page_title: Treaty of Stettin (1630)
section_title: After Bogislaw XIV's death - Confrontation with Brandenburg
hierarchical_section_title: Treaty of Stettin (1630) / The alliance / After Bogislaw XIV's death - Confrontation with Brandenburg
caption_attribution_description: Johan Banér
context_page_description: The Treaty of Stettin or Alliance of Stettin was the legal framework for the occupation of the Duchy of Pomerania by the Swedish Empire during the Thirty Years' War. Concluded on 25 August or 4 September 1630, it was predated to 10 July or 20 July 1630, the date of the Swedish Landing. Sweden assumed military control, and used the Pomeranian bridgehead for campaigns into Central and Southern Germany. After the death of the last Pomeranian duke in 1637, forces of the Holy Roman Empire invaded Pomerania to enforce Brandenburg's claims on succession, but they were defeated by Sweden in the ensuing battles. Some of the Pomeranian nobility had changed sides and supported Brandenburg. By the end of the war, the treaty was superseded by the Peace of Westphalia and the subsequent Treaty of Stettin, when Pomerania was partitioned into a western, Swedish part, and an eastern, Brandenburgian part.
context_section_description: On 10 March 1637, Bogislaw XIV died without issue. Swedish legate Sten Svantesson Bielke on 11 March advised the Pomeranian council to nevertheless adhere to the Alliance of Stettin, and to reject any Brandenburgian interference. George William, Elector of Brandenburg, in turn mailed Christina of Sweden on 14 March to respect his succession in the Pomeranian duchy based on the treaties of Pyritz (1493) and Grimnitz (1529), on which the alliance did not have any impact. Similar letters addressed Bielke, and Swedish field-marshal Carl Gustaf Wrangel. The same day, a courier arrived in Stettin with the elector's seizure patent, who at once was incarcerated by Bielke and threatened with death by hanging. The next day, the Brandenburgian elector admonished the Pomeranian nobility to behave as his subjects.
  On 19 March 1637, a delegation of Pomeranian nobles pledged that the elector suspend his claims until a Swedish-Brandenburgian agreement was reached. The elector rejected, and Bielke on 24 March rejected any negotiations with Brandenburg. While Bielke clarified on 3 April, that he does not per se challenge the Brandenburgian claim, but rather Brandenburg's disregard of Swedish claims, Wrangel on 12 April definitely rejected any Brandenburgian claim and advised the Pomeranian nobility to remain loyal to Sweden. George William reacted on 28 April, repeating his claims of 14 March and threatening with imperial intervention. Ferdinand II issued a patent confirming the Brandenburgian succession, and George William issued another patent on 22 May. The Pomeranians assembled a Landtag between 7 and 29 June, where Bielke and the nobility agreed on resisting the pending Brandenburgian take-over.
  In August 1637, an imperial army commanded by Matthias Gallas moved toward the Pomeranian frontier with Mecklenburg, and Swedish forces were concentrated on the Pomeranian side. While Gallas withdrew in late October, imperial forces commanded by von Bredow crossed into Western Pomerania on 24/25 October taking Tribsees, Loitz, Wolgast and Demmin. The nobles of the duchy's southern districts changed allegiance and rendered homage to the elector of Brandenburg on 25 November, and several nobles from the eastern districts Stolp and Schlawe met with the elector's ambassador in Danzig and obtained permission to resettle to East Prussia on 1 January 1638. The same month, emperor Ferdinand II gave the duchy of Pomerania to Brandenburg as a fief, which was accepted by the nobility on 26 January. The Pomeranian government resigned in March.
  On 3 April 1638, the Swedish riksråd debates the Pomeranian issue, and decides to take over the duchy. On 2 May, Axel Lillje and Johann Lilljehök were appointed Swedish governors of Pomerania, occupied primarily with military tasks, and several other functionaries were appointed to administrate the duchy. Johan Nicodemi Lilleström was appointed to draft a schedule for the final integration of Pomerania into the Swedish Empire.
  On 28 July 1638, Swedish field marshal Johan Banér from Farther Pomerania attacked the imperial forces in Western Pomerania. The ensuing warfare devastated the duchy. By the end of the year, Banér was appointed general governor of the whole duchy. Though Brandenburg prepared a military re-capture throughout 1639–1641, she made no actual progress. Neither did attempts of Sweden and the Pomeranian nobility to re-establish a civilian government succeed. On 14 July 1641, Sweden and Brandenburg agreed on a truce. Yet negotiations in February 1642 and April 1643 did not result in a settlement.
  Between 1 and 7 September 1643, imperial forces commanded by von Krockow invaded the Duchy of Pomerania and took western Farther Pomerania. Swedish forces commanded by Hans Christoff von Königsmarck attacked Krockow on 1 October, the battles lasted until 12 November when Krockow retreated pursued by Königsmarck's forces.
caption: Johan Banér
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