This list records the monarchs of Sweden, from the late Viking Age to the present day. Sweden has continuously been a monarchy since the country's consolidation in the Viking Age and early Middle Ages, for over a thousand years. The incumbent Swedish royal family is the House of Bernadotte, established on the throne in 1818.
History
There were organized political structures in Sweden before the kingdom was unified; based on archaeological evidence, early tribal societies are believed to have transitioned into organized chiefdoms in the first few centuries AD. In the period AD 500–800, Scandinavian societies began adopting cultural elements from the newly established Germanic kingdoms in Europe, transitioning further into petty kingdoms.
Foreign sources and later native sources describe the later medieval kingdom as being composed of two main regions: Svealand (particularly around Lake Mälaren) and Götaland. Sources from as early as the Roman author Tacitus ( 56–126) mention two main peoples or tribes in modern Sweden: the Svear (Swedes) and Götar (Geats); the Svear are mentioned in more foreign sources than the Götar, credited with military activities at sea. The securely attested Swedish rulers in the Viking Age, predecessors of the later line of Swedish kings, ruled from the religious and political center of Old Uppsala; though its history before the Viking Age is poorly attested, it is probable that Old Uppsala had been a political and religious center since the Migration Period.
The earliest historically attested Swedish rulers are 9th-century petty kings from the Vita Ansgarii, an account written 870 by Rimbert partly concerning Saint Ansgar's visit to Svealand. Some kings of Old Uppsala are also mentioned in later Icelandic texts and sagas. The line of legendary Swedish kings from Icelandic tradition, called sagokungar in Swedish, are not generally treated as historical figures, though some may be based on actual chieftains or petty kings. Some later king-lists deliberately extended the sequence of kings for nationalistic purposes, such as Johannes Magnus's Historia de omnibus Gothorum Sueonumque regibus (1554); supposed ancient kings mentioned in such sources are clearly fictional.
The petty kingdoms eventually gave rise to more complex political structures and what is today considered the beginning of the Swedish kingdom developed over the course of the Viking Age and the subsequent Middle Ages. For a consecutive list from then, the first Swedish king of whom anything definite is known is the 10th-century Eric the Victorious, though the information reported about him in different sources is scarce. Eric's son Olof Skötkonung was the first king to be baptized in Sweden and is credited with founding a Christian kingdom. The early and then medieval Swedish kingdom was an elective monarchy, with kings being elected from particularly prominent families; this practice did however often result in de facto dynastic succession and the formation of royal dynasties, such as those of Eric (intermittently 1157–1250) and Bjälbo (1250–1364) as well as infighting between rival families.
From 1389 to 1523, Sweden was often united with Denmark and Norway under the kings of the Kalmar Union. Gustav I led Sweden out of the union in 1523. In 1544 Gustav formally abandoned the previous elective monarchy in favor of hereditary succession. Initially adopting the medieval "King of Swedes and Geats", he later adopted the lengthier title rex Svecorum Gothorum Vandalorumque ("king of the Swedes, Geats and Wends"). The last monarch to be titled as king of the Swedes, Geats and Wends was Gustaf VI Adolf () since his successor, the present king Carl XVI Gustaf, upon his accession adopted the shortened title "King of Sweden".
In 1980, the rule of succession was changed from agnatic to absolute primogeniture, to the benefit of Princess Victoria (born 1977), the current heir apparent.
Monarchs and regents of Sweden
House of Munsö (970–1060)
+PortraitNameReignSuccessionMarriage(s)Life details Eric (VII)"the Victorious"Erik Segersäll 970 – c. 995(c. 25 years)First king about whom anything definite is knownSigrid the Haughty (?)(2 children)c. 945 – c. 995(aged approx. 50)Attributed various wives and children in different sourcesOlof"Skötkonung"c. 995 – c. 1022(c. 27 years)Son of Eric the VictoriousEstrid of the Obotrites(2 children)c. 980 – c. 1022(aged approx. 42)Anund JacobAnund Jakobc. 1022 – 1050(c. 28 years)Son of OlofGunnhildr Sveinsdóttir(childless?)c. 1008 – 1050(aged approx. 42)Emund"the Old"Emund den gamlec. 1050 – 1060(10 years)Illegitimate son of OlofAstrid Njalsdotter (?)(2 children)Died 1060Last king of the House of Munsö
House of Stenkil (1060–1125/1130)
+PortraitNameReignSuccessionMarriage(s)Life detailsStenkilStenkil Ragnvaldssonc. 1060 – 1066(c. 6 years)Possibly son-in-law of Emund"Ingamoder" (?)(at least 2 children)Died c. 1066Eric and EricErik och Erik(historicity disputed)c. 1066 (?)(briefly)Recorded in only one source as two pretenders who fought each other after Stenkil's death.Nothing recordedNothing knownHalstenHalsten Stenkilssonc. 1066 – 1068(c. 2 years)Son of StenkilUnknown queen(at least 2 children)Few life details known. Deposed c. 1068. Possibly later returned to rule as co-ruler with his (likely younger) brother Inge I.The article Inge in Nordisk familjebok (1910).Anund "from Russia"Anund Gårdske(historicity disputed)c. 1068 – 1076 (?)(c. 8 years)Recorded in only one source as elected king after Halsten's depositionNothing recordedFew life details known; said to have come from Kievan Rus'. Deposed c. 1076.The article Anund in Nationalencyklopedin.Håkan"the Red"Håkan Röde1070s (?)Possibly great-grandson of Eric the VictoriousNothing recordedFew life details known. Different sources place Håkan either as the predecessor of Stenkil or Inge.Inge"the Elder"Inge den äldrec. 1078 – 1112(c. 34 years)Son of Stenkil. Seized power, either from Anund or Håkan.Helena(4 children)Died c. 1112Ended the period of anarchy begun after Stenkil's death. Maybe deposed c. 1081–1083 before regaining the throne.Sweyn ("Blot-Sweyn")Blot-Sven(historicity disputed)c. 1081 – 1083(c. 2 years)Possibly son-in-law of Stenkil. Said to have usurped the throne.Nothing recordedFew life details known. Historicity disputed on account of poor source material. Either deposed or succeeded by his son.Eric (VIII)"Årsäll"Erik Årsäll(historicity disputed)c. 1083 (?)(briefly)Possibly son of Sweyn, who some sources record him as succeeding Nothing recordedFew life details known. Historicity disputed on account of poor and contradictory sources. Deposed by Inge if historical.PhilipFilip Halstenssonc. 1100 – 1118(c. 18 years)Son of Halsten. Appears to have begun his reign as a co-ruler with Inge the Elder.Ingegerd of Norway(childless)Died 1118Inge"the Younger"Inge (den yngre) Halstenssonc. 1118 – 1125/1130(c. 7–12 years)Son of Halsten. Possibly initially co-ruler with Philip.Ulvhild Håkansdotter(childless)Died c. 1130Likely the last male-line member of Stenkil's dynasty.Ragnvald"Knaphövde"1120s/1130s (?)(briefly?)No known connection to previous kings. Recorded in Västgötalagen as the successor of Inge II and predecessor of Sverker I.Nothing recordedFew life details known
Houses of Sverker and Erik (1125/1130–1250)
+PortraitNameReignSuccessionMarriage(s)Life detailsMagnus I"the Strong"Magnus (den starke) Nilsson(status disputed)c. 1125 – 1130 or c. 1130 – 1134(c. 4–5 years)Grandson of Inge the Elder.Saxo Grammaticus, Danmarks kronike, II, p. 55-6. Attested only as a pretender in the Gesta Danorum; perhaps never recognized as king.Richeza of Poland(2 children)Died in 1134Elected king but failed to establish his power; killed in 1134 at the Battle of Fotevik.Sverker I"the Elder"Sverker den äldrec. 1130 – 25 December 1156(c. 26 years)Either no previous royal connection or grandson of Sweyn. Elected in opposition to Magnus I.Ulvhild Håkansdotter(at least 4 children)Richeza of Poland(1 child?)Died 25 December 1156Assassinated, allegedly by the pretender Magnus II.Eric (IX)"the Holy"Erik (den helige) Jedvardssonc. 1157 – 18 May 1160(c. 3 years)Cousin of Sverker IChristina of Denmark(4 children)c. 1120 – 18 May 1160(aged approx. 40)Attempted to christianize Finland. Murdered by the pretender Magnus II and later canonized, becoming Sweden's patron saint.Magnus IIMagnus Henriksson18 May 1160 – 1161(1 year)Great-grandson of Inge I. Seized power after murdering Eric IX.Bridget Haraldsdotter(childless)Died in 1161Killed in battle against Charles VII.Charles (VII)Karl Sverkerssonc. 1157 – 12 April 1167(c. 10 years; ruled all of Sweden from 1161 onwards)Son of Sverker I. Initially ruled in Västergötland in opposition to Eric IX; later overthrew Magnus II.Christina Hvide(at least 1 child)1130 – 12 April 1167(aged 37)Murdered by Canute I, who succeeded him as king.Canute IKnut Eriksson12 April 1167 – 1196(29 years)Son of Eric IX. Seized power after murdering Charles VII.Cecilia Johansdotter(name disputed)(5 children)Before 1150 – 1196(older than 46)Kol(status disputed)1170s(several years)Sons (?) of Sverker I. Ruled together in Östergötland, in opposition to Canute I.Nothing recordedFew life details knownBoleslawBurislev(status disputed)1170s(several years)Nothing recordedFew life details knownSverker II"the Younger"Sverker (den yngre) Karlsson1196 – 1208(12 years)Son of Charles VIIBenedicta Hvide(at least 1 child)c. 1164 – 17 July 1210(aged c. 46)Deposed after the Battle of Lena. Killed at the Battle of Gestilren while trying to retake the throne.Ingegerd Birgersdotter(at least 1 child)Eric (X)"the Survivor"Erik Knutsson1208 – 10 April 1216(8 years)Son of Canute I. Seized power after defeating Sverker II in battle.Rikissa of Denmark(5 children)1180 – 10 April 1216(aged c. 36)John IJohan Sverkersson10 April 1216 – 10 March 1222()Son of Sverker IIUnmarried and childless1201 – 10 March 1222(aged c. 21)Died of illness as the last male-line member of Sverker's dynasty.Eric (XI)"the Lisp and Lame"Erik ErikssonMarch 1222 – 1229(7 years)(first reign)Son of Eric XCatherine Sunesdotter(childless)1216 – 2 February 1250(aged c. 34)Largely overshadowed by prominent statesmen. Deposed and in exile 1229–1234.Canute II"the Tall"Knut Holmgersson1229 – 1234(5 years)Relative of the House of Eric. Elected king after the deposition of Eric XI.Unknown queen(at least 2 children)Died 1234Eric (XI)"the Lisp and Lame"Erik Eriksson1234 – 2 February 1250(16 years)(second reign)Returned and regained power after Canute II's deathCatherine Sunesdotter(childless)(see entry for previous reign)
House of Bjälbo (1250–1364)