ghts. These
exhortations proving futile, Margaret sent her agent to the spot to see
what he could do. This only irritated the natives, and they fell upon
the agent with their fists. It was reported, too, that the deed was
ordered by an officer of Fredrik. At all events, the agent was given no
redress, and Gustavus, after urging Margaret's husband to appeal to
Fredrik, wrote finally to the Danish king himself. He laid the whole
affair before him, and declaring that he had ever upheld the rights of
Danes in Sweden, urged Fredrik to investigate the matter and punish
those by whom the violence had been committed. With this request the
Danish monarch promised to comply; and as we find no further mention of
the case, it is probable the quarrel was adjusted and the rights of
Margaret maintained.[132]

Another dispute originating in the Malmoe treaty concerned the province
of Viken, which lay along the Swedish frontier in the southeast part of
Norway. This province had joined Gustavus in the war with Christiern,
and after the war was over had continued under Swedish rule. In course
of time, however, the inhabitants grew eager to return once more to
Norway. With a view to satisfy their longing, Gustavus allowed them,
early in 1526, to be governed by Norwegian law and custom. Possibly this
would have appeased the natives, but Fredrik was desirous for more. He
thought that Viken, being originally a province of Norway, should be
ruled by him. He therefore wrote Gustavus, and begged a conference to
settle their respective claims. Gustavus, defrauded of his rights in
Gotland, answered that he would gladly hold a conference to settle all
matters of dispute between them. Fredrik waited nearly six months before
making his reply. He then informed Gustavus that the Danish envoys had
appeared in Lubeck at the day fixed for the conference, but that nothing
was accomplished simply because the Swedish envoys did not come. He
therefore urged Gustavus to name a time and place at which the question
of Viken should be settled. The Swedish monarch had learned by sad
experience that a conference with Denmark meant no benefit to him. He
answered that his envoys had been sent to Lubeck, as agreed, but had
failed through stress of weather to reach the place of meeting on the
day arranged. Gustavus appears not to have cared particularly to retain
the province, though he was not willing to yield it without obtaining
something in return. He saw no reason