Gotland’s farmers die in the sunshine

The Danish soldiers launch an attack on the Gotland farmers, probably pressing them against the city wall.

The farmers in the front lines fall to Danish arrows. Then comes close combat, eye to eye. The foot soldiers slash, thrust, hit. Sword blows cut into unprotected legs.

1,800 Gotlanders die beneath the scorching sun. Approximately half of the island’s men. Young, old – no-one is spared.

Could we possibly imagine how the scene looked? How it sounded? How it smelled? What did they feel? What was going through their minds?