January 25: Death of a tyrant

The Swedish nobility were not in mourning

On this day in 1559, King Christian II, who reigned as the King of Denmark and Norway from 1513-1523 and Sweden from 1520-1521, died peacefully at Kalundborg.

The eldest son of King John, Christian II became known in Sweden as ‘Christian the Tyrant’ for slaughtering the leading Swedish nobility after capturing the country in 1520 in an effort to maintain the Kalmar Union.

He was eventually thrown out following a rebellion, while his reign in Denmark and Norway was also cut short after he was deposed by his uncle, King Frederik I.




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