Book | Eva Mattsson | Catherine Jagiellon. 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 stone castles.

1562. The Jagiellonian dynasty, rulers of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland, reaches its peak of power. One of its most prominent women, Catherine Jagiellon, travels to distant Sweden to become the wife of King John III. Her life’s journey is a dramatic voyage from Vilnius to the north, from the brilliance of Renaissance Europe to a world of political intrigue and solitude. However, this queen was not merely a hostage of political negotiations – she was a woman who managed to remain dignified, wise, and strong even in a foreign land.

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 Europe to Sweden, becoming a cultural bridge between Northern and Central Europe.

Art historian and writer Eva Mattsson has spent over five years researching archives, museum collections, and historical sources in Sweden, Poland, and Lithuania. A meticulously written and richly illustrated book “Catherine Jagiellon. 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: OBUOLYS
Year of publication: 2026
ISBN: 9786094849275
Format: 125 × 187 mm / paperback
Pages: 368
Language: Lithuanian