The battle was the beginning of the seven decades long Polish–Swedish Wars, which eventually destroyed the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, at the time, arguably the largest nation state in Europe and also led to fall of Swedish Empire in 1721.

However, he was refused coronation unless he agreed to the conditions of a clerical convention in Uppsala, making Sweden decisively Protestant.

They were not granted these, but in the absence of the king, who spent most of his time in Poland, Sweden was to be ruled jointly by the Privy Council and Sigismund's uncle, Duke Charles.

This was protested by Sigismund and those nobles loyal to him (mostly found in Finland after the king's governor, Klaus Fleming, had put down a peasant uprising there).

When the forces of Duke Charles approached from the east on the morning of 25 September, Sigismund's army charged out of the city and met them at these bridges.

In negotiations after the battle, Charles demanded that Sigismund send home his troops and surrender the Privy Council members loyal to him, and that the king himself stay to attend the Riksens ständer.

Sigismund chose to leave the country instead, sailing back to Poland, but surrendering the Privy Council members in question.

Also, most remaining Catholic elements of Swedish society were wiped out, and Sweden became one of the foremost advocates of Protestantism, not least important during the Thirty Years' War.

A 9-metre (29.5 ft) monument was erected in 1898 at the battleground, immediately east of the river and close to the Stångebro sports field.