Battle of Visby: Difference between revisions

| partof = the prelude to the [[Second Danish-Hanseatic War (1361-1370)]] and [[Valdemar Atterdag's invasion of Gotland]]

| image = FornsalenValdemar -Atterdag Invasionindtager 1361Visby - Schädel mit Kettenhaube 1(9291726976).jpg

| place = [[Visby]], [[Gotland]], [[Sweden]]

| combatant1 = [[Kingdom{{flag|Medieval ofDenmark|name= Denmark]]}}

| combatant2 = [[Kingdom{{flag|Medieval ofSweden|name= Sweden]]}}<br>[[Gotland]]

| commander1 = {{Flagicon|Medieval Denmark}} [[Valdemar IV of Denmark|Valdemar IV]]

| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Danish–Hanseatic Wars (1361–1370)}}

On 22{{nbsp}}July 1361, King [[Valdemar IV of Denmark]] (''Valdemar Atterdag'') sent an army ashore on Gotland's west coast. The [[Gutes]] of Gotland paid taxes to and was a semi-independent part of Sweden under kingKing [[Magnus IV of Sweden]], though the population of Visby was diverse and included people of [[Ruthenia]]n descent, Danes, and Germans. In 1280 the city of Visby had joined the [[Wendish City-alliance]] along with [[Riga]], [[Lübeck]], [[Tallinn]], and other large population centers from northern Europe, further separating Visby from the Gutnish countryside. Antagonism between the city dwellers and the Gutnish country yeomen heightened; the latter were defeated in battle in 1288, despite the aid of knights from Estonia.

The Danish force was led by [[Valdemar IV]] of Denmark, and composed of Danish and German soldiers, many of them [[mercenary|mercenaries]] from the Baltic coast of Germany, with recent experience in the various feuds and wars between the German and Scandinavian states. These men would have worn what was known as [[transitional armour]], with iron or steel plates over vital areas and joints over a full suit of [[chain mail]]. The Gutes were commanded by an unknown leader, probably a minor noble with military experience, and the force composed mainly of other minor nobles, their retinues, and freemen. The ordinary freemen appear to have worn limited but still effective protection, with many excavated skeletons found wearing a chain-mail shirt or a [[coat of plates]] to protect the torso. Others may have worn a padded [[gambeson]] or a leather [[jerkin]] or coat, though these would not have survived decomposition in the ground after the battle. Unusually, many of the Gutes appear to have had minimal head protection, with many skulls wearing only a mail coif, a metal skullcap; however any helmets may have been stripped from the bodies after the battle. Very few weapons have been discovered, but it is likely that both sides used [[Round shield|round]] and [[Heater shield|heater-type]] shields, [[spear]]s, [[axe]]s, [[billhook]]s, [[Pike (weapon)|pikes]], and [[poleaxe]]s. For close combat, both sides would have had swords, light axes, [[war hammer]]s, and [[mace (bludgeon)|mace]]s.

The Danish troops moved towardstoward Visby. TheOn the first day of the invasion, two minor skirmishes were fought on marshy ground between yeomen farmers and the army. TheAbout next day from 800-1,000500 farmersGotlandic Farmers were killed after massing forthe [[Battlebattle of Mästerby|battle at Mästerby]] near Fjäle mire.

Five mass- graves were located outside the city's walls.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.upptacksverigeshistoria.se/sok-besoksmal/visa/382/ |title=Korsbetningen utanför Visby stadsmur |trans-title=The Korsbetningen outside Visby |publisher=Sveriges läns- och regionmuseer |author=Gotland Museum |author-link=Gotland Museum |language=Swedish |accessdate=2011-05-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100821042138/http://www.upptacksverigeshistoria.se/sok-besoksmal/visa/382/ |archivedate=2010-08-21 }}</ref>

*{{cite book |last=Westholm |first=Gun|title=Visby 1361: invasionen |trans-title=Visby 1361: The invasionInvasion |year=2007 |publisher=Prisma |location=Stockholm |language=sv |isbn=978-91-518-4568-5}}

*[http://www.visbysweden.com/2_medieval_battles.html The battle in Visby 1361] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227044358/https://www.visbysweden.com/2_medieval_battles.html |date=2021-02-27 }}