3-068-838 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Portrait of John III Vasa (1537-1592), King of Sweden, 2nd half of 16th century. Additional Info: In 1526, after the death of King Zygmunt Stary [Sigismund I the Old] and the departure of Queen Bona to Italy, one of their daughters, Catherine (born 1526), married John Vasa (who was 11 years younger than her), Prince of Finland, son of the Swedish king Gustav Vasa. He went with her newly married spouse to Åbo (Fin. Turku) in Finland, a part of the Kingdom of Sweden at the time. The following year, Swedish king Eric XIV, John's half-brother, ordered him to come to Stockholm, and then accused him of treason and imprisoned him in Gripsholm Castle. Catherine was imprisoned together with John. During the several years of captivity, they had a son, Sigismund, the future king of Poland. Over time, Eric became insane, John regained his freedom, dethroned his brother and took over power as John III.