Eric Trolle (or Erik Arvidsson) (c. 1460–1530) was elected regent of Sweden in 1512, during the era of Kalmar Union. He was Justiciar of

Närke Närke () is a Swedish traditional province, or ''landskap'', situated in Svealand in south central Sweden. It is bordered by Västmanland to the north, Södermanland to the east, Östergötland to the southeast, Västergötland to the southwe ...

and a Lord High Councillor of Sweden from 1487.

Biography

Eric Arvidsson was born around 1460 into an important family of

high nobility Traditional rank amongst European royalty, peers, and nobility is rooted in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Although they vary over time and among geographic regions (for example, one region's prince might be equal to another's grand duk ...

and was apparently aiming at a clerical career. Eric's parents were lord Arvid Birgersson Trolle (died 1505) and his first wife Kerstin Jonsdotter (Gädda). His father had connected him to the powerful family Thott by marrying Beata Ivarsdotter Tott (died 1487) as his second wife in 1466. His last stepmother was his father's third wife Brita Turesdotter Bielke. Eric studied at the

University of Rostock The University of Rostock (german: link=no, Universität Rostock) is a public university located in Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Founded in 1419, it is the third-oldest university in Germany. It is the oldest university in continen ...

and

University of Cologne The University of Cologne (german: Universität zu Köln) is a university in Cologne, Germany. It was established in the year 1388 and is one of the most prestigious and research intensive universities in Germany. It was the sixth university to ...

, had positions as

Canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western ca ...

Uppsala Uppsala (, or all ending in , ; archaically spelled ''Upsala'') is the county seat of Uppsala County and the fourth-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm, Gothenburg, and Malmö. It had 177,074 inhabitants in 2019. Located north of the c ...

and

Linköping Linköping () is a city in southern Sweden, with around 105,000 inhabitants as of 2021. It is the seat of Linköping Municipality and the capital of Östergötland County. Linköping is also the episcopal see of the Diocese of Linköping (Church ...

but was never ordained. Eric was elected Regent ('' riksföreståndare'') at the meeting of the High Council of Sweden in 1512 upon the death of regent Svante Nilsson, Lord of Ekesiö, but never actually took office, being superseded by Svante's son, the young

Sten Sture the Younger Sten Sture the Younger ( sv, Sten Sture den yngre) (1493 – 3 February 1520), was a Swedish nobleman who served as the regent of Sweden, during the era of the Kalmar Union. Biography Sture was born in 1493, as the son of Svante Nilsson (reg ...

. He married in 1487 the wealthy Ingeborg Philipsdatter (Thott) (died 1495), his stepmother's first cousin, as his first wife and settled on her manor Ekholmen Castle (''Ekholmens slott'') in

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 ...

. His second wife, from about 1512, was Karin Eriksdotter Gyllenstierna, much his junior, who survived until around 1562. She was a great-granddaughter 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 ...

. Eric Trolle's son

Gustav Trolle Gustav Eriksson Trolle (September 1488 – 1535) was Archbishop of Uppsala, Sweden, in two sessions, during the turbulent Reformation events. He was the son of Eric Arvidsson Trolle, a former regent of Sweden during the era of the Kalmar Union. ...

(1488–1535) became Archbishop of Uppsala and leader of the

Church of Sweden The Church of Sweden ( sv, Svenska kyrkan) is an Evangelical Lutheran national church in Sweden. A former state church, headquartered in Uppsala, with around 5.6 million members at year end 2021, it is the largest Christian denomination in Sw ...

Wives

* Ingeborg Filipsdotter Tott (married at Fållnäs 30 September 1487, drowned 1495 in

Lake Mälaren A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much larger ...

) * Karin Eriksdotter Gyllenstierna (married about 1512, died about or before 12 March 1562)

Children

First marriage

* Gustaf Eriksson Trolle, christened 25 September 1488, died July 1535 a prisoner at Gottorp castle, archbishop * Ermegård Eriksdotter, drowned in lake Mälaren 1495 * Kristina Eriksdotter, drowned in lake Mälaren 1495 * Erik Eriksson, lived 1511

Second marriage

* Beata Eriksdotter Trolle, died 13 April 1591 at Steninge, married 1538 Gabriel Kristiernsson Oxenstierna, who became 1st Baron of Mörby and Steninge (died 1585) * Ingeborg Eriksdotter Trolle, died 1590, married 13 January 1544 Niels Eriksen Ryning, Lord of Lagnoe and Gimmersta (died 1578) either first or second marriage: * Joakim Eriksson Trolle

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Trolle, Erik 1460s births 1530 deaths 15th-century Swedish people 16th-century Swedish people 16th-century viceregal rulers Lawspeakers Rulers of Finland Regents of Sweden Swedish nobility University of Rostock alumni University of Cologne alumni