The Miners’ Uproar in Falun, 1743
For three days in June 1743, Falun was part of what is known as the Dalecarlian Rebellion or the Great Dalecarlian Dance. The Parliament’s message about conscription had provoked the fury of the common people. All male inhabitants of Upper Dalarna were called upon via a circular message (budkavle) to "march" to Stockholm to leave their homes and, if necessary, use force to assert their cause. In Falun, resentment over wages and working conditions in the mine added fuel to the rebellious atmosphere, growing into rage among some of the miners. The authorities—mine foremen, clergy, and townspeople—eventually feared for their lives.
Beginning on October 4, 1743, at the urging of the Royal Majesty and Parliament, trials were held against 79 miners and guards.
Where does the dataset come from?
The records are part of the archive series Bergskollegium with reference code SE/RA/420013/02/E II b/57: Minutes from an extraordinary court session concerning the Dalecarlian commoners’ rebellion, October 4 – November 12, 1743.
What information is in the dataset?
The transcribed court record consists of over a thousand pages of continuous text, detailing the trial day by day. It also includes written testimonies, often attached in full. The texts contain information such as the date of trial, names and titles of defendants, witnesses, and the presiding officials; in some cases, place names and family relationships are also provided. The data has been transcribed faithfully to the source.
