Finnish campaign (1523)
{{Short description|1523 campaign of the Swedish War of Liberation}}
{{Page numbers needed|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Finnish campaign
| place = Finland
| width = 315
| partof = the Swedish War of Liberation
| image = Charta öfver Svea och Göta Riken med Finland och Norland.jpg
| image_size = 215
| caption = A map of Sweden and Finland in 1747
| date = August–October 1523
| territory = Finland is conquered by the Swedes
| result = Swedish victory
| combatants_header = Belligerents
| combatant1 = {{flagicon|Sweden 1815}} Sweden
| combatant2 = {{Tree list}}
- {{flagicon|Kalmar Union}} Kalmar Union
- {{flag|Medieval Denmark|name= Denmark}}
{{Tree list end}}
| commander1 = {{flagicon|Sweden 1815}} Erik Fleming
{{flagicon|Sweden 1815}} Ivar Fleming
{{flagicon|Sweden 1815}} Vieregk
{{flagicon|Sweden 1815}} Nils Grabbe
| commander2 = {{flagicon|Medieval Denmark}} Søren Norby
{{flagicon|Medieval Denmark}} Rolef van Leveren
{{flagicon|Medieval Denmark}} Junker Moritz{{Surrendered}}
{{flagicon|Medieval Denmark}} Tile Giseler
| units1 = Unknown
| units2 = {{flagicon|Kalmar Union}} Kastelholm garrison
{{flagicon|Kalmar Union}} Åbo garrison
{{flagicon|Kalmar Union}} Viborg garrison
| strength1 = 2,000 men
400 cavalry
| strength2 = {{circa}} 2,000 men
10 ships
| casualties1 = Unknown
| casualties2 = Unknown
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Swedish War of Liberation}}
}}
The Finnish Campaign was a successful campaign under Erik Fleming, Ivar Fleming, Nils Grabbe, and a certain Vieregk to liberate Finland from Danish control during the Swedish War of Liberation.
Background
= Gustav Vasa's election as king =
{{Further information|Gustav Vasa#Election as king}}
On 6 July, the Swedish Estates gathered in Strängnäs. The representatives were peasants, miners, burghers, the council, and a large portion of the nobility.{{Cite book |last=Peterson |first=Gary Dean |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CPJWfVPgFawC&pg=PA31 |title=Warrior Kings of Sweden: The Rise of an Empire in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries |date=2007-04-11 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=978-0-7864-2873-1 |page=31 |language=en}} Bered von Melen, along with two observers from Lübeck, Berut Bombouwer, and Hermann Plonnies were present as well. At first, Gustav Vasa was hesitant about his ability to be the king, however, after speaking with members of his council and the Germans, Gustav preceded with his election.
He was proclaimed the king of Sweden and took his oath of office the same day. Previously, on 22 May, Søren Norby had arrived in Finland with around 2,000 men and 10 ships.{{Cite web |title=Den danske Flådes første søhelt; Søren Norby (14??-1530) |url=https://www.noerby.net/pdf/2009/Norby.pdf |website=www.noerby.net}}
Campaign
In August, an army of 2,000 men and 400 cavalry{{Cite book |last=Sundberg |first=Ulf |title=Svenska krig 1521-1814 |publisher=Hjalmarson & Högberg |year=1998 |isbn=9789189080140 |edition=2nd |location=Stockholm |page=27 |language=Swedish |trans-title=Swedish wars 1521-1814}}{{Cite web |title=FLEMING, Erik |url=https://www.blf.fi/artikel.php?id=524 |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=www.blf.fi}} under the command of Erik and Ivar Fleming, Vieregk, and Nils Grabbe was sent to Finland to liberate it from Danish control.{{Cite web |title=Karis förr - Nils Grabbegatan |url=https://www.karisforr.fi/gatuvyer-d%C3%A5-och-nu/nils-grabbegatan |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=www.karisforr.fi |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Anthony |first=Eric |title=Ivar Fleming |url=https://sok.riksarkivet.se/sbl/mobil/Artikel/14212 |website=sok.riksarkivet.se |publisher=National Archives of Sweden}}{{Cite web |title=Erik Fleming |url=https://sok.riksarkivet.se/sbl/mobil/Artikel/14204 |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=sok.riksarkivet.se}} At Åbo, Junker Moritz would resist the Swedes so seriously that it developed into a battle. The battle ended with a decisive victory for the Swedes, with Åbo being taken on August 10 and its castle and Junker capitulating after a two-week long siege. Erik Fleming also stormed and captured Kustö Bishop's Castle. After its submission to the Swedes, Erik Fleming stayed in western Finland and handed over supreme command to Ivar Fleming. In September, Erik and Ivar Fleming had taken control of most of Finland except Viborg and Olofsborg, however, these would later capitulate after Ivar signed the conditions for their surrender in October.
Aftermath
Because of the campaign, all pro-Danish forces in Finland were successfully driven out by the Swedes, and as a reward for his services, Erik Fleming was appointed as a Councillor in 1523 and later in 1525 as a lawman in Söderfinne Lagsaga.{{Cite web |title=Sök - Uppslagsverket Finland |url=https://www.uppslagsverket.fi/sv/sok/view-170045-FlemingErik |access-date=2024-05-20 |website=www.uppslagsverket.fi}}
References
{{Reflist}}