The Greyfriars Monastery ( Swedish: ''Gråmunkeklostret'') on the island of

Riddarholmen Riddarholmen (, "The Knights' Islet") is a small islet in central Stockholm, Sweden. The island forms part of Gamla Stan, the old town, and houses a number of private palaces dating back to the 17th century. The main landmark is the church Riddarh ...

Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...

was a monastery for males of the

Franciscan Order The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...

, in operation from 1270 until the

Swedish Reformation The Reformation in Sweden is generally regarded as having begun in 1527 during the reign of King Gustav I of Sweden, but the process was slow and was not definitively decided until the Uppsala Synod of 1593, in the wake of an attempted Counter-Re ...

of 1527.

History

The monastery was founded upon donation by King

Magnus III of Sweden Magnus, meaning "Great" in Latin, was used as cognomen of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in the first century BC. The best-known use of the name during the Roman Empire is for the fourth-century Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus. The name gained wid ...

in 1270, and in 1288, he also donated the

Skeppsholmen Skeppsholmen is one of the islands of Stockholm. It is connected with Blasieholmen and Kastellholmen by bridges. It is accessible by foot from Kungsträdgården, past the Grand Hôtel and Nationalmuseum, by bus number 65, or by boat from Slusse ...

area to the abbey. It was because of the abbey that Riddarholmen has been called ''Gråbrödraholm'' (Grey Brother's Islet), ''Munckholmen'' (Monk's Islet), and ''Gråmunkeholm'' or ''Gråmunkeholmen'' (Grey Friar's Islet). During the 15th-century, the island of

Kungsholmen Kungsholmen is an island in Lake Mälaren in Sweden, part of central Stockholm, Sweden. It is situated north of Riddarfjärden and considered part of the historical province Uppland. Its area is with a perimeter of . The highest point is a ...

was also called ''Munklägret'' (Monk's Camp) because of the activities of the abbey in the area. At the end of the 15th century, it was headed by Kanutus Johannis, who contributed several volumes to its library. After the Siege of

Tre Kronor (castle) Tre Kronor ( or ) or Three Crowns Castle was a castle located in Stockholm, Sweden, on the site where Stockholm Palace is today. It is believed to have been a citadel that Birger Jarl built into a royal castle in the middle of the 13th century. ...

on 9 May 1502, the defeated Queen, Christina of Saxony, was kept prisoner here by

Sten Sture the Elder Sten Sture the Elder (; 1440 – 14 December 1503) was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden from 1470 to 1497 and again from 1501 to 1503. As the leader of the victorious Swedish separatist forces against the royal unionist forces led by De ...

. Dansk biografisk Lexikon / III. Bind. Brandt - Clavus
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Dissolution

In 1527, the abbey was dissolved because of the reformation. The monks were forced to leave the buildings, which were used as a hospital and as a residence for the former nuns of St. Clare's Priory, Stockholm. The hospital was moved to

Danviken Hospital Danvikens hospital was a historical Swedish hospital, insane asylum and retirement home in Stockholm, active in 1558–1861. The area belonged to Stockholms kommun until 1984, when it was transferred to Nacka kommun. The Danvikens hospital wa ...

in 1551, and the building housed the theological school Collegium Regium Stockholmense in 1576-1593, and the Nicolai Trivial School until 1666.

Later history

Riddarholmen Church Riddarholmen Church () is the church of the former medieval Greyfriars Monastery in Stockholm, Sweden. The church serves as the final resting place of most Swedish monarchs. Description Riddarholmen Church is located on the island of Riddarholm ...

is what remains of the abbey in our time. Part of the area south of Riddarholm Church was excavated in 2010. The skeleton of a medieval monk was found buried complete, save for its left leg which was lost during renovations in 1945.

Sources

{{Catholic Church in Sweden Franciscan monasteries in Sweden 1270 establishments in Europe 13th-century establishments in Sweden Christian monasteries established in the 1270s 1527 disestablishments in Europe Medieval history of Sweden 16th-century disestablishments in Sweden Monasteries dissolved under the Swedish Reformation Buildings and structures in Stockholm