Eric, raving mad for the past six…

Eric, raving mad for the past six months, recovers his mental composure and as his first act restores as his advisor his most trusted councilor, the hated Jöran Persson; he now has his commoner mistress, Karin Månsdotter, crowned queen over the objections of the nobility.

He does not, however, send his brother back to prison; on the contrary he reconciles with him.

John uses the first pretext he can find, Eric’s marriage, to lead a rebellion against his brother.

Almost the entirety of the nobility, wishing to have revenge for Eric’s treatment of them, rally behind John.

This rebellion, somewhat conveniently, results in the King once again showing signs of insanity.

Eric is forced to abdicate in September 1568 and is succeeded by his brother, who takes the title John III.

Following this, Persson is once again arrested.

John, who has never forgiven Persson for his treatment while imprisoned in Gripsholm, orders his death following a very hasty trial, which finds him guilty of a number of crimes surrounding his role in suppressing the nobility.

Persson dies very slowly; he is severely tortured before being beheaded at some point between September 18 and 21, 1568.