Johan III 1537-92
King of Sweden

The second son of Gustav I Vasa and his second wife Margareta Leijonhufvud, he was born at Stegeborg Castle, and created Duke of Finland by his father (1556). Seized and imprisoned (1563-67) by his unbalanced brother Erik XIV, he rebelled against Erik and deposed him (1568). As king, he brought the Seven-Year War with Denmark to an inconclusive end with the Treaty of Stettin (1570), and formed an alliance with Poland (1578-83) in a war against Russia. He also tried, unsuccessfully, to impose on Sweden his own synthesis of Lutheranism and Catholicism. He married Katarina Jagellonica, sister of Sigismund II Augustus of Poland, and their Catholic son Sigismund III Vasa was crowned King of Poland (1587). After Katarina's death (1583) he married Gunilla Bielke. Scholarly and cultured, he was inept at control of finance and a poor administrator. He was succeeded by his brother Karl IX.