List of monarchs of Finland

This is a list of the monarchs of Finland until it became a republic in 1919; that is, the Kings of Sweden with Regents and Viceroys of the Kalmar Union, the Grand Dukes of Finland (identical with the Tsars of Russia), up to the two-year Regent period following the independence in 1917, with a brief flirtation with a truly domestic monarchy.

Part of the Kingdom of Sweden, from the Middle Ages until 1809 1
- The House of Bjelbo 1.1
- The House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 1.2
- Rulers of the Kalmar Union and Regents (Valtionhoitaja, Riksföreståndare) 1.3
- The House of Vasa 1.4
- The House of Pfalz-Zweibrücken 1.5
- The House of Hesse 1.6
- The House of Holstein-Gottorp 1.7
Grand Principality of Finland in Russian Empire 1809–1917 2
- The House of Romanov 2.1
Interim period 1917–19 3
- The House of Hesse 3.1
See also 4
References 5

Part of the Kingdom of Sweden, from the Middle Ages until 1809

Finland as an integral part of Sweden under the King of Sweden (Ruotsin kuningas).

Some texts suggest the Swedish rule of Finland started as early as during the Houses of Sverker and Eric (Sverker I of Sweden 1130–1156 and Eric the Saint 1156–1160). But the first historic documents suggesting rule by Swedish kings in Finland not limited to sparse crusades and conquests are dated at around 1249.

The House of Bjelbo

1250–1275 : Valdemar I (Valdemar Birgerinpoika)
- regent: Birger Jarl
1275–1284 : Magnus I (Maunu I Ladonlukko)
1284–1291 : Benedict I (Bengt Birgerinpoika )
1291–1302 : Birger of Sweden (Birger Maununpoika)
1302–1319 : Valdemar II (Valdemar Maununpoika) and his first wife
1319–1353 : Ingeborg Eriksdottir of Norway, widow of Valdemar II
1353–1357 : Benedict II (Pentti Algotinpoika)
1357-1359 : Eric I
1359 : Magnus II (Maunu II) and Eric I
1359–1364 : Magnus II (Maunu II) and Haakon I, sons of Magnus II

The House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

1364–1395 : Albert, King of Sweden (Albrekt Mecklenburgilainen)

Rulers of the Kalmar Union and Regents (Valtionhoitaja, Riksföreståndare)

Kaarle Knuutinpoika

1389–1412 : Margaret I of Denmark (Margareeta), widow of King Haakon of Sweden, mother of Olav IV, and heiress of Estonia, a Danish dominion
1412–1439 : Eric II (Eerik XIII Pommerilainen, died 1459), a first cousin twice removed of Haakon I of Sweden
1438–1440 : Carl Knutsson Bonde, Regent (Kaarle Knuutinpoika)
1441–1448 : Christopher of Bavaria (Kristoffer Baijerilainen)
1448–1448 : Regents Bengt and Nils Jönsson Oxenstierna ((Pentti Jönsinpoika Häräntähti and Niilo Jönsinpoika Häräntähti))
1448–1457 : Charles I (Kaarle I Knuutinpoika), he had been 1442–48 chatelain and margrave of Viipuri county
1457–1457 : Regents Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna the archbishop and Eric Axelsson Tott ((arkkipiispa Jöns Pentinpoika and herra Eerik Akselinpoika))
1457–1464 : Christian I of Sweden (Kristian I)
1464–1470 : Charles I (restored)
1470–1497 : Regent Sten Sture the elder (Sten Sture vanhempi) - also, 1483–1501 chatelain and margrave of Viipuri county
1497–1501 : John I (Juhana I)
1501–1503 : Regent Sten Sture the elder (Sten Sture vanhempi)
1504–1511 : Regent Svante Niilonpoika (Svante Niilonpoika, Ekesiön herra, he did not use the name of Sture)
1512–1512 : Regent Eric Trolle
1512–1520 : Regent Sten Sture the younger (Sten Sture nuorempi, he took the name of Sture of his great-grandmother's family, for image reasons and for its prestige)
1520–1521 : Christian II of Sweden (Kristian II)

The House of Vasa

Juhana III

1521–1556 : Gustav I (Kustaa I Vaasa)
1556–1563 : John II (Juhana II)
1563–1568 : Eric III (Eerik XIV)
1568–1592 : John II (restored), adopted title Grand Prince of Finland (Suomen suuriruhtinas) around 1580
1592–1599 : Sigismund (Sigismund) (titled Grand Prince of Finland) and John III (Juhana III)
1599-1606 : John III (Juhana III)
1606–1632 : Gustav II Adolph the Great (Kustaa II Aadolf), also titled Grand Prince of Finland
1632–1654 : Christina of Sweden (Kristiina), also titled Grand Princess of Finland

The House of Pfalz-Zweibrücken

1654–1660 : Charles II Gustav (Kaarle II Kustaa), also titled Grand Prince of Finland
1660–1697 : Charles III (Kaarle III), also titled Grand Prince of Finland
1697–1718 : Charles IV (Kaarle IV), also titled Grand Prince of Finland
1719–1720 : Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden (Ulriika Eleonoora), also titled Grand Princess of Finland

The House of Hesse

1720–1751 : Frederick I of Sweden (Fredrik I), also titled Grand Prince of Finland

The House of Holstein-Gottorp

Kustaa III

1751–1771 : Adolph Frederick (Aadolf Fredrik), Grand Prince of Finland
1771–1792 : Gustav III (Kustaa III), Grand Prince of Finland
- 1792–1796 : Charles, duke of Södermanland as Regent (Södermanlannin herttua Kaarle)
1792–1809 : Gustav IV Adolph (Kustaa IV Aadolf), Grand Prince of Finland

Grand Principality of Finland in Russian Empire 1809–1917

The Grand Principality of Finland in the Russian Empire (1809–1917) with the Emperor of Russia as the Grand Prince of Finland (Suomen suuriruhtinas).

The House of Romanov

Nikolai II

1809–1825 : Alexander I (Aleksanteri I)
1825–1855 : Nicholas I (Nikolai I)
1855–1881 : Alexander II (Aleksanteri II)
1881–1894 : Alexander III (Aleksanteri III)
1894–1917 : Nicholas II (Nikolai II)

Interim period 1917–19

Regents (valtionhoitaja) using the powers reserved for the monarch.

27 May 1918 – 12 December 1918 : Pehr Evind Svinhufvud^[1]
12 December 1918 – 26 July 1919 : Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim

The House of Hesse

9 October 1918 – 14 December 1918 : Frederik Kaarle I, King of Finland

For later heads of state after the proclamation of the republic, see List of Presidents of Finland.

References

^ During Svinhufvud's regency, Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse was elected as the King of Finland on 9 October 1918. He never took office and renounced the throne on 14 December 1918.

List of monarchs of Finland