_bourgeoise_
herself, it was Sigbrit's constant policy to elevate and extend the
influence of the middle classes. She soon became the soul of a
middle-class inner council, which competed with _Rigsraad_ itself. The
patricians naturally resented their supersession and nearly every
unpopular measure was attributed to the influence of "the foul-mouthed
Dutch sorceress who hath bewitched the king."

Meanwhile Christian was preparing for the inevitable war with Sweden,
where the patriotic party, headed by the freely elected governor Sten
Sture the younger, stood face to face with the philo-Danish party under
Archbishop Gustavus Trolle. Christian, who had already taken measures to
isolate Sweden politically, hastened to the relief of the archbishop,
who was beleagured in his fortress of Staeke, but was defeated by Sture
and his peasant levies at Vedla and forced to return to Denmark. A
second attempt to subdue Sweden in 1518 was also frustrated by Sture's
victory at Braenkyrka. A third attempt made in 1520 with a large army of
French, German and Scottish mercenaries proved successful. Sture was
mortally wounded at the battle of Boergerund, on the 19th of January, and
the Danish army, unopposed, was approaching Upsala, where the members of
the Swedish _Riksrad_ had already assembled. The senators consented to
render homage to Christian on condition that he gave a full indemnity
for the past and a guarantee that Sweden should be ruled according to
Swedish laws and custom; and a convention to this effect was confirmed
by the king and the Danish _Rigsraad_ on the 31st of March. But Sture's
widow, Dame Christina Gyllenstjerna, still held out stoutly at
Stockholm, and the peasantry of central Sweden, stimulated by her
patriotism, flew to arms, defeated the Danish invaders at Balundsaes
(March 19th), and were only with the utmost difficulty finally defeated
at the bloody battle of Upsala (Good Friday, April 6th). In May the
Danish fleet arrived, and Stockholm was invested by land and sea; but
Dame Christina resisted valiantly for four months longer, and took care,
when she surrendered on the 7th of September, to exact beforehand an
amnesty of the most explicit and absolute character. On the 1st of
November the representatives of the nation swore fealty to Christian as
hereditary king of Sweden, though the law of the land distinctly
provided that the Swedish crown should be elective. On the 4th of
November he was anointed by Gustavu