Gustav Vasa

Gustav I Eriksson Vasa (1496-1560) of House Vasa, King of Sweden and Protector of the Realm, is a character of major importance in Swedish history. He is most famous for liberating Sweden from Danish rule in 1523. After the Christian II of Denmark executed Swedish nobility in an event known as the Stockholm Bloodbath, he and other rebels drove the invaders out of Sweden. Sweden later broke away from the Kalmar Union. He also introduced a Protestant reformation, in which Sweden officially abandoned the Catholic league. He was also responsible for translating the Bible into Swedish, nationalizing the church's assets, forcefully putting down three rebellions and forever ending Danish dominance in Sweden.