Sweden becomes embroiled in a major struggle…
February 1563 CE
Sweden becomes embroiled in a major struggle with Denmark from 1563.
Both countries, after the deaths of Christian III and Gustav Vasa, now have young and hawkish monarchs: Frederick II envisions the resurrection of the Kalmar Union under Danish leadership, while Eric XIV wants to finally break the dominating position of Denmark.
Eric had obstructed Danish plans to conquer Estonia, where both parties were engaged in the Livonian War.
He seeks to dominate the Baltic Sea, while unsuccessfully pressing for Frederick to remove the traditionally Swedish insignia of Three Crowns from the Danish coat of arms; a bone of contention since the reigns of their fathers.
Three Swedish messengers are sent in February 1563 to Hesse to negotiate Eric's marriage with Christine of Hesse, but are held back in Copenhagen when Frederick intercepts the Swedish fleet.
In the course of this action, Frederick intercepts a love letter (one of a series) from Erik to England’s Queen Elizabeth, who the Swedish monarch has sought unsuccessfully to marry.
Eric, in retaliation, adds the insignia of Norway and Denmark to his own coat of arms, and refuses Danish requests to remove these symbols.