Editing Sigismund III Vasa (section)

==War in Sweden==
{{main|War against Sigismund}}
{{see also|Cudgel War|Battle of Stångebro}}

===Tensions===
[[File:Karl IX, 1550-1611, duke and king of Sweden. Eskilstuna stadsmuseum, Eskilstuna, Sweden.jpg|thumb|right|180px|alt=Full body painting of Karl IX (Charles IX), King of Sweden|[[Charles IX of Sweden|Charles of Sweden, Sigismund's uncle]], who waged war against Sigismund and Poland for the Swedish crown.]]

The [[Uppsala Resolution of 1594]] dictated the rights and securities of Protestants in Sweden; it promised to uphold the Lutheran faith in the country, forbade non-Lutherans from being appointed to office or participating in the educational system and prevented Sigismund from freely raising taxes for war.<ref name="Peterson 2014 102">{{Harvnb|Peterson|2014|p=102}}</ref> However, the resolution was undermined whenever possible.<ref name="Peterson 2014 102"/> With military backing, Sigismund installed his own commanders in Swedish castles and made them responsible directly to him.<ref name="Peterson 2014 102"/> He established the office of regional governor (''ståthållare'') and appointed Charles' lifelong enemy, [[Klaus Fleming]], as the overlord of [[Finland under Swedish rule|Finland]].<ref name="Peterson 2014 102"/> The governors served notice that they would abstain from persecuting Catholicism in their administered territories.<ref name="Peterson 2014 102"/> [[Erik Brahe (1552–1614)|Erik Brahe]], a Roman Catholic, became the governor of Sweden's capital city, [[Stockholm]], in defiance of the 1594 charter which sparked widespread anger.<ref name="Peterson 2014 102"/>

On 4 August 1594, Sigismund decreed that the Swedish parliament (''[[Riksdag of the Estates|Riksdag]]'') had no right to function without royal consent.<ref name="Peterson 2014 103">{{Harvnb|Peterson|2014|p=103}}</ref> Despite this, Charles summoned a parliament at [[Söderköping]] in autumn of 1595,<ref>{{Harvnb|Koskinen|2016|p=72}}</ref> at which he declared himself [[regent]] and head of government, who would govern Sweden reciprocally with the [[Privy Council of Sweden|Privy Council]] during the King's absence from the realm.<ref name="Peterson 2014 103"/> The Finnish nobility led by Fleming rejected this resolution and so did Sigismund's emissary who ordered him, in the name of the king, to resign.<ref name="Peterson 2014 104">{{Harvnb|Peterson|2014|p=104}}</ref> Fleming sympathised with Sigismund and considered Charles a rebel.<ref name="Peterson 2014 104"/> In response, Charles instigated a brief revolt against Fleming among the peasants under [[Jaakko Ilkka]] in the province of [[Ostrobothnia (historical province)|Ostrobothnia]], known today as the [[Cudgel War]].<ref name="Peterson 2014 104"/>

As outlined by historian Gary Dean Peterson, Fleming might have quelled the rebellion but it was Charles who took advantage of the brutality of Fleming's men and started a successful propaganda war.<ref name="Peterson 2014 104"/> The prospects of Polish and Catholic domination over Sweden became uncertain when [[Klaus Fleming]] died on 13 April 1597.<ref name="Peterson 2014 104"/> He was succeeded by [[Arvid Stålarm the Younger]], who did not accede to Swedish demands and awaited Charles' intervention in Finland.<ref name="Peterson 2014 104"/> Meanwhile, the nobility dispersed; {{ill|Erik Gustafsson Stenbock|sv|Erik Gustafsson (Stenbock)|vertical-align=sup}}, {{ill|Arvid Gustafsson Stenbock|sv|Arvid Gustafsson (Stenbock)|vertical-align=sup}}, [[Erik Sparre]], [[Erik Brahe (1552–1614)|Erik Brahe]] and {{ill|Sten Banér|sv|vertical-align=sup}} fled to entreat Sigismund to return and counter Charles.<ref name="Peterson 2014 104"/>

===Civil war===

[[File:Sigismund at horse.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Equestrian portrait of King Sigismund by [[Peter Paul Rubens]]]]

In 1597, a civil war erupted<ref>{{Harvnb|Larned|Reiley|1895|p=2821}}</ref> and Duke Charles was able to assume control over a large share of the powerful castles in Sweden, and in this manner achieved control over almost all the realm.<ref name="Geijer 1845 193">{{Harvnb|Geijer|1845|p=193}}</ref> However, Finland remained loyal to Sigismund and resisted. In September 1597, he sailed for the Finnish coast and seized [[Turku Castle|Åbo Castle]] from Fleming's widow, [[Ebba Stenbock]], by the end of the month.<ref name="Geijer 1845 193"/><ref name="Peterson 2014 104"/> Charles's troops were not prepared nor strong enough to conquer or hold Finland in its entirety – they sailed back to Stockholm in October and Stålarm retook Åbo the same year.<ref name="Peterson 2014 104"/>

As noted by envoys, several high-ranking noblemen fighting for Sigismund's cause were instantaneously sent to the [[Scaffold (execution site)|scaffold]].<ref name="Geijer 1845 193"/> Further tensions and escalation of violence as well as Charles's unpredictable stance persuaded Sigismund to intervene.<ref name="Geijer 1845 193"/> [[Christian IV of Denmark]] agreed to cooperate but would not join the armed conflict.<ref name="Peterson 2014 105">{{Harvnb|Peterson|2014|p=105}}</ref> The major seaports of [[Danzig]] (Gdańsk), [[Lübeck]] and [[Rostock]] were pressured to sever trade with Sweden.<ref name="Peterson 2014 105"/> Polish [[privateers]] began to violently attack Swedish vessels in the Baltic.<ref name="Peterson 2014 105"/> By February 1598 Sigismund assembled an army consisting of approximately 5,000 men.<ref name="Geijer 1845 194">{{Harvnb|Geijer|1845|p=194}}</ref> On 23 July 1598 the army left Danzig (Gdańsk) with eighty transports, several warships and exiled members of the Swedish parliament.<ref name="Peterson 2014 105"/> Eight days later they landed in [[Kalmar]], which surrendered without a fight.<ref name="Peterson 2014 105"/>

After the fall of Kalmar, Charles found himself with major trouble on his hands; the [[Military of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth|Polish Crown army]] attracted Swedish followers, and Stockholm, lacking military defence, was easily taken with the help of the nobility and officers of [[Götaland]].<ref name="Peterson 2014 105"/> The cavalry of [[Uppland]] soon joined the royalists, and new forces were mobilised in Finland and Estonia.<ref name="Peterson 2014 105"/> Charles' troops were greater in numbers, but mostly comprised poorly-trained militias and peasants from the friendly provinces.<ref name="Geijer 1845 193"/>

[[File:Linköpings slott - KMB - 16001000025408.jpg|thumb|right|180px|alt=Courtyard of Linköping Castle|[[Linköping Castle]] where Sigismund met with Charles to discuss the future of the Swedish monarchy.]]

Sigismund advanced his troops towards Stångebro in [[Linköping]] where his sister [[Anna Vasa of Sweden|Anna Vasa]] resided.<ref name="Peterson 2014 105"/> On 8 September Charles executed a premature attack on Stångebro which was quickly repelled; his force was surrounded in the night and massacred by the Poles.<ref name="Peterson 2014 105"/><ref name="Geijer 1845 194"/> Severed heads on lances and spikes startled Sigismund who ordered an end to the violence.<ref name="Geijer 1845 194"/> The supposed truce did not come into effect, and, on the morning of 25 September, the armies clashed once more in a major engagement at the [[Battle of Stångebro]]. The prevailing [[fog]] was instrumental at hiding troop movement; the Swedish rebels used the opportunity to take the bridges on the river [[Stångån]] when Sigismund's men were falsely led into a truce and retreated to their camp.<ref name="Peterson 2014 106">{{Harvnb|Peterson|2014|p=106}}</ref> Their attempt to regroup and form a second defensive line proved futile and Charles emerged victorious as the Polish army was also cut off from supplies by superior [[Military of the Swedish Empire#Navy|Swedish warships]].<ref name="Peterson 2014 106"/>

===Aftermath and deposition===

The peace agreement was sealed with a dinner at [[Linköping Castle]] on 28 September.<ref name="Geijer 1845 195">{{Harvnb|Geijer|1845|p=195}}</ref> Both sides agreed to lay down arms and send the troops back to their home provinces, except for the King's personal guard.<ref name="Geijer 1845 195"/> Charles' appointments were to be recognized and a parliament was to be called to settle any disputes.<ref name="Geijer 1845 195"/> The King, who was under pressure, fearing for his life without his army and having realised that he had lost the political battle, fled with his sister during the coming days to Poland.<ref name="Geijer 1845 195"/> At the same time as the peace treaty was being signed in Linköping, conflicts were taking place in [[Dalarna]].<ref name="Roberts 1953 121">{{Harvnb|Roberts|1953|p=121}}</ref> There, a pro-Sigismund bailiff, {{ill|Jacob Näf|sv|vertical-align=sup}}, had tried to raise up the [[Dalecarlian]]s against Duke Charles.<ref name="Roberts 1953 121"/> Chaos ensued, Näf was executed, and the Dalecarlians set out on a campaign in 1598, burning and killing down to Brunnbäck ferry. In [[Västergötland]], [[Carl Carlsson Gyllenhielm]], illegitimate son of Duke Charles, defeated the rebellion.<ref name="Roberts 1953 121"/> A number of Swedes who had sided with Sigismund, including his council supporters, were handed over to Charles as part of the peace settlement.<ref name="Geijer 1845 195"/> They were later killed in the [[Linköping Bloodbath]] of 1600.<ref name="Peterson 2014 106"/>

Sigismund was officially deposed from the throne of Sweden by a Riksdag held in Stockholm on 24 July 1599.<ref name="Peterson 2014 107">{{Harvnb|Peterson|2014|p=107}}</ref> He was given six<ref name="Geijer 1845 195"/> (or twelve depending on source)<ref name="Peterson 2014 107"/> months to send his son, Prince [[Władysław IV Vasa|Ladislaus (Władysław) Vasa]], to Sweden as his successor, under the condition that the boy would be brought up in the Protestant faith.<ref name="Geijer 1845 195"/> In February 1600, Duke Charles summoned the [[Estates of the Realm]] to [[Linköping]].<ref name="Peterson 2014 107"/> Since Sigismund had not provided a reply, the Estates elected Duke Charles as King apparent, however he would not become Charles IX until his coronation four years later.<ref name="Peterson 2014 107"/> During the winter and spring of 1600, Charles also occupied the Swedish part of Estonia, as the castle commanders had shown sympathies towards Sigismund.<ref name="Peterson 2014 107"/>