Dano-Swedish War (1470–1471)
Encyclopedia
The Dano-Swedish War was the first war between Denmark
and Sweden
. The Danes invaded Sweden by sea, but were defeated early at the Battle of Brunkeberg
, in which King Christian I of Denmark
was wounded by a cannon ball. The Danish invasion was repelled, and the Swedes were independent from the Kalmar Union
.
created the Kalmar Union
(Finland
, Denmark
, Norway
, and Sweden
) under her rule. Sweden soon wanted out. Sten Sture
proposed the Swedish Empire, which included Sweden
and Finland
, and himself as the ruler. Christian I of Denmark
saw the formation of Sweden a threat to his legitimate rulership of Sweden, and decided to use the formation of Sweden as an excuse to wrest it back.
harbor to land in southern Sweden. Sture and Nils Bossom Sture
went to central Sweden to gather as much men they could for the defense of Stockholm. The Danish fleet would have to face the murderous flow of the archipelago that blocked off Stockholm, but managed, possibly with the help of a hired Swedish pilot, to anchor between Käpplingeholm and Wolf's Island (Vargö) just across the water from Stockholm Castle
. Christian decided that a siege would take too long, so he landed in southern Sweden instead. Sten Sture awaited the Danes, now with 10,000 levied peasants.
_mlning_av_georg_von_rosen.jpg)
On Thursday, October 10, Sten Sture and Nils Bossom Sture
lead their troops north to the area which is Hötorget
in Stockholm today, near Brunkeberg after which the battle was named. Sten Sture's battle plan was to trap Christian's troops in a vice; Sten would attack from the west, Nils from the east, and Knut Posse
would strike out from the city itself.
Nils flanked Christian's Army, and delivered a knockout blow. In Sten's sector, he kept on charging again and again, and managed to break through. In the ensuing battle, Christian was hit in the face by musket fire. Losing several teeth, he was forced to retire from battle. The decisive turn of battle in favor of Sture's side occurred when Nils' troops broke out of the forest north of the ridge, as Posse's troops attacked from the city. This cut off a contingent of Danish troops at the Klara monastery north of the town. Posse was killed when a German or Danish soldier hit his head with an axe. However, the Danish were in retreat. Christian retired with his troops towards the island of Käpplingen (today the Blasieholmen peninsula). However, Sten's troops destroyed the makeshift bridge Christian's troops had built, causing many to drown. The battle ended a victory for Sten Sture.
Sture's victory over Christian meant his power as viceroy of Sweden was secure and would remain so for the rest of his life. According to legend, Sture had prayed to Saint George
before the battle. He later paid tribute to George by commissioning a statue of Saint George and the Dragon
carved by the Lübeck
sculptor Bernt Notke
for the Storkyrkan
church in Stockholm, as an obvious allegory of Sture's battle against Christian. An altar dedicated to George was also built in the church.
, and Sweden had become ruler of Finland and Sweden. Christian's Denmark still held Iceland, Denmark, and Norway after the war. The two nations that were formed were Sweden
and Denmark–Norway
. Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scotland died in 1486, Christian in 1481, and Sture in 1503.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The Danes invaded Sweden by sea, but were defeated early at the Battle of Brunkeberg
Battle of Brunkeberg
The Battle of Brunkeberg was fought on October 10, 1471 between the Swedish regent Sten Sture the Elder and forces led by Danish king Christian I.-Background:...
, in which King Christian I of Denmark
Christian I of Denmark
Christian I was a Danish monarch, king of Denmark , Norway and Sweden , under the Kalmar Union. In Sweden his short tenure as monarch was preceded by regents, Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna and Erik Axelsson Tott and succeeded by regent Kettil Karlsson Vasa...
was wounded by a cannon ball. The Danish invasion was repelled, and the Swedes were independent from the Kalmar Union
Kalmar Union
The Kalmar Union is a historiographical term meaning a series of personal unions that united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway , and Sweden under a single monarch, though intermittently and with a population...
.
Background
Queen Margaret I of DenmarkMargaret I of Denmark
Margaret I was Queen of Denmark, Norway and Sweden and founder of the Kalmar Union, which united the Scandinavian countries for over a century. Although she acted as queen regnant, the laws of contemporary Danish succession denied her formal queenship. Her title in Denmark was derived from her...
created the Kalmar Union
Kalmar Union
The Kalmar Union is a historiographical term meaning a series of personal unions that united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway , and Sweden under a single monarch, though intermittently and with a population...
(Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
) under her rule. Sweden soon wanted out. Sten Sture
Sten Sture the Elder
Sten Sture the Elder was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden from .-Background:...
proposed the Swedish Empire, which included Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, and himself as the ruler. Christian I of Denmark
Christian I of Denmark
Christian I was a Danish monarch, king of Denmark , Norway and Sweden , under the Kalmar Union. In Sweden his short tenure as monarch was preceded by regents, Jöns Bengtsson Oxenstierna and Erik Axelsson Tott and succeeded by regent Kettil Karlsson Vasa...
saw the formation of Sweden a threat to his legitimate rulership of Sweden, and decided to use the formation of Sweden as an excuse to wrest it back.
The Campaign
King Christian I had 3 000 Danish troops and 2,000 allied Germans. Sture had only about 400 troops in his army, and the Danish could easily pick a fight. In late July 1471, the fleet of 76 Danish Ships with the 5,000 troops set out from CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
harbor to land in southern Sweden. Sture and Nils Bossom Sture
Nils Bossom Sture
Nils Bossom Sture was a Swedish noble and supporter of Sten Sture's reign as King of Sweden. He is famous for his flanking movement to surprise King Christian I of Denmark's army at the Battle of Brunkeberg in 1471...
went to central Sweden to gather as much men they could for the defense of Stockholm. The Danish fleet would have to face the murderous flow of the archipelago that blocked off Stockholm, but managed, possibly with the help of a hired Swedish pilot, to anchor between Käpplingeholm and Wolf's Island (Vargö) just across the water from Stockholm Castle
Tre kronor (castle)
Tre Kronor or Three Crowns was a castle located in Stockholm, Sweden, on the site where Stockholm Palace is today. It is believed to have been a citadel that Birger Jarl built into a royal castle in the middle of the 13th century...
. Christian decided that a siege would take too long, so he landed in southern Sweden instead. Sten Sture awaited the Danes, now with 10,000 levied peasants.
The Battle of Brunkeberg
Nils Bossom Sture
Nils Bossom Sture was a Swedish noble and supporter of Sten Sture's reign as King of Sweden. He is famous for his flanking movement to surprise King Christian I of Denmark's army at the Battle of Brunkeberg in 1471...
lead their troops north to the area which is Hötorget
Hötorget
Hötorget is a city square in the center of Stockholm. During the daytime it is the site of a fruit and vegetable market, except on Sundays, when flea markets are arranged....
in Stockholm today, near Brunkeberg after which the battle was named. Sten Sture's battle plan was to trap Christian's troops in a vice; Sten would attack from the west, Nils from the east, and Knut Posse
Knut Posse
Knut Jönsson Posse was a Swedish general remembered for his surprise attack on the Danish Army at the Battle of Brunkeberg . Some sources claim the wounds were mortal, but he lived until March 25, 1500.- Military career :...
would strike out from the city itself.
Nils flanked Christian's Army, and delivered a knockout blow. In Sten's sector, he kept on charging again and again, and managed to break through. In the ensuing battle, Christian was hit in the face by musket fire. Losing several teeth, he was forced to retire from battle. The decisive turn of battle in favor of Sture's side occurred when Nils' troops broke out of the forest north of the ridge, as Posse's troops attacked from the city. This cut off a contingent of Danish troops at the Klara monastery north of the town. Posse was killed when a German or Danish soldier hit his head with an axe. However, the Danish were in retreat. Christian retired with his troops towards the island of Käpplingen (today the Blasieholmen peninsula). However, Sten's troops destroyed the makeshift bridge Christian's troops had built, causing many to drown. The battle ended a victory for Sten Sture.
Sture's victory over Christian meant his power as viceroy of Sweden was secure and would remain so for the rest of his life. According to legend, Sture had prayed to Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
before the battle. He later paid tribute to George by commissioning a statue of Saint George and the Dragon
Saint George and the Dragon
The episode of Saint George and the Dragon appended to the hagiography of Saint George was Eastern in origin, brought back with the Crusaders and retold with the courtly appurtenances belonging to the genre of Romance...
carved by the Lübeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
sculptor Bernt Notke
Bernt Notke
' was the most important German painter and sculptor in Northern Europe in his times....
for the Storkyrkan
Storkyrkan
Sankt Nikolai kyrka , most commonly known as Storkyrkan and Stockholms domkyrka , is the oldest church in Gamla Stan, the old town in central Stockholm, Sweden. It is an important example of Swedish Brick Gothic...
church in Stockholm, as an obvious allegory of Sture's battle against Christian. An altar dedicated to George was also built in the church.
Aftermath
Now that Christian's invasion was beaten off, Sture had cemented Swedish freedom. He had defeated the Kalmar UnionKalmar Union
The Kalmar Union is a historiographical term meaning a series of personal unions that united the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway , and Sweden under a single monarch, though intermittently and with a population...
, and Sweden had become ruler of Finland and Sweden. Christian's Denmark still held Iceland, Denmark, and Norway after the war. The two nations that were formed were Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Denmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway is the historiographical name for a former political entity consisting of the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway, including the originally Norwegian dependencies of Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands...
. Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scotland died in 1486, Christian in 1481, and Sture in 1503.