Battle of Visby - Aftermath

Aftermath

Following the devastating battle, the citizens of Visby decided to surrender to avoid further losses. To save the city from sacking the inhabitants paid large amount of their wealth to King Valdemar. This extortion of contributions became a legendary event, although it can not be confirmed to have taken place, and if so, the events are unclear. Despite the payment, the Danes plundered several churches and monasteries.

King Valdemar appointed sheriffs to govern Visby and then set sail again. It would take another year before Valdemar officially added "King Of Gotland" to his many titles. When Albert, King of Sweden took the Swedish crown he claimed Gotland as part of his domains and held the island at least until 1369; thus the Danish presence there couldn't have been strong, as it so rapidly and easily returned to the Swedish crown. The island would be disputed over by the House of Mecklenburg and the Danish Crown until 1376 when Queen Margareta (the daughter of the late King Valdemar) officially claimed the island for Denmark.

King Albert was defeated in a civil war in 1389, in which Queen Margareta supported the "rebels", and was forced to abdicate. However, he was granted Gotland and its "capital" Visby, where he remained with a "pirate" organisation called the Victual Brothers. It was not until 1408 that the last remains of the house of Mecklenburg and the above mentioned pirates were driven out for good.