Editing Gustav Vasa (section)

==Resistance against Denmark==

===Supporting the Sture party===
Since the end of the 14th century, Sweden had been a part of the Kalmar Union with Denmark and Norway. The Danish dominance in this union occasionally led to uprisings in Sweden. During Gustav's childhood, parts of the Swedish nobility tried to make Sweden independent. Gustav and his father Erik supported the party of Sten Sture the Younger, regent of Sweden from 1512, and its struggle against King [[Christian II of Denmark]]. Following the [[battle of Brännkyrka]] in 1518, where Sten Sture's troops beat the Danish forces, it was decided that Sten Sture and King Christian would meet in [[Österhaninge]] for negotiations. To guarantee the safety of the king, the Swedish side sent six men as hostages to be kept by the Danes for as long as the negotiations lasted. However, Christian did not show up for the negotiations, violated the deal with the Swedish side and took the hostages aboard ships carrying them to [[Copenhagen]]. The six members of the kidnapped hostage were [[Hemming Gadh]], Lars Siggesson (Sparre), Jöran Siggesson (Sparre), Olof Ryning, Bengt Nilsson (Färla) – and Gustav Eriksson. Gustav was held in [[Kalø Castle]] where he was treated very well after promising he would not make attempts to escape. A reason for this gentle treatment was King Christian's hope to convince the six men to switch sides, and turn against their leader Sten Sture. This strategy was successful regarding all men but Gustav, who stayed loyal to the Sture party.<ref>Larsson 2005, pp. 38ff.</ref>
[[File:ChristianII of denmark.jpg|left|150px|thumb|[[Christian II of Denmark|Christian II]], Gustav Vasa's main antagonist]]
In 1519, Gustav Eriksson escaped from Kalø. He fled to the Hanseatic city of [[Lübeck]] where he arrived on 30 September. How he managed to escape is not certain, but according to a somewhat likely story, he disguised himself as a [[bullocky]]. For this, Gustav got the nicknames "King Oxtail" and "Gustav Cow Butt", something he indeed disliked. When a swordsman drank to His Majesty "Gustav Cow Butt" in Kalmar in 1547, the swordsman was killed.<ref>Larsson 2005, p. 42.</ref>

While staying in Lübeck, Gustav could hear about developments in his native Sweden. While he was there, Christian II mobilised to attack Sweden in an effort to seize power from Sten Sture and his supporters. In 1520, the forces of King Christian were triumphant. Sten Sture died in March, but some strongholds, including the Swedish capital Stockholm, were still able to withstand the Danish forces. Gustav left Lübeck on a ship, and was put ashore south of [[Kalmar]] on 31 May.<ref>Larsson 2005, pp. 43–45.</ref>

It seems Gustav stayed largely inactive during his first months back on Swedish soil. According to some sources, Gustav received an invitation to the coronation of Christian. This was to take place in the newly captured Stockholm in November. Even though King Christian had promised amnesty to his enemies within the Sture party, including Gustav Eriksson, the latter chose to decline the invitation. The coronation took place on 4 November and days of festivities in a friendly spirit followed. When the celebration had lasted a few days, the castle was locked and the former enemies of King Christian were imprisoned. Accusations against the old supporters of Sten Sture regarding heresy were brought forward. The following day the sentences were announced. During the Stockholm Bloodbath, close to 100 people were executed on [[Stortorget]], among them Gustav Eriksson's father, Erik Johansson, and uncle, [[Per Brahe the Elder|Joakim Brahe]]. Gustav himself was at the time staying at Räfsnäs, close to [[Gripsholm Castle]].<ref>Larsson 2005, pp. 45ff.</ref>
[[Image:King Gustav Vasa of Sweden Addressing Men from Dalarna in Mora (Johan Gustaf Sandberg) - Nationalmuseum - 19512.tif|right|200px|thumb|Gustav Eriksson addressing men from Dalarna in Mora. Painting by Johan Gustaf Sandberg.]]

===In Dalarna===
Gustav Eriksson had reasons to fear for his life and left Räfsnäs. He travelled to the province of [[Dalarna]], in what was then northwestern Sweden. What happened there has been described in Peder Svart's chronicle, which can be described as a strongly biased heroic tale about Gustav Eriksson. The Dalarna adventures of Gustav that could be described as a part of the national heritage of Sweden, can therefore not be verified in a satisfying way. He is supposed to have tried to gather troops among the peasantry in the province, but with little success initially. Being chased by men loyal to King Christian and failing at creating an army to challenge the king, Gustav Eriksson had no other alternative but to flee to Norway. While he made his way from [[Mora, Sweden|Mora]] via [[Lima, Sweden|Lima]] to Norway, people that had recently turned down Gustav's call for support against the king changed their minds. Representatives of that group caught up with Gustav before he had reached Norway and convinced him to follow them back to Mora. Gustav Eriksson's run towards Norway and back has formed the background to the famous cross-country ski race [[Vasaloppet]].<ref>Larsson 2005, pp. 52ff.</ref>

===Swedish War of Liberation===
{{main|Swedish War of Liberation}}
Gustav Eriksson was appointed ''hövitsman''. The rebel force he led grew. In February 1521 it consisted of 400 men, mainly from the area around [[Lake Siljan]]. The first significant conflict in the Dissolution of the Kalmar Union took place at Brunnbäck's Ferry in April, where a rebel army defeated an army loyal to the king. The sacking of the city of [[Västerås]] and with it controlling important copper and silver mines gave Gustav Vasa resources and supporters flocked to him. Other parts of Sweden, for example the [[Götaland]] provinces of [[Småland]] and [[Västergötland]], also saw rebellions. The leading noblemen of Götaland joined Gustav Eriksson's forces and, in [[Vadstena]] in August, they declared Gustav regent of Sweden.<ref>Larsson 2005, pp. 59ff.</ref>

The election of Gustav Eriksson as a regent made many Swedish nobles, who had so far stayed loyal to King Christian, switch sides. Some noblemen, still loyal to the king, chose to leave Sweden, while others were killed. As a result, the [[Privy Council of Sweden|Swedish Privy Council]] lost old members who were replaced by supporters of Gustav Eriksson. Most fortified cities and castles were conquered by Gustav's rebels, but the strongholds with the best defences, including Stockholm, were still under Danish control. In 1522, after negotiations between Gustav Eriksson's people and Lübeck, the Hanseatic city joined the war against Denmark. The winter of 1523 saw the joint forces attack the Danish and Norwegian areas of Scania, Halland, Blekinge and Bohuslän. During this winter, Christian II was overthrown and replaced by [[Frederick I of Denmark|Frederick I]]. The new king openly claimed the Swedish throne and had hopes Lübeck would abandon the Swedish rebels. The German city, preferring an independent Sweden to a strong Kalmar Union dominated by Denmark, took advantage of the situation and put pressure on the rebels. The city wanted privileges on future trade as well as guarantees regarding the loans they had granted the rebels. The Privy Council and Gustav Eriksson knew the support from Lübeck was absolutely crucial. As a response, the council decided to appoint Gustav Eriksson king.<ref>Larsson 2005, pp. 67ff.</ref>

====Election as king====
[[Image:RoggeborgenSträngnäs.JPG|right|150px|thumb|Roggeborgen, in Strängnäs, was a central location during the events when Gustav Eriksson was elected king of Sweden.]]

The ceremonial election of the regent Gustav Eriksson as king of Sweden took place when the leading men of Sweden got together in [[Strängnäs]] in June 1523.<ref name="Peterson2007">
{{cite book |last=Peterson |first=Gary Dean |title=Warrior Kings of Sweden: The Rise of an Empire in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CPJWfVPgFawC&pg=PA31|access-date=6 July 2013|date=1 January 2007|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-0-7864-2873-1|pages=31–}}</ref> 
When the councillors of Sweden had chosen Gustav as king, he met with the two visiting councillors of Lübeck. The German representatives supported the appointment without hesitation and declared it an act of God. Gustav stated he had to bow to what was described as the will of God. In a meeting with the Privy Council, Gustav Eriksson announced his decision to accept. In the following ceremony, led by the deacon of Strängnäs, [[Laurentius Andreae]], Gustav swore the royal oath. The next day, bishops and priests joined Gustav in Roggeborgen where Laurentius Andreae raised the holy sacrament above a kneeling Gustav Eriksson. Flanked by the councillors of Lübeck, Gustav Eriksson was brought to [[Strängnäs Cathedral]] where the king sat down in the [[Choir (architecture)|choir]] with the Swedish privy councillors on one side, and the Lübeck representatives on the other. After the hymn "[[Te Deum]]", Laurentius Andreae proclaimed Gustav Eriksson king of Sweden. He was, however, still not crowned. In 1983, in remembrance of the election of Gustav as Swedish king on 6 June, that date was declared the [[National Day of Sweden]].<ref>Larsson 2005, pp. 74ff.</ref>

[[Image:The Entry of King Gustav Vasa of Sweden into Stockholm, 1523 (Carl Larsson) - Nationalmuseum - 23935.tif|left|200px|thumb|''The Entry of King Gustav Vasa of Sweden into Stockholm'', 1523, by [[Carl Larsson]]]]

====The capture of Stockholm====
Shortly after the events of 1523 in Strängnäs, [[letters patent]] were issued to Lübeck and its allied Hanseatic cities, who now were freed from tolls when trading in Sweden. An agreement, designed by Lübeck negotiators, was made with the Danish defenders in Stockholm. On 17 June the rebels could enter the capital city. At [[Midsummer]], a grand entrance of king Gustav was arranged at Söderport, the southern gate of Stockholm. Celebrations followed, including a mass of thanksgiving in [[Storkyrkan]] (also known as Stockholm Cathedral) led by Peder Jakobsson. Gustav could now install himself in the [[Tre Kronor (castle)|Tre Kronor]] palace.<ref>Larsson 2005, pp. 76ff.</ref>

====The war ends====
Bailiffs, still loyal to Christian II, were still holding castles in [[Finland]], a part of Sweden at the time. During the summer and fall of 1523 they all surrendered.<ref>Larsson 2005, p. 98.</ref> The next year, on 24 August 1524, Gustav arrived in Malmö in order to reach a settlement with King Frederick of Denmark-Norway. The [[Treaty of Malmö]] (in Swedish: ''Malmö recess'') had both positive and negative sides to it, from King Gustav's perspective. The treaty meant that Denmark-Norway acknowledged the independence of Sweden. The hopes Gustav had carried of winning further provinces (Gotland and Blekinge) were however scuttled. The treaty marked the end of the Swedish War of Liberation.<ref>Larsson 2005, p. 108.</ref>