STURE, STEN, the ELDER. — Swedish statesman, born around 1442, died on 14 December 1503 at Jönköping. Related on his mother’s side to King Karl Knutsson, he was designated by the latter on his deathbed as his executor and administrator of his castles and fiefs (Stockholm, Abo, Örebro).
This further strengthened his already strong political position and made possible, in 1470, only a few weeks after the King’s death, his appointment as regent (Riksföreståndare). This development in Swedish domestic politics was not welcomed by Christian I of Denmark, who sought by force of arms to compel the Swedes to recognize the Kalmar Union; but the King’s army was disastrously defeated by S.’s forces on 10 October 1471 in the Battle of Brunkeberg. But Christian, who went to Rome a few years later, did not abandon his claims to Sweden and succeeded in persuading Pope Sixtus IV to intervene on behalf of Queen Dorothea, widow of Christopher of Bavaria, formerly sovereign of the northern kingdoms, whose dowry S. had confiscated. Christian’s death, which occurred in 1481, put an end to the matter, and S. succeeded in consolidating his power at the expense of the nobles. The latter, deeply dissatisfied with the considerable tax burdens to which S. had subjected them, turned in 1497 for help to King John of Denmark, who came to Sweden with an army, defeated S., and had himself crowned king. In 1500, however, S., taking advantage of a severe defeat suffered by John in Germany, succeeded in regaining the regency.