of the Hundred Years War the coffers of Kalmar were heavily drained and the Swedish nobility were in near revolt due to the heavy taxes and autocratic rule of her father. To secure Sweden she married Johan Kristiernsson Vasa, a powerful lord and magnate among the Swedish, though the marriage wasn't happy she did bear several children. Most of Elisabeth's reign after the marriage was spent disentangling Kalmar out of the English alliance in order to help the Union to recover.
[3] Gustav was the eldest son of Queen Margaret and King Johann. His reign saw the transfer of the Union's capital from Copenhagen in Denmark to the city of Gothenburg, located in the Swedish crownlands, but considered to be at a center point of the three realms. He oversaw the continuation of a gradual centralization process, although it would frustrate his Danish magnates, who saw it as an attempt to centralize the union under Sweden rather than Denmark.
[4] The third and only surviving son of the previous Gustav, Gustav was only five years old when his father died. His brief reign was spent being torn between rival nobles and his oldest sister, Ursula, who "clung to the regency with all the ferocity of a rabid dog" according to the French ambassador of the time. He died in 1535 at the age of seventeen, leaving no heir. The timing of his death was considered rather convenient, since it occurred only a week before his eighteenth birthday. He was succeeded by his oldest sister, Ursula.
[5] Ursula, the 'She-Bear of Kalmar' took the throne after the death of her brother Gustav II. Known for her fiery temper and cruel sense of humor, she had a tendency to make enemies but was otherwise a competent ruler. She married twice due to her first husband, Ludwig of Saxony dying from drowing, her second husband Prince Henry of England was the father of her children. Sadly it was giving birth to her last child that caused Ursula's death and she was succeeded by her eldest son, Johan II.
[6] Johan II, "The Heretic/The Reformer" (depending on who you ask), Ursula's eldest son, is essentially defined by his abortive attempt to Protestantize the Kalmar Union. In his short reign, he was known for dispossessing the Church of its property, particularly the monasteries, which was supposed to be distributed to his allies; unfortunately, this and a bad harvest led to the Great Peasant Revolt, spurred on by Gustav the Friar, a Dominican, so that towards the end of his short reign he was said to be only "the Burgomaster of Gothenburg". Eventually even the people of Gothenburg tired of him and he died at the hands of an angry mob, his own guards having abandoned him. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the infant Johann.
[7] Johann III was held under hostage and raised by Gustav the Friar, who used the Kingdoms resources the help the peasantry and break the power of the oppressive nobility. When Johann came of age he believed in Gustave's ideas and continued them. Tragedy struck though when he fell ill and died at the age of 22. Some claim it was poison from the disgruntled nobility or uncivilised peasantry. Whatever the case may be the noble elected one of their own, related to the past monarchs to be King, while the peasants looked for their own candidate.
[8] The nobility flocked to Alvis, the eldest surviving male heir of Ursula and her second husband Henry of England. Alvis quickly suppressed the peasant rebellion and their 'King Gustav III'. After this Alvis played the noble families off against the rising merchant classes in the newly created Royal Diet in order to reign as an absolute monarch in all but name. Alvis fought off a Russian invasion of the Baltics and supported the establishment of Kalmar's first colonies in newly discovered North America, 'New Scandinavia' (RL Newfoundland).
[9] The grandson of Alvis, Henry succeeded his grandfather due to the premature death of his father, another Alvis. Henry continued his grandfather's policies and also ruled as an absolute monarch in all but name. His arrogance, however, earned him many enemies, and his position was not helped when he married a Protestant Princess of England. The majority of Henry's reign was taken up by his activities in the New World, where his forces conquered several Spanish possessions. Henry's death in 1650 due to a severe attack of appendicitis was sudden, and he left his son, Henry on the verge of war with Spain.
[10] Henry II, known as 'the Sailor King', is known for two things. The first is the steps he took to avert war because of the issues involving the nobility in the Kalmar Union. This only lasted for 5 years in his reign. It is said that the War with Spain happened over fishermen from New Gotland (RL Massachusetts). For the next 25 non-consecutive years Henry II sought any victories over Spain and the issue of the English colonies located in the same area. It isn't known if the nickname 'the Sailor King' came from the practice of letters of marquis issued to interfere with Spain or the increased presence of the Kalmar Navy. Henry II died in 1680 while on a diplomatic mission to England passing the throne to his grandson, Alvis II.
[11] Alvis II reigned over a time of prosperity and power for the Union of Kalmar, it was during this time that a true, coherent identity uniting the various Scandinavian nations within the Union began to emerge, though the Baltic territories and German majority regions still retained their own cultures. As a result of supporting the 'Kalmar Renaissance' Alvis II came to be known as the 'First Kalmaran'.
[12] When Gustav III ascended the throne at the age of 20, he may have perhaps been one of the least willing people in Europe to be king of the Union. Thus, in what has become known as the Era of Gustav's Liberty, he left most affairs of state to his advisors, most notably the Franco-Swedish clergyman Karl de Chambly (who was simultaneously the Archbishop of Uppsala), and to the Riksdag of his various lands. It was largely an era of consolidation and of peace, only being at war for the last six months of his reign with Russia over Finland. What he is most known for is his strong Catholicism, and his scholarship - he was known for surrounding himself with men of learning, especially Jesuits, and is personally responsible for completing the first complete translation of the Bible into Swedish. He also restored many of the royal lands seized from the Church to their original owners. He was known for his genuine, deep and abiding piety, and was a Third Order Dominican. He also moved his seat to Stockholm, and it is there that he died, succeeded by his son, Karl Johan. He was canonized a saint in the Catholic Church in 1800.
[13] Carl Johan followed in his father's footsteps. Karl Johan is known for presiding over the expansion of representation to the colonies in the New World. For this he is known as the 'King over the Water' in New Gotland and 'the Father King' in New Scandinavia. He only ran into problems due to the issue of transportation between these two lands and the English colonies. This led to his heir Johan IV being sent as a Viceroy of New Scandinavia for experience/diplomacy. Towards the end of his life the King pushed for further expansion in India and Asia. Karl Johan died due to a sudden plague that struck Sweden and Johan IV had to come home.
[14] Johan IV started with tremendous promise, establishing the Kalmar East Trading Company to establish trade in the far east. However in 1891 he contracted syphilis from his mistress and died a year later, leaving his only legitimate child, Karl as King at a young age.
[15] When the decayed body of Johann the IV was discovered and the child turned out to be a fraud, the nobles elected a new King, the reactionary Henrik III to defend against the communists. He rescinded many of the liberties due to them coming from a long dead King.
