Catherine of Sweden, Countess Palatine of Kleeburg

Princess Catherine of Sweden (Prinsessan Katarina) (10 November 1584 – 13 December 1638) was the daughter of Charles IX of Sweden and his first wife Maria of Palatinate-Simmern. Catharina was periodically the foster-mother of Queen Christina. Katarina kyrka in Stockholm is named after her.

Biography

Catharina's personality was described as a : happy union of her father's power and wisdom and her mother's soft humility. Her mother died in 1589 and her father remarried. She was a good friend to her stepmother, with whom she got along very well, and are believed to have been close to her half-siblings, especially her half-brother, the king, who is noted to have been very affectionate toward her. Her father became regent in 1595 and was crowned king in 1607, and her brother became king in 1611. Her brother found her sensible and wise, and she is reported to have acted as his confidante and advisor on several occasions. On 11 June 1615, she married count palatine John Casimir of Palatinate-Zweibrücken. They remained in Sweden until 1617, when they left for her spouse's estate in Germany. The lived in Germany for five years.

In 1622, her brother the king felt concerned for them at the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War and asked them to return to Sweden. The accepted the offer and were given Stegeborg Palace in Östergötland as their residence. She was styled Countess of Stegeborg. Catharina was given charge of Princess Christina when the queen followed the king to Germany and during her stay there in 1631-1633. After her brother's death, Catharina acted as a foster-mother to the young Queen Christina of Sweden after Christina's mother was deemed an unsuitable guardian. Catharina had formal custody of Christina in 1631-33 and in 1636-38, years described by Christina as happy.

Family

On 11 June 1615, she married count palatine John Casimir of Palatinate-Zweibrücken. Five of their children survived infancy:

Christina Magdalena (1616–1662); married Frederick VI, Margrave of Baden-Durlach. King Adolf Frederick of Sweden was her great-grandson
King Charles X Gustav of Sweden (1622–1660)
Maria Eufrosyne (1625–1687); married Count Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie
Eleonora Catherine (1626–1692); married Frederick, Landgrave of Hesse-Eschwege, and mother of Juliana of Hesse-Eschwege.
Adolf John (1629–1689)

All kings of Sweden following her son, except three (Frederick I, Oscar I and Charles XIV John), have descended from her. Frederick I and Oscar I were married to her descendants, Charles XIV John was the adopted son of her descendant Charles XIII.