House of Vasa in the context of "Sigismund III Vasa"

Sigismund III Vasa (Polish: Zygmunt III Waza, Lithuanian: Žygimantas Vaza; 20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632N.S.) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1587 to 1632 and, as Sigismund, King of Sweden from 1592 to 1599. He was the first Polish sovereign from the House of Vasa. Religiously zealous, he imposed Catholicism across the vast realm, and his crusades against neighbouring states marked Poland's largest territorial expansion. As an enlightened despot, he presided over an era of prosperity and achievement, further distinguished by the transfer of the country's capital from Kraków to Warsaw.

Sigismund was the son of King John III of Sweden and his first wife, Catherine Jagiellon, daughter of King Sigismund I of Poland. Elected monarch of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth in 1587, he sought to unify Poland and Sweden under one Catholic kingdom, and when he succeeded his deceased father in 1592 the Polish–Swedish union was created. Opposition in Protestant Sweden caused a war against Sigismund headed by Sigismund's uncle Charles IX, who deposed him in 1599.

Vaasa (Finnish: [ˈʋɑːsɑ]; Swedish: Vasa, Finland Swedish: [ˈvɑːsɑ] ), formerly (1855–1917) known as Nikolaistad (Finnish: Nikolainkaupunki; lit. 'city of Nicholas'), is a city in Finland and the regional capital of Ostrobothnia. It is located on the west coast of the country, on the Gulf of Bothnia. The population of Vaasa is approximately 70,000, while the sub-region has a population of approximately 111,000. It is the 14th most populous municipality in Finland, and the tenth most populous urban area in the country.

Vaasa was granted its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden, and is named after the Royal House of Vasa. During the Finnish Civil War in 1918, Vaasa was briefly the capital of the White Finland and hosted the Senate of Finland.

Örebro Castle (Swedish: Örebro slott) is a medieval castle fortification at Svartån in Örebro County, Sweden. It was expanded during the reign of the royal family Vasa (House of Vasa) and finally rebuilt about 1900. Some of the rooms are used as classrooms for pupils from Karolinska gymnasiet.

Karl Knutsson Bonde (c. 1408–1470), also known as Charles VIII and called Charles I in Norwegian contexts, was King of Sweden (1448–1457, 1464–1465 and 1467–1470) and King of Norway (1449–1450).

He rose in Swedish politics because Erik of Pomerania was unpopular and became regent after a rebellion by Engelbrekt Engelbrektsson. He held powerful posts, notably in Finland, where he acted semi-independently. After King Christopher's death in 1448, Karl was elected king of Sweden and briefly king of Norway (1449–1450), but was forced to relinquish the latter to Christian I of Denmark. His rule faced opposition from the nobility and church, especially amid war with Denmark from 1451. His consolidation of power alienated key factions like the Oxenstierna and Vasa families, leading to growing resistance that resulted in two rebellions, in 1457 and 1464.

Christina (Swedish: Kristina; 18 December [O.S. 8 December] 1626 – 19 April 1689), a member of the House of Vasa, was Queen of Sweden from 1632 until her abdication in 1654. Her conversion to Catholicism and refusal to marry led her to relinquish her throne and move to Rome.

Christina is remembered as one of the most erudite women of the 17th century, wanting Stockholm to become the "Athens of the North" and was given the special right to establish a university at will by the Peace of Westphalia. She is also remembered for her unconventional lifestyle and occasional adoption of masculine attire, which have been depicted frequently in media; gender and cultural identity are pivotal themes in many of her biographies.