the exception of Sten Eriksson Leijonhufvud, as well as another nobleman, killed. After this, the King left Uppsala. He was found some days later outside the city in a severe state, and taken to the capital, where he was left in the care of Karin Månsdotter. Catherine arrived to Uppsala the day of the murders. She was contacted by a delegation from the King headed by her uncle Sten Leijonhufvud and Hogenskild Bielke, recently also kept prisoners by the King, and asked to act as mediator between the King and the relatives of the murder victims. They escorted her to the capital, where she was given an audience with the King. This was to be the first audience with the King since the murders, and the royal court awaited her arrival, as no one had dared to come in the Kings presence since the Sture murders. When she entered the audience room, the King reportedly fell down on his knees before her and asked forgiveness for the murders. He gave her a written document giving her the authority to negotiate the settlement with the relatives of the murder victims, among them her aunt Martha Leijonhufvud. Through Catherine, Martha Leijonhufvud put forward her demands of a letter of protection against further persecution of the King; an official statement of the innocence of the murder victims; economic compensation and the arrest of the people truly responsible for the behavior of the monarch, which was regarded to be his adviser Jöran Persson. The King accepted all terms of the settlement, though he soon reinstated Persson. During the illness and convalescence of the King, the Kingdom was ruled by a regency council including the uncles of Catherine, Per Brahe the Elder and Sten Leijonhufvud. During this period, Catherine made several visits to the imprisoned brother of the King, Prince John in Uppsala. She was also present when Eric XIV visited his brother in October and in his confusion asked him if he was the King or not. She managed to arrange a form of reconciliation between the brothers, and had Prince John moved to Arboga, where he was guarded less strictly. Catherine is given credit for contributing to the recovery of the King's sanity later in that year. On 9 June 1568, Catherine was made god mother of the King's son by Karin Månsdotter, and carried him to his baptism. On 4 July 1568,