Book | Eva Mattsson | Kotryna Jogailaitė. Queen of Roses and Stone

Some women in history remain queens. Others become legend.

Catherine Jagiellon – Princess of Lithuania and Poland, Queen of Sweden, who united the power of three dynasties and brought European culture from Vilnius to Scandinavia – from art and gastronomy to brick castles.

1562. The Jagiellonian dynasty, rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland, reached the pinnacle of its power. One of its most distinguished women, Catherine Jagiellon, departed for distant Sweden to become the wife of King John III. Her life's path was a dramatic journey from Vilnius to the north, from the splendor of Renaissance Europe into a world of political intrigue and loneliness. However, this queen was not merely a pawn in political negotiations – she was a woman who managed to remain dignified, wise, and strong even in a place where everything was foreign.

Catherine Jagiellon's marriage to King John III of Sweden became not only a symbol of the union of two states but also the beginning of a civilizational turning point. Her influence on architecture, art, gastronomy, and royal lifestyle endured for centuries. This woman from Vilnius opened the doors of Sweden to Europe, becoming a cultural bridge between Northern and Central Europe.

Art historian and writer Eva Mattsson researched archives, museum collections, and historical sources in Sweden, Poland, and Lithuania for over five years. The meticulously written and richly illustrated book „Catherine Jagiellonian. Queen of Roses and Stone“ – the first comprehensive biography of this extraordinary woman. It is the story of a woman whose contribution to European culture and political map remains undeniable.

Author: Eva Mattsson
Publisher: APPLE
Year of license: 2026
ISBN 9786094849275
Formats: 125 × 187 mm / paperback
Pages 368
Kalba Lithuanian