Battle of Brunkeberg
Encyclopedia
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
.
had been elected as viceroy of Sweden by the Privy Council
. Advocating Swedish secession
from the Kalmar Union
, Herr Sten as he was known, had garnered large support. In particular his followers were to be found among the peasantry, in Stockholm
and in the Bergslagen
mining region. The latter region's trading with German
cities such as Lübeck
often found themselves in conflict with Union's Danish foreign policy. In later times the battle was often recast for propaganda reasons as a national war of liberation against Danish oppressors. In reality, most combatants on both sides were Swedish and the roots of the conflict were primarily economic and political interests.
In response to the election of Sture, Christian I sailed to Sweden with a military force, intending to unseat him as viceroy (riksföreståndare) of Sweden. Mooring his ships off Skeppsholmen
in Stockholm, he set up camp on Brunkebergsåsen
, a ridge a short distance north of Stockholm (at the time Stockholm was restricted to the island containing the Old Town
).
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 catch 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.
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. 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 in a victory for Sten Sture.
before the battle. He later paid tribute to Saint 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 Saint George was also built in the church.
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....
regent Sten Sture the Elder
Sten Sture the Elder
Sten Sture the Elder was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden from .-Background:...
and forces led by Danish
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...
king Christian I
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...
.
Background
In May of 1471, Sten Sture the ElderSten Sture the Elder
Sten Sture the Elder was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden from .-Background:...
had been elected as viceroy of Sweden by the Privy Council
Privy Council of Sweden
The High Council of Sweden or Council of the Realm consisted originally of those men of noble, common and clergical background, that the king saw fit for advisory service...
. Advocating Swedish secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
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...
, Herr Sten as he was known, had garnered large support. In particular his followers were to be found among the peasantry, in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
and in the Bergslagen
Bergslagen
Bergslagen is a historically, culturally, and linguistically distinct mining district located north of Lake Mälaren in northern Svealand, Sweden. In Bergslagen mining and metallurgic industry have been important since the Middle Ages...
mining region. The latter region's trading with German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
cities such as 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...
often found themselves in conflict with Union's Danish foreign policy. In later times the battle was often recast for propaganda reasons as a national war of liberation against Danish oppressors. In reality, most combatants on both sides were Swedish and the roots of the conflict were primarily economic and political interests.
In response to the election of Sture, Christian I sailed to Sweden with a military force, intending to unseat him as viceroy (riksföreståndare) of Sweden. Mooring his ships off Skeppsholmen
Skeppsholmen
Skeppsholmen is one of the islands of Stockholm. It is connected with Blasieholmen and Kastellholmen by bridges. Positioned strategically at the Baltic Sea entrance to Stockholm, it has traditionally been the location of several military buildings...
in Stockholm, he set up camp on Brunkebergsåsen
Brunkebergsåsen
Brunkebergsåsen was an esker that once reached over much of Stockholm's Norrmalm district. Geologically, it is a part of the much larger Stockholmsåsen. It formed a considerable obstacle to traffic, effectively dividing Norrmalm into a western and an eastern part. Consequently, most of it has been...
, a ridge a short distance north of Stockholm (at the time Stockholm was restricted to the island containing the Old Town
Gamla stan
Gamla stan , until 1980 officially Staden mellan broarna , is the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Gamla stan consists primarily of the island Stadsholmen. The surrounding islets Riddarholmen, Helgeandsholmen, and Strömsborg are officially part of, but not colloquially included in, Gamla stan...
).
The battle
On Thursday, October 10, Sten Sture and Nils Bossom StureNils 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 catch 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.
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. 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 in a victory for Sten Sture.
Aftermath
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 GeorgeSaint 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 Saint 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 Saint George was also built in the church.