Karl Ulfsson, Lord of Tofta

Charles of Tofta, a.k.a Karl Ulfsson (died 1407) was a 14th century Swedish magnate and Lord High Constable of Sweden.

Lord Charles always signed himself as "of Tofta", which has given his whole ancestral lineage its later genealogical name, although his grandfather for example did not possess Tofta manor. The manor of Tofta, in Adelsö, Uppland, was his main seat, and his other remarkable manor was Ekholmen, in Veckholm, same province.

He was born as the son of the first marriage of Ulf Abjörnsson (d 1347) with Christina Sigmundsdotter of the family of Tre Klöverblad. His and his father's Coat of Arms was a spar wherefore this family is regarded as one of numerous medieval families retrospectively named Sparre. Through his paternal grandmother, Charles was a descendant of the Ulv branch of the Folkunge (Bjelbo) clan and thus numbered some ancient Swedish earls among his ancestors. His birth year is unknown to us, but scholarly estimates point to 1320s or early 1330s at latest.

His uncle was Nils Abjörnsson of Salsta, Lord High Justiciar of Sweden. And Charles' grandfather and Nils' father Abjörn Sixtensson, Lord of Salsta had been Duke Eric's important ally.

As young, Charles studied in Paris, quite rare for a secular noble of his era. He was advertised as one of learned men in Sweden during his later caree. It is clear that he was literate. Charles was knighted between 1354-58, possibly Summer 1355.

He was summoned to the membership of the Privy Council of Sweden from 1356 at latest. He also acted as lawspeaker of Uppland.

Charles' stepmother Märta was sister of Erengisle, Earl of Orkney, with whom Charles generally was in same party in Swedish high politics. From 1356, they supported young king Eric's attempts to rise to equal rulership with, or to depose, his father king Magnus IV of Sweden.

Charles' half-sister Ingeborg Ulfsdotter was, possibly already a widow of another, in early 1450s married to a noble years her junior, Benedict, Duke of Halland and Finland, the favorite of king Magnus IV of Sweden. For some years, things went relatively cordially, but the royal favorite was under increasing attacks and dissatisfaction from the party of high nobility. Duke Benedict repudiated Duchess Ingeborg sometime in c 1356, which made Charles his enemy. In 1360, Charles was with troops in Skane guarding against the former favorite's attempts. Duke Benedict was besieged at the castle of Rönneholm, and according to tales, Charles personally took part in killing him.

Lord Charles supported Albert III of Mecklenburg to become king of Sweden. In Albert's reign, lord Charles was the High Constable (riksmarsk) of Sweden 1364-71. He however accepted queen Margaret's rule when she had deposed Albert in 1388-89.

Apparently Albert had appointed him as the governor of Viipuri (see margrave of Viipuri) sometime in 1380’s. He continued in this responsible and very autonomous position over the change of ruler, up until 1399.

He was married several times, possibly as many as five, but had highly bad success in siring surviving children.

With his first wife (wed 6 May 1352) Ingrid Eriksdotter of Boberg, daughter of Erik of Boberg (Erik Larsson), PC, and his wife Birgitta Knutsdotter who was a daughter of sir Knut Folkason of the Algotssöner, and his wife Ingrid Svantepolksdotter, the one with royal descent, Charles had son Knut Karlsson, the only who survived to adulthood. Knut also was knighted, served as PC, and was from 1376 justiciar of Södermanland, but predeceased his father, dying probably in 1389, and was childless and apparently unmarried.

Charles' second wife, from 1363, was Helena Israelsdotter of Finsta, who died 1375 at latest, daughter of Israel Birgersson of Finsta, PC, last male of Finsta family, justiciar of Uppland, and Helena was sister of Charles' first cousin Philip's wife Ramborg. There are no indications of any surviving children of this marriage.

His third wife was a Cecilia. The fourth, and the possible fifth, wife's names are unknown to us, but one of them bore him a daughter, Margaret, sometime around 1380s or early 1390s.

Marshal Charles inherited in c 1389 his childless son who had inherited a sizable property from his maternal kin, the Boberg lords. Also in c 1389, Charles inherited his remaining half-sister, the childless Christina Ulfsdotter, widow of lord Peder Ribbing and of Nils of Rickeby, heiress of her sister Duchess Ingeborg of Halland and Finland, and her mother Märta Sunadotter, a daughter of Sune Jonsson, one of the first margraves of Viborg.

When old, Charles had only one remaining issue, his young daughter Margareta Karlsdotter of Tofta (c 1380s - 1429), who presumably only after Charles' death was given to marriage, and in turn married twice, first Knut Tordsson Bonde and second 1414 Sten Turesson Bielke. Through his daughter Margaret, Charles became grandfather of Charles VIII of Sweden and Birgitta Bielke, who made himgreat-grandfather of the Regent Sten Sture the elder and Birgitta Sture, grandmother of Gustav I of Sweden.

The retired Lord High Constable Charles died in November 1407, at a great age, narrated as 90, but likely not so high in truth. Chronological reasons do not easily allow his birth as early as in 1317, rather it had been something like a decade later.

Source

Äldre svenska frälsesläkter, by Folke Wernstedt, 1957