House of Vasa

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The Vasa Coat of Arms

The House of Vasa was the Royal House of Sweden (1523-1654) and of Poland (1587-1668).

Kings and Queens of Sweden

Gustav I (1523-1560)
Eric XIV (1560-1568)
John III (1568-1592)
Sigismund I (1592-1599)
Charles IX (1599-1611)
Gustav II Adolph (Gustav the Great) (1611-1632)
Christina (1632-1654)

In 1654 Christina, the daughter of Gustavus Adolphus, the Protestant Champion of the Thirty Years' War, abdicated, converted to Catholicism and left the country. The throne passed to her cousin Charles X of the House of Palatinate (Pfalz-Zweibrücken), a cadet branch of the Wittelsbachs.

Kings of Poland

John III of Sweden married Catherine Jagiełło, the sister of Sigismund II of Poland, and when Sigismund died without a male heir, their son was elected king of Poland as Sigismund III in 1587. On John's death Sigismund also gained the Swedish throne.

Sigismund was Catholic, however, which ultimately led to his losing the throne in Sweden. His uncle Charles IX succeeded him. We thus have two Houses of Vasa from this point onwards: the senior, Catholic branch ruling in Poland, and the cadet, Protestant branch ruling in Sweden. This arrangement led to numerous wars between the two states. After John, the Polish Vasa died out. See also Rulers of Poland.