17 Facts About Margaret Leijonhufvud

Margaret Leijonhufvud's father was executed when she was four years old, during which time she hid with her mother and siblings in the Vasteras Monastery.

Margaret Leijonhufvud spent her childhood mainly at Lo Castle in Vastergotland and Ekeberg in Narke.

Margaret Leijonhufvud was expected to learn how to manage a large estate and landholding and perform the duties of her future spouse in his absence, as well as to have knowledge at least in the German language except Swedish, and to deport herself with humility but dignity by reading religious literature.

Finally, it was customary for a girl from the nobility to spend some time in a convent to complete her education, and Margaret is likely to have received this customary education.

Margaret Leijonhufvud was selected to marry the king as she belonged to one of the leading noble families of the realm, creating an alliance between the king and one of the most powerful factions of the nobility; her mother was a relative of the king, and her sisters were both married to the king's favorite courtiers: Birgitta "Brita" to Gustav Olofsson Stenbock, and Anna to Axel Eriksson Bielke.

Queen Margaret Leijonhufvud has been given a very good estimation in contemporary documents as well as in history, and referred to as intelligent and beautiful; she is described as a loyal wife who never abused her influence, as a responsible parent, a skillful manager of the royal court and household, and as a compassionate philanthropist of the poor and needing.

Margaret Leijonhufvud was loyally devoted to her birth family her entire life, who was greatly benefited by her royal marriage, and often successfully used her as mediator for benefits from the king.

Margaret Leijonhufvud was a landlord in her own right, and she was closely involved in the management of her personal estates and its dependents.

Margaret Leijonhufvud remained a Catholic her entire life despite the Swedish Reformation, and is known to have made donations to the still active Vadstena Abbey, following the example of her family, her mother being the benefactor of Vreta Abbey.

Queen Margaret Leijonhufvud is credited with meaningful influence over the monarch.

Margaret Leijonhufvud was thus not regarded to have been politically active, and has been favorable compared to Queen Gunilla Bielke, who was said to meddle in politics.

Margaret Leijonhufvud allegedly had the ability to keep the monarchs' temperament under control, and was a calming influence on him.

Margaret Leijonhufvud is known in history for her great activity in this regard and often successful, something Gustavus himself admitted, when he reduced a sentence at her request.

Margaret Leijonhufvud managed to get punishments he meted out reduced, and advised him to show mercy and leniency, all of which made her popular.

Margaret Leijonhufvud is said to have been credited with a great diplomatic ability, which made it possible for her to have success rather than to irritate the king when she came to him and spoke to him on others' behalf in various issues, some of them indeed political.

Margaret Leijonhufvud gave her tasks such as supervising the governors of royal estates and power holders such as bailiffs or landholders, in order to prevent power abuse that could otherwise breed political unrest and rebellions.

Margaret Leijonhufvud was entrusted tasks within foreign policy: when her brother Sten was sent as ambassador to the French royal court in 1542 in order to negotiate a Swedish-French alliance, Margaret was tasked to perform a diplomatic correspondence with the French king's influential sister Marguerite de Navarre in Latin, and she attended the First Treaty of Bromsebro.