Editing Nils Dacke (section)

==The Dacke War==
{{See also|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 [[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>

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}}