The wedding between

Gustav II Adolf of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus (9 December Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates">N.S_19_December.html" ;"title="Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="/nowiki>Old Style and New Style dates">N.S 19 December">Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates.html" ;"title="/now ...

and

Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg (11 November 1599 – 28 March 1655) was a German princess and Queen of Sweden as the consort of King Gustav II Adolph (''Gustavus Adolphus''). She was a daughter of John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg, and Anna ...

took place at the Royal Castle on November 25, 1620.

The bridal train

The bridal entourage began its journey at 9.30 in the morning on November 25. In the bridal carriage was Maria Eleonora who just turned 21, and her mother

Duchess Anna of Prussia Duchess Anna of Prussia and Jülich-Cleves-Berg (3 July 1576 – 30 August 1625) was Electress consort of Brandenburg and Duchess consort of Prussia by marriage to John Sigismund, Elector of Brandenburg. She was the daughter of Albert Frederic ...

. The bridal train started at Bergshamra outside of Stockholm, and in it was the bride's sister and aunt, eight maids, seven junkers and many carriages, amongst others. The train was greeted by Gustav II Adolf's impressive entourage when they reached Stockholm. The king himself came up to the bride's carriage together with

Axel Oxenstierna Axel Gustafsson Oxenstierna af Södermöre (; 1583–1654), Count of Södermöre, was a Swedish statesman. He became a member of the Swedish Privy Council in 1609 and served as Lord High Chancellor of Sweden from 1612 until his death. He was a c ...

to greet her. The bridal train continued to The Royal Castle, where the king's mother

Christina of Holstein-Gottorp Christina of Holstein-Gottorp (13 April 1573 in Kiel – 8 December 1625 at Gripsholm Castle) was Queen of Sweden as the second wife of King Charles IX. She served as regent in 1605, during the absence of her spouse, and in 1611, during the m ...

and the old dowager queen

Catherine Stenbock Catherine Stenbock (Swedish: ''Katarina Gustavsdotter Stenbock''; 22 July 1535 at Torpa, Tranemo Municipality, Västergötland – 13 December 1621 at Strömsholm, Västmanland) was Queen of Sweden from 1552 to 1560 as the third and last wife of ...

met them.

The wedding

In the afternoon on November 25 the bride and the groom were brought in a procession to the hall of state at the Royal Castle. First came the marshal Svante Banér and six timpanists. After them came a long line of noblemen, privy councils and more timpanists. Then came the bridal couple, followed by their mothers. Archbishop Petrus Kenicius officiated the wedding in Swedish. After that, the couple were taken to their nuptials in a red gold-embroidered velvet bed. There the bridal couple got to eat confectionery, listen to speeches and drink wine. The hall of state was converted and made up for the wedding dinner. The festivities were ended, as they should, with the newly weds dance. Maria Eleonora was crowned three days later in

Storkyrkan Storkyrkan (, ), also called Stockholms domkyrka (Stockholm Cathedral) and Sankt Nikolai kyrka (Church of Saint Nicholas), is the oldest church in Stockholm. Storkyrkan lies in the centre of Stockholm in Gamla stan, between Stockholm Palace and ...

in Stockholm. The festivities continued the days after the wedding and the coronation, for instance with a wedding tournament.

Gallery

File:Framdel till tornerschabrak i Maria Eleonoras färger rött och vitt tillverkat för bröllopstorneringen 1620 - Livrustkammaren - 91558.tif,

Caparison A caparison is a cloth covering laid over a horse or other animal for protection and decoration. In modern times, they are used mainly in parades and for historical reenactments. A similar term is horse-trapper. The word is derived from the Lat ...

in Maria Eleonora's colours red and white. Made for the wedding tournament in 1620,

Livrustkammaren The Royal Armoury ( sv, Livrustkammaren) is a museum in the Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. It contains many artifacts of Swedish military history and Swedish royalty. It is the oldest museum in Sweden, established in 1628 by King Gustavus Ad ...

. File:Guldring med porträtt av Maria Eleonora och Gustav II Adolf på vardera sidan av oval medalj - Livrustkammaren - 91554.tif, Gold ring with portraits of Maria Eleonora and Gustav II Adolf on each side of an oval medallion, made in the 1630s,

. File:Bröllopsdräkt tillhörig Gustav II Adolf - Livrustkammaren - 30920.tif, Wedding outfit worn by Gustav II Adolf,

References

{{Swedish royal weddings Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden Swedish royal weddings House of Hohenzollern House of Vasa 1620 in Sweden Royal weddings in the 17th century