Hemming Gadh
Encyclopedia
Hemming Gadh was a Swedish priest and politician. He was a staunch ally of Sten Sture
and a fierce opponent of Denmark
and the Kalmar Union
.
, Sweden
. He studied at the University of Rostock
.
In 1479 he became chancellor
and secretary for Henrik Tideman, bishop in the Diocese of Linköping. Hemming was later that year promoted to envoy
of Sture in Rome
.
He was a master in gaining well paid posts, which he did not take up, but rather sold for a good price. He did however choose to take up his new position when he, at the request of Sture, was elected as bishop
of the diocese
after his predecessor Tideman died in 1501. It has been suspected that either he or Sture might have killed Henrik as they both visited him at the time of his death.
His new post came to cause him problems as he did not manage to get the post confirmed by the pope
within the statuted three months. This had as a consequence the Spanish cardinal
Jacoubs Serra appointed as administrator. In 1506 Gadh was excommunicated
by the pope and in 1513 Hans Brask
gained the position as bishop.
He worked as a Swedish ambassador in Lübeck
between 1510 and 1512.
The Danes captured him in 1518. He was on Christian II's fleet to Stockholm
in 1520 and played a role in allowing the Danes entrance to the city. Afterwards he was taken to Raseborg Castle in Finland
where he was beheaded
on 16 December by order of Christian II.
Letters written by Hemming prove that he did not take the Ten Commandments
very seriously as he uses foul language and mentions visits to pubs and brothel
s. His lifestyle resulted in a rather negative profusion of rumours.
Sten Sture the Elder
Sten Sture the Elder was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden from .-Background:...
and a fierce opponent of Denmark
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...
and 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...
.
Biography
Hemming was born around 1450 in Hossmo, Kalmar CountyKalmar County
Kalmar County is a county or län in southern Sweden. It borders the counties of Kronoberg, Jönköping, Blekinge and Östergötland. To the east in the Baltic Sea is the island Gotland....
, Sweden
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....
. He studied at the University of Rostock
University of Rostock
The University of Rostock is the university of the city Rostock, in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.Founded in 1419, it is the oldest and largest university in continental northern Europe and the Baltic Sea area...
.
In 1479 he became chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
and secretary for Henrik Tideman, bishop in the Diocese of Linköping. Hemming was later that year promoted to envoy
Envoy (title)
In diplomacy, an Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary is, under the terms of the Congress of Vienna of 1815, a diplomat of the second class, ranking between an Ambassador and a Minister Resident....
of Sture in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
He was a master in gaining well paid posts, which he did not take up, but rather sold for a good price. He did however choose to take up his new position when he, at the request of Sture, was elected as bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
after his predecessor Tideman died in 1501. It has been suspected that either he or Sture might have killed Henrik as they both visited him at the time of his death.
His new post came to cause him problems as he did not manage to get the post confirmed by the pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
within the statuted three months. This had as a consequence the Spanish cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Jacoubs Serra appointed as administrator. In 1506 Gadh was excommunicated
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
by the pope and in 1513 Hans Brask
Hans Brask
-Biography:Brask was born in Linköping 1464 to a bourgeois family. He studied philosophy and law at German universities and around 1500 he received a doctoral degree in civil and canon law from Rome. Upon his return to Sweden he first worked as canon and was later, in 1505, appointed cathedral dean...
gained the position as bishop.
He worked as a Swedish ambassador in 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...
between 1510 and 1512.
The Danes captured him in 1518. He was on Christian II's fleet to 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...
in 1520 and played a role in allowing the Danes entrance to the city. Afterwards he was taken to Raseborg Castle in Finland
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...
where he was beheaded
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
on 16 December by order of Christian II.
Letters written by Hemming prove that he did not take the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
very seriously as he uses foul language and mentions visits to pubs and brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
s. His lifestyle resulted in a rather negative profusion of rumours.
Sources
- Wennerholm, Ove (1998). Vem var Bockstensmannen? Fjärås: Bokförlaget Carse. ISBN 91-971061-7-8}