The extra tax had hit the poor farmers and fishermen in rural areas around Bergen particularly hard.

The protests, which became violent, were particularly directed at Ulrik Fredrik de Cicignon, the local sheriff (stiftamtmann).

In autumn 1762, the national government in Copenhagen established an extra per capita tax for every person over twelve years, which was later reduced to a charge per household.

These extra taxes were intended to help pay loans from foreign governments and to support the price of the Danish-Norwegian currency at the stock market in Hamburg.

The leaders of the rebellion were indicted by the general court and were convicted of disturbance of public order.