Siege of Stralsund (1678) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Stralsund
Part of Scanian War
Plan of Stralsund in 1678
Date 20 September – 15 October 1678 Location Stralsund, Swedish Pomerania (now in Germany) Result Brandenburg-Prussian victory Temporary capture of Stralsund from Sweden
Belligerents
Brandenburg-Prussia	Swedish Empire
Commanders and leaders
Frederick William I, Elector of Brandenburg	Otto Wilhelm von Königsmarck
Strength
21,500 80 guns	6,000 154 guns

The Siege of Stralsund was a big fight between Brandenburg-Prussia and the Swedish Empire. It happened from September 20 to October 15, 1678, during the Scanian War. After two days of heavy bombing on October 10 and 11, the Swedish city of Stralsund was badly damaged. It then gave up to the Brandenburg-Prussian forces. By the end of that year, Brandenburg-Prussia took over the rest of Swedish Pomerania. However, most of this area, including Stralsund, was given back to Sweden in 1679. This happened because of peace agreements like the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye and the Peace of Lund.

Before the Siege: What Happened?

Invasion of Swedish Rügen by Brandenburg, 1678

The Scanian War reached Swedish Pomerania after the Battle of Fehrbellin in 1675. Swedish forces were retreating, and a Brandenburg-Prussian army followed them. This army was led by "Great Elector" Frederick William I.

Stralsund was one of only two main forts Sweden had in Pomerania. The other important one was Stettin. After the Brandenburg-Prussian army captured Stettin and Wolgast, Stralsund was in great danger. Also, Danish forces had landed on Rügen in 1677. They were helped by a local noble who was not loyal to Sweden.

Because of this danger, all buildings outside the city walls were torn down in 1677. This was done so that any attacking army would have no place to hide. At that time, Stralsund had about 8,500 people, including armed citizens. There were also nearly 5,000 Swedish, German, and Finnish soldiers defending the city.

The Siege Begins: Fighting for Stralsund

Frederick William I placed his cannons south of Stralsund. He started bombing the city on October 10, 1678. His goal was to make the Swedish commander, Otto Wilhelm von Königsmarck, give up. He did this by firing many bombs that caused fires in the citizens' homes. Even the small, new Brandenburg-Prussian navy helped in the attack.

Most of the southern part of the city was destroyed. On October 11, the defenders surrendered the city. Many buildings were ruined, including 285 houses and hundreds of smaller dwellings.

After the Battle: What Happened Next?

Frederick William I (left) and Königsmarck (right)

Frederick William I tried hard to get the people of Swedish Pomerania to be loyal to him. He even offered help to rebuild Stralsund and Stettin. But most people stayed loyal to Sweden. After Stralsund fell, there were only a few small areas left in Swedish Pomerania that Sweden still held. Frederick William I took control of all these areas by the end of 1678.

Stralsund was given back to Sweden in 1679 as part of the Treaty of Saint-Germain-en-Laye (1679). The city was badly damaged by the bombing in 1678. Another fire on June 12, 1680, caused even more destruction. Because of these events, the number of people living in Stralsund dropped to about 6,000. There were also 2,000 Swedish soldiers stationed there. After the 1680 fire, many more houses and buildings were destroyed.

See also

• Pomerania during the Early Modern Age
• Brandenburg-Pomeranian conflict