List of monarchs and heads of state of Finland

This is a list of monarchs and heads of state of Finland; that is, the kings of Sweden with regents and viceroys of the Kalmar Union, the grand dukes of Finland, a title used by most Swedish monarchs, up to the two-year regency following the independence in 1917, with a brief flirtation with a truly domestic monarchy.

Part of the Kingdom of Sweden, from the High Middle Ages until 1809
Finland as an integral part of Sweden under the King of Sweden (Ruotsin kuningas).

Some texts suggest the Swedish rule of Finland started as early as during the Houses of Sverker and Eric (Sverker I of Sweden 1130–1156 and Eric the Saint 1156–1160). But the first historic documents suggesting rule by Swedish kings in Finland not limited to sparse crusades and conquests are dated at around 1249.

The House of Bjälbo

 * 1250–1275 : Valdemar Birgersson (Valdemar Birgerinpoika)
 * regent: Birger Jarl
 * 1275–1284 : Magnus Ladulås (Maunu Ladonlukko)
 * 1284–1291 : Bengt Birgersson (Bengt Birgerinpoika )
 * 1291–1302 : Birger Magnusson (Birger Maununpoika)
 * 1302–1319 : Valdemar Magnusson (Valdemar Maununpoika) and his first wife
 * 1319–1353 : Ingeborg Eriksdottir (Ingeborg Eerikintytär), widow of Valdemar
 * 1353–1356 : Bengt Algotsson (Pentti Algotinpoika)
 * 1357-1359 : Erik Magnusson (Eerik Maununpoika)
 * 1359 : Magnus Eriksson (Maunu Eerikinpoika) with his son Erik Magnusson
 * 1359–1364 : Magnus Eriksson and his son Haakon

The House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

 * 1364–1395 : Albert, King of Sweden (Albrekt Mecklenburgilainen)

Rulers of the Kalmar Union and Regents (Valtionhoitaja, Riksföreståndare)



 * 1389–1412 : Margaret (Margareeta), widow of King Haakon of Sweden, mother of Olav IV, and heiress of Estonia, a Danish dominion
 * 1396–1439 : Eric of Pomerania (Eerik Pommerilainen, died 1459), a first cousin twice removed of Haakon I of Sweden
 * 1438–1440 : Karl Knutsson, as regent of Sweden (Kaarle Knuutinpoika)
 * 1441–1448 : Christopher of Bavaria (Kristoffer Baijerilainen)
 * 1448–1448 : Regents Bengt and Nils Jönsson (Oxenstierna) (Bengt Jönsinpoika Oxenstierna and Nils Jönsinpoika Oxenstierna)
 * 1448–1457 : Karl Knutsson, as King of Sweden, he had been 1442–48 chatelain and margrave of Viipuri county
 * 1457–1457 : Regents Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna (Jöns Pentinpoika Oxenstierna) the archbishop and Eric Axelsson Tott (Eerik Akselinpoika Tott)
 * 1457–1464 : Christian I (Kristian I)
 * 1464–1470 : Karl Knutsson (restored)
 * 1470–1497 : Regent Sten Sture the Elder (Sten Sture vanhempi) - also, 1483–1501 chatelain and margrave of Viipuri county
 * 1497–1501 : Hans (Hannu)
 * 1501–1503 : Regent Sten Sture the Elder (Sten Sture vanhempi)
 * 1504–1511 : Regent Svante Nilsson (Svante Niilonpoika)
 * 1512–1512 : Regent Eric Trolle
 * 1512–1520 : Regent Sten Sture the Younger (Sten Sture nuorempi)
 * 1520–1521 : Christian II (Kristian II)

The House of Vasa



 * 1521–1560 : Gustav I Vasa (Kustaa I Vaasa)
 * 1560–1569 : Eric XIV (Eerik XIV)
 * 1569–1592 : John III (restored), adopted title Grand Prince of Finland (Suomen suuriruhtinas) around 1580
 * 1592–1599 : Sigismund (titled Grand Prince of Finland) and John III
 * 1599-1606 : John III
 * 1606–1632 : Gustav II Adolph the Great (Kustaa II Aadolf), also titled Grand Prince of Finland
 * 1632–1654 : Christina of Sweden (Kristiina), also titled Grand Princess of Finland

The House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken

 * 1654–1660 : Charles X Gustav (Kaarle X Kustaa), also titled Grand Prince of Finland
 * 1660–1697 : Charles XI (Kaarle XI), also titled Grand Prince of Finland
 * 1697–1718 : Charles XII (Kaarle XII), also titled Grand Prince of Finland
 * 1719–1720 : Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden (Ulriika Eleonoora), also titled Grand Princess of Finland

The House of Hesse

 * 1720–1751 : Frederick I of Sweden (Fredrik I), also titled Grand Prince of Finland

The House of Holstein-Gottorp

 * 1751–1771 : Adolph Frederick (Aadolf Fredrik), Grand Prince of Finland
 * 1771–1792 : Gustav III (Kustaa III), Grand Prince of Finland
 * 1792–1796 : Charles, duke of Södermanland as Regent (Södermanlannin herttua Kaarle)
 * 1792–1809 : Gustav IV Adolph (Kustaa IV Aadolf), Grand Prince of Finland

Grand Duchy of Finland ruled by the Russian Empire 1809–1917
The Grand Duchy of Finland, a state ruled by the Russian Empire (1809–1917) with the Emperor of Russia as the Grand Duke of Finland (Suomen suurherttua).

The House of Romanov

 * 1809–1825 : Alexander I (Aleksanteri I)
 * 1825–1855 : Nicholas I (Nikolai I)
 * 1855–1881 : Alexander II (Aleksanteri II)
 * 1881–1894 : Alexander III (Aleksanteri III)


 * 1894–1917 : Nicholas II (Nikolai II)

Interim period 1917–1919
During the interregnum from the fall of Nicholas II to the end of the Finnish Civil War in spring 1918, sovereignty in Finland was exercised by the Finnish Parliament and, until the October Revolution and the declaration of independence, the Russian interim government. After the civil war, regents (valtionhoitaja) were appointed by the parliament and a new king elected.

In May 1918, President Woodrow Wilson stated that the U.S. “shall be willing to recognize the Republic of Finland only when she shows that she is not controlled by Germany, as she now seems to be".

Regents appointed by parliament

 * 27 May 1918 – 12 December 1918 : Pehr Evind Svinhufvud
 * 12 December 1918 – 26 July 1919 : Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim

The House of Hesse
9 October 1918 – 14 December 1918 (22 years, 294 days) Prussia Son of Frederick William, Landgrave of Hesse and Princess Anna of Prussia 1893 6 children Kassel Aged 72
 * Fredrik Kaarle
 * Fredrik Kaarle
 * Hessenin prnssi Friedrich Karl - Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse.jpg
 * 1868
 * Princess Margaret of Prussia
 * 28 May 1940
 * King-elect of Finland
 * }

List of presidents (1919–present)
The president of Finland is Finland's head of state. Under the Constitution of Finland, executive power is vested in the president and the government, with the president possessing limited powers.