Gunilla Johansdotter Bese, also called Gunhild (1475–1553) was a

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

(Swedish) noble and fiefholder of

Vyborg Castle Vyborg Castle (russian: Выборгский замок, fi, Viipurin linna, sv, Viborgs slott) is a Swedish-built medieval fortress around which the town of Vyborg (today in Russia) evolved. The castle became the stronghold of the Swedish realm ...

from 1511 to 1513.

Life

Bese was the daughter of Johan Stensson Bese and Catherine Jonsdotter. She married

riksråd Riksrådet (in Norwegian and Swedish), Rigsrådet (in Danish) or (English: the Council of the Realm and the Council of the State – sometimes translated as the "Privy Council") is the name of the councils of the Scandinavian countries that rule ...

Eric Bielke Eric Bielke (died 1511), also known as ''Eerikki Tuurenpoika'' and ''Eric Tureson'', royal councillor of Sweden, knighted, feudal fiefholder or margrave of Vyborg Castle. Biography He was the son of Ture Turesson of Kråkerum and Rävelsta, Lord ...

, fiefholder of Vyborg. After the death of her spouse in 1511, she took over his position as interim governor and commandant of Vyborg until a new governor was appointed and installed in 1513. During her term, the peace treaty of 1510 was threatened by the Russians, but she issued renewed peace negotiations and thereby prevented the outbreak of a new war. In 1512, she opposed the suggested candidate for the position of commandant of Vyborg, and eventually succeeded in having her son-in-law, Lord Toni Eriksson Tott; she ceded her position to him in 1513. After this, she retired to tend to the estates left to her by her late spouse in Sweden, and was described as an efficient landowner. In 1520 at

Kalmar Castle Kalmar Castle ( sv, Kalmar slott) is a castle in the city Kalmar in the province of Småland in Sweden. History During the twelfth century a round defensive tower was built on Kalmarsund and a harbour constructed. At the end of the thirteen ...

, Bese's eldest daughter

Anna Anna may refer to: People Surname and given name * Anna (name) Mononym * Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke * Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773) * Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century) * Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 1221) ...

had a similar experience to her mother's; when Anna's husband, the governor, died, she continued to rule the castle and fief and led the war efforts (in that case, against the Danish). Her son Axel's descendant

Gunilla Bielke Gunilla Bielke; Swedish: ''Gunilla Johansdotter Bielke af Åkerö'' (25 June 1568 – 19 July 1597) was Queen of Sweden as the second wife of King John III. Queen Gunilla is acknowledged to have acted as the political adviser to John III and to h ...

became queen, the second wife of

John III of Sweden John III ( sv , Johan III, fi, Juhana III; 20 December 1537 – 17 November 1592) was King of Sweden from 1569 until his death. He was the son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife Margaret Leijonhufvud. He was also, quite autonomous ...

. Bese died on 7 April 1553 in Bernhamra, Sweden.Erik Turesson (Bielke), urn:sbl:18162, Svenskt biografiskt lexikon (art av G. Carlsson.), hämtad 2014-07-14

Legacy

The Fru Gunillas Gränd is named after her.

References

Suomen kansallisbiografia (National Biography of Finland)
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