King of Sweden. Born in October of 1408 or 1409. Reigned in three periods from 1448 to 1457, in 1464 to 1465 and from 1467 till his death. Also King of Norway as Carl I. Sometimes (incorrectly) called Carl VIII, in English Charles, and spelled Karl in Swedish. He did not use the name but belonged to the Bonde Dynasty still prominent in the nobility of Sweden today. He called himself Carl II, as confirmed by a contemporary inscription on his queen's funerary monument at Vadstena. As given in his patronymic, son of Canute (Knutsson), his father was the wealthy senator and owner by that name of the valuable Fogelvik Estate near Västervik. Carl was probably born in the Finnish part of the Sweden of the era, which also included the Viborg area of Russia. He had opposed King Eric the Pomeranian ruling in the union of Denmark-Norway-Sweden, even though that king had made Carl his Marshal. After Eric's fall, Carl brought Christopher (III) in from Bavaria to rule the union of the three kingdoms, having acted as interregnum Regent for three years himself. During King Christopher's reign, Carl was given Finland and eastern areas to govern. After the young and childless ruler's untimely death seven years later, Carl was elected king and began his first period on the throne, then also having his brief, yearlong reign in Norway. He was ousted once by a new Danish king of the union, Christian I, and again by a troika led by his archenemy, the Archbishop of Sweden. He spent his absences from the throne on the north German coast and in the more northerly islands of the Baltic. King Carl II tried during his rule to curb the powers of (other) nobles, organize the Swedish mint and keep Sweden independent outside of the Danish union. His kingship cost him all his personal wealth, and he lost most of his powers to magnates in the nobility who began taking over. He was married and widowed once before becoming king and subsequently had two more wives in turn, Queens Catherine and Christina. Catherine's is the grave at Vadstena. His son by Christina was not honored as Heir to the Throne at Carl's death, and the royal branch of the Bondes died out with that son. Carl was the dynasty's only king. He was the last to be buried in the Founders' Crypt at Riddarholm Church, where he shares his grave with royals of an earlier dynasty. Additional royal burials in this main Pantheon of Sweden would not take place for another 165 years, but would then continue until 1950.