Swedish-Norwegian War (1814)
Norwegian Parliament in Eidsvoll 1814
| date | July 26th – April 14th August 1814 |
|---|---|
| place | |
| output | |
| consequences | Norway is united in personal union with Sweden |
| Peace treaty | Moss Convention |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
| 30,000 men, 8 batteries, 7 briggs, 150 gunboats |
45,000 men 117 batteries 5 ships of the line 70 gunboats |
| losses | |
|
1,600 dead or wounded, 300 captured |
400 dead or wounded, 300 captured |
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The Swedish-Norwegian War ( Norwegian Den svensk-norske krigen (1814) , Swedish Fälttåget mot Norge ) was fought between Sweden and Norway in the summer of 1814. Norway was subsequently linked to Sweden through a personal union, but had its own constitution and parliament.
background
Through the Peace of Kiel on January 14, 1814, the King of Denmark-Norway , who until then was allied with France in the Napoleonic Wars , had to cede Norway to the King of Sweden , who was allied with Great Britain . However, this contract was not accepted by the Norwegians. Christian Friedrich of Denmark, governor of Norway and later King of Denmark, was proclaimed regent of Norway on February 25th, 1814 in Trondheim . On May 17, 1814, he was elected Hereditary King of Norway at the Diet of Eidsvoll after a new constitution had been passed.
Armies
The Norwegian army raised 30,000 men and took up position behind the Swedish border. The Norwegian fleet consisted of only a few ships that were moored in Hvaler .
The Swedish army comprised 45,000 experienced and well-equipped soldiers. The Swedish fleet had several large ships at its disposal.
Course of war
The hostilities began with an attack by the Swedish Navy on the Norwegian boats in Hvaler on July 26, 1814. The Norwegian ships escaped but were unable to intervene later in the war.
The Swedes crossed the border at Halden and besieged the nearby fortress Fredriksten , at the same time another 6,000 men landed in Kråkerøy near Fredrikstad . The fortress withstood the siege, the city surrendered the next day. The Norwegian army was in Rakkestad at that time . On August 2nd the Norwegians won the Battle of Lier , they were also successful in the Battle of Matrand on August 5th and in the Battle of Langnes-Schanze on August 9th.
Despite the successes, an impending Norwegian defeat as a result of the Swedish superiority became more and more evident. Therefore the Swedish proposals for negotiations were accepted. Due to the victories, especially in the battle of Langnes-Schanze, a Norwegian surrender could be prevented. The Norwegian State Councilor for Finance Frederik von Haxthausen has repeatedly been accused of portraying the supply situation too pessimistically, which is why the Norwegian victories were not exploited and peace negotiations had to be started. However, Haxthausen was eventually acquitted by the Norwegian Imperial Court.
Effects
Negotiations began in Moss on August 10 , and the Moss convention was signed on August 14 . King Christian Friedrich had to abdicate, but Norway became formally independent within the personal union with Sweden.
literature
- Ralph Tuchtenhagen : Small history of Norway. Verlag CH Beck, Munich 2009, ISBN 978-3-406-58453-4 .
- SA Kan: History of the Scandinavian Countries. German Science Publishing House, Berlin 1978