History of Scandinavia: From the Early Times of the Northmen and Vikings to the Present Day by Paul Christian Sinding

Author:Paul Christian Sinding
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: W.S. Haven
Published: 1864-08-27T05:00:00+00:00

But fortune soon turned her back upon him. The Swedish king, Charles XI., endowed with miUtary talent, as were almost all the kings of the illustrious house of Yasa, and with an intrepid and enterprising mind, arose now like a phenix from its ashes, and defended himself with great ability and success. A Danish army was A. D., defeated by Charles, at Halmstady and in the

1676. next year two battles were fought near Lund

and Landscrona, where both kings commanded in per-

A. D., son. The battles were brief, but, for their dura-

i^*^*^- tion, the most sanguinary on record; the victory, towards the last, remained doubtful, when suddenly, Charles XI., amusing the Danish left wing by a feigned attack, poured his infantry, in masses, on the centre; they encount-ered the bravest resistemce, but the Swedish king, bringing up the cavalry just as the Danish lines began to waver, broke through them with a headlong charge, and in a few moments the Danish army was a helpless mass of confusion.

The result of this brilliant victory was the immediate conquest of the lost fortresses, except Ckristianstad^

idiioh for a long time was defended with great heroism ly the Danish general, Von Osten; who, nevertheless, as his assistant, General Ahrensdorff, neglected his duty altogether, had to surrender that strong fortress to the Swedish king, and every thing now seemed short of success for Denmark. The wise and intelligent Griffen-feldt stood no more by the king's side; he had been removed partly by his own crimes, partly by secret intrigues of his enemies, the king now trusting only in his inefficient German favorites, Hahn^ Ahlefeldt, and Ahrensdorff^ who assisted him in his immoral dissipations and irregular course of life.

Notwithstanding all looking very dark for Denmark, Christian Y. attempted to retrieve his losses in a new campaign, and sent his half brother, Ulrtk Frederick Oulde?il6vej a natural son of Frederick III., to Norway, which had been attacked by the Swedes. Guldenl6ve acquitted himself bravely and with success, soon after conquered Jemteland, made his way through Bahus and Halland, and took by storm the strong rocky fortress, Carlsteen^ situated by the Cattegat, while at the same time the brave General Lovenhjelm entirely defeated a superior Swedish army at Uddevalle^ in the province of Bahus. The rays of the sun seemed again to smile on Denmark, her navy continuing to ride triumphant wheresoever she came in engagement. The celebrated Niels Juel gained a new victory over the Swedes at Eblberfr Rhed^ close by the island of Pemern, and a

A.D., month after, lie iaimortalized his name by as-

1677. tirely destroying the Swedish fleet in the bay of Kjoge^ by Sjelland. The latter, nninbering fixiy-six men-of-war, attacked the Danish fleet, moored in a formidable ponticm in the bay, bot, after a deqperata contest, every Swedish ship that had a share in the engagement was taken ox destn^ed, the Swedes being hombled considerably by this loss.

A.D^ In the meantime, conferenoes taking place at

1678. Nimvegen^ and peace with France being made, Denmark also had to consent to peace with Sweden, in

A.

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