Mette Dyre

Mette Iversdotter Dyre (In Swedish: Mätta or Märta Ivarsdotter), (c. 1465 in Tirsbæk on Jylland in Denmark- c. before 1533), was a Danish, Norwegian and Swedish noble, nominal sheriff and chancellor. She was married to Svante, Regent of Sweden, over whom she was thought to have political influence, and de facto queen consort of Sweden.

Background

Mette Iversdatter was born daughter of the Danish knight Iver Jenssen (Dyre) and Christine Persdotter. In about 1483, she married the Norwegian knight and riksråd Anders van Bergen (d. 1491). In 1499, she married the Swedish noble Knut Alfsson (Tre Rosor) (d. 1502), who resided in Norway as the fiefholder of Akerhus in Oslo. She followed him to Sweden, were the couple allied themselwes with the Swedish noble separatist Svante Nilsson. In 1502, Alfsson attacked Norway to encourage the Norwegians to rebell toward Denmark: he died during the attempt, but Mette contacted the Norwegians with the same message.

Regent consort

She married her ally Svante Nilsson in Stockholm 17 November 1504, and it was during this marriage that she was to be known in history. Nilsson was elected regent of Sweden, which was formally in union with Denmark but in reality a free nation, and Mette thereby became de facto Queen consort of Sweden.

Mette was politically active as her husband's advisor. She was an influential power in the council. She was appointed commander of Stockholm during the absence of her spouse in 1507. In 1510, she served as the representative and messeger of her spouse in Finland. About forty of Mette's letters to Svante Nilsson are preserved.

She was rumored to have taken part in plots to murder Sten Sture the Elder. She had a complicated relationship to her step-son, Sten Sture the Elder. In 1512, her spouse died. The new regent, Sten Sture the Younger, accused her of having stolen the silver and gold he would have inherited after his mother. He also confiscated the estates given to her by her late spouse.

Sheriff and chancillor

In 1515, she left Sweden to ask for the support of the Danish king in her economic dispute with her step-son. King Christian II of Denmark appointed her Sheriff (Lensmand) of the Bishopal Fief of Hørby near Holbæk. He also appointed her Chancellor of the Convent of Saint Agnete in Roskilde. She kept these position until c. 1527. In 1516, she prepared a ship which she used to confiscate a ship belonging to her step-son, the Swedish regent. This act contributed to the break between Sweden and Denmark in 1516. She was born between 1460 and 1465 and died earliest 1527 and latest 1533.

She had a daughter, Kristina Andersdatter.

See also

• Ingeborg Tott
• Christina Gyllenstierna

References

• http://www.kvinfo.dk/side/597/bio/624/origin/170/ (In Danish)
• Sv.E. Green-Pedersen (red.): Profiler i nordisk senmiddelalder og renaissance, 1983. (In Danish)
• Gudrun Utterström: Fem skrivare, 1968. (In Danish)
• Privatarkiv i Sturearkivet i RA, Stockholm. (In Danish)
• Dansk Biografisk Leksikon.(In Danish)

External links

• http://www.guide2womenleaders.com/womeninpower/Womeninpower1500.htm

Succession

Mette Dyre Born: 1465 Died: before 1533
Preceded by Ingeborg Åkesdotter Tott as Regent consort	Regent consort of Sweden 1504–1512	Succeeded by Christina Gyllenstierna as Regent consort

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Name	Dyre, Mette
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