The Swedish royal family has some of the most iconic royals of the modern era. Though, more than the beloved sovereigns of the Swedish people, Sweden’s royal family is one of the oldest reigning monarchies in the history of Europe. Thus, its continued presence has helped chart the course of Scandinavian and European history for the last 1,000 years.
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Ancestry and Formation of the Swedish Monarchy
The Swedish monarchy dates back over 1,000 years, back to the 10th century CE, and has spanned 11 dynasties! To no one’s surprise, it is counted as one of the oldest monarchies in Europe.The first official Swedish monarch wasn’t recorded until the 10th century CE. Until then, there were legendary kings who only known through Norse sagas, such as the Ynglinga Saga written in 1255 by Snorri Sturluson, and records of laws such as the Västgötalagen.
Origins of the Swedish Monarchy
The Swedish monarchy is old. Super old. Honestly, it is probably older than we know. It wouldn’t be far-fetched to think that the Swedes had kings in prehistoric times, as many early people did have some form of monarchial rulership within tribes. In the 1st century CE, the Roman historian Tacitus notes that the Swedes (then known as the Suiones) had a king. However, he didn’t make any mention of his name nor the general governmental structure of the Suiones. We’ve had to rely on accounts found within sagas of the period of the Swedish kings of eld.
The Early Swedish Kings
The early Swedish kings ruled during the Viking Age (793-1066 CE) of Scandinavian history. This era is marked by organized raids and conquests throughout Europe by the Norse. In this period, Sweden expanded eastward across the Baltic Sea. Then, it was known as Svealand (“land of the Swedes”) and was inhabited by the North Germanic Suiones tribe.
READ MORE: History’s Most Famous Vikings
Early Swedish monarchs came from the House of Munsö and the House of Stenkil. The earliest kings began with Eric the Victorious of the House of Munsö (945-995), though it was his son, Olof Skötkonung who is often recognized as being the “first” king of Sweden. This is largely because historical records were a little sketchy and Olof was the first to be well-recorded.
Olof Skötkonung was known to be Eric’s son by Sigrid the Haughty. He became king at 15, ruling both the Swedes and their southern neighbors, the Geats of Götaland (“land of the Geats”). He also was the first Christian king of Sweden and the first to have minted coins. Besides an impressive list of firsts, Olof was most remembered for his later alliance with his father’s former enemy, Sweyn Forkbeard. This alliance, along with the Jarls of Lade, led to the demise of King Olaf Tryggvason of Norway in the naval Battle of Svolder and the dispersion of Norway between Denmark and Sweden.
Other monarchs from the House of Munsö include…
- Anund Jacob
- Emund the Old
Those kings of the House of Stenkil are…
- Stenkil
- Halsten Stenkilsson
- Inge the Elder
- Blot-Sweyn (theorized by some to be Håkan the Red)
- Philip Halstensson
- Inge the Younger
Key Dynasties and Monarchs
Sweden has had 11 known dynasties throughout its storied history. Dynasties include those of…
- The House of Munsö
- The House of Stenkil
- The House of Sverker
- The House of Eric
- The House of Bjälbo
- The House of Mecklenburg
- The House of Vasa
- The House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken
- The House of Hesse
- The House of Holstein-Gottorp
- The House of Bernadotte
We’ve covered the most influential of Sweden’s dynasties below.
The House of Eric and the House of Sverker
The House of Eric and the House of Sverker were two royal houses that vied for the throne of Sweden after the extinction of the House of Stenkil. The House of Eric had its roots in Västergötland. The first of their line to rule Sweden was Eric IX, better known as Saint Eric. Meanwhile, the House of Sverker hailed from Östergötland. Their first king was Sverker I of Sweden.
These two noble houses were far from friends, having been on opposite sides of a civil war after the end of the Stenkil line. Each desired power and, from their noble blood, felt entitled to it. Since this was before Sweden became a hereditary monarchy, the two clans would switch between which of their families would be elected to rule the country.
This tumultuous act of succession only ended when the House of Bjälbo did the ultimate power move and married into just about every other noble house competing for the throne. The male line of House Sverker ended sometime in the 1220s. King Eric XI of the House of Eric was the last of the male line of Eric since he produced no heirs, and thus House Eric ended with his death in 1250.
Eric the Victorious
Eric the Victorious (945-995) ruled Sweden from 970-995 CE and is remembered for his military prowess. According to local legend, he became the King of Denmark after defeating Sweyn Forkbeard in battle. The event is attested by the German chronicler Adam of Bremen, the Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus, and the Stone of Eric (one of four runestones at Hedeby), all of which confirm a Swedish attack against Denmark. Eric, however, is an enigma: finer details of his life vary between sources. He is best recorded in sagas and is characterized as a tack politician.
READ MORE: The Danish Royal Family Tree: The Lineage of Danish Monarchs
Sverker I
Sverker the Elder (1100-1156), patriarch of the House of Sverker, ruled as King of Sweden from 1132-1156 CE. His reign came at the tail end of a civil war that broke out after the last Stenkil king left no apparent heir. A power vacuum emerged. Magnus the Strong of Denmark ruled for a stint, but had to focus on the civil turmoil of his home country. Magnus’ absence gave Sverker the opportunity to be championed as the king of his people, despite not having any relation to a royal house.
Sverker struggled to consolidate power. Large regions of Sweden were still loyal to the Danish king Magnus, and the House of Eric proved to be a thorn in his side. So, Sverker attempted to unify the kingdom by marrying widows of the House of Stenkil and of Magnus of Denmark. Not all at once, of course, this isn’t exactly A Game of Thrones.
After his assassination, Sverker was succeeded by Eric the Saint, the first king of the House of Eric. For some generations, plausibly to keep the peace, the two royal houses will trade kingship over Sweden.
The House of Bjälbo (Folkunga Dynasty)
The House of Bjälbo, also known as the Folkunga dynasty, came into power in 1250 CE when their member, Valdemar, was elected to be king. However, before being a house of kings, the House of Bjälbo was filled with jarls (nobles) and bishops. In old Sweden, there was only really one jarl at a time since in extreme cases where the king would be unable to rule, the jarl would rule in his stead. Thus came the House of Bjälbo’s legacy.
Birger Jarl
Birger Jarl (1210-1266) was the regent and father of King Valdemar of Sweden when he was first elected king. Also known as Birger Magnusson, he married Ingeborg of Sweden, a princess of the House of Eric. Birger himself was descended from the House of Sverker.
Thanks to his family’s political savvy, Birger Jarl was in an opportune position when the question of succession arose after the “ends” of the Houses of Sverker and Eric. His son, Valdemar, was able to claim lineage from both. Since Valdemar was still a child, Birger ruled as regent. During this time, Birger put great effort into the consolidation of Sweden, having already established Swedish preeminence in Finland in the Second Swedish Crusade according to the Eric Chronicle (Erikskrönikan) from the 14th-century.
Magnus III (Magnus Ladulås)
Magnus III (1240-1290), or Magnus Ladulås, overthrew his brother, King Valdemar, in 1275 and declared himself rightful king of Sweden. He was supported by their younger brother and King Eric V of Denmark, which made things especially awkward since Valdemar had married Princess Sophia of Denmark and proceeded to openly take mistresses. Anyways, Valdemar was defeated and Magnus was named king at the Stones of Mora in 1275.
The epithet, Ladulås, roughly translates to “Barn Lock.” It is thought that his signing of the Alsnö Stadga (Statute of Alsnö) led to the use of Ladulås as an epithet. The Alsnö Stadga meant that the yeomen of Sweden were no longer obligated to provide provisions for traveling nobles and clergymen. Thus, he “locked the barns.” However, the Alsnö Stadga did a bit more in the way of better establishing Sweden’s nobility.
By the Alsnö Stadga, nobles who produced heavy cavalry for the king’s army were exempt from land taxes. The clergy were already exempt from taxes. Thus, Sweden’s noble frälse class was born.
The House of Vasa
The House of Vasa was a Swedish royal house that would later rule the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. They ruled Sweden from 1523 to 1654.
The Church of Sweden in Uppsala was founded during the House of Vasa’s reign, which itself was riddled with petty warfare between Catholic and Protestant branches of the family. Additionally, there was short-lived peace with Poland. That is, until the cracks of the Reformation lead to the kingdoms being at odds in the Thirty Years’ War.
The House of Vasa also changed the rest of the monarchy as we know it, with the first Vasa king making the monarchical succession hereditary. Before, the King of Sweden would be elected by the Council of the State (Riksdag). He also reformed the Riksdag assembly to include all four estates: the nobility, the clergy, the bürghers, and the yeomanry.
Gustav I (Gustav Vasa)
Gustav I (1496-1560), simply fashioned as Gustav Vasa, was the first ruler of the House of Vasa. He is considered to be the first “modern monarch” in Swedish history. Upon his election on June 6, 1523, Gustav I officially oversaw the Kingdom of Sweden break from the Kalmar Union, which had previously united the nations of Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway under a single ruler. At the Riksdag in Västerås, he petitioned for the monarchy to become hereditary and changed the composition of the Riksdag assembly to include representatives from all of Sweden’s social estates.
In spite of Gustav Vasa being a modern man of Sweden, he wasn’t terribly popular among the Catholic yeomen, who took grave offense to his separation from the Catholic Church and his establishment of the Church of Sweden. Outside of various peasant revolts across Småland, Gustav Vasa also had to manage a war with Russia’s infamous Ivan the Terrible, who just…really didn’t respect Gustav or his enobled house.
Gustavus Adolphus
Gustavus Adolphus (1594-1632) had the great misfortune of reigning during a period of intense religious strife across Europe. The continent was plunged into seemingly endless warfare, acting as a host to several wars and battles. Most notably, the Thirty Years’ War ravaged much of Central Europe. It is there that Gustavus Adolphus shined!
Under Gustavus’ leadership, Sweden became respected as a significant power in 17th century Europe. In his reign, he oversaw the establishment of a parish registration system to more effectively manage and record the population. This helped with taxation and conscription. He is considered the first “modern” general (it would seem that the House of Vasa was very modern!) and became posthumously known as Gustavus Adolphus the Great.
Christina, Queen of Sweden
Queen Christina of Sweden (1626-1689) is the last ruling member of the House of Vasa in Sweden and is, for all intents and purposes, a cultural icon. The daughter of Gustavus Adolphus and his wife, Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg, Christina had an education fit for a prince. She was a patron of the arts and literature as well. However, one of Christina’s biggest accomplishments was her push for peace to end the Thirty Years’ War.
Christina inherited a prosperous Sweden and ruled for a time before abdicating the throne in favor of her cousin. She had refused to marry and wound up moving to Rome and converting to Catholicism.
The House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken
The House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken ruled Sweden from 1654 until 1720. Well, technically it was the Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Kleeburg branch of the tree, but why make it more complex than it needs to be? Anyways, the royal house came into power after Queen Christina, of the House of Vasa, abdicated in favor of her Wittelsbach cousin, Charles X Gustav. The family was a cadet branch of the Bavarian Wittelsbach dynasty, which are also the ancestors of the current British royal family.
Originally, Palatinate-Zweibrücken was a duchy within the Holy Roman Empire established in 1459. Their rise to the Swedish throne was unforeseen, but in no way inconsequential to the history of Sweden. Under the House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, Sweden saw expanded territories, as well as a shift in the power structure of the monarchy.
Charles X Gustav
Charles X Gustav (1622-1660) became the King of Sweden by unexpected means: his cousin abdicated and named him her heir. So, thanks to his mother’s blood, the former Princess Catherine of Sweden, Charles was in a good enough position to have a legitimate claim. He also was well-versed in diplomacy and military strategy, as well as Swedish customs seeing that he was raised in the Swedish court.
In the Northern War (1655-1660), Charles X Gustav gained swathes of land in Sweden’s name from its historical adversaries. Poland-Lithuania, the Tsardom of Russia, Brandenburg-Prussia, the Habsburg Empire, and Denmark-Norway all beefed with Sweden in the course of five years. How Sweden wound up victorious was a shock to the great powers of Europe, in a phenomenon known as the Deluge, and further showcased its might as a nation. Unfortunately for Charles X Gustav, he didn’t live long enough to see the full breadth of what would become the Swedish Empire.
READ MORE: Russian Royal Family Tree: The House of Romanov and the Tsars of Russia
Charles XI
Charles XI (1655-1697) was the son of Charles X Gustav. He became king when he was still just five years old when his father died in 1660. And, to say he struggled would be an understatement. With little knowledge of foreign affairs and poor education, Charles’ early years as a monarch were lackluster. Not to mention, Sweden was struggling financially.
It wasn’t until Charles XI was in his 20s that he showed promise, having led Sweden to victory in the Scanian War. However, from then on, Charles would intensely avoid warfare with other nations. He would later establish an absolute monarchy in Sweden after his privy council proved to be ineffectual in the Scanian War. This move would later pave the way for Charles to restructure the military and allow the country’s financial situation to recover.
The House of Holstein-Gottorp
The House of Holstein-Gottorp was a cadet branch of the German Oldenburg dynasty. The Holstein-Gottorps took over the monarchy after the absolutely devastating Russo-Swedish War of 1741. Pretty much, Catherine the Great of Russia vowed to withdraw her forces on the condition that her uncle, Adolf Frederick, became Sweden’s king. On top of that, Sweden lost territory to Russia. Big oof.
During the reign of the Holstein-Gottorp dynasty, two political factions, the Hats and the Caps (no cap), fought for influence over the Crown. With both emerging from the Age of Liberty, each had their own thoughts on how their government should function. The influence of these factions helped establish the early years of the Holstein-Gottorp dynasty.
Gustav III
Gustav III (1746-1792) was the son of King Adolf Frederick and Queen Louisa Ulrika. He was an enlightened absolutist – a monarch who used the teachings of the Enlightenment for his benefit – and desperately desired to have his family’s claim to the throne be accepted. He went as far as to want to change the house to “the House of Vasa” (sound familiar?) because he was technically descended through the royal house on his mother’s side. He was the cause of the Swedish Revolution of 1772 because he felt like the government wasn’t autocratic enough, which ended up stripping the Riksdag of much of its powers.
Of Gustav’s many acts during his reign, his most popular were his patronage of cultural programs and the arts, as well as his reformation (and restriction) of capital punishment. They weren’t enough to stop an assassination attempt in 1792, however. Gustav III passed from the subsequent sepsis 13 days later.
Charles XIV John (Jean Baptiste Bernadotte)
Charles XIV John (1763-1844) was born Jean Baptiste Bernadotte and his rule marks the start of the Bernadotte Dynasty. He had a tumultuous relationship with Napoleon Bonaparte, though was named a Marshal of France despite their tensions.
What can we say? The guy was really good at his job and was married to Napoleon’s former flame, Désirée Clary. To be honest, Bernadotte had everything going for him.
Thanks to Bernadotte’s connections, when Sweden faced a succession crisis thanks to the heirless King Charles XIII, his name was at the top of the list of heir presumptives. Well, the guy who initially suggested him for the monarchy, Carl Otto Mörner, was actually arrested. Thankfully (for him), Jean Baptiste Bernadotte was a hit with the Riksdag of the Estates. By 1810, Bernadotte was named Crown Prince and Generalissimus of the Swedish Armed Forces. In 1818, he was crowned King of Sweden and Norway under the name Charles XIV John.
The House of Bernadotte
The House of Bernadotte began with the ascension of the French general Jean Baptiste Bernadotte to the Swedish throne in 1818. The House of Bernadotte has gone strong for over 200 years, making it the longest-reigning dynasty in the history of Sweden. Thus, House Bernadotte has forged the Sweden we see and know today.
Oscar I
Oscar I (1799-1859), born Joseph François Oscar Bernadotte, was the son of Charles XIV John. He is known to have been politically liberal, issuing a series of reforms throughout his reign for the betterment of the Swedish people. He called for the freedom of the press, prison reform, and educational reform; unlike his predecessors, Oscar also made laws to further gender equality within Sweden. Moreover, in contrast to his father, Oscar sought to improve relations with Norway. Thus, his popular reign was marked by peace and prosperity.
Gustaf V
Gustaf V (1858-1950) was the grandson of Oscar I and is largely the reason that Sweden is famed for its neutral stance in global conflicts. He reigned throughout both World Wars and, when faced with strong opposition from competing nations, remained steadfast in his belief of neutrality.
It was under Gustaf that parliamentary democracy took hold in Sweden, degrading the monarch to a more representative role than it held in the past. It was also by this new government enacted by Gustaf V that universal and equal suffrage was established in 1919. For 31 years, Gustaf ruled as the face of Sweden, with little-to-no actual influence in policies executed.
Carl XVI Gustaf
Carl XVI Gustaf (1946-present) is the current king of Sweden and has been in power since 1973. He suddenly became the next heir in 1947 after his father, Prince Gustaf Adolf, tragically died in a plane crash.
The year following Carl XVI Gustaf’s ascension saw the implementation of the 1974 Instruments of Government legislature. The new law effectively stripped the monarchy of what little executive power remained from the rule of his great-grandfather, Gustaf V. Nowadays, the Swedish monarchy has a ceremonial role to fulfill.
Current Descendants: Current Royal Family and Roles
The current royal family of Sweden consists of Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, their three children, and their eight grandchildren. Whereas Carl XVI Gustaf fulfills his role as king by opening Parliament and holding Councils of State, other members of the royal family have separate, distinct royal duties to fulfill.
- King Carl XVI Gustaf
- Queen Silvia
- Crown Princess Victoria, Duchess of Västergötland
- Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland (formerly Daniel Westling) is Crown Princess Victoria’s spouse and a former personal trainer and businessman
- Princess Estelle, Duchess of Östergötland (b. 2012) is the second in line to the throne after her mother
- Prince Oscar, Duke of Skåne (b. 2016) is the third in line for the throne
- Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland (formerly Daniel Westling) is Crown Princess Victoria’s spouse and a former personal trainer and businessman
- Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland
- Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland (formerly Sofia Hellqvist) is the spouse of Prince Carl Philip and a former model and television personality
- Prince Alexander, Duke of Södermanland (b. 2016)
- Prince Gabriel, Duke of Dalarna (b. 2017)
- Prince Julian, Duke of Halland (b. 2021)
- Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland (formerly Sofia Hellqvist) is the spouse of Prince Carl Philip and a former model and television personality
- Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Häsingland and Gästrikland
- Christopher O’Neill is Princess Madeleine’s spouse and is a British-American financier (since he denied obtaining Swedish citizenship, O’Neill does not have royal status)
- Princess Leonore, Duchess of Gotland (b. 2014)
- Prince Nicolas, Duke of Ångermanland (b. 2015)
- Princess Adrienne, Duchess of Blekinge (b. 2018)
- Christopher O’Neill is Princess Madeleine’s spouse and is a British-American financier (since he denied obtaining Swedish citizenship, O’Neill does not have royal status)
Other members of the Swedish royal court are King Carl XVI Gustaf’s older sisters. Despite the revision of the succession of the throne in the 80s to be one of absolute primogeniture, Carl XVI Gustav’s sisters and their children are not in the line of succession. However, they maintain their titles of Princesses of Sweden. Two of the king’s sisters, Margaretha and Christina, are also known by their husband’s surnames since they had socially “unequal” marriages:
- Princess Margaretha, Mrs. Ambler
- Princess Birgitta of Sweden and Hohenzollern
- Princess Désirée, Baroness Silfverschiöld
- Princess Christina, Mrs. Magnuson
Extended Family and Relatives
European monarchies are somewhat infamous for marrying one another, even when their familial relations are a little…close for comfort. This outdated practice has led to most of the monarchies in Europe being relatives to some extent. The extended family of such monarchies is part of what made World War I such a mess: King George V of England, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, and Tsar Nicholas II of Russia were all first cousins. Considering its long history, the familial ties of the Swedish Crown are no different.
Connections with Other European Royal Families
The royal family of Sweden naturally has connections to other European royal families. It would be unusual if they didn’t!
Historically, marriages among nobles held political importance. Love matches weren’t far-fetched, believe it or not, but potential marriage partners were often selected from a group of politically significant families. Marriages could make alliances that would circumvent a war or bolster the economy. In Swedish history, marriages were a way to connect two dynasties and cement a claim to the throne.
- The Royal Family of Greece
- The Royal Family of Denmark
- The Royal Family of Norway
- The Royal Family of Great Britain
The Swedish royal family also had connections to the German royal family before its dissimilation following WWI. They were likewise related to the ill-fated Romanov dynasty of Russia.
Notable Relatives
Of those illustrious trees the Swedish royal family has ties to, some relatives jump out more than others. For example, notable members of the British and Danish royal families share quite an exhaustive list of relatives with their Swedish cousins. We can thank Queen Victoria’s matchmaking for that!
- Queen Elizabeth II of England (1926-2022) was the third cousin of King Carl XVI Gustaf – both are descended from Queen Victoria, who is their closest shared relative
- King Frederick X of Denmark (1968-present) is the first cousin, once removed, to Carl XVI
- King Harald V of Norway (1937-present) is related to the current Swedish royal family through his mother, Princess Märtha of Sweden
Wrapping up the Swedish Royal Family Tree
The Swedish family tree, as with other royal European family trees, is a product of the continent’s political landscape. More often than not, marriages were attached to diplomatic duties. Marriages across the eleven dynasties of Sweden had forged alliances that drew countries closer together – or, in some cases, further apart. It was marriages like these that led to most of the European royals being interconnected somehow.
Sweden rapidly became one of the key players in 17th-century Europe, whose familial influences significantly impacted its relations with other nations. This is especially true during the period known as the Reformation, where not only nationality but religion affected alliances. In more modern times, the Swedish royal family is far more lax. That is, both in their familial ties and their duties.