Anglo-Swedish War (1810-1812)
Encyclopedia
During the Napoleonic Wars
until 1810, Sweden
and the United Kingdom
were allies in the war against Napoleon. As a result of Sweden's defeat in the Finnish War
and the Pomeranian War
, and the following Treaty of Fredrikshamn and Treaty of Paris
, Sweden declared war on the United Kingdom. The war, however, existed only on paper, and Britain was still officially allowed to station ships in the Swedish port of Hanö and trade with the Baltic
nations.
, a trade embargo against Great Britain. Since Great Britain was Sweden's biggest trade partner this caused economic difficulties, and the trade continued to take place through smuggling. On November 13, 1810, France
delivered an ultimatum to the Swedish government demanding that within five days Sweden:
France and its allies threatened to declare war against Sweden if Sweden did not meet the French demands. On November 17, the Swedish government declared war against Great Britain.
in Scania
who objected to the conscription policy. In the Klågerup riots, Mörner's soldiers killed 30 farmers.
had died on May 28, 1810, and on August 21, 1810, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected crown prince of Sweden. Under Bernadotte's rule, Sweden's relationship with France deteriorated. When France occupied Swedish Pomerania
and the island of Rügen
in 1812, Sweden sought peace with Great Britain.
was signed on July 18, 1812. On the same day and at the same place, Britain and Russia signed a peace treaty bringing the Anglo–Russian War of 1807–1812 to an end.
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
until 1810, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
were allies in the war against Napoleon. As a result of Sweden's defeat in the Finnish War
Finnish War
The Finnish War was fought between Sweden and the Russian Empire from February 1808 to September 1809. As a result of the war, the eastern third of Sweden was established as the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian Empire...
and the Pomeranian War
First War against Napoleon
The Pomeranian War or the First War against Napoleon, was the first involvement by Sweden in the Napoleonic Wars when the country joined the Third Coalition to assist in the overthrow of Napoleon.-Background:...
, and the following Treaty of Fredrikshamn and Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris could refer to a number of treaties which have been negotiated and signed in Paris, France, including:*Treaty of Paris , ended the Albigensian Crusade*Treaty of Paris , between Henry III of England and Louis IX of France...
, Sweden declared war on the United Kingdom. The war, however, existed only on paper, and Britain was still officially allowed to station ships in the Swedish port of Hanö and trade with the Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
nations.
Background
The Treaty of Paris concluded on January 6, 1810, forced Sweden to join the Continental SystemContinental System
The Continental System or Continental Blockade was the foreign policy of Napoleon I of France in his struggle against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland during the Napoleonic Wars. It was a large-scale embargo against British trade, which began on November 21, 1806...
, a trade embargo against Great Britain. Since Great Britain was Sweden's biggest trade partner this caused economic difficulties, and the trade continued to take place through smuggling. On November 13, 1810, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
delivered an ultimatum to the Swedish government demanding that within five days Sweden:
- Declare war against Great Britain,
- Confiscate all British boats in Swedish ports,
- Seize all British products in Sweden.
France and its allies threatened to declare war against Sweden if Sweden did not meet the French demands. On November 17, the Swedish government declared war against Great Britain.
The war
No acts of war occurred during the conflict, and Britain was even permitted to station boats in Hanö. Nevertheless, fearing the possibility of a British invasion, the Swedish government began to conscript more farmers into military service. This led to the only bloodshed during the war on June 15, 1811, when Major-General Hampus Mörner with 140 men acted to disperse a group of farmers in KlågerupKlågerup
Klågerup is a locality situated in Svedala Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 1,904 inhabitants in 2010. It is located next to road 108. This was the scene of the Klågerup Riots of 1811.- Society :...
in Scania
Scania
Scania is the southernmost of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden, constituting a peninsula on the southern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, and some adjacent islands. The modern administrative subdivision Skåne County is almost, but not totally, congruent with the...
who objected to the conscription policy. In the Klågerup riots, Mörner's soldiers killed 30 farmers.
Aftermath
The Swedish Crown Prince Charles AugustCharles August, Crown Prince of Sweden
Charles August was a German prince. He is best known for serving as Crown Prince of Sweden briefly in 1810, adopted by Charles XIII, before his sudden death from stroke. Earlier, he had been a general in the Royal Danish Army as well as the Danish Governor-general of Norway...
had died on May 28, 1810, and on August 21, 1810, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte was elected crown prince of Sweden. Under Bernadotte's rule, Sweden's relationship with France deteriorated. When France occupied Swedish Pomerania
Swedish Pomerania
Swedish Pomerania was a Dominion under the Swedish Crown from 1630 to 1815, situated on what is now the Baltic coast of Germany and Poland. Following the Polish War and the Thirty Years' War, Sweden held extensive control over the lands on the southern Baltic coast, including Pomerania and parts...
and the island of Rügen
Rügen
Rügen is Germany's largest island. Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of the Vorpommern-Rügen district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.- Geography :Rügen is located off the north-eastern coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea...
in 1812, Sweden sought peace with Great Britain.
Treaties of Orebro
After long negotiations, the Treaty of OrebroTreaty of Orebro
The Treaties of Orebro were both signed on the same day, 18 July 1812, and they formally end the Anglo-Russian War and the Anglo-Swedish War .-External links:...
was signed on July 18, 1812. On the same day and at the same place, Britain and Russia signed a peace treaty bringing the Anglo–Russian War of 1807–1812 to an end.
Literature
- Norie, John William(1827) - http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ooJ3i7aLwFsC&pg=PA560&lpg=PA560&dq=18th+of+July+1812+in+%C3%96rebro.&source=web&ots=Kli5lyxmXR&sig=Hy9kbQp0lwd-K5EIWPv3yqkHxH4&hl=en&ei=bv2ZSbKcJ4mt-gaSzZiCCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result#PPA560,M1The naval gazetteer, biographer, and chronologist; containing a history of the late wars, from their commencement in 1793 to their final conclusion in 1815; and continued, as to the biographical part, to the present time ](J. W. Norie & Co)
- Sundberg, Ulf(1998) - Svenska krig, 1521-1814 (Hjalmarson & Högberg, Stockholm) ISBN 91-89080-14-9
See also
- English Wars (Scandinavia)English Wars (Scandinavia)The English Wars were a series of conflicts between Sweden and Denmark-Norway as part of the Napoleonic Wars. It is named after the most prominent region of its other main participant, the United Kingdom, which declared war on Denmark-Norway due to disagreements over the neutrality of Danish trade...
- Gunboat WarGunboat WarThe Gunboat War was the naval conflict between Denmark–Norway and the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The war's name is derived from the Danish tactic of employing small gunboats against the conventional Royal Navy...
- Dano-Swedish War of 1808-1809Dano-Swedish War of 1808-1809The Dano-Swedish War of 1808-1809 was a war between Denmark–Norway and Sweden due to Denmark–Norway's alliance with France and Sweden's alliance with the coalition during the Napoleonic Wars...
- Gunboat War
- Pomeranian WarFirst War against NapoleonThe Pomeranian War or the First War against Napoleon, was the first involvement by Sweden in the Napoleonic Wars when the country joined the Third Coalition to assist in the overthrow of Napoleon.-Background:...
- Finnish WarFinnish WarThe Finnish War was fought between Sweden and the Russian Empire from February 1808 to September 1809. As a result of the war, the eastern third of Sweden was established as the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland within the Russian Empire...