Charles of Tofta, Swedish: ''Karl Ulfson, Sparre av Tofta '' (ca. 1320-30 – 1407) was a 14th-century

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

magnate and High Constable of Sweden.

Biography

His birth year is unknown, but scholarly estimates point to 1320s or early 1330s at latest. He was born as the son of the first marriage of knight Ulf Abjörnson of Engso, justiciar of Tiohärad (d. 1347) with Kristina Sigmundsdotter of the family of ''Tre Klöverblad''. His and his father's

Coat of Arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...

was a chevron ('spar'), and so this family is regarded as one of numerous medieval Scandinavian families retrospectively named

Sparre Sparre (variously spelled ''Sperra, Sper, Spar'') is a Scandinavian surname - originally borne by a noble family - and can refer to: * Aage Jepsen Sparre, Danish priest * Arvid Gustavsson Sparre (1245 - 1317), Lord of Ekholmen, Sweden * Axel Spar ...

. Through his paternal grandmother, Charles was a descendant of the Ulv branch of the

House of Bjelbo The House of Bjelbo ( sv, Bjälboätten), also known as the House of Folkung (''Folkungaätten''), was an Ostrogothian Swedish family that provided several medieval Swedish bishops, jarls and kings. It also provided three kings of Norway and o ...

(''Folkungaätten'') and numbered some ancient Swedish earls among his ancestors. Charles was literate and studied in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

. Charles was knighted between 1354 and 1358. He was summoned to the membership of the

High Council of Sweden The Council of the Realm, or simply The Council ( sv, Riksrådet or sv, Rådet: sometimes in la, Senatus Regni Sueciae), was a cabinet of medieval origin, consisting of magnates ( sv, stormän) which advised, and at times co-ruled with, the K ...

from 1356 at latest. He also acted as

lawspeaker A lawspeaker or lawman (Swedish language, Swedish: ''lagman'', Old Swedish: ''laghmaþer'' or ''laghman'', Danish language, Danish: ''lovsigemand'', Norwegian language, Norwegian: ''lagmann'', Icelandic language, Icelandic: , Faroese language, ...

Uppland Uppland () is a historical province or ' on the eastern coast of Sweden, just north of Stockholm, the capital. It borders Södermanland, Västmanland and Gästrikland. It is also bounded by lake Mälaren and the Baltic Sea. On the small uninhab ...

from no later than 1362. His step-mother Märta Sunadotter of Hultboda, heiress of Fogelvik, was sister of Erengisle Sunason of Hultboda,

Earl of Orkney Earl of Orkney, historically Jarl of Orkney, is a title of nobility encompassing the archipelagoes of Orkney and Shetland, which comprise the Northern Isles of Scotland. Originally founded by Norse invaders, the status of the rulers of the Nort ...

. From 1356, they supported the efforts of King Eric XII of Sweden (1356-1359( to rise to equal rulership with, or to depose, his father King

Magnus IV of Sweden Magnus IV (April or May 1316 – 1 December 1374; Swedish ''Magnus Eriksson'') was King of Sweden from 1319 to 1364, King of Norway as Magnus VII (including Iceland and Greenland) from 1319 to 1355, and ruler of Scania from 1332 to 1360. By ...

. His half-sister, Ingeborg Ulfsdotter married a young nobleman named

Benedict, Duke of Halland Duke Benedict of Halland and Finland (c. 1330 – c. 1360), aka ''Bengt Algotsson'', was a medieval Swedish lord, and royal favourite. He was born to a family who descended from Svantepolk of Skarsholm and his wife Benedikta Sunadotter. Svantepol ...

(c. 1330 – c. 1360) in the early 1350s. He was a favorite of King

. However, the duke was under increasing attacks and dissatisfaction from the party of high nobility. Benedict repudiated Duchess Ingeborg sometime in c. 1356. In 1360, Charles was with troops in

Scania Scania, also known by its native name of Skåne (, ), is the southernmost of the historical provinces of Sweden, provinces (''landskap'') of Sweden. Located in the south tip of the geographical region of Götaland, the province is roughly conte ...

. Benedict was besieged at Rönneholm Castle (''Rönneholms slott''), and Charles reportedly took part in killing him personally. Charles supported King

Albert III of Mecklenburg Albert (german: Albrecht, sv, Albrekt av Mecklenburg; c. 1338 – 1 April 1412) was King of Sweden from 1364 to 1389 and Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin from 1384 to 1412. Background He was the second son of Duke Albert II of Mecklenburg and ...

. In Albert's reign, Charles was

Lord High Constable of Sweden The Lord High Constable ( sv, Riksmarsk or only ''Marsk'') was a prominent and influential office in Sweden, from the 13th century until 1676, excluding periods when the office was out of use. The office holder was a member of the Swedish Privy Cou ...

(''Riksmarsk'') of Sweden 1364–71. However, he accepted Queen Margaret's rule when she deposed Albert in 1388–89. Albert had appointed him as the castellan of Viipuri (see

margrave of Viipuri The Fief of Viborg (1320–1534) was for two centuries a late medieval fief in the southeastern border of Finland and the entire Swedish realm. It was held by its chatelain, a fief-appointed feudal lord. For extended periods, the medieval comma ...

) sometime in the 1380s. He continued in this responsible and very autonomous position over the change of ruler until 1399.

Personal life

He was married several times, possibly as many as five, but had fairly few surviving children. With his first wife (wed 6 May 1352) Ingrid Eriksdotter of Boberg, daughter of Erik of Boberg (Erik Larsson), and his wife Birgitta Knutsdotter who was a daughter of knight Knut Folkason of the Algotssöner, son of Ingrid Svantepolksdotter, he had a son, Knut Karlson of Tofta, his only son who survived to adulthood. Knut also was knighted and was from 1376

justiciar Justiciar is the English form of the medieval Latin term ''justiciarius'' or ''justitiarius'' ("man of justice", i.e. judge). During the Middle Ages in England, the Chief Justiciar (later known simply as the Justiciar) was roughly equivalent ...

Södermanland Södermanland ( or ), locally Sörmland, sometimes referred to under its Latin form ''Sudermannia'' or ''Sudermania'', is a historical province or ''landskap'' on the south eastern coast of Sweden. It borders Östergötland, Närke, Västmanla ...

, but predeceased his father, dying probably in 1389 and was apparently unmarried and childless. Charles' second wife (from 1363) was Helena Israelsdotter of

Finsta Finsta () is a locality situated in Norrtälje Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 244 inhabitants in 2010. Finsta is according to local tradition the birthplace of Saint Bridget, one of Sweden's best known saints and the founder of the ...

, who died ca. 1375. She was the daughter of Israel Birgersson of Finsta, justiciar of Uppland. Helena was sister of Charles' first cousin Philip Nielson of Salsta's wife Ramborg Israelsdotter of Finsta. There are no indications of any surviving children of either marriage. His third wife was named Cecilia. The fourth, and the possible fifth, wife's names are unknown to us, but one of them bore a daughter, Margareta Karlsdotter of Tofta, sometime around the 1380s or early 1390s. Charles inherited in ca. 1389 from his son who had inherited a sizable property from his maternal kin. Also in ca. 1389, Charles inherited from his half-sister, Kristina Ulvsdotter, heiress of Fogelvik, widow of lord Peder Ribbing and of Niels of Rickeby, heiress of her sister Duchess Ingeborg of Halland and Finland, and her mother Märta Sunadotter, a daughter of Sune Jonsson, justiciar of Tiohärad, one of the first margraves of Viipuri. Charles had only one surviving child, his daughter Margareta Karlsdotter of Tofta (c 1380s - 1429), who was married twice; first to Knut Tordsson Bonde of Penningby and secondly in 1414 to Steen Tureson, lord of Vik and Örby. Margaret was the mother of King

Charles VIII of Sweden Charles VIII ( sv, Karl; 1408–1470), contemporaneously known as Charles II and called Charles I in Norwegian context, was king of Sweden (1448–1457, 1464–1465 and 1467–1470) and king of Norway (1449–1450). Regnal name Charles was the ...

(1408- 1470) and of Birgitta Steensdotter of Vik, heiress of Örby and Ekholmen. Her descendants included Regent Steen Sture the Old and Birgitta Gustavsdotter of Revsnes, who became grandmother of

Gustav I of Sweden Gustav I, born Gustav Eriksson of the Vasa noble family and later known as Gustav Vasa (12 May 1496 – 29 September 1560), was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death in 1560, previously self-recognised Protector of the Realm ('' Riksföre ...

References

Other Sources

*Folke Wernstedt (1957) ''Äldre svenska frälsesläkter'' (Stockholm : Riddarhusdirektionen) {{DEFAULTSORT:Ulvsson, Charles Year of birth missing 1407 deaths People from Vyborg Lawspeakers 14th-century Swedish nobility 15th-century Swedish nobility 14th-century Finnish people 15th-century Finnish people