Battle of Bornholm (1563)

Last updated
Battle of Bornholm (1563)
Part of a prelude to the Northern Seven Years' War
Jakob Brockenhuus' soslag ved Bornholm, 1563.png
Naval battles of the Northern War:
Battle of Bornholm (1563)
Date30 May 1563
Location
Result Swedish victory
Belligerents
Sweden-Flag-1562.svg  Sweden Royal Standard of Denmark (1731-1819).svg  Denmark–Norway
Commanders and leaders
Sweden-Flag-1562.svg Jakob Bagge Royal Standard of Denmark (1731-1819).svg Jacob Brockenhuus (POW)
Units involved
Unknown Royal Standard of Denmark (1731-1819).svg Hercules
Royal Standard of Denmark (1731-1819).svg Hector
Royal Standard of Denmark (1731-1819).svg Hjort
Strength
19 ships 3 ships
Casualties and losses
Negligible 3 ships captured
800 men captured

The Battle of Bornholm (1563) was the naval battle that would eventually lead to the outbreak of the Northern Seven Years' War

Contents

Background

In early 1563, 20 years after the Dacke War, the Swedish admiral Jakob Bagge was a 60 year old veteran. Eric XIV ordered him to provoke the Danes near Gotland or Bornholm and get them to attack the Swedish fleet, so that war on Denmark could be declared on the pretext of self-defense. For this reason, Bagge ordered the crew on the Swedish ships not to strike the top sail on their ships which was a normal practice to show respect. [1]

Bagge hoped this would be insulting enough for the Danes to attack. If events would proceed like Eric had planned, all of Europe would hear how Danish ships attacked the "poor Swedish ships who were just on the way to transport a wife for their king" [1]

Prelude

On 30 May, the Swedes set sail for Bornholm, they could have avoided the island entirely, as they were going to Rostock, but instead, they went as close as possible to Hammershus fortress and the harbor in Rönne. When they came in hearing distance, they fired two shots, which signalled that the ships were Swedish. In Hammershus, the Lübeckian chief Schweder Kettingk and his men were stationed there, however, in Rönne's harbour, there were several Danish warships. The harbor had been created as a temporary base for the Danish navy. King Frederick had previously given out an order saying that the Danish navy was to patrol the Baltic Sea and visit all Swedish ships that were encountered. If they found cargo ships with food or war material the cargo was to be confiscated. [1]

The Danes held deep mistrust for the Swedes, and when the Danes first heard the two shots from the Swedish ships, three Danish warships were dispatched to meet the Swedes, one of these being the flagship Herkules with the admiral Jacob Brockenhuus onboard. [1]

There was also a Hessian delegation on the Swedish flagship, of which none knew of the true Swedish intentions. The atmosphere onboard was lively, with music playing. The crew's attention was not directed towards the three Danish warships that were quickly approaching. After the Danish ships had come closer, three shots were fired, signalling that the ships were Danish, after this signal, the events that followed are disputed. [1]

Danish version

According to Danish sources, the Danes fired three blanks to warn the Swedes of their presence and to allow the crew onboard to show their good will. After which they fired a live round which penetrated the sail of the Elefanten. [1]

Blood flag Blood Flag.svg
Blood flag

Swedish version

According to Swedish sources, the Danes only fired 2 blank rounds, with the third one being a live round which gave Bagge a reason to fire back at the Danes. [1]

Battle

On the stern of the Elefanten, the "blood flag" was raised, which signalled the other ships that the sea battle was to begin. [1] [2] The Swedes did not spare any of their gunpowder, the hole in the Elefanten's sail was compensated for in the ensuing battle, which lasted several hours. [1] [3] [4] Almost immediately, a Swedish cannonball hit the mainmast of the Herkules, which fell down and landed in the middle of the firing line for the men onboard, while the Danes were removing the mast, the Swedes continued shooting at the ship, causing heavy casualties. The Danes, who were aware of the possibility that fighting would break out, were taken by surprise by the Swedes. [1]

The small group of three Danish ships that had sailed from Rönne were only intended to control the waters and make sure the Swedes respected their neighbours, and not for a large sea battle. It is likely that the Danes wanted to go onboard the Swedish ships to make sure everything was as it was supposed to be. The remaining Danish ships in Rönne did not come to help Admiral Jacob Brockenhuus, instead, they stayed at a safe distance and did not participate in the battle. [1] As a result of their inferior numbers, the Danes suffered a crushing defeat, and when Brockenhuus, realizing that the remaining Danish ships would be destroyed, surrendered to the Swedes. [1] [4] [3]

Aftermath

After the battle, having lured the Danes into his trap, Jacob Bagges mission was completed. As a consequence, Frederick and the Danish fleet were seen as the aggressors, and when the war broke out, Eric hoped that the entire world would "pour sympathy" for him. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bornholm</span> Danish island

Bornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea, to the east of the rest of Denmark, south of Sweden, northeast of Germany and north of Poland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rønne</span> Town in Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark

Rønne is the largest town on the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. It has a population of 13,759. It was a municipality in its own right from 1970 until 2002, when Bornholm was a county. It has an area of 29.11 square kilometres, and is the administrative centre of the Bornholm municipality. As of 2018 11,539 inhabitants live in Rønne Parish, which is a narrow piece of land on the westernmost of the island and stretching north and southward comprising around a third of the area of the former municipality. Knudsker Parish made up the rest of the former municipality. Not all inhabitants of either Rønne or Knudsker (400-7553) parishes live in the city of Rønne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Copenhagen (1801)</span> Part of the War of the Second Coalition and the English Wars

The Battle of Copenhagen of 1801, also known as the First Battle of Copenhagen to distinguish it from the Second Battle of Copenhagen in 1807, was a naval battle in which a British fleet fought and defeated a smaller force of the Dano-Norwegian Navy anchored near Copenhagen on 2 April 1801. The battle came about over British fears that the powerful Danish fleet would ally with France, and a breakdown in diplomatic communications on both sides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Öland</span> Naval battle between an allied Danish-Dutch fleet and the Swedish navy in the Baltic Sea

The Battle of Öland was a naval battle between an allied Danish-Dutch fleet and the Swedish navy in the Baltic Sea, off the east coast of Öland on 1 June 1676. The battle was a part of the Scanian War (1675–79) fought for supremacy over the southern Baltic. Sweden was in urgent need of reinforcements for its north German possessions; Denmark sought to ferry an army to Scania in southern Sweden to open a front on Swedish soil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Møn</span>

The Battle of Møn, also known as the Battle of Fehmarn, took place 31 May–1 June 1677, as part of the Scanian War. A smaller Swedish squadron under Admiral Erik Sjöblad attempted to sail from Gothenburg to join the main Swedish fleet in the Baltic Sea. It was intercepted by a superior Danish-Norwegian force under Niels Juel and decimated over the course of two days. The Swedes lost 8 ships and over 1,500 men dead, injured or captured, including Admiral Sjöblad himself, while the Danish losses were insignificant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gunboat War</span> 1807–1814 war between Denmark–Norway and the United Kingdom

The Gunboat War was a naval conflict between Denmark–Norway and Great Britain supported by Sweden during the Napoleonic Wars. The war's name is derived from the Danish tactic of employing small gunboats against the materially superior Royal Navy. In Scandinavia it is seen as the later stage of the English Wars, whose commencement is accounted as the First Battle of Copenhagen in 1801.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Fehmarn (1644)</span> Part of the Torstenson War

The Battle of Fehmarn (1644) took place north-west of the island of Fehmarn, now part of Germany, in the Baltic Sea. A combined Swedish fleet, with a large element of hired Dutch ships, defeated a Danish-Norwegian fleet and took 1,000 prisoners, including Ulfeldt, Grabov and von Jasmund. The Danish admiral Pros Mund was killed in the battle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of the Sound</span> 1658 naval battle of the Second Northern War

The Battle of the Sound was a naval engagement which took place on 8 November 1658 during the Second Northern War, near the Sound or Øresund, just north of the Danish capital, Copenhagen. Sweden had invaded Denmark and an army under Charles X of Sweden had Copenhagen itself under siege. The Dutch fleet was sent to prevent Sweden from gaining control of both sides of the Sound and thereby controlling access to the Baltic Sea as well as of its trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Seven Years' War</span> 16th-century war fought in Scandinavia

The Northern Seven Years' War was fought between the Kingdom of Sweden and a coalition of Denmark–Norway, Lübeck, and Poland–Lithuania between 1563 and 1570. The war was motivated by the dissatisfaction of King Frederick II of Denmark with the dissolution of the Kalmar Union, and the will of King Eric XIV of Sweden to break Denmark's dominating position. The fighting continued until both armies had been exhausted, and many men died. The resulting Treaty of Stettin was a stalemate, with neither party gaining any new territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Køge Bay (1677)</span>

The Battle of Køge Bay was a naval battle between Denmark-Norway and Sweden that took place in the bay off of Køge 1–2 July 1677 during the Scanian War. The battle was a major success for Admiral Niels Juel and is regarded as the greatest naval victory in Danish naval history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Vyborg Bay (1790)</span> Naval battle of the Russo-Swedish War (1788–90)

The Battle of Vyborg Bay was a naval battle fought between Russia and Sweden on 3 July 1790 in Vyborg Bay off the coast of Vyborg during the Russo-Swedish War (1788–1790). The Swedish Navy suffered heavy losses, losing seven ships of the line and three frigates, but Gustav III of Sweden eventually ensured a Swedish naval escape through a Russian naval blockade composed of units of the Baltic Fleet, commanded by Admiral Vasily Chichagov. British historians would later call the Battle of Vyborg Bay the "Baltic Trafalgar". The battle ranks among the world's largest historical naval battles and also among the most influential, as it introduced the naval battle concept of "firepower over mobility".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Bornholm (1676)</span>

The battle of Bornholm was a naval battle between a superior Swedish and a smaller Danish-Dutch fleet that was fought 25–26 May 1676 as a part of the Scanian War. The objective for both sides was naval supremacy in the southern Baltic Sea. The Swedish commander Lorentz Creutz sought to destroy the allied fleet and then land reinforcements in Swedish Pomerania to relieve the Swedish forces in northern Germany. The aim of the Danish fleet under Niels Juel was to prevent this reinforcement without being destroyed by the superior numbers of the Swedish forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dano-Swedish War (1658–1660)</span> War between Denmark–Norway and Sweden that took place between 1658-60

The Dano-Swedish War of 1658–1660 was a war between Denmark–Norway and Sweden, with the former backed by the Dutch Republic and Poland. It is known in Denmark as the Second Karl Gustav War, in Norway as Bjelkes Feud in Sweden as Karl Gustav's Second Danish War, and in the Netherlands as the Swedish-Dutch War.

Johan Printzensköld was a Swedish army officer. As lieutenant colonel he was the commandant of Bornholm between March and December 1658. A revolt broke out on the island against the Swedish occupation, and Printzensköld was killed in Rønne, the capital of Bornholm, on December 8, 1658.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Bornholm (1535)</span>

The Battle of Bornholm was a naval engagement that took place in June 1535. The conflict saw Lübeck and the Hanseatic League engaged against the forces of Sweden, Prussia, Holstein, and Denmark. The Battle of Bornholm was part of the larger Count's Feud.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Invasion of Rügen (1678)</span>

The invasion of Rügen of 22 to 24 September 1678 was a military operation in the Swedish-Brandenburg War, or Scanian War, that ended with the annexation of the Swedish-ruled island of Rügen by the Allies – Brandenburg-Prussia and Denmark – for just under a year before it was restored by treaty to Sweden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jakob Bagge</span>

Jakob Tordsson Bagge was a Norwegian born, Swedish admiral and nobleman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otte Rud</span> Danish-Norwegian admiral

Otte Ruud, born 1520, died 1565, was a Danish-Norwegian admiral during the Northern Seven Years' War, who died in Swedish captivity. He spent his youth in foreign military service, and then held different fiefs from the King. Called up to duty during the war, he at first distinguished himself at land, later becoming a ship's captain, and finally admiral commanding the Danish fleet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Bille (1680–1756)</span>

Michael Bille (1680–1756) was an officer in the Danish Royal Navy during the Great Northern War. He was commissioned as a junior lieutenant in 1699, advancing steadily to become Vice Admiral when he retired in 1737.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polish–Swedish War (1563–1568)</span> War between Poland and Sweden

The Polish–Swedish War (1563–1568), also called the First Polish War was waged primarily in the Baltic during the larger Northern Seven Years' War between Sweden and the Polish–Lithuanian union, the Duchy of Courland, parts of the Livonian nobility, and Estonian rebels from 1563 to 1568. The war ultimately ended when John III became the King of Sweden, resulting in a Swedish victory.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Lindbergh, Katarina (2022). Nordiska sjuårskriget[Nordic Seven Years' War] (in Swedish). Historiska Media. pp. 54–56. ISBN   9789180500951.
  2. "Dictionary of Vexillology: F (Flag of a Department - Flag on a Flag)". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  3. 1 2 "Jacob Brockenhuus – admiral | lex.dk". Dansk Biografisk Leksikon (in Danish). 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  4. 1 2 "Jakob Bagge". sok.riksarkivet.se. Retrieved 2024-05-28.

Other Sources