Torstenson War facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Torstenson War |
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| Part of the Thirty Years' War and Dano-Swedish War | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Swedish Empire Dutch Republic |
 Denmark–Norway
Supported by:  Holy Roman Empire |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Gustav Horn Carl Gustaf Wrangel Lennart Torstenson Maerten Thijssen |
Christian IV Hannibal Sehested Anders Bille Ebbe Ulfeldt |
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| Strength | |||||||||
| 24,600 | 32,000 | ||||||||
The Torstenson War was a short conflict between Sweden and Denmark–Norway. It lasted from 1643 to 1645. This war happened near the end of a much bigger conflict called the Thirty Years' War.
The war is named after two important people. One was the Swedish general Lennart Torstenson. The other was the Norwegian governor-general Hannibal Sehested. In Norway, people sometimes called it the "Hannibal War."
Denmark had left the Thirty Years' War in 1629. But Sweden, which was doing very well in the war, decided to attack Denmark–Norway. Sweden felt it needed to attack because Denmark's location was a problem for Sweden. Sweden invaded quickly in a two-year war.
The war ended with the Second Treaty of Brömsebro (1645). This treaty made Denmark–Norway give up a lot of land. It also meant Sweden no longer had to pay a special tax called the Sound Dues. This showed that Denmark no longer controlled the Baltic Sea. Later, Denmark tried to get its land back in other wars, but they failed.
Contents
Why the War Started
Sweden was very successful in the Thirty Years' War. Its armies had won many battles in Germany. Leaders like Gustavus Adolphus and Axel Oxenstierna led Sweden to big victories.
However, Sweden still felt threatened by Denmark–Norway. Denmark–Norway surrounded Sweden from the south, west, and northwest. This made it hard for Sweden to move freely.
Another big problem was the Sound Dues. This was a tax that ships had to pay to Denmark to pass through a narrow strait. Swedish ships had to pay this tax, which made Sweden angry.
In 1643, Swedish leaders decided they were strong enough to take land from Denmark–Norway. They planned a surprise attack on Denmark. This attack began in May.
The War Begins
Swedish Field Marshal Lennart Torstensson was ordered to march into Denmark. His army started from a region called Moravia. On December 12, his forces entered Holstein, which was Danish territory. By January 1644, they had taken over the entire Jutland peninsula.
In February 1644, another Swedish general, Gustav Horn, led an army of 11,000 men. They took control of most of the Danish provinces of Halland and Scania. Only the fortress city of Malmø remained under Danish control.
Battles and Fighting
Denmark's Defense
The Swedish attack surprised Denmark–Norway. They were not ready for war. But King Christian IV stayed calm and acted quickly. He trusted his navy to protect the main Danish islands.
The Danish navy won a battle called the Battle of Colberger Heide on July 1, 1644. However, they suffered a big loss in the Battle of Fehmarn on October 13, 1644. In this battle, a combined Dutch and Swedish fleet defeated the Danish fleet.
King Christian also hoped that forces from Norway would help. He wanted them to attack Sweden along the border. This would take pressure off the Danish provinces in Scania.
Norway's Role
Norway was led by Governor-General Hannibal Sehested. He was King Christian's son-in-law. However, Norway did not want to fight in this war. Many Norwegians were against attacking Sweden. They feared Sweden would attack them back.
People in Norway became very unhappy with Sehested's leadership. They even made fun of the war, calling it the "Hannibal War." Denmark did not care much about what Norwegians thought.
A Danish commander, Jacob Ulfeld, led an attack into Sweden from Norwegian Jemtland. But he was pushed back. Swedish troops then took over Jemtland for a short time. They also moved into Norwegian Østerdal before being forced to retreat.
Sehested had planned to attack Swedish Värmland with his own army. But he was told to help the King in the Danish attack on Gothenburg. When Sehested arrived, the King joined his fleet. The King fought bravely, even though he was wounded. He stopped Torstensson's army from moving onto the Danish islands.
On the Norwegian front, Sehested attacked and destroyed the new Swedish city of Vänersborg. He also sent Norwegian troops across the border.
End of the War
Christian's Danish forces were very tired. He had to accept help from France and the Netherlands to make peace. The peace treaty was called the Peace of Brömsebro. It was signed on August 13, 1645. This was a very bad defeat for Denmark–Norway.
The Swedes no longer had to pay the Sound Dues. This was the tax for passing through Danish waters into the Baltic Sea. Denmark–Norway also had to give up several areas to Sweden:
- The Norwegian provinces of Jemtland, Herjedalen, and Idre & Serna.
- The Danish islands of Gotland and Øsel in the Baltic Sea.
Sweden also took control of the Danish province of Halland. They held it for 30 years to make sure the treaty was followed. The son of the Danish King, Frederick II, had to give up his titles as administrator of two important church areas. These areas were later given to Sweden in 1648.
What Happened Next
Denmark–Norway's defeat changed the balance of power in the Baltic Sea region. Sweden became the most powerful country in the Baltic. They also gained free access to the North Sea. Sweden was no longer surrounded by Denmark–Norway.
This surprise attack made Denmark–Norway want to get their lost lands back. Sweden, on the other hand, wanted to expand even more. This led to more conflicts in the Baltic region over the next century.
After Denmark–Norway left the war, Torstenson's army continued fighting. They chased the Imperial army from Jutland south to Bohemia. At the Battle of Jankau, near Prague, the Swedish army defeated the Imperial army. This allowed them to take over Bohemian lands and threaten Prague and Vienna.
See also
In Spanish: Guerra de Torstenson para niños
