Stockholm Bloodbath facts for kids
The Stockholm Bloodbath (Swedish: Stockholms blodbad) was a terrible event that happened in Sweden on November 8-9, 1520. It was a mass killing of Swedish important people ordered by King Christian II of Denmark.
At this time, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden were all part of something called the Kalmar Union. This union was supposed to keep the three countries together under one ruler. However, there was a lot of disagreement in Sweden. Some people wanted to stay part of the union, while others wanted Sweden to be an independent country.
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What Led to the Bloodbath?
For many years, there was conflict in Sweden between those who supported the Kalmar Union and those who wanted Sweden to be free.
Christian II's Invasion
In 1520, King Christian II of Denmark decided to invade Sweden. He wanted to make sure Sweden stayed part of the Kalmar Union and that he was recognized as its king. During this invasion, the leader of Sweden at the time, Sten Sture the Younger, was killed in battle.
After this, King Christian II surrounded the city of Stockholm for four months. When the city finally gave up, he declared himself the King of Sweden.
The Killings and Their Aftermath
After becoming king, Christian II invited many important Swedish people to a big party. But then, he had 82 leading Swedes arrested and killed. Among them were two bishops. They were accused of a crime against the Church, which was called "heresy." The reason for this accusation was that the people of Stockholm had removed an important church leader, Archbishop Gustav Trolle. King Christian II said this was a serious crime against the Church.
These killings made the Swedish people incredibly angry. King Christian II became known as "Christian the Tyrant" because of his cruel actions. The anger was so strong that he was eventually forced out of Sweden in 1523. This event helped lead to Sweden becoming an independent country, separate from the Kalmar Union.
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Stockholm Bloodbath
See also
In Spanish: Baño de sangre de Estocolmo para niños
