Waldemar von Wrangel facts for kids

Waldemar Wrangel af Lindeberg (born 1641, died 1675) was a Swedish noble and a soldier. He held the title of baron (which is like a high-ranking noble). He was also the step-brother of Carl Gustaf Wrangel, who was a very important leader in the Swedish navy, known as the Riksamiral. Waldemar was sometimes called "Wolmar". He married Kristina af Vasaborg, whose father was a son of the famous Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden.

Early Military Career

Waldemar Wrangel started his life in the military when he was quite young. In the 1650s, he served as a Rittmeister, which means a captain in the cavalry (soldiers who fight on horseback). At that time, he was under the command of King Karl X Gustav and took part in a military campaign against Denmark.

Later, when King Karl XI was still a child and too young to rule, Waldemar Wrangel worked directly for the royal family. In 1665, he became a colonel, leading a group of cavalry soldiers. With his regiment, he joined a military campaign against the city of Bremen. By 1667, he had been promoted again, becoming a major general.

Role in the Swedish-Brandenburg War

In 1674, during the Swedish-Brandenburg War, Waldemar Wrangel served as a lieutenant general. He fought alongside his step-brother, Carl Gustaf Wrangel, who had been the Reichsmarschall (a very high military commander) since 1664.

In this war, Wolmar Wrangel was the third highest-ranking officer in the Swedish Army. The two officers above him were his step-brother, the Reichsmarschall, and Field Marshal Conrad Mardefelt. However, both the Reichsmarschall and Conrad Mardefelt were too sick to lead the army properly. Because of this, Wolmar Wrangel became the actual commander-in-chief of the Swedish Army. Sadly, the Swedish Army was defeated in 1675 at the Battle of Fehrbellin while he was in command.

Sources

• Lexicon entry in the Nordisk familjebok (1876–1926)