<p>The study examines the massacre of the garrison of the castle of Kalmar in 1525 and its causes. The goal of the investigation has been on the one hand to elucidate the most probable sequence of events, and on the other to identify as many different plausible explanations to the massacre as possible. For this end, four contemporary sources have been examined and compared in their details. To enable a broad basis for interpretation, the author has consulted various works on the themes of warfare, soldiers and violence in the late middle ages and the sixteenth century. Apart from political aspects, the study highlights social and cultural conditions as important factors in explaining how the massacre could be carried out without provoking any single part of society. Among these are found the idea of the perceived natural ferocity of siege warfare, the exposed position of soldiers in general and the low status of lansquenets in particular, as well as the increasing general acceptance of executions and retributional violence.The paper finishes with a discussion on the importance of the event under investigation as part of a greater whole, and asks whether or not it is worthy of the sparsely used label of ”blood bath”. In relation to this, the author inquires for an expanded historical debate on the relationship between cultural and social values and conditions, and the use of violence in society.</p>

The study examines the massacre of the garrison of the castle of Kalmar in 1525 and its causes. The goal of the investigation has been on the one hand to elucidate the most probable sequence of events, and on the other to identify as many different plausible explanations to the massacre as possible. For this end, four contemporary sources have been examined and compared in their details. To enable a broad basis for interpretation, the author has consulted various works on the themes of warfare, soldiers and violence in the late middle ages and the sixteenth century. Apart from political aspects, the study highlights social and cultural conditions as important factors in explaining how the massacre could be carried out without provoking any single part of society. Among these are found the idea of the perceived natural ferocity of siege warfare, the exposed position of soldiers in general and the low status of lansquenets in particular, as well as the increasing general acceptance of executions and retributional violence.The paper finishes with a discussion on the importance of the event under investigation as part of a greater whole, and asks whether or not it is worthy of the sparsely used label of ”blood bath”. In relation to this, the author inquires for an expanded historical debate on the relationship between cultural and social values and conditions, and the use of violence in society.