John III of Sweden

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John III
Portrait by Johan Baptista van Uther, 1582
King of Sweden Grand Duke of Finland
Reign	January 1569 – 17 November 1592
Coronation	10 July 1569
Predecessor	Eric XIV
Successor	Sigismund
Born	20 December 1537 Stegeborg Castle
Died	17 November 1592(1592-11-17) (aged 54) Tre Kronor castle
Burial	1 February 1594 Uppsala Cathedral
Spouses	Catherine Jagellonica ​ ​ (m. 1562; died 1583)​ Gunilla Bielke ​ ​ (m. 1585)​
Issue	Sigismund III, King of Poland and Sweden Anna, Starosta of Brodnica and Golub John, Duke of Östergötland Illegitimate: Sophia, Baroness de la Gardie Lucretia Gyllenhielm
House	Vasa
Father	Gustav I of Sweden
Mother	Margaret Leijonhufvud
Religion	mediating between Lutheranism and Catholicism[1]
Signature

John III (Swedish: Johan III, Finnish: Juhana III; 20 December 1537 – 17 November 1592) was King of Sweden from 1569 until his death. He was the son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife Margaret Leijonhufvud. He was also, quite autonomously, the Duke of Finland from 1556 to 1563. In 1581 he assumed the title Grand Prince of Finland. He attained the Swedish throne after a rebellion against his half-brother Eric XIV. He is mainly remembered for his attempts to close the gap between the newly established Lutheran Church of Sweden and the Catholic Church, as well as his conflict with and murder of his brother.

His first wife was Catherine Jagellonica of the Polish–Lithuanian ruling family, and their son Sigismund eventually ascended both the Polish–Lithuanian and Swedish thrones.