Band formations in Finland have been heavily influenced by Russian, German and Swedish military traditions. Finnish military music has an over 400-year history which began in 1544 when King Gustav I of Sweden promoted the strengthening of musical structure in the Swedish-Finnish army. The first Finnish military bands were composed of pipers, drummers, cavalry buglers and kettle drummers who began to serve on the front lines in the Russo-Swedish War (1554–1557). Gustav's son, John III, settled at Turku Castle after his father's death, and created his own personal court band, whose first directors were the Dutch-born Jören van Heiden and Blasius Fischer. This provided the basis for modern military bands in Finland.