supported Eric due to the strong and influential Danish presence in the city. A certain degree of inner tension among the rebelling forces occurred because the nobility and clergy decided to support Karl Knutsson Bonde, who in 1436 had risen to the position of Rikshövitsman. Neither dared remove Engelbrekt completely because of his strong support among the burghers and peasants. However, Engelbrekt fell sick and became less active. In a twist of fate highly beneficial to Knutsson, Engelbrekt was assassinated on May 4 by Måns Bengtsson (Natt och Dag), the cause being an unrelated personal conflict. Karl Knutsson Bonde gave Jens Eriksen a letter of safe passage (lejdebrev) and the bailiff returned to Sweden to visit Vadstena Abbey in December 1436. However, as word got out of his presence, the peasantry of the nearby village of Aska broke into the monastery and brought Jens Eriksen to a local court in Motala. The judge found Jens Eriksen guilty and he was beheaded by sword. Consequently, Knutsson won the power struggle and would become King Charles VIII of Sweden in 1448. Riksråd Erik Puke attempted to rally Engelbrekt's old supporters in the Pukefejden, but it was too late. Erik Puke was apprehended and executed in Stockholm in 1437. Consequences The Engelbrekt rebellion caused the unity of the Kalmar Union to erode, leading to the temporary expulsion of Danish forces from Sweden. Although later Danish kings regained influence over Sweden, the rebellion had set a precedent for Swedish claims to sovereignty. It also set a precedent for peasants to engage actively in Swedish politics. While it is uncertain whether all four Estates participated in the Diet (Riksdag) in Arboga, this was in fact the case in 1436, when a Diet was held in Uppsala following the death of Engelbrekt. Thus, the Engelbrekt rebellion marked the start of a democratic institution, which, to a certain extent, included the peasants. See also Popular revolts in late-medieval Europe Riksdag of the Estates References Other sources Ahnlund, Nils (1934) Engelbrekt : tal och uppsatser (Stockholm : Svenska kyrkans diakonistyrelse) Ahnlund, Nils (1917) Erik Pukes släkt (Stockholm : Historisk tidssskrift) Lundegård, Axel (1913) Om Engelbrekt, Erik Puke och Karl Knutsson som blef kung (Stockholm : Aktiebolaget Ljus förlag) Engelbrekt rebellion Scandinavian history Engelbrekt rebellion 1434 in Europe 1435 in Europe 1436 in Europe 1430s conflicts Conflicts in 1434 Conflicts in 1435 Conflicts in 1436 15th century in Sweden