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96 A History of Sweden
Christian’s Second Attack on Sweden. Christian
now made great preparations and strained Denmark’s
powers to the utmost. He assembled an army so large
and so well trained that victory must be assured. At
the opening of the year 1520, the Danes invaded West
Gothland. Again the Swedish peasants were willing
and ready to fight for the defense of the fatherland.
But at the opening of the conflict Sten Sture was
severely wounded in the leg by a cannon ball. Left
without a commander, the peasants got confused and
were forced to retreat. The enemy pressed on across
Tiveden and into Svealand. In spite of his intense suf-
fering, Sten Sture thought only of the defense of his
country and wished to hasten to Stockholm to organize
the defense. But he did not reach Stockholm. In a
sleigh, on the ice of the Malar, he passed away. His
greatest glory is the fact that during all these rancor-
ous times he never stained his memory with a single
mean act.
It soon became apparent what Sten Sture had meant
to his country. The peasants gathered in crowds and
clamored for fight, but had to disperse again, as none
of the lords had the will or the courage to lead them.
Of Gustav Trolle and his party the Danish commander
wrote to Christian : "He and his friends spare neither
life nor comfort for the cause of Your Grace." He
succeeded, too, in inducing one after another to desert
the Swedish cause.
But there were some who did not lose heart. They
gathered around Christina Gyllenstierna, Sten Sture’s
young widow. In her bitter sorrow, surrounded by
four small children, she did not shirk the high duty of
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