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Duchies in Sweden#History

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{{inline citations|date=February 2025}}

File:Eugen of Sweden, Wilhelm of Sweden & Carl of Sweden (1861) 1905.jpg, Prince Wilhelm, Duke of Södermanland and Prince Carl, Duke of Västergötland in their coronets attend the 1905 opening of parliament in the Throne Room of Stockholm Palace.]]

File:Margareta of Sweden (1905) 1905.jpg) poses in 1905 at Stockholm Palace, wearing her British coronet, for a subsequently colored photograph.]]

Duchies in Sweden have been allotted since the 13th century to powerful Swedes, almost always to princes of Sweden (only in some of the dynasties) and wives of the latter. From the beginning these duchies were often centers of regional power, where their dukes and duchesses had considerable executive authority of their own, under the central power of their kings or queens regnant. Since the reign of King Gustav III the titles have practically been nominal, with which their bearers only rarely have enjoyed any ducal authority, though often maintaining specially selected leisure residences in their provinces and some limited measure of cultural attachment to them.

Today

In Sweden today, Duke (hertig) is considered a dynastical title, and is only given to members of the Royal House (currently Bernadotte). Unlike British dukedoms, for example, these Swedish titles are not hereditary. Modern Swedish duchies have always been named for the historical provinces of Sweden, which are no longer governmental entities. Currently, there are twelve such duchies one of which includes two of the provinces:

The titles today are given to, and kept by, legitimate members of the Swedish royal family for life, except for Swedish monarchs, who do not continue to hold ducal titles after ascending the throne.Burke's Royal families of the World I {{ISBN|0-85011-023-8}} p 594 Only in connection with his ascension in 1973 has the current king occasionally been referred to as King of Sweden and Duke of Jämtland.{{cite web|title=H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf|url=http://www.kungahuset.se/royalcourt/royalfamily/hmkingcarlxvigustaf.4.396160511584257f218000644.html|accessdate=21 January 2015|archive-date=3 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403211234/http://www.kungahuset.se/royalcourt/royalfamily/hmkingcarlxvigustaf.4.396160511584257f218000644.html|url-status=dead}} He became the Duke of Jämtland after his christening, and held that title until his ascension to the Swedish throne in 1973. However, his wife, current Queen Silvia, whom he married in 1976, is not a duchess, and no other queen consorts have ever continued to have any such title either, after their husbands became King. Otherwise, royal spouses of ducal title holders are also created dukes and duchesses upon marriage (this would not include spouses who do not become Swedish royalty, such as those who married former dukes who had given up their titles for unapproved marriages). The first example of a man acquiring the Swedish ducal title of a woman was at the 2010 marriage of Crown Princess Victoria to Prince Daniel. Currently the prerequisite for a ducal title has been assumed by the public to be the position of Prince or Princess of Sweden, and for that being a Swedish citizen, however no definite policy has been published.

History

File:Magnus III Barnlock of Sweden as Duke bust 2009 Skara (2).jpg as Duke of Sweden in a 13th-century bust]]

File:Royal Wedding Stockholm 2010-Konserthuset-427.jpg, with her brother Prince Carl Philip, Duke of Värmland, in 2010.]]

The first use in Swedish of the title of hertig was in 1266 by Prince Magnus, son of Princess Ingeborg and Birger Jarl. That title (derived from German "herzog") then replaced the older Nordic "jarl", both translated into the Latin title dux,Nationalencyklopedin: Hertig However, professor of art history Jan Svanberg is of the opinion that since Birger Jarl (died 1266) was depicted with a ducal coronet of English and continental European design, he actually was a duke, and that his Latin title of Dux Sueorum should be given as Duke and Regent of Sweden in English.Prof. Jan Svanberg in Furstebilder från folkungatid {{ISBN|91-85884-52-9}} pp. 97 & 104-106 Svanberg's opinion would then make duchesses of both of Birger's wives Ingeborg (died 1254) and Matilda (died 1288), in English usage.

In the 13th and 14th century, kings of the Bjälbo dynasty gave his sons duchies to rule as fiefs. The geography of these duchies could be unclear, as they were not always within the boundaries of one province and could also be reallotted with territorial changes. Feuds between a king and ducal brothers were common, and ended at times in assassination and fratricide. There was only one non-royal Swedish duke, Bengt Algotsson, Duke of Halland and Finland in 1350s. The tradition was discontinued during the Kalmar union.

After the Kalmar Union period, just before his death in 1560, King Gustav I took up the tradition by making his sons John, Magnus and Carl powerful dukes, together ruling much more of the kingdom than their older half-brother Eric, who had held a duchy in the southeast. When Eric became King Eric XIV, the imbalance of power his father had created became destructive. John, with the aid of Carl, eventually revolted, dethroned Eric and became king; Magnus proved unimportant due to mental health issues, but Carl's duchy of Södermanland prospered as a separate territory for several decades and also made his eventual rise to the throne possible. His duchy was inherited by his younger son, Carl Philip, who died in 1622 having been the last holder of one of the semi-autonomous Swedish duchies, which his brother, King Gustav II Adolph, officially abolished in 1618.

During the subsequent rule of Queen Christina of Sweden, however, her cousin and heir Carl Gustav of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken was titled Duke of Öland by the Swedish sovereign herself, but her government refused to acknowledge that title officially.Paul Meijer Granqvist in Carl X Gustaf “den förste pfalzaren”, Askerbergs, Stockholm, 1910 p. 56 His father was created Duke of Stegeborg in 1651, a title that a younger brother of Carl Gustav's eventually inherited.

In 1772, King Gustav III reinstated the appointment of dukes, now non-hereditary, for his brothers as courtesy titles, which added to their international prestige and domestic influence. Since then, all Swedish princes have been created dukes of a province at birth, as well as one Great Prince or Grand Duke of Finland (who died in infancy). During the 20th century, because of constitutional restraints, several princes gave up their royal titles for marriages that were not approved by the King (see Bernadotte af Wisborg). Whether or not they then actually lost their ducal titles too has never been formally or legally determined.

For the first time since the 14th century a princess of Sweden was created duchess in her own right in 1980, coinciding with the amendment of the Act of Succession allowing female succession to the throne. Thus, King Carl XVI Gustaf's eldest daughter Victoria became Crown Princess (displacing her younger brother Carl Philip) and received the title of Duchess of Västergötland. Her younger sister Madeleine was the first princess to be created duchess at birth, and also the first to get a double duchy (see above), roughly corresponding with the modern governmental limits of Gävleborg County. Such modern ducal titles are handled by the King of Sweden personally, are unregulated by law and not registered as names in the Swedish Tax Agency's population census.

Now the title holders are mainly known domestically as Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Princess Estelle, Prince Oscar, Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia, Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel, Prince Julian, Princess Ines, Princess Madeleine, Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas and Princess Adrienne though the ducal titles often are included in formal communication and royal court usage. In writing to them, it is considered correct to address all of them but the Crown Princess by ducal title. As of 1772, the dukes and duchesses do not normally reside permanently within their duchies, though they are associated with them to some extent by making occasional visits, seen as beneficial to public relations for the County Administrative Boards and local business.

File:Birger jarl (Forssén).jpg wears a ducal coronet of European style in a contemporary bust.]]

List of dukes and duchesses by duchy in Sweden

Since Magnus III of Sweden was the first bearer of the Swedish title hertig, this list begins, in the chronological aspect, with him.

This list of dukes and duchesses in Sweden excludes minor duchies (individual towns, manors, mines, estates) as well as dominions such as Estonia and Bremen-Verden. For ease of reference, most provinces are listed by their modern Swedish names with Latin or English exonyms,Eric Linklater in The Life of Charles XII pp. 53-54 & throughout by which many past dukes have been known, given as alternatives. Years given are those during which ducal titles incontestably were held, regardless of subsequent status as monarchs or former royalty. Since the accession of Charles XIII in 1809, the Royal Court of Sweden has neither recognized that ducal titles are continued to be borne by kings, nor that those were still valid that had been given to princes who subsequently lost their royal status (also see Sigvard Bernadotte). There is also no evidence that domestic provincial ducal titles continued to be borne by kings in earlier eras.

=Sweden and [[Svealand|Swealand]] (''Dux Sueorum'' as ''hertig'')=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

1252–1275Prince Magnusappointed, became King 1275, died 1290
1275Prince Ericappointed (also Småland), died with title
1284–1310Prince Eric[http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hertig_Erik_Magnussons_sekret.png Ducal seal] at Commonsappointed, gave up title (also Södermanland) 1310, then Duke of Dalsland, North Halland, Värmland & Västergötland
1318–1321Princess Ingeborgwidow of previous Eric, appointed & held this title in her own right as regent, continued as Duchess of North Halland
Title discontinued 1321

=[[Ångermanland]] also known as ''Angermannia''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
2015–present

|Prince Nicolas

|from birth

=[[Blekinge]] also known as ''Blekingia''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
2018–present

|Princess Adrienne

|from birth

=[[Dalarna]] also known as ''Dalecarlia''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1831–1873

|Prince August

|from birth, died with title

1864–1914

|Princess Teresia

|as wife & widow of Prince August, died with title

1916–1946

|Prince Carl Johan

|from birth, title no longer recognized due to unapproved marriage, died 2012

2017–present

|Prince Gabriel

|from birth

=[[Dalsland]] also known as ''Dalia''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

1310–1318Prince Ericappointed, also Duke of North Halland, Värmland & Västergötland (also see Swealand 1284–1310), died with titles
1312–1326Princess Ingeborgas wife & widow of Prince Eric, also Duchess of Värmland & Västergötland, deposed, continued as Duchess of North Halland
1560–1595Prince Magnussee Östergötland (same years)

=''East Gothland'': see Östergötland=

=''Eyland'': see Öland=

=Finland =

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

1284–1291Benedictappointed, also Bishop of Linköping, died with title
1302–1318Valdemarappointed, also Duke of Uppland & Öland from 1310, died with titles
1302–1305Christinaas first wife of Waldemar above, until divorce
1312–1353Ingeborgas second wife and widow of Valdemar above, deposed, continued as Duchess of Öland in her own right, died c.1357
1353–1357Benedictappointed, deposed, also Duke of Halland until 1356, died c.1360
1556–1563Johnappointed, deposed, became King of Sweden & Finland 1569, died 1592 (see below King John III)
1562–1563Catherineas (first) wife of Prince John above, deposed, became queen in 1569, died in 1583
1589–1606Johnfrom birth, deposed, continued as Duke of East Gothland, died with that title 1618
1580s–1599Kings John III &
Sigmund		as monarchs also held the nominal title of Grand Duke of Finland, simultaneously with John just above
1606–1632Gustav Adolphappointed, also Duke of Estonia 1607-1618, Södermanland 1604-1607 & Västmanland 1610-1611, became King of Sweden and Finland in 1611

From the reign of Gustavus Adolphus, Grand duke of Finland was a part of the official titles of the king of Sweden until the Treaty of Fredrikshamn in 1809.

=[[Gotland]] also known as ''Gothland''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1859–1888

|Prince Oscar

|from birth, title no longer recognized due to non-royal marriage, died 1953

2014–present

|Princess Leonore

|from birth

Queen Desideria (1777-1860) was also known outside of Sweden as Countess of Gotland.

=[[Gästrikland]] also known as ''Gestricland''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1982–present

|Princess Madeleine

|see Hälsingland (same period)

=[[Halland]] also known as ''Hallandia''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

North Halland:
1310–1318
Prince Eric
see Dalsland (same years)
1312–1341Princess Ingeborgas wife & widow of Eric above (see further Halland below)
South Halland:
1327–1330
Lord Canute Porse
second husband of Ingeborg above, appointed, died with title
Halland:
1327–1353
Duchess Ingeborg (above)
as wife & widow of Lord Canute above & from 1341 in her own right (also see Swealand 1318–1321), deposed
1330–1350Lord Canute Canuteson Porseson of Ingeborg & Canute above, inherited & held title with brother Hacon below & mother, died with title
1330–1350Lord Hacon Canuteson Porseson of Ingeborg & Canute above, inherited & held title with brother Canute above & mother, died with title
1353–1356Lord Benedict Algotssonappointed (not royal) & deposed (also Duke of Finland till 1357)
1356–1361Duchess Ingeborgagain appointed in her own right (see 1327-1353 above), died with title
colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1912–1997

|Prince Bertil

|from birth, died with title

1976–2013

|Princess Lilian

|as wife & widow of Prince Bertil above, died with title

2021–present

|Prince Julian

|from birth

=[[Hälsingland]] also known as ''Helsingia''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1982–present

|Princess Madeleine

|from birth, also Duchess of Gästrikland

=[[Jämtland]] also known as ''Iemptia''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1946–1973

|Prince Carl Gustaf

|from birth, current King as of 1973

=[[Närke]] also known as ''Nericia''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

1560–1604Prince Carlsee Södermanland (same years)
1579–1589Princess Mariasee Södermanland (same years)
1592–1604Princess Christinasee Södermanland (same years)
1607–1618Prince Carl Philipsee Södermanland (same years)
colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1865–1947

|Prince Eugen

|from birth, died with title

1947–present

!colspan=2|Vacant

Saint Bridget (1303-1373) was also known outside of Sweden as Princess of Nericia.Furstinnan från/av Närke Eivor Martinus in Barndrottningen Filippa, {{ISBN|978-91-7331-663-7}} pp 115, 164 & 167

=''North Halland'': see Halland=

=[[Öland]] also known as ''Eyland''=

{{Google books |id=kS4hSjGb0sAC |title=The Stories of the Kings of Norway Called the Round World }}

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

1310–1318Prince Valdemarappointed, also Duke of Uppland (and Finland from 1302), died with titles
1312–c.1357Princess Ingeborgas wife & widow of Waldemar above, also Duchess of Uppland (& Finland), died with this title
1318–c.1328Prince Ericson of Waldemar and Ingeborg above, inherited (at age 2) & held title with mother, died with title
1557–1560Crown Prince Ericsee Småland (same years)
1650–1654Crown Prince Carl Gustavappointed, became King 1654, died 1660

=[[Östergötland]] also known as ''East Gothland''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

1560–1595Prince Magnusappointed, also Duke of Dalsland, died with titles
1606–1618Prince Johnappointed, died with title (also Duke of Finland 1589-1607)
1612–1618Princess Maria Elizabethas wife & widow of Prince John above, died with title
1772–1803Prince Frederick Adolfappointed, died with title
colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1829–1872

|Prince Oscar

|from birth, became King 1872, died 1907

1857–1872

|Princess Sophia

|as wife of Prince Oscar above, became his queen 1872, died 1913

1911–1937

|Prince Carl

|from birth, title no longer recognized due to unapproved marriage, died 2003

2012–present

|Princess Estelle

|from birth

= Skåne also known as ''[[Scania]]'' =

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1826–1859Prince Carlfrom birth, became King 1859, died 1872
1850–1859Crown Princess Louiseas wife of Carl above, became his queen 1859, died 1871
1882–1950Prince Gustaf Adolffrom birth, became King 1950, died 1973
1904–1920Crown Princess Margaretaas first wife of Prince Gustaf Adolf above, died with title
1923–1950Crown Princess Louiseas second wife of Gustaf Adolf above, became his queen 1950, died 1965
2016–presentPrince Oscarfrom birth

=[[Småland]] also known as ''Small Lands'' and ''the Smallands''=

{{Google books |id=kS4hSjGb0sAC |title=The Stories of the Kings of Norway Called the Round World }}

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

1275Prince Ericsee Swealand (same year)
1557–1560Crown Prince Ericappointed, also Duke of Öland, became King 1560, deposed as such 1569, died 1577
1782–1783Prince Carl Gustavfrom birth, died with title
colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1909–1932

|Prince Lennart

|from birth, title no longer recognized due to unapproved marriage, died 2004

1932–present

!colspan=2|Vacant

=[[Södermanland]] also known as ''Southmanland'' and ''Sudermania''=

{{Google books |id=kS4hSjGb0sAC |title=The Stories of the Kings of Norway Called the Round World (Heimskringla) }}

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

1302–1310Prince Ericsee Swealand 1284-1310
1318–1321Duchess Ingeborgsee Swealand (same years)
1560–1604Prince Carlappointed, also Duke of Närke and Värmland, became King 1604, died 1611
1579–1589Princess Mariaas first wife of Prince Carl above, also Duchess of Närke and Värmland, died with titles
1592–1604Princess Christinaas second wife of Prince Carl above, also Duchess of Närke and Värmland, became his queen 1604, died 1625
1604–1607Crown Prince Gustav Adolphappointed, deposed here, later Duke of Västmanland, became King 1611
1607–1618Prince Carl Philipappointed, deposed
1772–1809Prince Carlappointed, became King 1809, died 1818
1774–1809Princess Charlotteas wife of Prince Carl above, became his queen 1809, died 1818
colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1811–1844

|Prince Oscar

|appointed, became King 1844, died 1859

1823–1844

|Crown Princess Josephine

|as wife of Crown Prince Oscar above, became his queen 1844, died 1876

1852–1854

|Prince Carl Oscar

|from birth, died with title

1884–1965

|Prince Wilhelm

|from birth, died with title

1909–1914

|Princess Maria

|as wife of Prince Wilhelm above, until divorce

2016–present

|Prince Alexander

|from birth

=''South Halland'': see Halland=

=[[Stegeborg]]=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

1651–1652Prince John Casimirappointed, as prince consort widower of Princess Catherine (who was styled Countess of Stegeborg), died with title
1652–1654Crown Prince Carl Gustavinherited title as son of Prince John Casimir and Princess Catherine above, see Öland 1650-1654
1654-1689Prince Adolph Johninherited title as brother of Carl Gustav above, died with title
1662–1689Elsa Elizabethas wife of Prince Adolph John above, died with title
Title defunct 1689

=[[Uppland]] also known as ''Upland''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

1310–1318Prince Valdemarsee Öland (same years)
1312–1318Princess Ingeborgsee Öland 1312–1357, deposed here
colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1827–1852

|Prince Gustaf

|from birth, died with title

1907–1934

|Prince Sigvard

|from birth, title no longer recognized due to unapproved marriage, died 2002

1934–present

!colspan=2|Vacant

=[[Värmland]] also known as ''Vermelandia'' and ''Wermelandia''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

1310–1318Prince Ericsee Dalsland (same years)
1312–1326Princess Ingeborgsee Dalsland (same years)
1560–1604Prince Carlsee Södermanland (same years)
1579–1589Princess Mariasee Södermanland (same years)
1592–1604Princess Christinasee Södermanland (same years)
1607–1618Prince Carl Philipsee Södermanland (same years)
1798Prince Carl Adolphfrom birth, died with title
colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1858–1907

|Prince Gustaf

|from birth, became king 1907, died 1950

1881–1907

|Crown Princess Victoria

|as wife of Gustaf above, became his queen 1907, died 1930

1979–present

|Prince Carl Philip

|from birth

2015–present

|Princess Sofia

|as wife of Prince Carl Philip above

=[[Västmanland]] also known as ''Westmania''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

1610–1611Crown Prince Gustav Adolphappointed, earlier Duke of Södermanland, became King 1611, died 1632 (also Grand Duke of Finland 1607-1611)
colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1889–1918

|Prince Erik

|from birth, died with title

1918–present

!colspan=2|Vacant

=[[Västerbotten]] also known as ''West Bothnia''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1906–1947

|Prince Gustaf Adolf

|from birth, died with title

1932–1972

|Princess Sibylla

|as wife & widow of Prince Gustaf Adolf above, died with title

2025–present

|Princess Ines

|from birth

=[[Västergötland]] also known as ''West Gothland''=

class="wikitable"

!Title held (years)

!Name

!Notes

1310–1318Prince Ericsee Dalsland (same years)
1312–1326Princess Ingeborgsee Dalsland (same years)
colspan=3|House of Bernadotte
1861–1951

|Prince Carl

|from birth, died with title

1897–1958

|Princess Ingeborg

|as wife & widow of Prince Carl above, died with title

1980–present

|Crown Princess Victoria

|appointed

2010–present

|Prince Daniel

|as husband of Crown Princess Victoria above

Note: For duchies that begin with Å and Ö see A and O above

=Non-ducal provinces=

Five of Sweden's 25 modern provinces are not listed above because as of 2025 they have never had any dukes or duchesses:

  • Bohuslän also known as Bahusia
  • Härjedalen also known as Heriedalia
  • Lapland also known as Laponia and since 1809 as Swedish Lappland{{efn|Two extramarital sons of King Oscar I were unofficially called Princes of Lapland.Söderhjelm & {{Interlanguage link multi|Carl-Fredrik Palmstierna|sv|3=Palmstierna}} in Oscar I, Bonniers, Stockholm 1944, p. 279}}
  • Medelpad also known as Medelpadia
  • Norrbotten also known as North Bothnia

Heraldically, they are considered duchies. On 18 January 1884 the Privy Council gave all provinces the right of use to a ducal coronet for their coat of arms.{{Cite book |last=Nevéus |first=Clara |url=https://archive.org/details/nysvenskvapenbok0000neve/ |title=Ny svensk vapenbok |date=1992 |publisher=Streiffert |others= |isbn=978-91-7886-092-0 |location=Stockholm |pages=17 |language=sv}}{{Cite journal |title=Landskapens vapen |last=Hildebrandt |first=Hans |journal=Antiqvarisk/Antikvarisk tidskrift för Sverige / Nionde delen|url=https://runeberg.org/antiqtid/9/0058.html |pages=54–57 |language=sv}}

See also

Notes

{{Notelist}}

References

{{Reflist|30em}}

Further reading

  • Bonniers konversationslexikon encyclopaedia, Stockholm 1949, pp. 884–885
  • Fredrik Fryxell, via Svenskt biografiskt lexikon; see archived website [https://web.archive.org/web/20160812200703/http://runeberg.org/sbh/a0366.html here]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dukes of Swedish Provinces}}

Category:Monarchy of Sweden

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