Karin Hansdotter (1539–1596) was the royal mistress of King John III of Sweden during his time as Prince and Duke of Finland in 1555–1562.
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Biography
Karin Hansdotter was the daughter of the Lutheran priest Hans Klasson Kökkemäster, a former monk of the Dominican Order, and his wife Ingeborg Åkesdotter, a former nun and the illegitimate daughter of count Åke Hansson Tott. Her father left monastic life after the Swedish Reformation and became a Lutheran priest in Stockholm, but lost his office because of adultery.
Royal mistress
Karin Hansdotter was given a position in the household of the queen dowager Catherine Stenbock, where she met Prince John. In 1555, Prince John was given his own household, and Karin left her position with the queen dowager and became the official kept mistress of John with the approval of her guardian. In 1556, accompanied John when he left Sweden for Åbo (Turku) Castle in his Duchy of Finland, where she lived with him as his hostess and the center of his court. She was referred to as "Our Gracious Lady" and given her own household with her own maids and also brought her relatives and friends to her household. She followed him as far as to Arboga on his journey to England in 1559, and lived with him in Stockholm in 1560-61. The couple had four children.