International event „Katarina Jagellonica: Today’s insights from Poland, Finland, Sweden and Lithuania”

The fate of Katarina Jagellonica connects 4 countries. She was born and raised in Poland in the royal family of the King of Poland and the Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund the Elder and his wife Bona Sforza. In Vilnius, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Katarina married with Duke of Finland and Prince of Sweden Johan Vaza. She survived the siege and the horrors of war in Turku Castle in Finland and was imprisoned together with her husband for 4 years in Gripsholm Castle in Sweden. Nevertheless Katarina Jagellonica managed to overcome all challenges and became the Queen of Sweden in July 10, 1569. Together with her husband, the King John III Vasa of Sweden, she started a new branch of the Vasa family, which ruled the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth for almost 80 years.

Who was this extraordinary woman, respected on both sides of the Baltic Sea?

Historians from various countries are going to share their insights during the event in Vilnius on November 21 at 13.00. Dr. Katarzyna Wagner from the University of Warsaw is going to tell about Katarina’s Jagellonica’s life in Poland. Historian Bengt Selin from of the Turku Castle Museum is going to make a presentation Katarina, the duchess of Finland. A short time in Turku castle, but a long-lasting memory. Dr. Karin Tegenborg Falkdalen from Umeå University in Sweden is going to share many interesting facts in her report Katarina Jagellonica and her Queenship: Dynastic positioning and cultural transfer.

Historian Ignas Račickas from the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania is going to moderate the discussion A woman leader: Modern look at Katarina’s Jagellonica’s personality. Ilona Skujaitė, the Lithuanian author of the historical novel „The Bride of War” about Katarina Jagellonica, and Gerda Butkuvienė, a tourism communication expert living in Sweden, will present the tourist route on both sides of the Baltic Sea In the footsteps of Katarina Jagellonica. On the second day of the event, historians will participate in the filming of Gitana Platakytė’s documentary about this royal woman. 

The event will be translated from English to Lithuanian.

The arrival of foreign historians to the international event in Vilnius is supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland, the Polish Institute in Vilnius, the Embassy of the Republic of Finland, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Sweden.

Organizers of the event: the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, Publishing House „Alma Littera”, writer Ilona Skujaitė, film director Gitana Platakytė.

International event „Katarina Jagellonica: Today’s insights from Poland, Finland, Sweden and Lithuania”

PROGRAM

November 21 

13.00 Opening remarks and welcoming speeches.

13.20 Presentation Life of Katarina Jagellonica in Poland by historian dr. Katarzyna Wagner from the University of Warsaw.

13.40 Presentation Katarina, the Duchess of Finland. A short time in Turku castle, but a long-lasting memory by historian Bengt Selin from the Turku Castle.

14.00 Presentation Katarina Jagellonica and her Queen ship: Dynastic positioning and cultural transfer by dr. Karina Tegenborg Falkdalen from Umeå University in Sweden.

14.20 Second stop – Vilnius. Presentation of the tourist route on both sides of the Baltic Sea In the footsteps of Kotryna Jogailaitė by tourism communication expert Gerda Butkuvienė and writer Ilona Skujaitė.

14.35 Discussion A woman leader: Modern look at Katarina’s Jagellonica’s personality, moderated by Historian Ignas Račickas from the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania.

14.55 Concluding remarks.