Toverud
Encyclopedia
Toverud is a farm in Aurskog
in the municipality of Aurskog-Høland
in Akershus
county, Norway
and the site of the Battle of Toverud (Slaget ved Toverud). During 1908 in connection with the centennial of the battle, the Toverud monument (Toverudstøtta) was erected at the site of the battle.
. On 14 April 1808 a Swedish brigade crossed the border and went west to Aurskog
, Norway. After a brief but dramatic battle, Swedish commander Axel Otto Mörner (1774-1852) had to surrender. Danish nobleman Christian August of Augustenborg
successfully commanded the army of Norway and compelled the numerically superior Swedish forces to withdraw behind the border after the Battle of Toverud on April 19–20, 1808.
One contributory factor behind the poor performance of the Swedish invasion force in Norway was that Russia
had invaded Finland
on February 21, 1808 at the start of the Finnish War
. The two-front war proved disastrous for Sweden.
The success of Christian August both as a military commander at Toverud and in the subsequent battle on June 10, 1808 at Prestebakke in Østfold
, and as leader of the provisional government made him very popular in Norway. In 1808 Christian August was promoted to Field Marshal
, and in 1809 he became Governor-general of Norway
. Prince Christian August was also held in high esteem within Sweden because he had refrained from pursuing the retreating army of Sweden while that country was hard pressed by Russia in the Finnish War
. Consequently Christian August was elected Crown Prince of Sweden as successor to the Swedish throne after the overthrow of the incompetent King Gustav IV Adolf.
Aurskog
Aurskog is a former municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre was Aursmoen.Aurskog was the location of the Battle of Toverud. The parish of Urskog was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . On 1 July 1919 the district of Blaker was separated to form a municipality...
in the municipality of Aurskog-Høland
Aurskog-Høland
Aurskog-Høland is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Romerike traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bjørkelangen.- Name :...
in Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
county, 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...
and the site of the Battle of Toverud (Slaget ved Toverud). During 1908 in connection with the centennial of the battle, the Toverud monument (Toverudstøtta) was erected at the site of the battle.
Battle of Toverud
In February 1808, Denmark-Norway was forced by Napoleon Bonaparte to declare war on SwedenSweden
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....
. On 14 April 1808 a Swedish brigade crossed the border and went west to Aurskog
Aurskog
Aurskog is a former municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre was Aursmoen.Aurskog was the location of the Battle of Toverud. The parish of Urskog was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 . On 1 July 1919 the district of Blaker was separated to form a municipality...
, Norway. After a brief but dramatic battle, Swedish commander Axel Otto Mörner (1774-1852) had to surrender. Danish nobleman Christian August of Augustenborg
Charles 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...
successfully commanded the army of Norway and compelled the numerically superior Swedish forces to withdraw behind the border after the Battle of Toverud on April 19–20, 1808.
One contributory factor behind the poor performance of the Swedish invasion force in Norway was that 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...
had invaded 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...
on February 21, 1808 at the start of 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...
. The two-front war proved disastrous for Sweden.
The success of Christian August both as a military commander at Toverud and in the subsequent battle on June 10, 1808 at Prestebakke in 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 as leader of the provisional government made him very popular in Norway. In 1808 Christian August was promoted to Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
, and in 1809 he became Governor-general of Norway
Governor-general of Norway
The Governor-general of Norway, styled Rigsstatholder in Danish or Riksståthållare in Swedish, both meaning 'Lieutenant of the realm' , was the appointed head of the Norwegian Government in the absence of the Monarch....
. Prince Christian August was also held in high esteem within Sweden because he had refrained from pursuing the retreating army of Sweden while that country was hard pressed by Russia 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...
. Consequently Christian August was elected Crown Prince of Sweden as successor to the Swedish throne after the overthrow of the incompetent King Gustav IV Adolf.
Other sources
- Skar, Johannes Um slaget ved Toverud. Prinsen av Augustenborg (Det Norske Samlaget, Oslo 1897)
- Gjerset, Knut History of The Norwegian People (The Macmillan Company. 1915) ISBN 978-0-217-93246-2
- Elkan, Sophie An Exiled King, Gustaf Adolf IV of Sweden (London: Hutchinson & Co., 1913) ISBN 978-1-177-23318-7