Kronan (ship) - Historical Context

Historical Context

In 1660, Sweden reached its zenith as a European Great Power. In the Dano-Swedish War of 1657-58, Swedish King Charles X made a bold march across the Small and Great Belts and struck right at the heart of Denmark, threatening to capture the capital of Copenhagen. His intent was to end Denmark's existence as an independent state and to take control of a greater part of the lucrative toll from traffic passing through the Öresund. This move threatened the trade interests of other European powers with large investments in the Baltic Sea trade. These were best served by keeping the Baltic politically divided without any one player dominating the scene. England and the Netherlands, the leading shipping nations of 17th century Europe, allied themselves with Denmark and intervened against Sweden. The Swedish attempt to crush Denmark once and for all had failed, but at the Treaty of Roskilde in 1658, Sweden nevertheless received considerable concessions: all of the eastern Danish provinces of Blekinge, Halland and Scania (or Skåne), as well as the Norwegian Bohuslän on the west coast of Sweden. Holding all of Finland, most of the Baltic States and Pomerania in northern Germany, Sweden became the leading Baltic power.

In the early 1670s, Sweden was governed by a regency council that was internally weak, having difficulties in asserting Swedish power abroad. The Lord High Chancellor, Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie, successfully argued for strengthened ties with France, which resulted in a Franco-Swedish treaty in 1672. The same year, France attacked the Netherlands, causing diplomatic unrest. In April 1674, the French ambassador to Sweden presented an agreement that stipulated that Sweden had to increase its military presence in Pomerania to 22,000 men in exchange for considerable financial support.

The Swedish position was difficult, as the French were pressuring for action against Brandenburg; in December 1674 a Swedish army under the command of Carl Gustaf Wrangel opened up an offensive in Germany. War had not begun in earnest, but about six months later, the Netherlands declared war on Sweden. Soon after, the Swedish army in Germany was defeated at the battle of Fehrbellin, only a minor setback tactically, but one which lead to a major loss of prestige. The Swedish army had enjoyed a reputation of near-invincibility after its successes in the Thirty Years' War, which was tarnished after the defeat against Brandenburg. On 2 September 1675, Denmark joined the war against Sweden and at the end of June a Danish army landed in Scania. A strong fleet became essential for defending Swedish interests at home and overseas.