Christina Gyllenstierna - Danish Invasion

Danish Invasion

In 1520, Sven was killed in battle against Christian II of Denmark, and the Privy Council of Sweden submitted to Christian II.

Gyllenstierna took command of the Swedish forces and held out stoutly at Stockholm. The peasantry of central Sweden, roused by her patriotism, flew to arms and defeated the Danish invaders at Balundsås on March 19 and were only with the utmost difficulty finally defeated at the bloody battle of Uppsala, on April 6. Gyllenstierna was now elected "King" by ten councillors of state in Uppsala. which however never has been recognized officially.

In May the Danish fleet arrived, and Stockholm was besieged by land and sea. But Gyllenstierna resisted valiantly for four months longer. She surrendered on September 7 after great starvation and suffering in the city. She took care to exact beforehand an amnesty of the most explicit and absolute character for all acts of resistance to Denmark. King Christian promised, that "Everything from the past will be forgotten", that she would be granted the fief Tavastehus in Finland and that neither she nor her family would be punished.

During all this, Anna Eriksdotter (Bielke) defended and commanded the city of Kalmar in the same fashion.

Read more about this topic:  Christina Gyllenstierna

Famous quotes containing the word invasion:

    In our governments the real power lies in the majority of the community, and the invasion of private rights is chiefly to be apprehended, not from the acts of government contrary to the sense of the constituents, but from the acts in which government is the mere instrument of the majority.
    James Madison (1751–1836)