Inventing the Grand Duchy of Finland in the 1580s: early modern state formation or medieval patterns of expressing the power

In 1581 King John III of Sweden added Grand Duke of Finland to his royal title. Traditionally, this has been seen as marking the Swedish army”s victories in the Swedish-Russian war, as challenging the power and rule of Grand Duke of Muscovy Ivan IV or explained in the context of early modern state formation. This article seeks to understand the logic of taking the title of grand duke as a continuum of medieval patterns of thought about princely power and rule. Ruling lands, vassals, and people were still very much connected with the ruler’s person and princely and dynastic powers understood in the medieval way. Princely titles played a crucial role in this game of – sometimes even overlapping – powers.