Sten Sture's Great Victory Over The Danes

Historical tales have much to do with war and bloodshed, with rides and

raids, with schemes and stratagems, with plunder and piracy, and with

outrage and oppression. These are the things to which historians give the

most space in their pages and which many readers find fullest of interest

and excitement. In the present tale we have to do wholly with scenes of

war, for we propose to tell the story of one of the most remarkable

battles ever fought on Swedish soil.



This is what led to it. After the death of Charles VIII. and the

appointment of Sten Sture as administrator of the kingdom, Christian I.

of Denmark, whom the brave Sture had driven away with his army, fancied

that the way was open to him again, and that Sweden, without a king, was

a ripe plum ready to drop into his mouth. He was to find it a sour plum,

for in Sten Sture he had to deal with a man of notable ability, just and

upright in his dealings, wise and prudent in government, and brave and

skilful in war. He was a man who did not swear to keep his word, but who

never broke it. "I promise by my three water-lilies" (the arms of the

Stures) was his form of affirmation, but this simple promise was more to

be trusted than the solemn oaths of many kings and potentates. The

people loved and trusted him, and on the 1st of May, 1471, the late

king's appointment was confirmed at a general diet of the people, which

accepted him by acclamation as the administrator and captain-general of

the realm.



He soon had work cut out for him. Christian of Denmark equipped a great

fleet and sailed to Stockholm, where he anchored in the harbor and opened

negotiations with the Swedish senate, then the great source of power in

the land. He promised to govern the kingdom in the way they might decide

upon and be to them a mild and merciful father. While some of them were

seduced by his specious promises, the majority had no fancy to make him

their "father." But they made a truce with him until the matter could be

decided, the Danes being allowed to buy provisions in the town, and on

their side selling salt to the citizens, this being at that time very

scarce in Stockholm.



Thus matters went on for seven weeks, at the end of which time Christian

concluded that the Swedes were playing with him, seeking to spin out the

time until all his provisions would be consumed and winter with its

storms would be at hand to destroy his fleet. As it began to appear that

nothing was to be gained by peace, he resolved to try the effect of war,

and on the 1st of September landed his army and laid his plans to besiege

the city.



His camp was pitched on the hill of Brunkenberg, near the city,

connection being made with the fleet by a strong bridge built from the

shore to an island in the harbor. Bulwarks and ramparts of earth were

thrown up on the side next the town, and were mounted with cannon, with

which he soon opened a bombardment. He enticed some of the Swedish

peasants into his camp by promise of an abundance of salt, but his main

army consisted of the Danish nobles and their troops and of German and

Scottish soldiers of fortune, brave, stout, able warriors who exercised

themselves daily in military sports and led a merry and careless life in

camp, heedless of everything except pay and plunder.



When the proud Danish king was told that Sture was collecting an army of

peasants with which to fight him, he sneeringly said:



"Herr Sten sneaks along ditches and dikes, but I shall punish my little

gentleman with the rod like a child, and teach him to keep himself

quiet."



Threats were also made by the foreign mercenaries against the citizens,

but these only served to rouse their anger and make them more resolute in

the defence of the city.



As for Herr Sten, he went on raising troops and driving out the Danes

whom he found infesting the seaboard lands, not marching towards the city

until he had got rid of all hostility in his rear. On his march he was

met by his brave cousin, Nils Sture, with an army of the bold Dalmen of

the north, and the united armies marched on to Jerfva, in the vicinity of

the beleaguered city.



From this point Sture wrote to King Christian, offering him safe passage

home, if he would leave Sweden without the need of blows; but he only

roused the wrath of the king, who loudly swore:



"By God's five wounds, I have not gone to so much trouble and expense to

go home without finishing what I came for."



All that could be done in the cause of peace had been done without avail,

and events had reached a point in which the affair could be settled only

at sword's point and cannon's mouth.



It was the 10th of October, 1470. Long before the sun rose on that

memorable day the Swedes of Sture's army were awake and busy preparing

their arms for the coming fray, in which the mastery of their kingdom was

to be decided. At an early hour the whole army was called to the solemn

service of the mass, after which holy and impressive ceremony they

refreshed themselves with a hasty meal and returned to their ranks ready

for battle.



Nils Sture was already on the march with a third of the army, secretly

leading them around a clump of woodland with the purpose of attacking the

Danish camp at Brunkenberg from the east. As the ranks of the main army

formed for the attack, their brave leader was gratified to see a body of

gallant horsemen, in shining armor, riding to join him. They were

thirteen hundred in number, and had been sent from the town of Kungsholm.



Advancing before his people, Sture spoke to them with few but telling

words:



"If you ever desire to enjoy peace and security in Sweden stand by me

this day and cling one to another. I shall do my part. I fear not the

king nor his Danes and mercenaries, but gladly venture life and blood and

all that I possess on the event of this battle. If you will do the same,

lift up your hands."






"That will we do with God's help," came the roar of response, followed by

a great shout and wild clanging of arms. Immediately the advance began,

the men singing the verse of a psalm written for the occasion. It was now

the hour of eleven.



King Christian and his army boldly awaited the assault, looking down from

their commanding position on the Swedes, who came on heedless of the roar

of guns and flight of arrows. Reaching the foot of the hill, they began

its ascent, met as they did so by the Danes, who rushed down upon them

with lance and sword. In a moment more the hostile lines met and the

bloody work of war began.



On the summit of the hill proudly waved the Danneborg, the sacred

standard of Denmark. In the midst of the Swedes fluttered their country's

flag, borne resolutely up the hill. Around these banners gathered the

bravest of the champions, fighting with heroic fury--the Danes, under

their ambitious king, fighting for glory and riches; the Swedes, under

their patriot leader, striking for peace and freedom from foreign rule.



While the battle was thus raging outside the town, Knut Posse, its

governor, a skilful soldier, was not idle. He was not content to rest

within the walls while his countrymen were fighting so vigorously for

his relief. The heat of the fight had left the bridge leading from the

shore to the ships without a guard, and he sent some men in boats to row

towards it and with saws and axes to sever the supports beneath it. This

was successfully done and the men returned unseen.



While this was being accomplished the warlike governor, seeing that the

Swedes had been checked in their ascent of the hill, made a sally from

the town with two thousand of the garrison, taking possession of the

Danish fortifications in that quarter and setting them on fire. His

position, however, could not long be held, for Sten Sture's troops had

been driven down the hill and Christian was free to lead a heavy column

against him, forcing him back with his handful of men. In the struggle,

however, the bold governor advanced so vigorously upon the king, that he

received a wound from Christian's own hand.



While Knut Posse was thus being driven back into the town Sten Sture was

seeking to infuse new spirit into his defeated people, telling them that

"it would be to their eternal shame if they suffered themselves thus to

be repulsed."



Marshalling them into orderly ranks as quickly as possible he led them

again towards the hill, and the battle recommenced with its old fire and

vigor. Sture rode valiantly at their head, encouraging them with a

display of heroic valor. While he fought on horseback, by his side ran a

peasant named Bjoern the Strong, who kept pace with the horse and at

times ran before it, swinging his broad battle-axe with such strength

that he opened a road for his leader to ride through. Though surrounded

by enemies, the two held their own with the fiery energy of the

berserkers of an earlier day, dispensing death while not receiving a

wound.



King Christian, on the other hand, showed himself not wanting in valor,

keeping well in the front rank of his men. In the midst of the fight a

ball struck him in the mouth, knocking out three of his teeth and so

disabling him that he was carried fainting from the field. In the end the

Swedes, who had borne their banner to the summit of the hill, where they

looked in vain for the expected aid from Nils Sture and his men, were

driven back again and a second time forced down the hill, the victorious

Danes driving them well into the plain at its foot.



Three hours of hard fighting had now passed and both armies were wearied.

Trotte Karlsson, a Swedish renegade who had been fighting against his

country in the ranks of its foes, seated himself on a stone to rest,

taking off his helmet that he might breathe the fresh air. As he did so a

ball from the Swedish ranks struck him between the eyes and he fell

dead--a traitor fighting with strangers against his native land.



Though twice beaten Sten Sture had no thought of giving up the fight. For

some reason Nils Sture, who with the large force under his command had

been depended upon to make a diversion in their favor, had not appeared.

Bad roads had detained him and he was still struggling onward towards

his assigned position.



Looking around him, and satisfied that it was hopeless to dislodge the

enemy from their post of vantage, Sten now attempted a diversion by

sending a force to attack the troops stationed at the convent of St.

Claire. The Danes on the hill, seeing the danger of this detachment, and

thinking that they had thoroughly beaten off the Swedes, rushed down to

the aid of those at the convent, and Sten, with the skill of an able

commander, took advantage of this movement and at once marshalled his men

for a third attack.



They did not need much encouragement. Though twice beaten they were not

dispirited, but rushed forward shouting: "Now the Danes come to us on

equal ground! Let us at them and swing our swords freely!"



Some bright streaks appearing on the sky, the cry ran through the ranks:



"St. Erik is waving his sword over his people to aid them and point the

way to victory."



On the enemy they rushed, with a valor not weakened by their previous

repulses, and Knut Posse, who had been watching the fight with keen eyes,

made a fresh sally from the town. Soon the battle was on again with all

its former fury, the Danes fighting at first for victory, then, as they

were forced to give way, striking resolutely to defend their standard,

the Danneborg. Knut Posse made a fierce onset upon the proud banner, but

was not able to reach it until five hundred noble Danes, who gathered

around it as a guard of honor, had fallen under the swords of the Swedes.



When the Danes saw their great standard fall they gave way, but only with

the intention to regain the height and defend themselves on its summit.

It was at this critical juncture that Nils Sture appeared with his

long-delayed troops and attacked the enemy from a fresh side. Before this

unlooked-for and powerful force the Danes gave way in a panic, their

ranks being broken and the fugitives rushing in wild flight down the hill

to take refuge in their ships.



Now the stratagem of Knut Posse became effective, the weakened bridge

swaying and sinking under the multitude of fugitives who crowded it,

plunging them by hundreds into the water. Others leaped into boats to row

to the vessels, but these were so crowded that many of them sank, their

occupants being drowned. In all, nine hundred men were drowned in the

flight, while as many more who were not able to escape threw down their

arms and surrendered. Christian succeeded in escaping with that portion

of his army which had reached the ships, while Sten Sture marched in

triumph into Stockholm with his victorious troops, there to be received

with shouts of gladness, and with tears of joy by his wife Fra Ingeborg,

who had been in the city and with the noble ladies of the place had

prayed earnestly for victory while their friends and husbands fought.



For four hours the battle had lasted. It was one of vast importance for

Sweden, since it brought to that country many years of peace and repose.

King Christian dared not attack the Swedes again and the country got on

prosperously without a king under the able government of Sten Sture.