the svea court of appeal in the early modern period 152 and family matters became intertwined with the political struggle between Klas Fleming and Duke Charles. There was also a conflict of economic interests. If Anna was to be married off, her landed property would pass beyond the reach of her guardian. Things did not improve when Anna and Hieronymus entered into carnal relations, as a result of which Anna became pregnant. Klas was infuriated by the arbitrariness of the betrothed couple, declaring that he would use his rights as a guardian and prevent his thirty-something year old niece from getting married, because she had not been chaste and obedient. The wedding of Anna and Hieronymus became a matter of principle between the Duke and the Baron, and they were married only after the death of Klas in 1597. Soon after this, Duke Charles consolidated his power over the kingdom, and the property of the late Klas Fleming, now considered a traitor, was confiscated. At this point, it had turned out how ill the guardian had treated the property of his protegée, Anna Fleming. To compensate for the past wrongdoings, some of the confiscated landed property of Klas Fleming was given to Anna.426 Now the children of Klas Fleming were those who suffered from the new arrangements. When Baron Klas died, he left a widow, Baroness Ebba Stenbock (d. 1614), three daughters - Katarina, Hebla and Margareta Fleming - as well as a son, Johan Fleming, all in their late teens or early twenties. Ebba Stenbock and the daughters were imprisoned for the last years of the sixteenth century, while the son participated in attempts to re-establish the position of King Sigismund; in 1599, however, he was imprisoned, sentenced to death, and executed for intrigue against Duke Charles. Once the male line of the family had died out, Ebba and her two surviving daughters were set free around 1600. At this point, Margareta had died in 1598. The eldest daughter, Katarina (d. 1649) would be most helpful to her mother in reclaiming the confiscated property of the family. In 1615, Hebla Fleming married Per Banér (d. 1644), then a Gentleman of the Bedchamber (kammarherre) of the King and his kammarråd(Councillor of the Treasury) since 1618.427 In 1620, Katarina Fleming married Baron Erik Bielke (d. 1638). By this time, the court case between Birck426 On the marriage of Anna Fleming, see Lahtinen, Anu 2009a pp. 169-180; Lahtinen, Anu 2009b. 427 Boëthius, Bertil 1924.
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