.gif)
Swedish campaign against Norway (1814)
Encyclopedia
The Swedish-Norwegian War, also known as the Campaign against Norway, was fought between Sweden
and Norway
in the summer of 1814. The war resulted in Norway entering into union with Sweden, but with its own constitution and parliament.
(January 1814) the King of Denmark-Norway had to cede Norway to the King of Sweden, due to the alliance of Denmark-Norway with France
during the later phases of the Napoleonic Wars
. This treaty was however not accepted by the Norwegians. Prince Christian Frederick of Denmark
, heir presumptive
to the throne of Denmark and Viceroy of Norway, took the lead in the insurrection, and he called for a constitutional assembly. This adopted the liberal constitution of 17 May, and it also elected Christian Frederick as the king of an independent Norway. As the head of the new state, he desperately tried to gain support from Great Britain to maintain its independence. However, Allied diplomats gave no hope for any outside support to the Norwegians.
, close to Sweden.
The Swedish Army consisted of 45,000 men, experienced and well-equipped soldiers. The Swedish Navy had a number of large vessels and a capacity for moving and landing troops.
. The Norwegian army was evacuated and the vessels managed to escape, but they did not take part in the rest of the war. The main Swedish offensive came across the border at Halden
, bypassing and surrounding the fortress of Fredriksten
, and then continuing north, while a second force of 6,000 soldiers landed at Kråkerøy
outside of Fredrikstad
. This town surrendered the next day. This was the start of a pincer movement around the main part of the Norwegian army at Rakkestad
.
On the front towards Kongsvinger
the forces were more evenly matched, and the Norwegian army eventually stopped the Swedish advance at Lier
on 2 August, and won another victory at Matrand
on 5 August. On 3 August, King Christian Frederick reached the front at Østfold
and was persuaded to change his strategy, this time he should use the 6,000 men stationed at Rakkestad in a counterattack against the Swedes. The order was given to counterattack on the 5th of August, but the order was recalled a few hours later. The Norwegian forces therefore withdrew over the Glomma river at Langnes in Askim
. The last major battle of the war was fought on 9 August at the bridgehead at Langnes
, where the Swedish forces once more were driven back.
Although the Norwegian Army had won at Langnes, it was nevertheless clear to both the Norwegian and Swedish military authorities that a defeat was inevitable. Even as they had managed to deliver several minor offensive blows to the Swedes, thus applying pressure on the Swedes to accept Norway as a sovereign nation, it was considered impossible to try to stop the Swedes in the long run. The Swedish offer of negotiations was therefore accepted as the war had put a heavy strain on the Norwegian finances. Every day of delay in securing Norway by the Swedes brought uncertainty to them regarding the outcome, so both parties were interested in a quick end to the war.
For the ordinary Norwegian soldier the war had seemed ill-prepared and ill-fought, the allegations of the loss were against Christian Frederick and the Norwegian general Haxthausen; the latter was accused of treason. For the Norwegian government it probably had been more of a matter of getting the best possible bargaining position, as without the support of major powers Norway's independence was impossible to secure. But by agreeing to talks following the victory at Langnes they were in a situation where they could avoid an unconditional surrender
.
on 10 August 1814, and after a few days of hard negotiations, a cease fire agreement, called the Convention of Moss
, was signed on 14 August 1814. King Christian Frederick was forced to abdicate, but Norway remained nominally independent within a personal union with Sweden
, under the Swedish king. Its Constitution was upheld with only such amendments as were required to allow it to enter into the union, and the two united kingdoms retained separate institutions, except for the King and the foreign service and policy.
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 Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
in the summer of 1814. The war resulted in Norway entering into union with Sweden, but with its own constitution and parliament.
Background
By the Treaty of KielTreaty of Kiel
The Treaty of Kiel or Peace of Kiel was concluded between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Kingdom of Sweden on one side and the Kingdoms of Denmark and Norway on the other side on 14 January 1814 in Kiel...
(January 1814) the King of Denmark-Norway had to cede Norway to the King of Sweden, due to the alliance of Denmark-Norway with 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...
during the later phases of the Napoleonic Wars
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...
. This treaty was however not accepted by the Norwegians. Prince Christian Frederick of Denmark
Christian VIII of Denmark
Christian VIII , was king of Denmark from 1839 to 1848 and, as Christian Frederick, king of Norway in 1814. He was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, born in 1786 at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen...
, heir presumptive
Heir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
to the throne of Denmark and Viceroy of Norway, took the lead in the insurrection, and he called for a constitutional assembly. This adopted the liberal constitution of 17 May, and it also elected Christian Frederick as the king of an independent Norway. As the head of the new state, he desperately tried to gain support from Great Britain to maintain its independence. However, Allied diplomats gave no hope for any outside support to the Norwegians.
Armies
The Norwegian Army mustered 30,000 men, and it had taken up positions away from the border with Sweden, in the fear of being outflanked. The Norwegian navy had few vessels, and most of them stationed at the islands of HvalerHvaler
Hvaler is a municipality that is a group of islands in the southwestern part of Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Skjærhalden, on the island of Kirkeøy. The only police station in the municipality is located in Skjærhalden...
, close to Sweden.
The Swedish Army consisted of 45,000 men, experienced and well-equipped soldiers. The Swedish Navy had a number of large vessels and a capacity for moving and landing troops.
Major Commanders
- Jean Baptiste BernadotteCharles XIV John of SwedenCharles XIV & III John, also Carl John, Swedish and Norwegian: Karl Johan was King of Sweden and King of Norway from 1818 until his death...
- Swedish general and heir presumptive to the throne - Magnus Fredrik Ferdinand Björnstjerna - Swedish general
- Johannes Klingenberg SejerstedJohannes Klingenberg SejerstedJohannes Klingenberg Sejersted was a Norwegian military officer.-Career:He was born in Flå, Sør-Trøndelag as a son of Lieutenant Colonel Jens Fredrik Svane Sejersted and his wife Dorothea Catharina Klingenberg. He studied at the University of Copenhagen from 1777 to 1781...
- Norwegian major general - Frederik Gottschalck von HaxthausenFrederik Gottschalck von HaxthausenFrederik Gottschalk von Haxthausen was a Norwegian army officer, councillor of state, cabinet membera and the country's first minister of finance....
- Norwegian minister of finance and Oberhofmarschall
The War
The hostilities opened on 26 July with a swift Swedish naval attack against the Norwegian gunboats at HvalerInvasion of Hvaler
The invasion of Hvaler, was a Swedish military invasion of the Norwegian island during the Swedish-Norwegian War of 1814. The invasion went along rather peacefully cause the Swedish fleet and troop transport had been delayd because of bad weather, and this gave the Norwegian fleet and army time to...
. The Norwegian army was evacuated and the vessels managed to escape, but they did not take part in the rest of the war. The main Swedish offensive came across the border at Halden
Halden
is a both a town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The seat of the municipality, Halden is a border town located at the Tista river delta on the Iddefjord, the southernmost border crossing between Norway and Sweden.-History:...
, bypassing and surrounding the fortress of Fredriksten
Fredriksten
-History:This Fortresses was constructed ny Denmark-Norway in the 17th century as a replacement for the border fortress at Bohus, which had been lost when the province of Bohuslän was ceded to Sweden by the terms of the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658...
, and then continuing north, while a second force of 6,000 soldiers landed at Kråkerøy
Kråkerøy
Kråkerøy is an island and a former municipality in Østfold county, Norway.The island of Kråkerøy was separated from Glemmen as a municipality of its own January 1, 1908. At that time Kråkerøy had a population of 3,311. The rural municipality was merged with the city of Fredrikstad January 1, 1994...
outside of Fredrikstad
Fredrikstad
is a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad....
. This town surrendered the next day. This was the start of a pincer movement around the main part of the Norwegian army at Rakkestad
Rakkestad
Rakkestad is a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Rakkestad. It is divided into the parishes of Rakkestad, Degernes, and Os. The municipality is the county's second largest by area and one of Norway's largest agricultural...
.
On the front towards Kongsvinger
Kongsvinger
is a town and is a municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Glåmdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kongsvinger....
the forces were more evenly matched, and the Norwegian army eventually stopped the Swedish advance at Lier
Battle of Lier
The Battle of Lier was fought on 2 August 1814 between Sweden and the newly independent Norway as part of the Swedish-Norwegian War of 1814. The battle was the first major action of the war, and the Norwegian victory served as an important part to boost morale among the Norwegian troops...
on 2 August, and won another victory at Matrand
Battle of Matrand
The Battle of Matrand was a military battle on 5 August 1814 between Norwegian and Swedish forces as part of the Swedish-Norwegian War of 1814...
on 5 August. On 3 August, King Christian Frederick reached the front at Østfold
Østfold
is a county in southeastern Norway, bordering Akershus and southwestern Sweden , while Buskerud and Vestfold is on the other side of the bay. The seat of the county administration is Sarpsborg, and Fredrikstad is the largest city.Many manufacturing facilities are situated here. Moss and...
and was persuaded to change his strategy, this time he should use the 6,000 men stationed at Rakkestad in a counterattack against the Swedes. The order was given to counterattack on the 5th of August, but the order was recalled a few hours later. The Norwegian forces therefore withdrew over the Glomma river at Langnes in Askim
Askim
is a town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Askim. Askim was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ....
. The last major battle of the war was fought on 9 August at the bridgehead at Langnes
Battle of Langnes
The Battle of Langnes, or the Battle of Langnes Entrenchment, was a battle fought between Norway and Sweden as a part of the Swedish-Norwegian War of 1814...
, where the Swedish forces once more were driven back.
Although the Norwegian Army had won at Langnes, it was nevertheless clear to both the Norwegian and Swedish military authorities that a defeat was inevitable. Even as they had managed to deliver several minor offensive blows to the Swedes, thus applying pressure on the Swedes to accept Norway as a sovereign nation, it was considered impossible to try to stop the Swedes in the long run. The Swedish offer of negotiations was therefore accepted as the war had put a heavy strain on the Norwegian finances. Every day of delay in securing Norway by the Swedes brought uncertainty to them regarding the outcome, so both parties were interested in a quick end to the war.
For the ordinary Norwegian soldier the war had seemed ill-prepared and ill-fought, the allegations of the loss were against Christian Frederick and the Norwegian general Haxthausen; the latter was accused of treason. For the Norwegian government it probably had been more of a matter of getting the best possible bargaining position, as without the support of major powers Norway's independence was impossible to secure. But by agreeing to talks following the victory at Langnes they were in a situation where they could avoid an unconditional surrender
Unconditional surrender
Unconditional surrender is a surrender without conditions, in which no guarantees are given to the surrendering party. In modern times unconditional surrenders most often include guarantees provided by international law. Announcing that only unconditional surrender is acceptable puts psychological...
.
Aftermath
Negotiations started in Moss, NorwayMoss, Norway
is a coastal city and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Moss. The city of Moss was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
on 10 August 1814, and after a few days of hard negotiations, a cease fire agreement, called the Convention of Moss
Convention of Moss
The Convention of Moss was a cease fire agreement, signed August 14, 1814, between the Swedish King and the Norwegian Storting. It followed the Swedish-Norwegian War due to Norway's claim to sovereignty...
, was signed on 14 August 1814. King Christian Frederick was forced to abdicate, but Norway remained nominally independent within a personal union with Sweden
Union between Sweden and Norway
The Union between Sweden and Norway , officially the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway, consisted of present-day Sweden and Norway between 1814 and 1905, when they were united under one monarch in a personal union....
, under the Swedish king. Its Constitution was upheld with only such amendments as were required to allow it to enter into the union, and the two united kingdoms retained separate institutions, except for the King and the foreign service and policy.
Literature
- Steen, Sverre(1989) - "1814"(J. W. Cappelens Forlag A/S) ISBN 82-02-11935-9
- Dyrvik, Ståle og Feldbæk, Ole(1996) - "Aschehoughs Norgeshistorie - Mellom brødre - 1780-1830" (H. Aschehough & Co. Oslo) ISBN 82-03-22020-7