Jödde Stims uprising

Jödde Stims uprising, also called the Madesjö uprising (Swedish: Madesjöupproret) was an uprising in Möre, Småland, in 1624. The rebels were led by Jödde Stims, but the uprising was eventually defeated. The uprising was directed against their commander, Patrick Ruthven.

Jödde Stims uprising
Date 1624 Location Möre, Småland Result Uprising quelled
Belligerents
Sweden	Peasants and knights in Småland Possibly Supported by Poland–Lithuania
Commanders and leaders
Sven Håkansson Bengt Kafle Jonas Rothovius	Jödda Stims
Units involved
	Kronoberg Regiment
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	At least 5 executed

Background

When Gustavus Adolphus called on the Riksdag in Örebro in 1617, it was, according to himself, to suppress "all kinds of talk and chatter". This meeting of the Riksdag also marked the culmination of the intolerance of political and religious dissent by the government.

Uprising

Kronoberg conspiracy

A conspiracy in the Kronoberg Regiment was created in 1624 under the leadership of Jödda Stims, they were dissatisfied for not being paid their guerdons.

Beginning

The uprising began with unrest within knights, many of their officers were foreign and the knights did not accept this. The knights intended to start a peasant uprising. The occurrence of the officers treating their subordinates was not uncommon. On the 3 August Jacob De la Gardie received a letter from the government ordering him to stop "The slavery and thraldom that the Finnish officers are doing with their [...] knights."

One of the leaders of the uprising was the soldier Jödda Stims, according to some sources a relative of Nils Dacke. Him and his companions planned the uprising for March. They wished for an uprising alike to the one by Nils Dacke from 1542-1543. It is also believed that Polish spies helped to stir up the uprising.

Intervention

Sven Håkansson, the Knekthövitsman, received news of the plans and assembled loyal troops to attack the conspirators. Several minor battles were fought in Southern Möre, the knights were eventually arrested. 5 of them were executed on the spot while Jödda Stims and 3 other leaders were taken to Stockholm to be tortured and executed. Two knights were able to escape the fighting, but they were later chased into a courtyard and barricaded themselves. It was later set alight by the pursuers and the two soldiers burned to death.

Attempted resurgence

Some of the more disgruntled Möre peasants armed themselves once more and organized for a battle. The local governor, Bengt Kafle, remained confident and before the uprising had a chance to begin again he had quelled it and the leaders were arrested.

Aftermath

By the correspondence between local authorities and Stockholm show that the rebellious knights were not what the state feared. Gustavus and his advisors instead feared that the unrest would spread to the collective peasants, which it eventually did.