Siege of Trondheim

Siege of Trondheim
Part of the Dano-Swedish War (1658–1660)
Map over Trondheim from 1658 showing Bjelkes counteroffensive.
Date 9 September – 21 December 1658 Location Trondheim Result Dano-Norwegian victory Territorial changes Trondheim is captured by Denmark–Norway
Belligerents
Swedish Empire	Denmark–Norway
Commanders and leaders
Axel Posse	Jørgen Bjelke
Units involved
Trondheim garrison	Tønsbergske regiment Vesterlenske regiment
Strength
606 men	At least 2,500 men
Casualties and losses
265 killed [a]	Unknown

The siege of Trondheim was the successful siege and recapture of the city of Trondheim by Norwegian troops in 1658 that had been previously lost with the Treaty of Roskilde.

Background

In May 1658, Lorentz Creutz, the Governor of Dalecarlia, arrived to Trondheim with 50 cavalry and 480 infantry divided into six companies in order to take control of the city per the Treaty of Roskilde. ^[1] Soon, new reinforcements from Hälsingland, Medelpad, and Ångermanland joined him. A new governor, Claes Stiernsköld, was appointed, while a commandant, Lieutenant Colonel Axel Posse was appointed to defend the new province with 606 men and eight officers. Due to shortages in Sweden of artillery, gunpowder, and ammunition, meant that Axel lacked many of these. ^[2]

Prelude

After the outbreak of the Dano-Swedish War (1658–1660), the Norwegian commander Jørgen Bjelke, immediately marched out to recapture Trondheim. Bielke would raise two new regiments, these being the Tønsbergske regiment in August and the Vesterlenske regiment in October. ^{[2] [3]}

Siege

Bielke arranged two expeditionary forces, one from Akershus, which would march towards Trondheim overland, and one from Bergenhus, which moved by sea. On 9 September, some 2,500 Norwegians from Bergenhus landed at Trondheim, supported by land artillery and shipborne artillery from the sea. On 8 October, the force from Akershus arrived as well. Posse and the Swedish garrison, many of whom were ill, did their best to defend the city, which lacked fortifications. However, the burghers soon rose against the Swedes, the ammunition supplies were low to begin, and the defenders were forced to reuse bullets fired into the city, or alternatively buy them from the Trondheim burghers. After a siege of 15 weeks or 3 months, ^[4] with only three hours of gundpowder left, and shortages of everything else, along with freezing temperatures, Claes Stiernsköld negotiated a surrender for the remaining 341 men, of whom 153 were too ill to move. ^[2]

Aftermath

A few days after the capitulation, the remaining Swedes in the Trondheim garrison marched out with full military honors. ^[2] After the siege, Bjelke quickly rushed down to assist Fredrikshald, which the Swedes had made their main attack on. ^[4]

Notes

1. Only 341 survived the siege

References

1. Johnsen 1967, p. 321.
2. Essen 2023, p. 301.
3. Lind 1994, p. 101.
4. Larsen, Karen (2015-12-08). A History of Norway. Princeton University Press. p. 288. ISBN   978-1-4008-7579-5.

Works cited

• Johnsen, Arne Odd (1967). Krabbekrigen og Gjenerobringen av Jämtland, 1657–1658[The Crab War and the reconquest of Jämtland, 1657-1658] (in Norwegian). Gyldendal. p. 324.
• Lind, Gunner (1994). Hæren og magten i Danmark 1614-1662[The army and power in Denmark 1614-1662] (in Danish). University Press of Southern Denmark. p. 101.
• Essen, Michael Fredholm von (2023). Charles X's Wars: Volume 3 - The Danish Wars, 1657-1660. Helion & Company. p. 301. ISBN   9781915113603.