Sack of Moscow

The Sack of Moscow was an event that took place on 1 January 1498 between Swedish troops and the Muscovite people of Moscow.

The Siege
Since June 1496, the city of Moscow had been put under siege by the Swedish army during the Tambov War. While initially long and arduous, the Swedes had equipment that the Muscovites did not, and thus gave them the upper hand: the cannon. Sometime in 1497, the first Swedish cannon units were drafted in the eastern territories of Sweden, such as in Gustavstad and Olonets. When those regiments arrived in Moscow, they were used to blow up the walls of the Moscow Kremlin and thus expose the main fortress to the Swedes.

The Sacking
On 1 January 1498, Moscow fell to the Swedes. To celebrate this victory, Swedish troops burned down the farmland surrounding the city, which prevented any quick recaptures from the Muscovites. Shops and art galleries were looted; while many ended up in Stockholm, some got "lost", presumably pocketed by the soldiers. A parade took place within the Kremlin and the Swedish flag was hung up along one of the many towers.

The next day, the fires from the farmlands went into the city, burning down many wooden structures and weakening other buildings. The Swedish garrison put out the fires around their area, but did nothing for the rest of the city. It is unknown how many lives were lost in the blaze.

Attempted Revenge
Muscovite troops arrived in Sweden in 1495, but they did nothing but pillage the countryside until a few years later. Stockholm was placed under siege after the sacking of Moscow, and it is presumed that the Muscovites planned to raze the city in revenge. However, the Battle of Stockholm took place, in which all 14,000 invading troops were killed. Their bodies were defiled and burnt outside the city, with careful planning to prevent the city from catching on fire as well. Some soldiers' heads were put on stakes outside the city as warnings, but they were taken down by locals who did not like the sight of rotting brains.