Georg Henrik Lybecker
Encyclopedia
Georg Henrik Lybecker was a Swedish
friherre and Lieutenant General
of the Swedish Army
. He died June 4, 1718 at Värsta
, Närke
(his birth date is unknown).
n cavalry
regiment he rose to the rank of Major
in 1703 and Lieutenant Colonel
in 1704. Lybecker participated in Charles XII of Sweden
's campaign against Poland during the Great Northern War
, notably at the battle of Kliszów
in 1702. He and was appointed Governor of Viborg County
and Major General
of cavalry in 1706. He became friherre in 1707.
When the commander of the army in Finland
General Georg Johan Maidel was dismissed in 1707, Lybecker was appointed as his successor. His task was to protect Finland against Russia
n attack. This task was difficult since the available defensive forces in Finland were so weak. In 1708 Lybecker led his forces on an expedition into Ingria
with the intent to divide Russian forces. The expedition was a failure: Lybecker was forced to evacuate his force by ship at Kolkanpää, abandoning all his cavalry. In 1710, Viborg fell to the Russians without him making any attempt to relieve the city. Lybecker was promoted to Lieutenant General that same year, but the government in Stockholm
, dissatisfied with his inactivity, removed him from general command and entrusted the army of Finland to count Carl Gustaf von Nieroth
.
After von Nieroth's sudden death in 1712, Lybecker was appointed commander in Finland a second time, but this time proved himself even less worthy of the position. He made no attempt at preventing Russian troops from landing on the southern coast of Finland, nor did he support Carl Gustaf Armfeldt
's beleaguered force in Helsinki, nor did he attempt to recover Helsingfors after it fell in Russian hands in May 1713. He assembled his main force in Borgå, but when the enemy prepared for a landing there he withdrew further north without firing a shot and afterwards marched aimlessly around while southern Finland was taken.
Lybecker blamed the instructions Charles XII had given him, which forbade him from committing to a major battle. However, the displeasure over his indecision was widespread, both in the army ranks and elsewhere. Lybecker was recalled in autumn of 1713 and was court-martial
led in Stockholm
. After a drawn-out trial, where the bishop of Åbo Johannes Gezelius the younger
testified against him, he was sentenced to "loss of life, honor, and property". He was pardoned by the king on New Year's Day 1718, but confined
to his estate Värsta, where he died on June 4 the same year.
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....
friherre and Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
of the Swedish Army
Swedish Army
The Swedish Army is one of the oldest standing armies in the world and a branch of the Swedish Armed Forces; it is in charge of land operations. General Sverker Göranson is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Army.- Organization :...
. He died June 4, 1718 at Värsta
Vårsta
Vårsta is a suburb of Greater Stockholm and a locality situated in Botkyrka Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 2,353 inhabitants in 2005....
, Närke
Närke
' is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Svealand in south central Sweden. It is bordered by Västmanland to the north, Södermanland to the east, Östergötland to the southeast, Västergötland to the southwest, and Värmland to the northwest...
(his birth date is unknown).
Military career
After joining the ScaniaScania
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...
n cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
regiment he rose to the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in 1703 and Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
in 1704. Lybecker participated in Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
's campaign against Poland during the Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
, notably at the battle of Kliszów
Battle of Kliszów
The Battle of Klissow took place on July 8 / July 9 / July 19, 1702 near Kliszów, Poland-Lithuania, during the Great Northern War...
in 1702. He and was appointed Governor of Viborg County
Viborg County
Viborg Amt is a former county in the north-central part of the Jutland peninsula in western Denmark. The county was abolished on 1 January 2007, when most of it merged into Region Midtjylland...
and Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
of cavalry in 1706. He became friherre in 1707.
When the commander of the army in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
General Georg Johan Maidel was dismissed in 1707, Lybecker was appointed as his successor. His task was to protect Finland against Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n attack. This task was difficult since the available defensive forces in Finland were so weak. In 1708 Lybecker led his forces on an expedition into Ingria
Ingria
Ingria is a historical region in the eastern Baltic, now part of Russia, comprising the southern bank of the river Neva, between the Gulf of Finland, the Narva River, Lake Peipus in the west, and Lake Ladoga and the western bank of the Volkhov river in the east...
with the intent to divide Russian forces. The expedition was a failure: Lybecker was forced to evacuate his force by ship at Kolkanpää, abandoning all his cavalry. In 1710, Viborg fell to the Russians without him making any attempt to relieve the city. Lybecker was promoted to Lieutenant General that same year, but the government in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, dissatisfied with his inactivity, removed him from general command and entrusted the army of Finland to count Carl Gustaf von Nieroth
Carl Gustaf von Nieroth
Carl Nieroth was a Swedish officer and Governor-General of Swedish Estonia 1709–1710 and of Finland 1710–1712....
.
After von Nieroth's sudden death in 1712, Lybecker was appointed commander in Finland a second time, but this time proved himself even less worthy of the position. He made no attempt at preventing Russian troops from landing on the southern coast of Finland, nor did he support Carl Gustaf Armfeldt
Carl Gustaf Armfeldt
Carl Gustaf Armfeldt was a Swedish officer, general and friherre who took part in the Great Northern War....
's beleaguered force in Helsinki, nor did he attempt to recover Helsingfors after it fell in Russian hands in May 1713. He assembled his main force in Borgå, but when the enemy prepared for a landing there he withdrew further north without firing a shot and afterwards marched aimlessly around while southern Finland was taken.
Lybecker blamed the instructions Charles XII had given him, which forbade him from committing to a major battle. However, the displeasure over his indecision was widespread, both in the army ranks and elsewhere. Lybecker was recalled in autumn of 1713 and was court-martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
led in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. After a drawn-out trial, where the bishop of Åbo Johannes Gezelius the younger
Johannes Gezelius the younger
Johannes Gezelius the younger was born in Dorpat AD 1647, and died AD 1718 in Uppland. He was a theologian, professor in The Royal Academy of Åbo and also superintendent of Livonia as his father had been. He became bishop of Åbo between 1690-1718....
testified against him, he was sentenced to "loss of life, honor, and property". He was pardoned by the king on New Year's Day 1718, but confined
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
to his estate Värsta, where he died on June 4 the same year.