e, returned to
Upsala, and the Swedish forces that had joined him retired to their
homes.[41]

Christina was thus afforded a short respite in which to gather strength.
The bravery and determination which she had displayed, even from the
moment of her husband's death, already began to inspire confidence among
the people. Most of the great men in the realm, intimidated by the
threats or allured by the promises of Krumpen, had sworn allegiance to
the king of Denmark. But the chief castles were still held by the
patriots, and throughout the land there was a strong undercurrent of
feeling against the Danes. In most parts the people were only waiting to
see which way the wind was going to blow, and for the time being it
seemed likely to blow in favor of the Swedes. The regent's widow used
every effort to rouse the people from their lethargy, and with
increased success. All winter long the king of Denmark was burning to
send reinforcements, and dickering with the Powers of Europe to obtain
the necessary funds. But his credit was bad, and it was only with great
difficulty that he at last despatched a body of some fifteen hundred
men. Christina, on the other hand, was being reinforced by the Hanse
Towns along the Baltic, and in the early spring the current of sentiment
had set so strongly in her favor that a plot was formed to drive off the
Danish troops beleaguering the Castle of Vesteras, on the Maelar. So soon
as this plot reached the ears of the Danish leader, he resolved to break
the siege and hurry off to join the forces of Krumpen at Upsala. He did
so; but he did so none too soon. He found his path beset by the
peasantry lying in ambush in the woods, and before he succeeded in
pushing through them, he was led into a bloody battle from which the
patriots came off victorious, though their leader fell.[42]

Emboldened by this success, Christina now sent a messenger among the
peasantry to collect a force with which to attack the Danish army in
Upsala. In a short space of time he had gathered a strong band of
peasantry and miners, with whom, reinforced by a detachment from
Stockholm, he marched forward to Upsala. As the patriots approached the
town, a squad stationed by Krumpen outside the walls descried them and
sounded the alarm. This was on Good Friday, April 6, 1520, and Krumpen
was in the cathedral when the news arrived. Without delay he hurried
forth and gave orders that every man, both horse and foot, should gird
on h