John I of Gothenland (The Kalmar Union)

John I's short reign over Gothenland is little commented on even by Gothenland's own chroniclers.

In general Gothenland's 'crusade' on far shore of the Baltic was put on hold. The Teutonic Order was ascendant once more and for the moment trade came before war, largely in an effort to shore up the holdings and make them pay for themselves.

Equally events closer to home would have taken John's attention; Viken and Denmark were skirting close to war. In 1276 Wizlaw II of Viken marched his army across Gothenland's borders to directly threaten Danish forts in Scania. Supposedly this was done without John's permission - probably a Vikene invention to emphasise Wizlaw's brinkmanship - presumably John agreed to allow the army to cross. He is not mentioned in any of the subsequent peace deals which followed the meeting of Wizlaw and Eric III however.

It is known his first wife was Anna of Samogitia, whom was most likely a part of Karl III's treaties with the Lithuanian dukes (historians are divided as to her provenance as none of the female members of the Lithuanian ducal family are ever named). Anna was most probably pagan when she arrived in Memel to meet her husband for the first time but accepted baptism readily. After her death in 1261 John would marry twice more but his only known child and successor, John, was Anna's son.