Duke John’s Renaissance court at the castle

In 1556 King Gustav I made his son John, aged eighteen, Duke of Finland. For seven years Turku Castle was the seat of a Renaissance court, more splendid than anything Finland had seen. It ended with the castle besieged by an army sent by John’s own brother.

A duchy for the king’s son

• The second son. John was born in 1537, the second son of Gustav I. His half-brother Eric, four years older, was heir to the throne Well documented.
• Duke at eighteen. In 1556 Gustav made John Duke of Finland. The duchy covered Southwest Finland, Raseborg with western Uusimaa, and Lower Satakunta. John also governed the rest of Finland for the king Well documented.
• Part of Sweden. Finland was not a separate country. The duchy gave John land, income and power, but it was still part of the Swedish realm Well documented.

A Renaissance court in Turku

• What “Renaissance” means. The word means rebirth. From Italy a new style spread across Europe, inspired by ancient Rome and Greece. Princes showed their power with fine buildings, art, music and feasts Well documented.
• A castle remodelled. John made Turku Castle his home and decorated it with a splendour never seen in Finland before. Nearly all the rooms of the old castle were remodelled. A new Renaissance floor was built with the King’s Hall and the Queen’s Hall Well documented.
• Deer on Ruissalo. The island of Ruissalo became the duke’s hunting park. Red deer were brought there in 1562. The last record of a deer on the island is from 1599 Well documented.
• Tournaments at Kupittaa. Knights’ tournaments and midsummer celebrations were held on the fields of Kupittaa, east of the town Well documented.
• The high point. Court life at Turku Castle was never more splendid than in the late 1550s and early 1560s Well documented.

Brother against brother

• A new king. Gustav I died in 1560, and Eric became King Eric XIV. He did not trust his brothers. In 1561 the Articles of Arboga limited the powers of the dukes Well documented.
• A deal with Poland. Sweden and Poland were rivals for Livonia, today Estonia and Latvia. John lent the king of Poland 120,000 daler and took seven Livonian castles as security. In Eric’s eyes his brother was running his own foreign policy Well documented.
• The wedding. On 4 October 1562 John married Catherine Jagiellon, the Polish king’s sister, in Vilnius, against Eric’s wishes (topic 2) Well documented.
• Treason. In June 1563 the Estates in Stockholm found John guilty of treason. He was sentenced to lose his life, his property and his right to the throne. Eric sent an army to Finland Well documented.
• The siege. The army is said to have numbered 10,000 men. John defended the castle with about 1,200. On 12 August 1563 he surrendered, in return for the promise of a prison fit for a prince Likely.
• Punishment. John and Catherine were taken to Gripsholm Castle in Sweden. About 30 of John’s supporters were executed in Stockholm Well documented.
• The wheel turns. The couple was released in 1567. In 1568 John and his younger brother Charles overthrew Eric, and John became King John III. Eric spent the rest of his life as a prisoner and died in 1577 Well documented.