Cecilia Månsdotter Eka, also called Cecilia of Eka, was a Swedish noblewoman.
Background
Cecilia was born around 1476 in Eka, Lillkyrka, which is now known as Eka, Örebro County in Sweden. Her mother later remarried, and became the mother of the famous Christina Gyllenstierna in her second marriage, who was thereby Cecilia"s half sister.
Career
She was the oldest of the two children from the nobles Sigrid Eskilsdotter Banér and Magnus Karlsson Eka. Cecilia Månsdotter married the noble Erik Johansson Vasa before 1495 and with him had eight children. They were taken to Denmark in 1521 and imprisoned in the infamous Blaatornet (Blue Tower) in Copenhagen - where she died of the plague in 1523, along with her two younger daughters Martha and Emerentia.
According to legend, she was in fact executed by the King of Denmark.
After she was finished, he allegedly had her placed in the sack and have it thrown in the sea, where she drowned. There is no confirmation that this legend is true, however, though the women were said to have been badly treated in the prison by the cold air, harsh treatment and starvation.
The way of execution was the same method by which her mother was nearly executed during the Stockholm Bloodbath. In reality, it is believed that she died of the plague along with her two youngest daughters.
Cecilia Månsdotter married Erik Johansson Vasa and with him had eight children.
Their children were:
Gustav Eriksson Vasa (12 May 1495 - 29 September 1560)
Gustav Eriksson would become King of Sweden in 1523
Margareta Eriksdotter Vasa (1497 - 31 December 1536)
Johan Eriksson (b 1499, d young)
Magnus Eriksson (1501–1529)
Anna Eriksdotter (1503–1545), nun at Vadstena Abbey
Birgitta Eriksdotter (b 1505, d young)
Marta Eriksdotter (1507–1523)
Emerentia Eriksdotter (1507–1523).
Views
In 1520, Cecilia"s half sister Christina defended Stockholm from the Danish invasion, but was forced to surrender.