You are now standing before the statue of Margareta Leijonhufvud – Queen of Sweden and second wife of Gustav Vasa. We’ve already heard of Loholm in the legend of the knight Gomer – but now we move from myth to history.

On the island of Loholmen, in the northern part of the lake, stood – in the 16th century – a real castle bearing the same name. And it was here that Margareta Leijonhufvud grew up.

One day, Gustav Vasa comes ashore on Loholmen. He sees Margareta and is immediately taken with her. He is a widower – and he proposes.

But Margareta is already promised to another – the young nobleman Svante Sture, who at the time is abroad. She tries to avoid the king’s proposal and is said to have hidden in a large wooden chest inside the castle. But her hiding place is discovered.

She is brought before the king – and shortly afterward, they are betrothed.

The wedding takes place in Uppsala in 1536. Though the choice was not hers, history speaks of a happy marriage. Gustav Vasa held her in high regard, and together they had ten children – several of whom would go on to play major roles in Swedish history.

Here, in the bay below, the life of one of Sweden’s most influential queens begins.

Photo of statue: Solveig Areschoug Pettersson
Portrait of Margareta Leijonhuvud: Johan Baptista van Uther, Nationalmuseum
Gustav Vasa & Margareta Leijonhuvud: Photo from the Gräfsnäs Castle exhibition, July 18, 2006