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{{Short description|Medieval title in Sweden}}

'''Duke of Finland''' (in [[Finnish language{{langx|fi|Finnish]] ''Suomen herttua''}}; [[Swedish language{{langx|sv|Swedish]] ''hertig av Finland''}}) was an occasional medieval title granted as a [[tertiogeniture]] to the relatives of the [[King of Sweden]] between the 13th and 16th centuries. It included a [[duchy]] along with the [[feudal]] customs, and often meantrepresented a veritably [[Independence|independent]] [[principality]]. The[[Grand titleDuke wasof graduallyFinland]] replaced bywas a nominal royal title [[Grandused Dukeby ofSwedish Finland]]monarchs byfrom the early1580s 17thuntil century1720, which was revived again briefly from 1802 to 1805 and haswas notalso beenused by Russia's inmonarchs usageuntil since1917.

==History of actual duchy==

==Medieval dukes==

===Bishop-Duke Kol===

===Bishop-Duke Kol===

In the late 15th century, historian [[Ericus Olai]] claimed that bishopBishop [[Kol (Bishop of Linköping)|Kol]] of [[Diocese of Linköping|Linköping]] (d.died about 1196?) had been the Duke of Finland (''Dux Finlandiae'').<ref>{{cite book |title=Suomen Museo 2002. See|publisher=Suomen pageMuinaismuistoyhdistys 66.|year=2002 The book can be ordered from the|isbn=978-951-9057-47-7 [http://www.muinaismuistoyhdistys.fi Finnish Antiquarian Society].|page=66}}</ref> In the late 12th century in Sweden, the Latin title "dux" was still used in the meaning of ''[[Jarl in Sweden|jarl]]'' and came to mean [[duke]] only a hundred years later (see [[Duchies in Sweden#History|Swedish duchies]]). Ericus Olai's claim is not supported by other sources. However, andsome therehistorians isdate nothe evidencesmall of[[Stenberga Swedish ruleCastle]] in Finland[[Masku]] already atto the endlate of12th century,<ref>{{cite book |title=Suomen historia I |first=Pentti |last=Virrankoski |publisher=SKS |year=2001 |isbn=951-746-321-9 |page=66}}</ref> when the 12th[[Finnish-Novgorodian century.wars|Novgorodian wars]] reached Finland and may have resulted in a temporary Swedish military presence in the area.

However,Noteworthy is also that the Bishop of Linköping had ansome unexplainedsort of connection to eastern activities during the 13th century. The Pope used him in 1229 to assist the Bishop of Finland toin organizeorganizing the diocese, and the first known Duke of Finland, BenedictBengt, was soon after his nomination electedwas also as theelected Bishop of Linköping. The Bishop of Linköping had also accompanied the Swedish ''[[ledung]]'' on their unsuccessful [[Battle of Lihula|Estonian expedition]].

===Bishop-Duke Bengt Birgersson===

[[ImageFile:Seal of duke benedictus of finland.gif|right|thumb|150px|Bengt's seal from 1288.]]

{{main|Benedict,Bengt Duke of FinlandBirgersson}}

[[Benedict, Duke of Finland|Bengt Birgersson]] (1254-911254–1291), also known as ''Benedict'', an eccleasiastic, the youngest brother of king [[Valdemar I of Sweden]] andwas Duke Magnusgranted ofthe SwedenDuchy (laterof king Magnus III), wasFinland about 1284 grantedby thea Duchysubsequent ofbrother Finlandon bythe histhrone, elderKing brother[[Magnus kingIII of Sweden|Magnus III]]. Bengt's appointment ended a 35-year-long period of episcopal rule in Finland, effective since the [[Second Swedish Crusade]] around 1249.

Bengt's local reign did not last long. SoonThe thereafter, the dukeDuke, a consecrated priest and the chancellorChancellor of the realmRealm, was elected in 1286 [[bishopBishop of Linköping]] in 1286. As far as is known, he bore revenues from Finland until his death but did not attempt any independent rule there. He was the first known holder of the [[appanage]] of Finland.

===Duke Valdemar===

[[ImageFile:Seal of duke valdemar of finland.gif|right|thumb|150px|Valdemar's seal from 1307, with the [[House of Bjälbo|Bjälbo]] lion.]]

{{main|Valdemar, Duke of FinlandMagnusson}}

The youngest son of the late kingKing [[Magnus III of Sweden]] (1240-901240–90), [[Valdemar, Duke of FinlandMagnusson|Valdemar]] (1280s-1318), was given his late uncle Bengt's Duchy of Finland at the coronation of his eldest brother King [[Birger, IKing of Sweden|Birger of Sweden]] in 1302. Valdemar's elder brother Duke [[Eric,Erik DukeMagnusson of Södermanland(duke)|Eric]] was in the 1310s was establishing a truly independent principality in Western Sweden, dukeDuke Valdemar being his ally. There is no evidence that dukeDuke Valdemar succeeded in having as independent a position as his brotherEric, but it is obvious that Valdemar used his ducal revenues to assist Eric's campaign against the kingKing and kept his Finnish appanage and administration under Eric instead of the kingKing.

In 1315, in alliance with Eric, Valdemar gained [[Turku castle]] and [[Häme Castle]] together with their provinces, i.ethat is most of Finland, as well as [[Tre Kronor (castle)|Stockholm Castle]], most of [[Uppland]] and [[Borgholm]] with [[Öland]], as the result of their civil warrevolt against the kingKing. On December 10th10, 1317 he was imprisoned by King Birger in [[Nyköping]] together with his brother Eric by their brother Birger. Sometime in 1318, DukeDukes Valdemar (and Duke Eric) died while incarcerated.

With his second wife Ingeborg of Norway, Duke Valdemar had a son, born in 1316, who presumablyis assumed to have died youngas a child.

===Duke Bengt Algotsson===

{{main|Benedict,Bengt Duke of HallandAlgotsson}}

Lord [[Bengt Algotsson]] (1330-601330–60), whomaccused for political reasons by [[Bridget of Sweden|Saint Bridget]] of being hisa homosexual lover of King [[Magnus IV of Sweden]] (nephew of Duke Valdemar, above), had already in 1353 been recognized as [[Duke of Halland]] (an, originally a Danish principality) as the heir of its earlier dukes, Dukes of Estonia and Reval, was in 1353 or 1354 also was given the duchyDuchy of Finland, too.

The dukeDuke apparently didnever notseriously make any bigger effortsattempted to establish himself as ruler inof Finland, being satisfied to bear revenues from the duchy. He had his seat in Southern Sweden, where he also acted as Viceroy of Skane[[Scania]].

The dukeDuke wasbecame trampledthe undervictim of certain nobility's opposition againstto theKing king. HeMagnus, was exiled in 1357, and killed without an heir in 1360. In 1357, his holdings, including Finland, werehad been given (without the title) to King [[Eric XII of Sweden|Eric]]., Eric wasthen co-ruler ofwith theMagnus. king, andEric did not need the ducal title, whichand wasit leftwas asidethen forvacant almost 200 years.

===Duke John the Elder: from a duchy to a grand duchy===

{{main|John III of Sweden}}

[[ImageFile:Duchy of finland 16th century.jpg|right|thumb|160px|Borders of John's duchy on the contemporary map of Finland. These are the first known political borders for Finland.]]
[[File:Portrait of John III Vasa - MNK I-333 (243875).jpg|thumb|160px|left|John the Elder]]
In 1556, two hundred years after it was vacated by depositionthe removal of Duke Bengt Algotsson, King [[Gustav I of Sweden]] (reigned 1523-601523–1560) gave the [[Dukes of Swedish Provinces|duchy]]Duchy of Finland to his second son, the then 18-year-old [[John III of Sweden|Prince John]] (1537-921537–1592). John was the only holder of the title to establish a realgenuine princely rule of his own in Finland. The duchy included the [[FinlandSouthwest ProperFinland]], [[RaaseporiRaseborg]] together with Western [[Uusimaa]], and Lower [[Satakunta]]. The duchy thus formed was given extraordinarily independent feudal rights by the kingKing. Additionally, John was appointed as [[Governor-General of Finland]], meaningincluding all the other areas beyond the Gulf of Bothnia and up to the eastern border. TheseThose additionsareas hewere however did not holdheld by feudal right but with John as a royal appointee.

[[ImageFile:Cranach the Younger Catherine JagellonicaJagiellon.jpegjpg|left|thumb|160px|Together withWith [[Catherine Jagellonica (Poland)|CatherineDuchess JagellonicaCatherine]] (pictured), John establisedfor a year maintained a [[Renaissance]] court in [[Turku]].]]

Duke John settled in [[Turku]], where he created a cultivated princely court at the [[Turku castleCastle]]. JohnHe was an enthusiastic patron of arts and architecture, and he decorated the castle towith splendor never before seen in Finland. Before his marriage, he had a Finnish mistress, [[KaarinaKarin HannuntytärHansdotter]]. Several Finnish and Swedish families claim descendancydescent from their bastardsoffspring. After the death of his father, John droveran his own foreign policy which at times was at odds with his elder brother King [[Eric XIV of Sweden]] (reigned 1560-681560–1568). Also inIn domestic affairs too, John soon opposed the kingKing, together with a party of [[high nobility]] who all opposedwere theagainst an increasing centralization of the government. On October 4, 1562, against the wishes of the King, John married his first wife Princess [[Catherine Jagellonica of Poland]] (1526-831526–1583), ondaughter [[Octoberof 4]]th,King [[1562]],Sigismund againstI the wishesOld|Sigmund I]] of his[[Kingdom elderof brotherPoland (1385–1569)|Poland]] (1467–1548). Eric regarded histhis conduct as a rebellion. John and CatharinaCatherine were imprisoned toat [[Gripsholm Castle]] inthe 1563,year after their wedding and after a siege of the Turku castleCastle and its conquest by king'sroyal troops. The imprisoned dukeDuke considered himself to have kept his title, butwhile the duchy itself becamewas administered by royal officials.

Eric was deposed by John, who had been released, acting with leaders of the nobility in 1568, and John, recently released,and ascended the throne of Sweden. He, reignedreigning until his death in 1592 as King John III. ApparentlyIn 1589 he made,appears into 1589,have made arrangements to grant the Duchy of Finland at birth to his youngestyounger son Duke John (see below).

In [[1581]], King John III additionally assumed the subsidiary title of ''[[Grand Prince]] of Finland and [[Karelia]]''.<ref>Klinge,{{cite Matti:book ''|title=Suomen sinivalkoiset värit. Kansallisten ja muidenkin symbolien vaiheista ja merkityksestä''. Third|first=Matti |last=Klinge |edition.=Third Keuruu|publisher=Otava |year=1999. See |pages 246-247.=246–247}}</ref> "Karelia" was soon dropped from the title and assumed aconsidered part of Finland, whichin thusan started to have its laterexpanded eastern extent. The title became established in Latin renderings, and later in the 19th century also in English, as the ''[[Grand Duke of Finland]]'', however using the Finnish (''ruhtinas'') and Swedish (''furst''), names for a [[prince|crowned or sovereign prince]], in its local renderings.

==Late titular use==

Before fully demolished, there was a brief titular use of Duke of Finland among the royal family.

===John the Younger===

[[File:Duke of Ostrogothia.jpg|thumb|John, Duke of Finland from 1589 until 1606.]]

{{main|John, Duke of Östergötland}}

Shortly before his death, King John III, the previous Duke of Finland, gave his old Duchy and its title as a royal duke to [[John, Duke of Östergötland|John the Younger]] (1589-16181589–1618), his newborn son fromin hisa second marriage withto [[Gunilla Bielke]] (1568-971568–1597). [[Sigismund III of Sweden|King Sigismund,Sigmund child(III)]] John'sof Poland and Sweden, half-brother of John the Younger, seems to have confirmed this [[appanage]].

RoyalA royal chancellery administered the duchy on behalf of the underage child-duke, and provided him with his allotted revenues. However, when young Duke John approached adulthood, his [[Dukes of Swedish Provinces|duchy]] was exchanged in 1606 changed tofor that of [[Östergötland]], which previously had been held by King John's brother, the late [[Magnus, Duke of Östergötland|Duke Magnus]]. Duke John the Younger married his first cousin Princess [[Maria Elisabeth of Sweden]] (1596-16181596–1618). They died childless.

From 1590 to 1599 John's father and half-brother (as most subsequent monarchs until 1720) continued to call themselves Grand Dukes of Finland.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://eurulers.angelfire.com/ |title=Titles of European hereditary rulers}}</ref>

===Gustav Adolf===

===Gustav Adolf===

{{main|Gustav II Adolf of Sweden}}

Crown Prince [[GustavGustavus II Adolf of Sweden|Gustav AdolfAdolphus]] (1594-16321594–1632), elder son of [[Charles IX of Sweden]], theas heir- apparent, was in 1606 made Duke of Finland, uponin assigning1606, while Östergötland was assigned to his cousin Duke John the younger, andinstead. Gustavus Adolphus then started to receive ducal revenues from Finland. When he ascended the throne of Sweden in 1611 he readopted<ref>The title had not been used by his father King Charles IX, who had added "King of the Finns" to his long list of titles in 1607.</ref> ''Grand Duke of Finland'' among his titles. He was the last to have a real feudal principality of Finland and revenues therefrom.

==List of Dukesdukes and duchesses of Finland==

Gustav Adolf ascended the throne of Sweden in 1611 and readopted<ref>The title had not been used by the King Charles IX, who had added "King of the Finns" to his long list of titles.</ref> the Grand Prince of Finland among his titels. He was the last to bear the title of Duke of Finland.

This list includes Swedish lords of Finland by other titles.

{| class="wikitable"

==Reflections on scenarios==

!'''Title held (years)'''

!'''Name'''

!'''Notes'''

|-

|1284-1291||[[Bengt Birgersson]]||appointed, also Bishop of [[Linköping]], died with title

|-

|1302-1318||[[Valdemar Magnusson|Valdemar]]|| appointed, also [[Duchies in Sweden#List of dukes and duchesses by duchy in Sweden|Duke of Uppland & Öland]] from 1310, died with titles

|-

|1302-1305||[[Torkel Knutsson#Family|Christina]]|| as first wife of Waldemar above, until divorce

|-

|1312-1353||[[Ingeborg Eriksdottir of Norway|Ingeborg]]|| as second wife and widow of Valdemar above, deposed, continued as [[Duchies in Sweden#List of dukes and duchesses by duchy in Sweden|Duchess of Öland]] in her own right, died c.1357

|-

|1353-1357||[[Bengt Algotsson]]||appointed, deposed, also [[Duchies in Sweden#List of dukes and duchesses by duchy in Sweden|Duke of Halland]] until 1356, died c.1360

|-

|1364–1395||[[Albert, King of Sweden|Albert]]||son of [[Albert II, Duke of Mecklenburg|Albert II]] and [[Euphemia of Sweden|Euphemia]] became King of Sweden and Finland from 1364–1395 and [[Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]] from 1384–1412

|-

|1465-1467||[[Charles VIII of Sweden|Charles]]||appointed Lord of Finland, became King of Sweden and Finland again in 1467, died in 1470

|-

|1556-1563|| [[John III of Sweden|John]]||appointed, deposed, became King of Sweden & Finland 1569, died 1592 (see below King John III)

|-

|1562-1563|| [[Catherine Jagellon|Catherine]]||as (first) wife of Prince John above, deposed, became queen in 1569, died in 1583

|-

|1589-1606||[[John, Duke of Östergötland|John]]||from birth, deposed, continued as [[Duchies in Sweden#List of dukes and duchesses by duchy in Sweden|Duke of East Gothland]], died with that title 1618

|-

|1580s-1599||Kings [[John III of Sweden|John III]] &<br>[[Sigismund III of Poland|Sigmund]]||as monarchs also held the nominal title of [[Grand Duke of Finland]], simultaneously with John just above

|-

|1606-1632 ||[[Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden|Gustav Adolph]]||appointed, also Duke of [[Estonia]] 1607-1618, [[Duchies in Sweden#List of dukes and duchesses by duchy in Sweden|Södermanland 1604-1607 & Västmanland 1610-1611]], became King of Sweden and Finland in 1611 and then also maintained title [[Grand Duke of Finland]], died with it

|-

|1632-1720||Swedish rulers||[[Christina of Sweden|Christina]], [[Charles X Gustav]], [[Charles XI]], [[Charles XII]] & [[Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden|Ulrica Eleanor]] as monarchs also all held the nominal title of [[Grand Duke of Finland]]

|-

|1802-1805||[[Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden#Family|Carl Gustav]]||from birth Great Duke of Finland, died with title

|-

|1809-1917||Russian rulers|| [[Alexander I of Russia|Alexander I]], [[Nicholas I of Russia|Nicholas I]], [[Alexander II of Russia|Alexander II]], [[Alexander III of Russia|Alexander III]] & [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II]] as emperors also all held the nominal title of ''[[Grand Duke of Finland]]''

|}

No duke of Finland has left descendants in legitimate[[Marriage|marital]] linelines towhich survive to our daystoday. Except John III's legitimate descent (who were kings of Sweden and Poland and have beenare totally extinct since 1672), lineage of all the others wentbecame extinct upon their own death or at the death of an only surviving legitimate child.

Another royal duchy of Swedish realm, the [[Södermanland]] one (generally held by [[secundogeniture]]) was a couple of times the holding of a royal prince who really formed a separate, quite independent principality. Most prominently, [[Eric, Duke of Södermanland|Eric]], the second son of king Magnus III, and [[Charles IX of Sweden|Charles]], the youngest son of Gustav I. Sudermannian principality however was located in a central, Swedish-speaking area of the kingdom, very close to the capital, and was not easy to be kept separate in long run. Finland was located beyond a sea, the [[Gulf of Bothnia]], seen from the capital of the kingdom, and was inhabited mostly by population whose language was Finnish and not Swedish. Dukes of Finland were not as enterprising as the Sudermannian ones, and they generally did not leave heirs to sustain the ducal succession separate from the kingdom's dynasty, whereas Sudermannian dukes did.

===Klaus Fleming===

When John the Younger was (titular) duke of Finland, baron [[Klaus Fleming]] (1535-97) acted as the Governor General of Finland, Karelia and Estonia, appointed by king [[Sigismund of Sweden]] and Poland. Duke Charles of Södermanland managed to get the real power in Sweden proper, but Fleming opposed him, and kept faith with king Sigismund. Those years, Finland was practically independent of the Swedish government, and dependence to the king in Poland was nominal only. Historians have assessed that "at that time, Finland was closer to independence than ever before in its recorded history", or even "was an independent country for the first time when Fleming ruled it". It has been extrapolated in historical research that had the fight not got lost upon the death of Fleming in 1597, Finland would probably ended up as a separate principality under nominal Polish overlordship, and that sooner or later an independent state would have emerged,knowing that the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth was too distant to effectively keep dominance over the area.

==List of Dukes of Finland==

* 1284-91 [[Bengt Birgersson]]

* 1302-18 [[Valdemar, Duke of Finland|Valdemar]]

* 1353-57 [[Bengt Algotsson]]

* 1556-63 [[John III of Sweden|John]], son of Gustav Vasa

* 1589-(1606) [[John, Duke of Östergötland|John]], son of John III

* (1606/08-11 Crown Prince Gustav Adolf, 1594-1632, since 1611 the king, eldest son of king Charles IX and [[Christina of Holstein-Gottorp]])

No duke of Finland has left descendants in legitimate line to survive to our days. Except John III's legitimate descent (who were kings of Sweden and Poland and have been totally extinct since 1672), lineage of all the others went extinct upon their own death.

==See also==

* [[Monarchy of Finland]]

* [[DukesGrand ofDuchy Swedishof ProvincesFinland]]

* [[Duchies in Sweden]]

* [[List of Finnish monarchs]]

* [[Governor-General of Finland]]

==External linksReferences==

{{reflist}}

* [http://www.lysator.liu.se/runeberg/nfat/1055.html Creation of Grand Duchy of Finland]

* [http://www.finland.gr/doc/sv/finfo/oftafrag.html Coat of Arms of Finland]

==References ==

<div class="references-small">

<references />

</div>

[[Category:medieval Finland]]

[[Category:Sweden-Finland]]

[[Category:Rulers of Finland]]

[[sv{{DEFAULTSORT:HertigDukes avOf Finland]]}}

[[Category:medievalMedieval Finland]]

[[Category:Finland under Swedish rule]]

[[Category:RulersHeads of state of Finland]]

[[Category:Sweden-Extinct dukedoms|Finland]]

[[Category:Finnish nobility]]