Stockholm Bloodbath Ordered

Date: November 8, 1520 • Location: Gamla Stan, Sweden

This milestone marked the outbreak and beginning of this historic period, which spanned 1520.

After his coronation as king of Sweden, Christian II (pictured) gave the order to execute nearly 100 people, mostly noblemen, despite promises of general amnesty.

The monarchy of Sweden is centred on the monarchical head of state of Sweden, by law a constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system. There have been kings in what now is the Kingdom of Sweden for more than a millennium. Originally an elective monarchy, it became a hereditary monarchy in the 16th century during the reign of Gustav Vasa, though virtually all monarchs before that belonged to a limited and small number of political families which are considered to be the royal dynasties of Sweden.