130 HIS BIRTH. 



Towards the close of the fourteenth century, Margareta, 

 surnamed the Semiramis of the North, daughter of Wal- 

 demar Atterdag, King of Denmark, in virtue of her own 

 right, and hy marriage, succeeded not only to the Crown of 

 that realm, hut to those of Norway and Sweden. Having no 

 children, she prevailed on the Estates of the three kingdoms, 

 then assembled at Calmar, to elect her son, Erik of Pome- 

 rania, as her successor ; as also to make a solemn compact, 

 called from the act being ratified in that town, the " Calmar 

 Union," which ordained that from that time forward the 

 three crowns should be borne by one and the same head. 



At Margareta's death, Erik therefore assumed the sceptre 

 of the three kingdoms, under the title, as regarded Sweden, 

 of Erik XIII. ; but his misdeeds were such, that he 

 was at length expelled from Sweden. His successors 

 to the thrones of Denmark and Norway Christopher, 

 Christian I., Johan II., and Christian II. either met with 

 the like fate, or, in consequence of not conforming to the 

 articles of the " Calmar Union," were unacknowledged by 

 the Swedish Diet. But all these princes, in virtue of the 

 act in question, still severally asserted their right to the 

 Swedish Crown ; and as there was always a powerful Danish 

 party in Sweden, wars and insurrections in their favour were 

 of very frequent occurrence. 



During these several interregnums, Sweden, with the 

 exception of one king of her own choice, Carl Knutson, was 

 governed by Riks-forestdndare, or Regents. Sten Sture the 

 elder; Svante Sture, his relative ; and the son of the latter, 

 Sten Sture the younger all undying names in Swedish 

 history filled, amongst others, this high office. They were 

 all great and good men, and their measures invariably 



