View source for Erik Axelsson Tott

{{Short description|Dano-Swedish statesman}}
{{Infobox royalty
| type         = regent
| name         = Erik Axelsson Tott
| image        = COA_family_sv_Tott.svg
| image_size   = 220
| caption      = Tott family coat of arms
| title        = 
| succession   = [[List of Swedish monarchs|Regent of Sweden]]
| reign1       = 1457 (with [[Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna]])
| predecessor1 = [[Charles VIII of Sweden]]
| successor1   = [[Christian I of Denmark|Christian I]]
| reign2       = 1466–1467
| predecessor2 = [[Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna]]
| successor2   = [[Charles VIII of Sweden]]
| house        = [[Tott]]
| spouses-type = Consorts
| spouses      = {{plainlist|
*[[Bengta Mattsdotter]]
*[[Elin Gustavsdotter]]}}
| birth_date   = {{circa|1419}}
| death_date   = 1481
| burial_place = [[Aspö Church, Södermanland|Aspö Church]] north of [[Strängnäs]]
}}
'''Erik Axelsson (Tott)''' ({{circa|1419–1481}}) was a Dano-Swedish statesman who served as the [[regent]] of [[Sweden]] under the [[Kalmar Union]], jointly with [[Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna]] in 1457 and alone from 1466 to 1467.<ref>{{cite web|url=   https://runeberg.org/nfci/0267.html|title =   Erik Axelsson (Tott)
|website= 	Nordisk familjebok|access-date=April 1, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://sok.riksarkivet.se/sbl/Presentation.aspx?id=7922  
|title =Jöns Bengtsson (Oxenstierna)|website= Svenskt biografiskt lexikon|access-date=April 1, 2020}}</ref>

== Biography ==
He was born in [[Scania]] during the reign of King [[Eric of Pomerania]], as the son of Axel Pedersen Thott, lord of Herlev and Lilloe, and his second wife Ingeborg Ivarsdotter. He entered the service of his mother's first cousin, King [[Charles VIII of Sweden]] ({{circa|1408–1470}}), at an early age, when Charles was Lord High Constable and Castellan.
[[File:Olavinlinna2.jpg|thumbnail|left|Construction of [[Olavinlinna]] Castle in [[Savonlinna]] was ordered by Erik Axelsson in the 1470s ]]
Erik Axelsson was the "Swedish anchor" of his family, of whom most regarded themselves as Danish subjects. His father's first wife was from Scania, a region then integral to the (Danish) kingdom. In two generations during the latter half of the 15th century, the nine Tott brothers (''Axelssöner''), held high and mighty positions just when Denmark and Sweden were struggling to shape the [[Kalmar Union]], however trying to preserve their own family's position and often act in concert. A few of them changed sides in certain occasions, but mostly each of them aligned according to their most important personal landholdings. For longer periods Eric held for the Swedish crown the key Finnish castles and fiefdoms of Viborg, Tavastehus (and built Olofsborg), and was always on the Swedish side, accepting the Danish monarch when [[Swedish nobility]] wanted that, and supported separate state/monarchy when the Swedes wanted that. His brother, Iver Axelsen Tott, established a veritable principality for himself by taking the island of [[Gotland]], and sometimes surrounding regions.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://runeberg.org/dbl/17/0323.html|title = Thott, Erik Axelsen  |website= Dansk biografisk Lexikon|access-date=April 1, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://runeberg.org/dbl/17/0327.html|title =  Thott, Iver Axelsen   |website= 	Dansk biografisk Lexikon
|access-date=April 1, 2020}}</ref>

Eric opposed his older kinsman the king in 1457, when he as king had gathered much dissatisfaction among Swedish high nobility. In 1467, Eric yet again supported King Charles VIII in his third election. He acquired the former Swedish estates of the [[Livonian Brothers of the Sword]] in 1467, including [[Årsta Castle]]. As overlord of [[Finland]] (''Österland''), he initiated the construction of the border fortress [[Olavinlinna]] in [[Savonlinna]] and the [[Vyborg town wall]], both in the 1470s.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.haninge.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Harry_Arsta.pdf|title =Årsta Slott   |website= haninge.org|access-date=April 1, 2020}}</ref>

Eric Axelsson was married to Bengta Mattsdotter Lillie ({{died in|1452}}) and Elin Gustavsdotter Sture ({{died in|1495}}) but died childless. His brothers Ivar Tott ({{died in|1487}}) and Laurens Axelsson Tott ({{died in|1483}}) survived him, inheriting most of his properties, together with his various nephews and nieces.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://runeberg.org/nfci/0268.html|title = Laurens Axelsson till Årstad, Södertörn
|website=	Nordisk familjebok|access-date=April 1, 2020}}</ref>

== Tott's Russian wars ==
'''Tott's Russian wars''' refers to two conflicts between Russia and Sweden spanning from the years of 1475–1476, and then 1479–1482. They were both fought over the construction of fortifications at [[Olavinlinna|Nyslott]].

=== Tott's first Russian war ===
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Tott's first Russian war
| place             = [[Finland under Swedish rule|Finland]]
| width             = 315
| partof            = [[List of wars between Russia and Sweden|Russo–Swedish Wars]]
| date              = 1475–1476
| territory         = 
| result            = Inconclusive
| combatants_header = Belligerents
| combatant1        = [[Kingdom of Sweden (800–1521)|Sweden]]
| combatant2        = [[Principality of Moscow|Russia]]
| commander1        = Erik Axelsson Tott
| commander2        = Unknown
| campaignbox       = {{Campaignbox Russo-Swedish Wars}}
}}

After the appointment of Erik Axelsson Tott as commander of Viborg in 1457, tensions began to rise with Novgorod. Despite a peace treaty being signed in 1468, the Russians engaged in raids along the border the same year.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Sundberg |first=Ulf |title=Medeltidens svenska krig |publisher=Hjalmarson & Högberg |year=1999 |isbn=9189080262 |edition=1st |location=Stockholm |pages=347 |language=Swedish}}</ref> The situation was worsened by the fact that a truce signed in 1458 would expire in 1473.

In 1475, Tott began the construction of a fortification in Finland called Nyslott or Olofsborg,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=WHKMLA : Swedish War with Novgorod, 1475 |url=https://www.zum.de/whkmla/military/15cen/swednov1475.html |access-date=2024-01-19 |website=www.zum.de}}</ref> situated on an islet in the strait between Saimed and Haukivesi though it is unclear whether it was in Swedish or Russian territory.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> Under these circumstances, the construction led to increased Russian activity in the area. The Swedes had begun requiring a tax for the defense of the east and began equipping troops for this purpose.<ref name=":1" /> The commander of these troops was likely the knight Erik Karlsson Vase.<ref name=":0" />

The fighting between the Swedes and Russians was however likely to have only been in smaller patrols,<ref name=":0" /> and a peace was eventually signed in 1476.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

=== Tott's second Russian war ===
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict          = Tott's second Russian war
| place             = [[Finland under Swedish rule|Finland]]
| width             = 315
| partof            = [[List of wars between Russia and Sweden|Russo–Swedish Wars]]
| date              = 1479–1482
| territory         = 
| result            = Inconclusive
| combatants_header = Belligerents
| combatant1        = [[Kingdom of Sweden (800–1521)|Sweden]]
| combatant2        = [[Principality of Moscow|Russia]]
| commander1        = Erik Axelsson Tott (1479-1481) <br/> Lars Axelsson
| commander2        = Unknown
| casualties1       = Unknown
| casualties2       = Thousands
| campaignbox       = {{Campaignbox Russo-Swedish Wars}}
| strength1         = 24,000<ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6JU7AAAAYAAJ&dq=olofsborg+1479&pg=RA1-PA278 | title=Biografiskt lexicon öfver namnkunnige svenske män | last1=Palmblad | first1=Vilhelm Fredrik | last2=Wieselgren | first2=Peter | last3=Werner | first3=Karl Fredrik | date=1849 }}</ref>
| strength2         = Unknown
}}

The construction of [[Olavinlinna|Nyslott]] continued despite the renewed peace between Russia and Sweden in 1476 and became an issue for the Russians.<ref name=":0" /> Erik Axelsson Tott, the commander of [[Vyborg|Viborg]] and also responsible for Nyslott, prepares and awaits himself for a large attack by the Russians. Nyslott was at that point extended from having only dirt and wood defenses to stone.<ref name=":0" />

In 1479, the awaited attack occurred, and the Russians launched a raid in the area of [[Olavinlinna|Nyslott]];<ref name=":0" /> however, specific details of the event are not known. In 1480, as revenge for this attack, Tott committed to a revenge attack against the Russians. He had earlier received reinforcements from Sweden and advanced {{convert|120|km}} into Russian territory.<ref name=":0" /> According to [[Olaus Petri|Olaus Petris]], the incursion was extremely brutal, quoting that the Swedes "killed both people and animals, men and women, young and old, to several thousands".<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Topelius |first=Zacharias |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FLUxAQAAMAAJ&dq=olofsborg+1479&pg=PA93 |title=Cyklen. Noveller (1.-2. delen) |date=1882 |publisher=Bonnier |language=sv}}</ref>

In 1481, Tott died and was succeeded by his brother Lars Axelsson, who continued the conflict until 1482,<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":0" /> when he signed a truce which would remain until 1495.<ref name=":0" />

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-hou|[[Tott|House of Tott]]||c. 1419||1481|name=Erik Axelsson Tott}}
{{S-reg}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Charles VIII of Sweden|Karl Knutsson]]|as=[[List of Swedish monarchs|King of Sweden]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[List of Swedish monarchs|Co-regent of Sweden]]|years=1457|regent1=[[Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna]]}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Christian I of Denmark|Christian I]]|as=[[List of Swedish monarchs|King of Sweden]]}}
{{S-bef|before=[[Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna]]}}
{{S-ttl|title=[[List of Swedish monarchs|Regent of Sweden]]|years=1466–1467}}
{{S-aft|after=[[Charles VIII of Sweden|Karl Knutsson]]|as=[[List of Swedish monarchs|King of Sweden]]}}
{{S-end}}
{{Monarchs of Sweden}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tott, Erik Axelsson}}
[[Category:15th-century Finnish people]]
[[Category:Regents of Sweden]]
[[Category:1481 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Scania]]
[[Category:15th-century Swedish nobility]]
[[Category:15th-century Danish people]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
[[Category:15th-century regents]]