Stockholm Bloodbath 1520
– A Turning Point in Swedish History

A mass execution in the heart of Gamla Stan

The Stortorget square had stood at the heart of Stockholm since the city’s founding in the 13th century by Birger Jarl. What began as a fortified medieval trading settlement would, nearly three centuries later, become the stage for violence that reshaped Sweden’s destiny.

Over three days in November 1520, nearly 100 Swedish nobles, clergymen, and citizens were executed in what became known as the Stockholm Bloodbath.

The event marked a brutal attempt by Christian II of Denmark to consolidate power over Sweden — but it ultimately triggered the opposite: a rebellion that would change Scandinavia forever.

The road to the Bloodbath

At the time, Sweden was part of the Kalmar Union, a fragile alliance under Danish rule. Christian II had invaded Sweden to quash opposition and reclaim control. After defeating the Swedish resistance, he was crowned king in Stockholm’s Storkyrkan cathedral on November 4, 1520.

To celebrate his coronation and cement loyalty, Christian invited the Swedish nobility to a banquet at the palace. Just days later, many of those same guests were imprisoned and charged with heresy — a politically constructed accusation that allowed Christian II to execute his opponents under ecclesiastical law.

The executions at Stortorget

From November 8 to 10, public executions were carried out in Stortorget, the very heart of Gamla Stan. Among the victims were Archbishop Gustav Trolle’s enemies, nobles, knights, mayors, and citizens—most notably Svante Nilsson’s supporters, who had resisted Christian’s rule. Bodies were later burned or dumped into the harbor.

Even those who had supported Christian were not spared, and the betrayal caused shock throughout the population.

Gustav Vasa’s revenge and the rise of Sweden

The Bloodbath did not secure Danish rule — it destroyed it. Outrage spread across Sweden, and within months Gustav Eriksson Vasa began organizing resistance. By 1523, he entered Stockholm as king, ending the Kalmar Union and founding modern Sweden as an independent state.

Today: Memory etched in stone

Visitors to Stortorget can still sense the weight of history. A small plaque on the square commemorates the victims, and the surrounding buildings—some dating to the 16th century—stand as silent witnesses to the tragedy.

Today, Stortorget is known for its colorful merchant houses and Christmas markets. Yet beneath its cheerful façade lies the memory of November 1520 — when this quiet square became the crucible in which Swedish independence was forged.