The Klågerup Massacre - a Scanian bloodbath 15 June 1811

The Klågerup Massacre, also known as the Klågerup Riots, took place on 15 June 1811 at the Klågerup estate. Hundreds of Scanian peasants with liars, goats' yokes and stakes stood against the Swedish military with rifles, sabres and cannons.

"They shot at them and cut them down for mere amusement," writes a witness of the servants' rampage. After the massacre, a large number of peasants were sentenced to long prison terms and two were condemned to death and executed.

The background to the Skåne bloodbath was that only two years earlier the Swedish state had lost war against Russia and then lost half the country, i.e. Finland. The government, headed by Crown Prince Bernadotte, would now draw more soldiers from the general population by lot to make up for all the lives lost in the last war.

The Napoleonic Wars were underway in Europe, and by intervening in yet another war, the Swedish state hoped to be part of drawing the new borders of the future Europe, and thus win back land - and glory.

Both in Sweden and in Skåne there was unrest among the commoners. Skåne's commoners did not want to see any more of their husbands, brothers and sons sent to die in foreign lands, and therefore gathered at Klågerup's sätesgård on 15 June to defend their rights.

If you want to read more about the Klågerup massacre, you can download this detailed article by Sven Rosborn.

Subscribe to YouTube:

If you appreciate Allmogens independent work to portray our fine Swedish history and Nordic culture, you are welcome to buy something nice in the shop or support us with a voluntary donation. Thank you in advance!

Support Allmogens via Swish: 123 258 97 29
Support Allmogens by becoming a member
Support Allmogens in your will