Princess Maria Elizabeth of Sweden
| Princess Maria Elizabeth | |
|---|---|
| Duchess of Ostergothia | |
Princess Maria Elizabeth of Sweden
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| Born | 10 March 1596 Örebro Castle, Örebro, Närke, Sweden |
| Died | 7 August 1618 (aged 22) Bråborg Castle, Bråviken, Norrköping, Östergötland, Sweden |
| Burial | Linköping Cathedral |
| Spouse | John, Duke of Östergötland |
| House | Vasa |
| Father | Charles IX of Sweden |
| Mother | Christina of Holstein-Gottorp |
Princess Maria Elizabeth of Sweden (10 March 1596, Örebro Castle – 7 August 1618, Bråborg Castle) was a Swedish princess, daughter of King Charles IX of Sweden and Christina of Holstein-Gottorp, and by marriage Duchess of Ostergothia.
Maria Elizabeth was brought up with her brother, Gustavus Adolphus, and her cousin, John, Duke of Finland. She suffered from some sort of mental problems and was reported as having some sort of attacks or 'convulsions'. She is said to have been very pampered and spoilt by her doting parents, who did everything they could to hide her mental problems. She was also very well educated, interested in literature, and corresponded in Latin with her teachers at the age of ten.
In 1610, Maria Elizabeth was engaged to marry her cousin, Prince John of Sweden, Duke of Ostrogothia. The reason for the marriage was political. John was the son of former King John III of Sweden and had rights to the throne which exceeded those of Maria Elizabeth's father. Although he had given up these rights and was not an ambitious person, the royal family was worried that he would become a threat if he married an ambitious foreign princess.
On 29 November 1612, at the age of sixteen, Princess Maria Elizabeth celebrated her wedding to the Duke of Ostrogothia in the royal palace Tre Kronor in Stockholm. The couple resided at the Duchy of Ostrogothia. The duke and duchess held a luxurious court in their residences at Vadstena Castle and Bråborg Castle. The marriage is described as unhappy, and Maria blamed her mother for having arranged it. In the summer of 1614, her mental state deteriorated and after this, she is reported to have had periods of insanity, during which she sometimes lost her ability to speak. Her brother the king often sent his own personal doctor to her.
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