Born 1496 at Lindholmen in Uppland. Parents: Erik Johansson (Vasa) till Rydboholm (executed in Stockholm's blodshed 8 november 1520) and Cecilia Månsdotter of the Eka family.
Elected chief of Dalacarlia in januari 1521, Regent of Sweden in Vadstena 13 of August 1521, and King in Strängnäs 6 of June 1523. Crowned in the Cathedral of Uppsala 12 of January 1528, died on 29 of September 1560.
Married 1. on 24 of September 1531 in Stockholm to Katarina of Sachsen-Lauenburg (born 24 of September 1513, died 23 of September 1535 in Stockholm, daughter of Magnus, Duke of Sachsen-Lauenburg and Katarina of Braunschweig-Wolffenbüttel. Child: Erik XIV.
Married 2. on 1 of October 1536 in Stockholm to Margareta Leijonhufvud (born in January 1516 at Ekeberg, died 26 of August 1551 at Tynnelsö), daughter of Erik Abrahamsson Leijonhufvud and Ebba Vasa. Children: Johan III, Katarina (1539-1610), Cecilia (1540-1627), Magnus, Duke of Östergötland, Karl (1544), Anna (1545-1610), Sten (1546-1549), Sofia (1547-1611), Elisabet (1549-1597), Carl IX.
Married 3. on 22 of August 1552 in Vadstena to Katarina Stenbock, born 22 of July 1535 at Torpa, died 13 of December 1621 at Strömsholm's Palace, daughter of Baron Gustav Olsson Stenbock and Birgitta Leijonhufvud (Queen Margareta's sister).
Gustaf was imprisoned in Denmark in 1518 by King Kristian II, but escaped in 1519.
Late in 1520 he came to the county of Dalacarlia and tried to convince the people there to rise against the king, but they refused. Gustaf left them, but the Dalacarlians changed their minds, asked him to return and elected him chief of Dalacarlia in January 1521.
After a short war was Gustaf elected Lord protecton in August 1521. At the end of the year, Gustaf controlled the entire country, except Stockholm and Kalmar.
6 of June 1523, Gustaf was elected King by the Parliament in Strängnäs and on Midsummer Eve, he could ride into Stockholm.
The war had been very expensive, and the new King had many depts to pay. Therefore he welcomed Martin Luther's ideas. The King should be Head of the Church.
Gustaf nationalized most of the Church's wealth. He didn't want to upset the ordinary people and let the churches keep there pictures and Catholic ornaments, as long as it wasn't made of silver or gold.
This is the real explanation, why Sweden became a Lutheran country.
The country suffered from several civil wars and riots during Gustaf's reign, but he manage to break the resistance.
In 1544, the Parliament decided that the throne should be inherited by Gustaf's descendants.
Motto: All power is of God