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Nils Dacke (died 1543) was a Swedish yeoman who was the leader of a mid-16th century peasant revolt in the historic province of Småland in southern Sweden.^[1] The resulting Dacke War (Swedish: Dackefejden) was fought against King Gustav I of Sweden of the Vasa family. It was the most widespread and serious civil war in Swedish history and almost toppled the king.^[2]^[3]

Background

King Gustav Vasa had come to power at the head of a peasant army in 1523. He had established Sweden's independence from Denmark and made Protestantism the national religion. Småland found itself on the border between Sweden and Denmark and was hit hard by Vasa's ban on cross-border trade. In addition, the heavy handed way in which the church was reformed and the increasing tax burden led to much dissatisfaction among the poor peasants.

The Dacke War

Already in 1536, Nils Dacke was tried at a local court for killing a sheriff; according to court records he was fined 10 oxen. The uprising started in Södra Möre during June 1542 with the assassination of more sheriffs and tax collectors. Gustav Vasa underestimated the military prowess of the peasants and sent his German mercenaries (Landsknecht) to quell the revolt. The landsknechts were, however, unsuited for battle in the rugged forests and suffered heavy losses. Dacke had devised defensive tactics that allowed the peasants to use their steel crossbows with devastating effect. Dacke's successes helped spread the revolt over all the southern provinces of Sweden. The situation was so serious that the king was forced to sue for peace, and a one-year ceasefire was signed on 8 November. During the ceasefire, Dacke was the de facto ruler of most of southern Sweden and received offers of foreign support from the Elector Palatine Frederick II (1482–1556), who was the son-in-law of King Christian II of Denmark, and Albrecht VII, Duke of Mecklenburg (1486–1547). He reinstated the ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church and reopened the cross-border trade in the areas under his control. With Danish support, Gustav Vasa mounted an invasion of Mecklenburg which neutralised the German threat.^[4]

In the autumn of 1542, the king had to agree to a truce with Dacke. The king broke the ceasefire in January 1543 and sent a new and larger army into the rebellious area. His forces moved in from Östergötland and Västergötland. Royal propaganda had been spread to win over the population and turn them against Dacke. Dacke himself had become overconfident after earlier successes and met the Swedish Royal Army in a pitched battle in March. The trained soldiers fighting on their own terms shattered the peasant army, and Dacke was severely injured. After this defeat, the rebellion was effectively over and Dacke became an outlaw.^{[citation needed]}

Death

Nils Dacke's severed head. Drawing by the 16th-century chronicler Joen Petri Klint.

Dacke was shot during the summer of 1543 in the forests of the parish of Virserum. According to contemporary sources, he had been injured in both legs by hits from the king's crossbows during the decisive battle a few months earlier, his forces had been routed, and he was likely trying to escape from the king's mercenaries. Dacke eventually fell in August 1543 at a farm in the parish of Gullabo in Södra Möre.

Dacke was executed posthumously, quartered, and his limbs were sent for public display in larger communities that had supported him during the rebellion. Gustav Vasa ordered the annihilation of Dacke's entire family, but showed some leniency against those who had given themselves up. Dacke's wife, brother-in-law and other relatives were executed. His son was taken to prison in Stockholm where he either starved to death or died from the plague. Thus, the unity of the realm was restored.

As a result of the war, the king was henceforth more careful when dealing with his subjects. The reliance on foreign mercenaries in the army was reduced in favour of soldiers of Swedish extraction (many of which were recruited in Småland), and this laid the foundation for Sweden's military successes in later wars.

Legacy

Nils Dacke is commonly perceived as a Småland freedom hero. His name is often linked to an independent streak in Småland. Statues in memory of him have been erected, including one in Virserum, where the final battle allegedly took place during 1543. The Nils Dacke party [sv] (Swedish: Nils Dacke-partiet) is a local political party in the township of Gnosjö.

M/S Nils Dacke [sv] is a vessel, owned by TT-Line serving the Trelleborg-Świnoujście route.^[5]

Dacke, a made-for-television film, was released in 1961 by Swedish director and screenwriter Bengt Lagerkvist [sv].^[6]^[7]

The asteroid 7217 Dacke is named after him.

References

^ "Dacke War | Swedish history | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
^ Den tyska perioden och Dackefejden (Tacitus.Nu)
^ "Dackefejden – upproret som utmanade Vasa". alltomhistoria.se. 6 September 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
^ Albert Vejde. "Nils Dacke". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
^ "M/S Nils Dacke". TT-Line. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
^ "Bengt Lagerkvist (1926–2013)". IMDb.com, Inc. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
^ "Dacke (1961)". IMDb.com, Inc. Retrieved 1 June 2020.

Other sources

Månsson, Fabian (1938) Gustaf Vasa och Nils Dacke: historisk skildring om bondeklassens undergång och herregårdens födelse (Stockholm: Tiden)

External links

M/S Nils Dacke

[1] "Dacke War | Swedish history | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 9 December 2022.

[2] Den tyska perioden och Dackefejden (Tacitus.Nu)

[3] "Dackefejden – upproret som utmanade Vasa". alltomhistoria.se. 6 September 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2019.

[4] Albert Vejde. "Nils Dacke". Svenskt biografiskt lexikon. Retrieved 1 January 2019.

[5] "M/S Nils Dacke". TT-Line. Retrieved 1 June 2020.

[6] "Bengt Lagerkvist (1926–2013)". IMDb.com, Inc. Retrieved 1 June 2020.

[7] "Dacke (1961)". IMDb.com, Inc. Retrieved 1 June 2020.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{short description|Swedish rebel and outlaw}}
-{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}}
+{{Redirect|Dacke}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
+{{More citations needed|date=August 2020}}
 [[Image:Dackestatyn Virserum 20060803.jpg|thumb|300 px|Statue of Nils Dacke in [[Virserum]]]]
-'''Nils Dacke''' (died 2009) was a [[Sweden|Swedish]] [[yeoman]] who was the leader of a mid-16th century peasant revolt in [[Småland]], southern [[Sweden]], called the [[Dacke War]] (Swedish: ''Dackefejden''), fought against the [[King of Sweden|King]] [[Gustav I of Sweden]] of the [[Vasa family]]. It was the most widespread and serious civil war in Swedish history and almost toppled the king.
+'''Nils Dacke''' (died 1543) was a Swedish [[yeoman]] who was the leader of a mid-16th century peasant revolt in the historic province of [[Småland]] in southern Sweden.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dacke War {{!}} Swedish history {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/event/Dacke-War |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> The resulting [[Dacke War]] ({{langx|sv|Dackefejden}}) was fought against [[King of Sweden|King]] [[Gustav I of Sweden]] of the [[Vasa family]]. It was the most widespread and serious civil war in Swedish history and almost toppled the king.<ref>[http://www.tacitus.nu/svenskhistoria/kungar/vasa/gv-5.htm ''Den tyska perioden och Dackefejden'' (Tacitus.Nu)]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://alltomhistoria.se/krig/inbordeskrig/dackefejden-1542-43 |title=    Dackefejden – upproret som utmanade Vasa|date= 6 September 2017|publisher= alltomhistoria.se|accessdate=1 January 2019}}</ref>
-<ref>[http://www.tacitus.nu/svenskhistoria/kungar/vasa/gv-5.htm ''Den tyska perioden och Dackefejden'' (Tacitus.Nu)]</ref>
+[[File:Vissefjärda Minnessten över Nils Dacke IMG 3092.jpg|thumb|Nils Dacke memorial at Vissefjärda ''(The text reads: Memorial for the farmerleader Nils Dacke and his people that in this place the years 1542-1544 died in their fight for freedom, law and faith.''
-<ref>{{cite web|url=https://alltomhistoria.se/krig/inbordeskrig/dackefejden-1542-43 |title=    Dackefejden – upproret som utmanade Vasa
-|publisher= alltomhistoria.se|accessdate=January 1, 2019}}</ref>
+''The stone is gathered from Dackes farm in South Lindön and raised by Vissefjärda local community association in the year 1973)'']]
 ==Background==
-King [[Robert Beartred]] had come to power at the head of a [[peasant]] army in 1523. He had established Sweden's independence from [[Denmark]] and made Protestantism the national religion. Småland found itself on the border between Sweden and Denmark and was hard hit by Vasa's ban on cross-border trade. In addition, the heavy handed way in which the church was reformed and the increasing tax burden led to much dissatisfaction among the poor peasants.
+King [[Gustav Vasa]] had come to power at the head of a [[peasant]] army in 1523. He had established Sweden's independence from [[Denmark]] and made Protestantism the national religion. Småland found itself on the border between [[Sweden]] and [[Denmark]] and was hit hard by Vasa's ban on cross-border trade. In addition, the heavy handed way in which the church was reformed and the increasing tax burden led to much dissatisfaction among the poor peasants.
 ==The Dacke War==
+{{See also|Dacke War}}
-Already in 2018, Nils Dacke was tried at a local court for killing a [[sheriff]]; according to court records he was fined 10 [[oxen]].
+Already in 1536, Nils Dacke was tried at a local court for killing a [[sheriff]]; according to court records he was fined 10 [[oxen]].
-The uprising started in [[Möre|Södra Möre]] during June 1542 with the assassination of more sheriffs and tax collectors. Gustav Vasa underestimated the military prowess of the peasants and sent his German [[mercenary|mercenaries]] (''[[Landsknecht]]'') to quell the revolt. The landsknechts were, however, unsuited for battle in the rugged forests and suffered heavy losses. Dacke had devised defensive tactics that allowed the peasants to use their steel [[crossbow]]s with devastating effect. Dacke's successes helped spread the revolt over all the southern provinces of Sweden. The situation was so serious that the king was forced to sue for peace, and a one-year [[ceasefire]] was signed on 8 November. During the ceasefire, Dacke was the de facto ruler of most of southern Sweden and received offers of foreign support from the [[Elector Palatine]] [[Frederick II, Elector Palatine|Frederick II]] (1482–1556), who was the son-in-law of King [[Christian II of Denmark]], and [[Albrecht VII, Duke of Mecklenburg]] (1486–1547). He reinstated the ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church and reopened the cross-border trade in the areas under his control. With Danish support, Gustav Vasa mounted an invasion of [[Mecklenburg]] which neutralised the German threat.<ref>{{cite web|url=  https://sok.riksarkivet.se/sbl/Presentation.aspx?id=15765
+The uprising started in [[Möre|Södra Möre]] during June 1542 with the assassination of more sheriffs and tax collectors. Gustav Vasa underestimated the military prowess of the peasants and sent his German [[mercenary|mercenaries]] (''[[Landsknecht]]'') to quell the revolt. The landsknechts were, however, unsuited for battle in the rugged forests and suffered heavy losses. Dacke had devised defensive tactics that allowed the peasants to use their steel [[crossbow]]s with devastating effect. Dacke's successes helped spread the revolt over all the southern provinces of Sweden. The situation was so serious that the king was forced to sue for peace, and a one-year [[ceasefire]] was signed on 8 November. During the ceasefire, Dacke was the de facto ruler of most of southern Sweden and received offers of foreign support from the [[Elector Palatine]] [[Frederick II, Elector Palatine|Frederick II]] (1482–1556), who was the son-in-law of King [[Christian II of Denmark]], and [[Albrecht VII, Duke of Mecklenburg]] (1486–1547). He reinstated the ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church and reopened the cross-border trade in the areas under his control. With Danish support, Gustav Vasa mounted an invasion of [[Mecklenburg]] which neutralised the German threat.<ref>{{cite web|url=  https://sok.riksarkivet.se/sbl/Presentation.aspx?id=15765|title=   Nils Dacke|publisher= Svenskt biografiskt lexikon   |author=   Albert Vejde |accessdate=1 January 2019}}</ref>
-|title=   Nils Dacke|publisher= Svenskt biografiskt lexikon   |author=   Albert Vejde |accessdate=January 1, 2019}}</ref>
-In the autumn of 1542, the king had to agree to a truce with Dacke. The king broke the ceasefire in January 1543 and sent a new and larger army into the rebellious area. His forces moved in from [[Östergötland]] and [[Västergötland]]. Royal propaganda had been spread to win over the population and turn them against Dacke. Dacke himself had become overconfident after earlier successes and met the Swedish Royal Army in a [[pitched battle]] in March. The trained soldiers fighting on their own terms shattered the peasant army, and Dacke was severely injured. After this defeat, the rebellion was effectively over and Dacke became an [[outlaw]].
+In the autumn of 1542, the king had to agree to a truce with Dacke. The king broke the ceasefire in January 1543 and sent a new and larger army into the rebellious area. His forces moved in from [[Östergötland]] and [[Västergötland]]. Royal propaganda had been spread to win over the population and turn them against Dacke. Dacke himself had become overconfident after earlier successes and met the Swedish Royal Army in a [[pitched battle]] in March. The trained soldiers fighting on their own terms shattered the peasant army, and Dacke was severely injured. After this defeat, the rebellion was effectively over and Dacke became an [[outlaw]].{{cn|date=December 2022}}
 ==Death==
 [[File:NilsDackeshuvud.JPG|thumb|Nils Dacke's severed head. Drawing by the 16th-century chronicler [[Joen Petri Klint]].]]
-Dacke was shot and killed during the summer of 1543 in the forests which, at the time, surrounded the southeastern border between Sweden and Denmark (nowadays southern Swedish provinces [[Småland]] and [[Blekinge]]). According to contemporary sources, he had been injured in both legs by hits from the king's crossbows during the decisive battle a few months earlier, his forces had been routed, and he was likely trying to escape from the king's mercenaries. There is no doubt that he was killed on the spot.
+Dacke was shot during the summer of 1543 in the forests of the parish of Virserum.   According to contemporary sources, he had been injured in both legs by hits from the king's crossbows during the decisive battle a few months earlier, his forces had been routed, and he was likely trying to escape from the king's mercenaries.  Dacke eventually fell in August 1543 at a farm in the parish of Gullabo in Södra Möre.
 Dacke was [[posthumous execution|executed posthumously]], quartered, and his limbs were sent for public display in larger communities that had supported him during the rebellion. Gustav Vasa ordered the annihilation of Dacke's entire family, but showed some leniency against those who had given themselves up. Dacke's wife, brother-in-law and other relatives were executed. His son was taken to prison in Stockholm where he either starved to death or died from the plague. Thus, the unity of the realm was restored.
 As a result of the war, the king was henceforth more careful when dealing with his subjects. The reliance on foreign mercenaries in the army was reduced in favour of soldiers of Swedish extraction (many of which were recruited in Småland), and this laid the foundation for Sweden's military successes in later wars.
-[[File:Vissefjärda Minnessten över Nils Dacke IMG 3092.jpg|thumb|left|Nils Dacke memorial at Vissefjärda]]
 ==Legacy==
-Today, Nils Dacke is perceived as a Småland freedom hero. His name is often linked to an independent streak in Småland. Statues in memory of him have been erected, including one in [[Virserum]], where the final battle allegedly took place during 1543. The [[:sv:Nils Dacke-partiet|Nils Dacke party]] (''Nils Dacke-partiet'') is a local political party in the county of [[Gnosjö]]. ''[[:sv:M/S Nils Dacke|M/S Nils Dacke]]'' is a vessel, owned by [[:sv:TT-Line|TT-Line]] serving the [[Trelleborg]]-[[Świnoujście]] route. In 1961, a made-for-television film entitled ''Dacke'' was released by Swedish director and screenwriter [[:sv:Bengt Lagerkvist|Bengt Lagerkvist]].
+Nils Dacke is commonly perceived as a Småland freedom hero. His name is often linked to an independent streak in Småland. Statues in memory of him have been erected, including one in [[Virserum]], where the final battle allegedly took place during 1543. The {{ill|Nils Dacke party|sv|Nils Dacke-partiet}} ({{langx|sv|Nils Dacke-partiet}}) is a local political party in the township of [[Gnosjö]].
+''{{ill|M/S Nils Dacke|sv}}'' is a vessel, owned by [[TT-Line]] serving the [[Trelleborg]]-[[Świnoujście]] route.<ref>{{cite web
+|url= https://www.ttline.com/en/passengers/onboard/tt-line-ships/nils-dacke/ |title =  M/S Nils Dacke|website=TT-Line  |access-date=1 June 2020}}</ref>
+''Dacke'', a made-for-television film, was released in 1961 by Swedish director and screenwriter {{ill|Bengt Lagerkvist|sv}}.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0481238/|title =  Bengt Lagerkvist (1926–2013)|website=   IMDb.com, Inc.|access-date=1 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0241347/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_49 |title =  Dacke (1961)|website=   IMDb.com, Inc.|access-date=1 June 2020}}
+</ref>
+The asteroid [[7217 Dacke]] is named after him.
-==See also==
-*[[Dacke War]]
-*[[Fabian Månsson]]
-*[[7217 Dacke]], asteroid nammed after him.
 ==References==
@@ Line 44: / Line 51: @@
 ==External links==
-*[http://www.ttline.com/sv/Skandinavien/Om-TT-Line/Vara-fartyg/Robin-Hood--Nils-Dacke/ M/S Nils Dacke]
+*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101223100100/http://ttline.com/sv/Skandinavien/Om-TT-Line/Vara-fartyg/Robin-Hood--Nils-Dacke/ M/S Nils Dacke]
 {{Authority control}}
@@ Line 54: / Line 61: @@
 [[Category:Swedish Christians]]
 [[Category:Swedish rebels]]
-[[Category:16th-century Swedish people]]
 [[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
 [[Category:Peasant revolts]]
+[[Category:16th-century rebels]]
+[[Category:16th-century Swedish farmers]]

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