Monday 18 May 2015

Episode 24: Karl X Gustav - six years of war


Karl X Gustav was a voluminous guy who was good at war. His greatest feat was marching the Swedish army over the ice of the Danish straits, from Jutland to Själland. Some men and horses got lost, but the gamble worked and the understandably chocked Danes had to agree to peace on hard terms in 1658. Sweden gained Scania, Halland and Blekinge in this treaty, as well as Bornholm and Trondheim - though the later areas was again lost when Karl X Gustav had failed to completely crush Denmark in 1659.

The march over the ice January 30th - February 8th 1658

The blue line marks the king's route, the red the rest of the army led by general Wrangel.