4 mark, Stockholm, Karl IX, 1604

On this 4 mark coin from 1604 we can see that King Karl IX started to call himself designated king - ‘DESIGNATUS REX’ and not just hereditary prince - ‘PRINCEPS HAEREDITARIUS’. He had already been appointed king in 1600, but continued to reign as an imperial regent (temporary regent) for a few more years.

After his coronation in 1607, King Karl IX began to call himself ‘King of the Svear, the Göter and the Vender' on his coins, as the kings before him had done. The practice of calling himself ‘King of the Svear, the Göter and the Vender’ continued until the death of King Gustav VI Adolf in 1973, when the title became ‘King of Sweden, Götes and Vendes’. Today the title is simply ‘King of Sweden’.

Image rights: Helena Bonnevier, Ekonomiska museet - Kungliga myntkabinettet/SHM (CC BY 4.0)

Object number: 108738_KMK

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