On the Summer of 1518 the Danish king Christian II started a siege of Stockholm in an attempt to quell the rebellion of the party of Sten Sture the Younger, regent of Sweden.

With an army, mostly composed of Danish troops and reinforced by German mercenaries, he firstly camped on Norrmalm, but later moved to Södermalm.

The main sources of the Battle of Brännkyrka is an account in Latin of a Danish eyewitness, Lars Werman (Lawrence Wermannus), and one in German by a man in Sten Sture service.

This would indicate that at least the concluding part of the battle took place on the slope towards Årstafältet between Östberga [sv] and Ersta, just to the north of Örby mill.

The Great Swedish historical chronicle states instead that the battle was fought near Brännkyrka church [sv] where it was said were found the traces of what was then assumed to be remnants of the Swedes' camp.

Taking into account the circumstances preceding the battle, that Sten Sture's troops marched towards Stockholm from the South and Christian's ones from his camp on Södermalm to meet them, makes a location along the Göta highway a likely place for the skirmish.

This coincided with the appearance of Swedish reinforcement as a part of the foot soldiers that were not yet involved into the battle and who intervened in the attack.

The Danish historian Professor Allen writes: "The first Swedish attack was repulsed and at the second they were thrown away and was chased into the woods.

One of the earliest references in 1800s it is mentioned in Geijer and Afzelius, Swedish Folk Songs in 1880, that begins with Swerighis menn achtar iagh att loffwa.