Gustaf Banér

Who was Gustaf Banér?

Gustaf Banér was a Swedish nobleman and member of the Privy Council of Sweden.

Gustaf Axelsson Banér was born at Djursholm Castle, the son of the Privy Council Axel Nilsson and Margareta Pedersdotter. Gustaf Banér studied at the University of Rostock, took part in the insurgence against King Eric XIV and he was appointed member of the Privy Council in 1569 by King John III. He remained favoured by King John for a long time and was entrusted with several diplomatic missions, such as the royal election in Poland, in 1587, when King John's son Sigismund III was elected.

He was then appointed as stadtholder in Reval, where there was a meeting in 1589 during which there was a rupture between Banér and the members of the privy council on the one side and King John III on the other.

In 1592, when Sigismund III had succeeded John III as the king of Sweden, Banér initially supported Duke Charles in his power struggle against Sigismund. Banér's ambition was to ensure more power for the high nobility in the government. When the duke's actions had led to a rupture with most of the members of the Privy council, Banér escaped to Denmark from where he tried to incite a Swedish rebellion.