Nils Svantesson

Sture Sture () was a name borne by three distinct but interrelated noble families in Sweden in the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern Period. It was originally a nickname, meaning 'haughty, proud' (compare the Swedish word ''stursk'' and the Old Norse ...

(b. 20 July 1543 at Hörningsholm Castle, d. 24 May 1567 in the Sture Murders at

Uppsala Castle Uppsala Castle () is a 16th-century royal castle in the city of Uppsala, Sweden. Throughout much of its early existence, the castle played a major role in the history of Sweden. Originally constructed in 1549, the castle has been heavily remodele ...

) was a Swedish diplomat and soldier during the reign of Erik XIV of Sweden. He was the son of Svante Stensson Sture and Märta ("King Martha") Erikdotter Leijonhufvud. His diplomatic missions included negotiations at the court of

Elizabeth I of England Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...

in 1561, with John of Finland in 1562, and at the court of

Lorraine Lorraine, also , ; ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; ; ; is a cultural and historical region in Eastern France, now located in the administrative region of Grand Est. Its name stems from the medieval kingdom of ...

in 1566/67. As a soldier, he participated in the Nordic Seven Years War's battles of

Varberg Varberg () is a Urban areas in Sweden, locality and the seat of Varberg Municipality, Halland County, Sweden, with 35,782 inhabitants in 2019. Varberg and all of Halland are well known for their "typical west coast" sandy beaches. In Varberg th ...

and Axtorna, where he was wounded, and in the Siege of Bohus. Sture fell into disgrace twice, due to Erik XIV's general distrust of the aristocracy and his astrology-based fear that Sture might usurp his throne. On 15 June 1566, after a death sentence Sture had received was commuted, he was publicly humiliated in

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 ...

, where he was forced to ride a wretched hack through town with a straw crown on his head. On 21 May 1567, returning from his final mission in Lorraine, he was arrested again in

. In what became known as the Sture Murders (''Sturemorden''), he was murdered in his cell three days later by Erik XIV in person.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sture, Nils Svantesson Swedish nobility 1543 births 1567 deaths 16th-century Swedish military personnel Swedish murder victims People from Södertälje Municipality