The book describes and analyses the two devastating wars fought between
Sweden and Denmark-Norway during the reign of King Charles X Gustav of
Sweden, an experienced former general of the Thirty Years' War.
The Dano-Swedish War of 1657-1658 was initiated by King Frederick III of
Denmark-Norway, who saw an opportunity to recover the territories lost
in 1645 and attacked Sweden while the Swedish King was fighting two
simultaneous wars in the east - against the Polish-Lithuanian
Commonwealth ('The Swedish Deluge') and Muscovite Russia. Based on his
experiences in the Thirty Years' War, Charles X led an invasion army to
Denmark from Sweden's possessions in Germany. After entering Jutland
from the south, the Swedish army in a surprise winter campaign marched
across the frozen Great Belt and Little Belt straits onto the Danish
island of Zealand, threatening the Danish capital of Copenhagen. The
rapid Swedish campaign took the Danes by surprise, and Denmark
surrendered.
The Dano-Swedish War of 1658-1660 was a continuation of the previous war
between Sweden and Denmark. This time, Charles thought that the time was
ripe to subjugate Denmark under the Swedish Crown. However, Denmark
received support from the Netherlands, the Holy Roman Emperor,
Brandenburg-Prussia, and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. In early
1660, Charles fell ill and died, which paved the way for the Treaty of
Copenhagen that restored peace between Denmark and Sweden and for the
first time established a lasting border between the two countries.
Michael Fredholm von Essen presents new research on two wars rarely
described in English. Additionally, the book explains the continued
development of the Swedish Army and Navy after the Thirty Years' War and
details the military systems of Sweden and Denmark-Norway.
