# Christian IV's naval expedition to Stockholm

The Naval Expedition to Stockholm (Swedish: Sjötåget mot Stockholm; Danish: Kristian IV's Tog mod Stockholm) occurred from 31 August to 10 September 1612. It occurred during the late stages of the Kalmar War, where a Danish fleet of 36 warships under Christian IV attempted to attack Stockholm and capture it, which failed.

## Background

In late July, the main Danish fleet returned to Copenhagen. Simultaneously, this was also the time when its Swedish counterpart set out from Älvsnabben on 24 July. Commanded by Grand Admiral Göran Gyllenstierna, it sailed towards Öland, then turning south-east towards the bay of Danzig, where it operated from 29 July to 6 August, searching for the Danish fleet. During the search, the Swedes captured some merchantmen, before giving up the search and returning to Älvsnabben on 10 August.
In Copenhagen, King Christian IV had given up on his previous strategies during the war, this time, he would instead give the task of defeating the Swedes to the navy, which he had put alot of effort and money into. On 11 or 13 August, he set out with the main Danish fleet of some 36 ships from the capital. In Kalmar, from 16 to 20 August, he embarked several units from Rantzau's army, some 1,000 musketeers according to Swedish sources, in addition to those he had already taken from Copenhagen.
Having learned that the Swedish fleet was last seen sailing towards Danzig, he decided to pursue it there, hoping to inflict a crushing defeat on the Swedes and give himself naval supremacy. The fleet circled around Öland until sailing to Danzig, where it anchored from 24 to 25 August, but the Swedes had long ago returned to the north. Seeing this, Christian instead decided to attack Stockholm, the centre of Swedish power in the sea.
In the Stockholm Archipelago, there were two main sea communication lines that led into the capital from the Baltic Sea, with both entering from the north. The western route was protected by Vaxholm fortress, while the eastern one was less fortified, but since the reign of Gustav Vasa, attempts had been made to block it by the scuttling of superseded ships in the channel.

## Expedition

On 31 August, the Danish fleet encountered several units of the Swedish navy in the Stockholm Archipelago, and skirmishes between Swedish and Danish longboats quickly broke out. However, the Swedes under Göran Gyllenstierna quickly withdrew to Vaxholm, which barred the inlet to Stockholm. Instead of pushing forward, Christian IV chose to raise a memorial on one of the islands to commemorate his victory. During this, Swedish inshore ships and gunners repeatedly attacked the Danish fleet. Eventually, Christian ordered Peder Nielsen to take a longboat from each ship in order to engage the Swedes. It turned into a rowing battle between the Danes under Peder and the Swedes under Johan von Monickhouen, who had recently arrived in Stockholm with an enlisted Dutch regiment of some 1,200 men.
Peder, who had more firepower than the Swedes, managed to repulse them, who withdrew. After, he landed on the island from which the Swedes had left, capturing eight or ten prisoners, then captured three pyrotechnical weapons which the Swedes used to attack the Danish ships in the night.
On 2 September, the Danish fleet finally reached Vaxholm fortress, which had since May 1612 been defended by a garrison of around 50 men under Mårten Krakow and his wife, Emerintia Pauli, who had no intentions of letting the Danish fleet reach Stockholm. Nor did Gustavus Adolphus, who, after having received reports of the Danish advance, rushed from Jönköping, arriving to Stockholm at 3 am on 9 September, having covered 340 kilometers in three days. Two hours later, he continued towards Vaxholm. The defenses in Stockholm were quickly improved, and volunteer levies from Dalecarlia were called, being put on force marches towards Stockholm. There was panic in Stockholm, where many feared that the Danes would be able to break through Vaxholm and attack the city. The Queen dowager, Christina, left the city, going to Gripsholm with all of her valuables.
However, this was unnecessary. On 4 September, Christian IV gave up on his attempt, with the expedition having been doomed from the start. Despite his fleet being strong, the troops he had on the ships were insufficient and made his ambition to conquer Stockholm hopeless. After Monickhouen's arrival with the Dutch infantry, the Swedish forces in Stockholm consisted of some 2,500 men. Christian was not an idiot, but his plan was unrealistic. It is speculated that he believed a mere show of force would make Stockholm capitulate. If so, it would have provided the arguments needed to end the war on favourable terms.

## Aftermath

On 10 September, after suffering from contrary winds, thus slowing the Danish retreat, the Danish fleet returned to the south. Christian IV left the fleet on Bornholm on 13 September, giving command over to Ulfeldt, and he was back in Copenhagen on 17 September. Thus, the war was over for Christian for the time.