Svante is the shortening for the Swedish male first name Svantepolk. It originates from Slavic ancestors of first prominent Svantes in Sweden. The Slavic languages have the name which is rendered as Sviatopolk in Russian, Swiãtopôłk in Kashubian, Świętopełk in Polish and Svatopluk/Svätopluk in Czech and Slovakian. Also Svjatopluk and so forth in other renditions. In the latter half of the 13th century, Svantepolk of Viby (d 1310), a lord of high nobility, settled in Sweden. His mother had been a Pomeranian lady whose first name and precise origin is not known to us, but who is indicated to have come from the ducal family of

Pomerelia Pomerelia,, la, Pomerellia, Pomerania, pl, Pomerelia (rarely used) also known as Eastern Pomerania,, csb, Pòrénkòwô Pòmòrskô Vistula Pomerania, prior to World War II also known as Polish Pomerania, is a historical sub-region of Pome ...

. Svantepolk's father was

Canute, Duke of Revalia Canute or Knud Valdemarsen (1207 – 1260) was an illegitimate son of King Valdemar II of Denmark, who became Duke of Revelia, Blekinge and Lolland. Canute was the son of the king by his mistress, Helena Guttormsdotter, widow of Danish nobleman ...

, a bastard son of king Valdemar II of Denmark with a high-born Swedish lady Helena, daughter of Earl Guttorm. The name was presumably given to Svantepolk as namesake of some maternal relative of Slavic princely dynasties. Svantepolk's brother Eric, Duke of Halland, had got a traditionally Scandinavian first name. Svantepolk became justiciar (lagman) of

Östergötland Östergötland (; English exonym: East Gothland) is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden (''landskap'' in Swedish) in the south of Sweden. It borders Småland, Västergötland, Närke, Södermanland and the Baltic Sea. In older English li ...

and a wealthy and remarkable lord in Sweden. His wife was Benedicta, granddaughter of king

Sverker II of Sweden ''Sverker'' is a studio album by Neo-Medieval group Corvus Corax. Track listing # "Intro Gjallarhorni" - 0:58 # "Gjallarhorni" - 2:59 # "Sverker" - 4:31 # "Fiach Dubh" - 6:38 # "Trinkt vom Met" - 0:35 # "The drinking loving dancers" - 5:19 # ...

. Svantepolk and Benedicta's daughters married lords of Swedish high nobility and became ancestresses of several Swedish noble families, bringing substantial dowries. Lord Svantepolk, with royal ancestry and rights to ducal dignity of Halland, Blekinge and

Revalia Revala (also ''Rävälä'', la, Revalia, by Henry of Livonia ''Revele'', by Danish Census Book ''Revælæ'') was an Ancient Estonian county. It was located in northern Estonia, by the Gulf of Finland and corresponded roughly to the present terri ...

, was a valued ancestor, well-remembered in his noble Swedish descendants' pedigrees and family lore. The name Svante was given to many descendants. * Svante Bosson (Sture), uncle of the regent Svante (see below) * Svante, Regent of Sweden (1460–1512), leader of the Swedish government between 1504 and 1512 * Svante Sture, Count of Stegeholm (1517–67), his grandson * Svante Arrhenius a Swedish chemist * Svante Stenbock (1578–1632) *

Svante Bielke Svante is the shortening for the Swedish male first name Svantepolk. It originates from Slavic ancestors of first prominent Svantes in Sweden. The Slavic languages have the name which is rendered as Sviatopolk in Russian, Swiãtopôłk in Kashub ...

, Lord High Chancellor of Sweden 1602-1609 * Svante Larsson Sparre, Governor of Uppland 1649-1652 * Svante Banér (1584–1628) * Svante Svantesson Banér (1624–74), Governor of Uppland 1652-54

See also