Hemming Gadh

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Hemming Gadh (around 1450-December 1520) was a Swedish priest och politician. He was a staunch ally of Sten Sture and a fierce opponent of Denmark and the Kalmar Union.

Hemming was born 1450 in Hossmo, Kalmar County, Sweden. He studied at University of Rostock. In 1479 he became chancellor and secretary for Henrik Tideman, bishop in the Diocese of Linköping. Hemming was later that year promoted to envoy of Sten Sture in Rome.

He was a master in gaining well paid posts, which he didn't take up, but rather sold for a good price.

He did however choose to take up his new position when he, on the request of Sten Sture, was elected as bishop of the diocese after his predecessor Henrik Tideman had died in 1501. It has been suspected that either he or Sten Sture might have killed Henrik as they both visited him at the time of his death.

His new post came to cause him problems as he didn't manage to get the post confirmed by the pope within the statuated three months. This had as consequence that the Spanish cardinal Jacoubs Serra was appointed as administrator. In 1506 he was excommunicated by the pope and in 1513 Hans Brask gained the position as bishop.

He worked as a Swedish ambassador in Lübeck between 1510 and 1512.

The Danes captured him in 1518. He was on Christian II's fleet to Stockholm 1520 and played a role in allowing the Danes entrance to the city. Afterwards he was taken to Raseborg Castle in Finland. There he was beheaded on order of Christian II.

Letters written by Hemming give with hand that he didn't take the Ten Commandments very seriously as he uses foul language and mentions visits to pubs and brothels. His lifestyle resulted in a rather negative profusion of rumours.

[edit] Sources

• Wennerholm, Ove (1998). Vem var Bockstensmannen? Fjärås: Bokförlaget Carse. ISBN 91-971061-7-8} (Swedish)