Hello, and welcome to yet another post in the topic of the great nordic wars. This time: Kronan.
Kronan ("The Crown") was a enormous Swedish battleship with over 100 guns, built in the 1672. It was the great pride of the Swedish navy - the biggest ship in Scandinavia, number four in the world! As Sweden and Denmark was the rivals at the time, Sweden wanted to break the Danish naval supremacy. Usually, the Danes had a great navy, while the Swedes had a great army. As an army can't cross water, which a Swede had to in order to reach Copenhagen, all the Swedes had to do was break the Danish navy, and victory was theirs! And Kronan was set to do so. But...
The ship was gigantic, but the crew unskilled and officers primarily taken from land warfare. The Danish crew was the pride of their nation. Just like today, material supremacy only can't let you win. But the Swedes had to try, and try they did. In the Scandinavian war of 1675-79, at the battle of Öland in the Baltic sea, 1676.
The Danish navy gets the upper hand by getting the wind in their backs and scares away the Swedish navy, following them. The unskilled Swedish main admiral Lorentz Creutz keeps fleeing until better conditions for a fight can be found, as the Danes surely couldn't be beaten if they had the wind too! The Swedes set sails, too many sails, to get away, as the winds are powerful and tears in the sails and masts. The admiral is baffled when some of his ships turns around to engage the Danes, despite the admiral's orders. Creutz swears, as he have to choose between:
-Keep sailing, knowing the ships that turned probably will be lost
-Turn the entire fleet around, and starting the battle in complete disorder
Creutz swears again and orders the fleet to turn around. The cannons are locked and loaded, as Kronan turns around. The reckless sailing causes the ship to heel drastically, and is taking water through the open cannon ports. As gunpowder and lit fuses rumble around in the heeling ship, it takes fire and explodes. Nearly 10% of the Swedish navy crew, its admiral and greatest ship is all gone. The Swedes additionally loses several ships, and the Danes win decisively with only minor casualties. After another Danish victory in the battle of Køge Bugt later in this war, the Danish naval supremacy is secured, and it lasts all the way to 1807, when the once-great Danish navy is robbed by Great Britain. (See the 1814 - pt.1 post)
Please correct me if some dates, numbers or facts are incorrect.
Vavva
onsdag 23. mars 2011
onsdag 16. mars 2011
The Nordic Wars - Carl XII - what happened? pt 2
Hello, Vavva here again, with part 2 of the mystery of Carl XII.
As probably understood from pt. 1, Carl wasn't an appreciated man in Sweden after his (or, the enemies') wars. This caused suspicious voices to say: Was this a lucky shot, or a murder?
As the Swedish king had no children or wife, his throne went to his sister Ulrika Eleonora and her husband, Friedrich of Hessen. If Carl was assassinated, he must have been the man behind. This is quite pointed out as Carl's nephew and good friend mourns Carl for a long time and is in deep sorrow, while Friedrich covers from the tragedy unusually quickly. Instead he charges the former in-reality ruler of Sweden, baron Görtz. He was a good friend and cousin of Carl, and during Carl's many and long campaigns, Görtz reigned Sweden. He was charged for some vague accusations, found guilty and executed quickly after Friedrich's reign started. So Friedrich could have been the one killing Carl, indirectly. But who did it?
In the trench of Fredriksten fortress where Carl fell, a Frenchman stood some metres away from the king, André Paré, Friedrich's aide. He ran away from Carl some seconds before the shot, and then ran back again. If Friedrich was behind this conspiracy, Paré was obviously the assassin. Many years later, as the old Paré was interviewed by Voltaire about Carl XII, Paré, as many believe today, cryptically confessed the murder. He later, with a high fever, opened the window of his apartment and cried out loud that he shot the king. People just said his fever made him mad. Or did Paré shoot him?
The Swedish main field surgeon had been in a lot of battles, including Fredriksten, and hurried onto Carl to look at the wound. The surgeon had worked with hundreds of shot wounds and could determine the distance the shot was fired at based on the wound. He immediately concluded that this shot was fired at close range. He later wrote in his diary that he had his suspicions that this was an assassination, but didn't want to say these out loud in the fear of actions against him. Which may lead to Friedrich and Paré too...
Though there are other proofs, for and against, that this was a murder, I'll stop here and let you think. Murder...
Or not?
Please correct me if some dates, numbers or facts are incorrect.
Vavva
As probably understood from pt. 1, Carl wasn't an appreciated man in Sweden after his (or, the enemies') wars. This caused suspicious voices to say: Was this a lucky shot, or a murder?
As the Swedish king had no children or wife, his throne went to his sister Ulrika Eleonora and her husband, Friedrich of Hessen. If Carl was assassinated, he must have been the man behind. This is quite pointed out as Carl's nephew and good friend mourns Carl for a long time and is in deep sorrow, while Friedrich covers from the tragedy unusually quickly. Instead he charges the former in-reality ruler of Sweden, baron Görtz. He was a good friend and cousin of Carl, and during Carl's many and long campaigns, Görtz reigned Sweden. He was charged for some vague accusations, found guilty and executed quickly after Friedrich's reign started. So Friedrich could have been the one killing Carl, indirectly. But who did it?
In the trench of Fredriksten fortress where Carl fell, a Frenchman stood some metres away from the king, André Paré, Friedrich's aide. He ran away from Carl some seconds before the shot, and then ran back again. If Friedrich was behind this conspiracy, Paré was obviously the assassin. Many years later, as the old Paré was interviewed by Voltaire about Carl XII, Paré, as many believe today, cryptically confessed the murder. He later, with a high fever, opened the window of his apartment and cried out loud that he shot the king. People just said his fever made him mad. Or did Paré shoot him?
The Swedish main field surgeon had been in a lot of battles, including Fredriksten, and hurried onto Carl to look at the wound. The surgeon had worked with hundreds of shot wounds and could determine the distance the shot was fired at based on the wound. He immediately concluded that this shot was fired at close range. He later wrote in his diary that he had his suspicions that this was an assassination, but didn't want to say these out loud in the fear of actions against him. Which may lead to Friedrich and Paré too...
Though there are other proofs, for and against, that this was a murder, I'll stop here and let you think. Murder...
Or not?
Please correct me if some dates, numbers or facts are incorrect.
Vavva
tirsdag 15. mars 2011
The Nordic Wars - Carl XII - what happened? Pt. 1
Hello, Vavva here. As I've written some posts now, maybe I should reveal my true name and age, as Vavva is, obviously, a pseudonym. My true name is John Halvor Rykkelid, a history-interested 15-year old boy, being obsessed with history for some time. I thought spreading my knowledge through the Internet could be nice, as I don't like popular histoy writing today. You usually have to dig some deeper into professional literature, but normal people won't do so, so most people is left with the sad leftover of the history books and stories, learning almost nothing.
And then, back to the topic:
The bullets fly everywhere. Some are hit, some stand and fire. The date is 22nd of November 1718, the place is Fredriksten, a Norwegian (Danish) fortress bordering Sweden. The Swedish king Carl (Charles) XII besieges the fortress in order to take Norway. As he raises up in the Swedish trench to watch the hostile barricades himself, one of his officers warns him; he may be shot. "Don't be afraid", the Swedish king says, just when a bullet fulfills the officer's worst thoughts as Carl dies instantly, 36 years old. A luck shot, maybe - or something deeper?
Firstly, we must look on the political situation at the time. Sweden, being the greatest power of the northern Europe, is war-tired after 18 years of war, the Great Nordic War. A anti-Swedish coalition consisting of Denmark, Russia, Poland-Lithuania (covering most of today's Belarus, Poland and Lithauania) tries to end the Swedish dominance in the Baltic. The Swedish young king, Carl XII, is very interested, bordering to obsessed, in soldiering, and wins his first victory over the coalition in Narva, 1700, against Russia. Outnumbered 1:5 (8000 vs 40 000) the Swedish wins the battle, and the Russians realise they may have to deal with their military inferiority. The decision is proven to be crucial later. Victory follows victory for the Swedish army, and the coalition is partly disbanded. But Russia stays, though they still lose many battles. Carl moves to the south to seek a total destruction of the Russian army, but as troops are moved to the front, the Swedish regions at the east side of the Baltic sea (except Finland) are lost to the Russians. Though common sense may say he should've stayed and managed his great empire, he wanted battles...
In 1709, the Swedish are stuck. They are out in the front, far away from home, in Poltava, Ukraine. And the Russians follow them. What Carl doesn't know, is that the Russians have formed a "new model army" being far more dangerous to the Swedes. To make a long story short, though I'll tell the long one another time, the Swedes loses decisevely at Poltava, shattering the army and ruining Carl's plans. The old coalition smells blood and declares war at Sweden, weakening the bankrupt empire, leeched out of troops and money. After some less-fortunate campaigns, Carl tries his last one: To invade Norway. Which ended so tragically.
But, what happened?
TBC
Please correct me if some numbers, dates or facts are incorrect.
Vavva, or
John Halvor Rykkelid
And then, back to the topic:
The bullets fly everywhere. Some are hit, some stand and fire. The date is 22nd of November 1718, the place is Fredriksten, a Norwegian (Danish) fortress bordering Sweden. The Swedish king Carl (Charles) XII besieges the fortress in order to take Norway. As he raises up in the Swedish trench to watch the hostile barricades himself, one of his officers warns him; he may be shot. "Don't be afraid", the Swedish king says, just when a bullet fulfills the officer's worst thoughts as Carl dies instantly, 36 years old. A luck shot, maybe - or something deeper?
Firstly, we must look on the political situation at the time. Sweden, being the greatest power of the northern Europe, is war-tired after 18 years of war, the Great Nordic War. A anti-Swedish coalition consisting of Denmark, Russia, Poland-Lithuania (covering most of today's Belarus, Poland and Lithauania) tries to end the Swedish dominance in the Baltic. The Swedish young king, Carl XII, is very interested, bordering to obsessed, in soldiering, and wins his first victory over the coalition in Narva, 1700, against Russia. Outnumbered 1:5 (8000 vs 40 000) the Swedish wins the battle, and the Russians realise they may have to deal with their military inferiority. The decision is proven to be crucial later. Victory follows victory for the Swedish army, and the coalition is partly disbanded. But Russia stays, though they still lose many battles. Carl moves to the south to seek a total destruction of the Russian army, but as troops are moved to the front, the Swedish regions at the east side of the Baltic sea (except Finland) are lost to the Russians. Though common sense may say he should've stayed and managed his great empire, he wanted battles...
In 1709, the Swedish are stuck. They are out in the front, far away from home, in Poltava, Ukraine. And the Russians follow them. What Carl doesn't know, is that the Russians have formed a "new model army" being far more dangerous to the Swedes. To make a long story short, though I'll tell the long one another time, the Swedes loses decisevely at Poltava, shattering the army and ruining Carl's plans. The old coalition smells blood and declares war at Sweden, weakening the bankrupt empire, leeched out of troops and money. After some less-fortunate campaigns, Carl tries his last one: To invade Norway. Which ended so tragically.
But, what happened?
TBC
Please correct me if some numbers, dates or facts are incorrect.
Vavva, or
John Halvor Rykkelid
tirsdag 8. mars 2011
The Nordic Wars: Siege of Copenhagen
Hello. I am Vavva, and this will be an interruption in the normal plan, as Winter War pt. II will be delayed. Instead, I thought of starting up on a new collection where I'll find some of my favourite stories: The trouble of the Nordic through the 17th, 18t and 19th century.
The first part will be about the siege and charge of Copenhagen during the winter of 1658.
Denmark and Sweden of course were the main parts of the conflict, as another meaningless war in Scandinavia broke out by Sweden declaring war (Denmark and Sweden has the doubtful record of being the nations fighting the most wars through history, about 50(!)) in 1658. This maybe was one of the most meaningful, though, as the Swedish king Gustav saw an opportunity to conquer his rival through 150 years: Denmark and its king Frederik III, then controlling Scania (Skåne in Danish and Swedish, the southernmost tip of the Swedish peninsula), Norway and parts of Germany.
A strategic blow to the most vulnerable part would immediately end this kingdom once and for all, and the Swedish king knew where to start: Jutland ( Jylland in Danish, the main part of Denmark). As Scania bordered to Sweden itself, the Danish main army was lined up there. The Swedish army, however, was in Poland on a less fortunate campaign the Swedish king wanted to bail from. This was a golden opportunity, to strike the Danish where the Swedes were the least expected. The Swedish king and army met almost no resistance in Denmark, as they also were lucky on weather.
The Danish sounds (known as "bælts") froze very rarely, and the greatest hadn't in over a hundred years when they all suddenly did in the winter of 1658. The Swedish army could almost walk the Danish straits and sounds straight down, both due to lack of manned forts and ice over the moats and trenches of the manned Danish forts. As the Danish capital Copenhagen is situated on an island, Zealand (Sjælland in Danish), the Swedish army had to walk down the Great Belt (Storebælt in Danish) in order to reach it, which he did. In the meantime, the Danish king Frederik stood in Scania, unable to cross the icy sound of Øresund to reach his capital, as the ice wasn't safe here. Instead, he went for diplomacy and sent representatives to Roskilde outside Copenhagen to negotiate and offered almost half the Danish kingdom in order of peace. The Swedes wanted it all, however, and refused the offer. They planned the siege and charge of Copenhagen. And it all went down to this, would the Danish monarchy, stable for 800 years, die here? Or would Denmark prevail?
The Swedish army lined up in a giant camp at the size of Copenhagen itself, and promised three straight days of looting and raping to the soldiers if Copenhagen fell. This obviously inspired the Copenhageners to defend their homes and wives, and almost all able citizens entrenched themselves. It was a harsh battle, but turned out to be a crushing Danish victory!
The Swedish attack massively failed due to bad luck, a lot of unfortunate circumstances such as too short moat bridges, a burning ship providing sight to the Danes, and many other happenings which led to over 1000 fallen Swedes and a broken army. Less than 20 Copenhageners fell. The Danish government accepted a slightly milder variety of the treaty of Roskilde, which still counts it all as a loss, but a survival for the Danish nation.
Vavva
The first part will be about the siege and charge of Copenhagen during the winter of 1658.
Denmark and Sweden of course were the main parts of the conflict, as another meaningless war in Scandinavia broke out by Sweden declaring war (Denmark and Sweden has the doubtful record of being the nations fighting the most wars through history, about 50(!)) in 1658. This maybe was one of the most meaningful, though, as the Swedish king Gustav saw an opportunity to conquer his rival through 150 years: Denmark and its king Frederik III, then controlling Scania (Skåne in Danish and Swedish, the southernmost tip of the Swedish peninsula), Norway and parts of Germany.
A strategic blow to the most vulnerable part would immediately end this kingdom once and for all, and the Swedish king knew where to start: Jutland ( Jylland in Danish, the main part of Denmark). As Scania bordered to Sweden itself, the Danish main army was lined up there. The Swedish army, however, was in Poland on a less fortunate campaign the Swedish king wanted to bail from. This was a golden opportunity, to strike the Danish where the Swedes were the least expected. The Swedish king and army met almost no resistance in Denmark, as they also were lucky on weather.
The Danish sounds (known as "bælts") froze very rarely, and the greatest hadn't in over a hundred years when they all suddenly did in the winter of 1658. The Swedish army could almost walk the Danish straits and sounds straight down, both due to lack of manned forts and ice over the moats and trenches of the manned Danish forts. As the Danish capital Copenhagen is situated on an island, Zealand (Sjælland in Danish), the Swedish army had to walk down the Great Belt (Storebælt in Danish) in order to reach it, which he did. In the meantime, the Danish king Frederik stood in Scania, unable to cross the icy sound of Øresund to reach his capital, as the ice wasn't safe here. Instead, he went for diplomacy and sent representatives to Roskilde outside Copenhagen to negotiate and offered almost half the Danish kingdom in order of peace. The Swedes wanted it all, however, and refused the offer. They planned the siege and charge of Copenhagen. And it all went down to this, would the Danish monarchy, stable for 800 years, die here? Or would Denmark prevail?
The Swedish army lined up in a giant camp at the size of Copenhagen itself, and promised three straight days of looting and raping to the soldiers if Copenhagen fell. This obviously inspired the Copenhageners to defend their homes and wives, and almost all able citizens entrenched themselves. It was a harsh battle, but turned out to be a crushing Danish victory!
The Swedish attack massively failed due to bad luck, a lot of unfortunate circumstances such as too short moat bridges, a burning ship providing sight to the Danes, and many other happenings which led to over 1000 fallen Swedes and a broken army. Less than 20 Copenhageners fell. The Danish government accepted a slightly milder variety of the treaty of Roskilde, which still counts it all as a loss, but a survival for the Danish nation.
Vavva
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