The fifteenth century saw the {136} great aggrandizement of the power of the prelates and of the larger nobles at the expense of the _boender_, who, from a class of free and noble small proprietors degenerated not only into peasants but often into serfs.

[Sidenote: 1513] When Christian II succeeded to the throne, it was as the papal champion.
His attempt to consolidate his power in Sweden by massacring the magnates under the pretext that they were hostile to the pope, [Sidenote: November 8-11, 1520] an act called the "Stockholm bath of blood," aroused the people against him in a war of independence.
[Sidenote: Denmark] Christian found Denmark also insubordinate.

It is true that he made some just laws, protecting the people and building up their prosperity, but their support was insufficient to counterbalance the hatred of the great lords spiritual and temporal.

He was quick to see in the Reformation a weapon against the prelates, and appealed for help to Wittenberg as early as 1519.

His endeavors throughout 1520 to get Luther himself to visit Denmark failed, but early in 1521 he succeeded in attracting Carlstadt for a short visit.