Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg

Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg
Catherine as depicted on her tomb
Queen consort of Sweden
Tenure	24 September 1531 – 23 September 1535
Born	(1513-09-24)September 24, 1513 Ratzeburg, Germany
Died	September 23, 1535(1535-09-23) (aged 21) Stockholm, Sweden
Burial	Uppsala, Sweden
Spouse	Gustav I of Sweden
Issue	Eric XIV of Sweden
House	Ascania
Father	Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg
Mother	Catherine of Brunswick-Lüneburg

Catherine of Saxe-Lauenburg (Katarina in Swedish) (24 September 1513 – 23 September 1535) was the first consort of Gustav I of Sweden and Queen of Sweden from 1531 until her death in 1535. She was born in Ratzeburg to Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg and Catherine, daughter of Henry IV, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg.

Catherine was born in Ratzeburg to Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg and Catherine of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Her marriage to Gustav I of Sweden was arranged for political reasons. Gustav wished to marry shortly after having conquered the Swedish throne, and after having failed in his negotiations to marry Dorothea of Denmark, who was however also proposed to by Philip of Hesse, who was considered more advantageous; Sophia of Mecklenburg and Anna of Pomerania, whose parents considered his rule to unstable; and Hedwig of Poland, whose parents discontinued negotiations because of his protestant reformation, he was advised to consider the Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg.

Though the Duchy was small and poor, it had many advantages: it's dynasty was related to many of the most powerful dynasties of Europe, which would give valuable connections with the German princes; it was Protestant, which was important for the ongoing Swedish Reformation, but could also give Imperial connections through Catherine's mother; it would give a valuable link to Denmark, as Catherine's older sister Dorothea was married to Christian, the Crown Prince of Denmark; and finally, the Duchy was at that point known as a center for mercenaries, which was important for Gustav as a newly established ruler. The negotiations started in 1528, but was delayed several years as the bride's father doubted the stability of the throne, partially confirmed by events such as the Dalecarlian rebellions. Finally, after mediation from Lübeck, they were completed after almost three years, and Catherine was granted the counties of Korsholm, Kalmar and Öland as a dower.