Nils Dacke
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Nils Dacke was the leader of the 16th century peasants revolt in Smalandia, southern Sweden called "Dackefejden", against the then Swedish king Gustav Vasa. In 1536 he was tried at a local court for killing a sheriff: according to court records he was fined 10 oxen. The uprising started in 1543, and after some initial successes the revolt was eventually quelled since Dacke lacked the economic resources, and refused to accept help offered by German landlords. He died in 1543 on the border between the two southern Swedish provinces Smalandia and Blechingia, while trying to escape from the king's mercenary knights after the rebellion had been crushed. Even though Dacke was not executed, his body was dismembered and the parts were sent for public display in larger communities that had supported him during the rebellion. Some sources indicate that Dacke had a son that the king starved to death in a prison cell since he was afraid of new uprisings, and of his potential symbolic value.