Stockholm Bloodbath refers to the mass executions carried out in Stockholm on 8–9 November 1520. The event followed the capture of the city by forces of King Christian II of Denmark. Dozens of leading Swedes were put to death; the episode is also called the Swedish Massacre.
Names and language
The name for the event in Swedish is Stockholms blodbad. It concerned people from Sweden, notably members of the local nobility, who were targeted after the city's surrender.
Political context
At the time Denmark, Norway and Sweden were linked under the Kalmar Union. Tensions had been rising for years between those who wanted to keep the union and others pressing for Swedish independence. Christian II advanced into Sweden in 1520; the Swedish regent Sten Sture the Younger died in combat and Stockholm endured a four‑month siege before capitulating.
The executions and accusations
After Christian II assumed control of Stockholm he ordered the execution of a large group of prominent Swedish figures—official counts typically cite eighty‑two victims, among them two bishops who were condemned for heresy. In a further indignity, Sten Sture’s remains were exhumed and burned. The scale and brutality of the killings provoked widespread outrage and contributed to Christian’s loss of support in Sweden.
Aftermath
The massacre hardened resistance to Danish rule and played a role in the chain of events that led to Christian II’s removal from power in Sweden in 1523.