Cudgel War
Encyclopedia
The Club War was a 1596/97 peasant uprising in the kingdom of Sweden against exploitation by nobility and military in what is today Finland
. The name of the uprising derives from the fact that the peasants armed themselves with various blunt weapons, such as cudgels, flail
s and maces, as they were seen as the most efficient weapons against the heavily armoured enemies. The yeomen also had swords, some firearms and two cannon at their disposal. Their opponents, the troops of Clas Eriksson Fleming
, were professional, heavily armed and armoured men-at-arms.
Manor and won several skirmishes against small cavalry forces, but were decisively defeated by Clas Fleming
on January 1–2, 1597. A field battle had ensued at Nokia, which ended indecisively; the men-at-arms could not break the fortified positions of the yeomen nor could the yeomen defeat the men-at-arms at open. Clas Fleming then attempted a stratagem, promising the yeomen to leave their positions should they give their leaders up to Fleming. They yeomen obliged. Once they had surrendered their leaders, Clas Fleming ordered an all-out assault against the yeomen, who had left their positions. The yeomen were massacred in heaps. Their commander-in-chief, Jaakko Ilkka
managed to flee, but was captured a few weeks later and beheaded with four other yeoman leaders at church of Ilmajoki. A second wave of insurgents suffered a decisive loss at Ilmajoki
in the Battle of Santavuori on February 24. In total almost 3000 people died in the rebellion.
The insurgents were mostly Finnish peasants from Ostrobothnia, Northern Tavastia, and Savo. Tired of the hardships of the Russo-Swedish War of 1590–1595, they were disappointed to find out that they were still required to provide food, transport, and lodging for a sizable army even after the Treaty of Tyavzino
. The insurgents also complained that soldiers abused the system of taxation by taking by force more than to which they were legally entitled. The events can also be seen as a part of a larger power struggle between King Sigismund, whom Fleming powerfully supported, and Duke Charles
, who expressed sympathy for the peasants' cause but was unable to intervene militarily.
Yrjö Sakari Yrjö-Koskinen
saw the peasants as fighting for freedom and justice. Albert Edelfelt
's Poltettu kylä (1879) depicts a woman, a child, and an old man hiding behind a rock as a village burns in the background. The poet Kaarlo Kramsu praised the insurgents and lamented their defeat in patriotic poems such as Ilkka, Hannu Krankka, and Santavuoren tappelu, published in Runoelmia (1887). After the Finnish Civil War
, the debate has centered around an interpretation that emphasizes Duke Charles's role in inciting the revolt, as found in Pentti Renvall's Kuninkaanmiehiä ja kapinoitsijoita Vaasa-kauden Suomessa (1949); and an explanation that stresses the roots of the rebellion in class conflict, as argued by Heikki Ylikangas in Nuijasota (1977).
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...
. The name of the uprising derives from the fact that the peasants armed themselves with various blunt weapons, such as cudgels, flail
Flail
A flail is an agricultural implement for threshing.Several tools operate similarly to the agricultural implement and are also called flails:...
s and maces, as they were seen as the most efficient weapons against the heavily armoured enemies. The yeomen also had swords, some firearms and two cannon at their disposal. Their opponents, the troops of Clas Eriksson Fleming
Klaus Fleming
Baron Clas Eriksson Fleming was a Finnish-born member of the Swedish nobility and admiral, who played an important role in Finnish and Swedish history during the rise of Sweden as a Great Power...
, were professional, heavily armed and armoured men-at-arms.
War
The peasants took up residence in NokiaNokia, Finland
Nokia, Finland is a town and a municipality on the banks of the Nokianvirta River in the region of Pirkanmaa, some west of Tampere. As of it has a population of .-History:...
Manor and won several skirmishes against small cavalry forces, but were decisively defeated by Clas Fleming
Klaus Fleming
Baron Clas Eriksson Fleming was a Finnish-born member of the Swedish nobility and admiral, who played an important role in Finnish and Swedish history during the rise of Sweden as a Great Power...
on January 1–2, 1597. A field battle had ensued at Nokia, which ended indecisively; the men-at-arms could not break the fortified positions of the yeomen nor could the yeomen defeat the men-at-arms at open. Clas Fleming then attempted a stratagem, promising the yeomen to leave their positions should they give their leaders up to Fleming. They yeomen obliged. Once they had surrendered their leaders, Clas Fleming ordered an all-out assault against the yeomen, who had left their positions. The yeomen were massacred in heaps. Their commander-in-chief, Jaakko Ilkka
Jaakko Ilkka
Jaakko Pentinpoika Ilkka was a Finnish yeoman and trader. He is remembered for leading the Cudgel War of 1596; at its end, and the peasants' defeat on January 1–2, 1597, he escaped, but was soon recaptured and executed for his part in the fighting.Ilkka was the subject of an opera by Jorma...
managed to flee, but was captured a few weeks later and beheaded with four other yeoman leaders at church of Ilmajoki. A second wave of insurgents suffered a decisive loss at Ilmajoki
Ilmajoki
Ilmajoki is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southern Ostrobothnia region. The population of Ilmajoki is and the municipality covers an area of of which is inland water...
in the Battle of Santavuori on February 24. In total almost 3000 people died in the rebellion.
The insurgents were mostly Finnish peasants from Ostrobothnia, Northern Tavastia, and Savo. Tired of the hardships of the Russo-Swedish War of 1590–1595, they were disappointed to find out that they were still required to provide food, transport, and lodging for a sizable army even after the Treaty of Tyavzino
Treaty of Tyavzino
The Treaty of Teusina, Tyavzin or Tyavzino , also known as the Eternal Peace with Sweden in Russia, was concluded by Russian diplomats under boyar Afanasiy Pushkin and ambassadors of the Swedish king at the village of Tyavzino in Ingria on May 18, 1595 to end the Russo-Swedish War between the...
. The insurgents also complained that soldiers abused the system of taxation by taking by force more than to which they were legally entitled. The events can also be seen as a part of a larger power struggle between King Sigismund, whom Fleming powerfully supported, and Duke Charles
Charles IX of Sweden
Charles IX of Sweden also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1604 until his death. He was the youngest son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife, Margaret Leijonhufvud, brother of Eric XIV and John III of Sweden, and uncle of Sigismund III Vasa king of both Sweden and Poland...
, who expressed sympathy for the peasants' cause but was unable to intervene militarily.
Legacy
In his groundbreaking work Nuijasota, sen syyt ja tapaukset (1857–1859), historian and prominent fennomanFennoman
The Fennomans were the most important political movement in the 19th century Grand Principality of Finland. They succeeded the fennophile interests of the 18th and early 19th century.-History:...
Yrjö Sakari Yrjö-Koskinen
Yrjö Sakari Yrjö-Koskinen
Baron Yrjö Sakari Yrjö-Koskinen was a freiherr, senator, professor, historian, politician and the chairman of the Finnish Party after Johan Vilhelm Snellman. He was a central figure in the fennoman movement...
saw the peasants as fighting for freedom and justice. Albert Edelfelt
Albert Edelfelt
Albert Gustaf Aristides Edelfelt was a Swedish-speaking Finnish painter.Albert Edelfelt was born in Porvoo, Finland. His father Carl Albert was an architect. Edelfelt admired the poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg, who was a friend of the family...
's Poltettu kylä (1879) depicts a woman, a child, and an old man hiding behind a rock as a village burns in the background. The poet Kaarlo Kramsu praised the insurgents and lamented their defeat in patriotic poems such as Ilkka, Hannu Krankka, and Santavuoren tappelu, published in Runoelmia (1887). After the Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War
The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...
, the debate has centered around an interpretation that emphasizes Duke Charles's role in inciting the revolt, as found in Pentti Renvall's Kuninkaanmiehiä ja kapinoitsijoita Vaasa-kauden Suomessa (1949); and an explanation that stresses the roots of the rebellion in class conflict, as argued by Heikki Ylikangas in Nuijasota (1977).