Battle of Åsle

The Battle of Åsle was the decisive battle between King Albert of Mecklenburg's and Queen Margareta Valdemarsdotter's forces in 1389. The battle took place at Åsle church village about one mile east of Falköping. Margareta was victorious and took Albert as a prisoner of war. He was released in 1395 against a large ransom.

Background
On March 22, 1388, Margareta was appointed regent in Sweden. However, King Albert received support from the Citizens of Stockholm and in late summer went to Germany to recruit troops. During the year, Margareta's Swedish troops began a siege of the castle Axevalla between Skara and Skövde which was held by a German crew. Margareta's main force eventually withdrew, leaving behind a smaller siege force under Nils varte Skåning to starve out the fortress's defenders. King Albert returned to Sweden at the turn of the year 1388–1389. In Germany the king had enlisted troops accustomed to war and mounted, possibly a thousand men. The landing probably took place in Kalmar and with his enlisted troops the king captured Rumlaborg outside Jönköping. Once at Axevalla, the king learned that a Danish force consisting of 1,500 men under the leadership of the Mecklenburger Henrik Parow had marched up the Nissastigen.

Battle
On February 24, 1389, the forces met between Mösseberg and a swamp, at Åsle church village about one mile east of Falköping. There is no more detailed description of what happened during the battle. Queen Margareta's forces were victorious despite their commander Henrik Parow falling in the battle. By tradition, King Albrecht's loss is usually attributed to the German horsemen's horses sinking and getting stuck in the shallow ground. It is also claimed that Margareta's troops were led by Erik Kettilsson Puke instead of Henrik Parow. According to the medieval historian Lars-Olof Larsson these claims are fabrications.

The Lübeck chronicler Detmar describes the battle:

"The king was so eager for battle and in such a hurry that not all of his people had time to prepare themselves. When it came to battle, he won the first engagement and tore up two army divisions under two banners. But his success did not last long. The king lost the battle with all the lords and knights who took part in the battle except those who fled. In particular, one named Gert Snakeburg, whose first knight's day it was, escaped. He took 60 knights with him who all fled and that was the main reason why the battle was lost."

Aftermath
When Margareta received news of the battle, she was in Varberg and ordered the prisoners of war to be taken to Bohus Fortress, where she herself went. The bishop of Skara was released, other prisoners of war had to pay to be released. King Albert and his son were imprisoned until 1395 when they were released after signing the Lindholmstrakatuta.