Swedish War for Independence

Belligerents| **Sweden*** England
* Lithuania (1445 - 1446)
* Holstein
* Friesland

Commanders and leaders| Leaders:**Gustav I** of Sweden (also commander)* Henry VI of England
* Kazimierz I of Lithuania

Commanders: | Leaders:**Christopher III** of Denmark and Norway* Adolf VIII of Holstein
* Gerrit De Vries of Friesland

Commanders:* Hans Falkenskjold of Denmark
* Birger Torsson of Norway
* Friedrich Ludwig Oldenburg of Holstein

Strength| Army:**Sweden: 15,000 men*** England: 29,000 men
* Lithuania: 30,000 men

Navy:**Sweden: 12 ships*** England: 29 ships
* Lithuania: 12 ships
* Holstein: Unknown
* Friesland: Unknown

Navy:**Denmark: ~22 ships*** Norway: 13 ships
* Holstein: 4 ships
* Friesland: 12 ships

Casualties and losses| **Total: 11,161 men, 4 ships*** Sweden: 1,743 men
* England: 539 men, 2 ships
* Lithuania: 2,000 men
* Norway: 8,000 men, unknown amount of ships
* Holstein: 4,000 men, unknown amount of ships
* Friesland: 344 men, 8 ships

The **Swedish War for Independence** is the war for the independence of Sweden from its personal union under Denmark. Supported by England and Lithuania, Sweden quickly overwhelmed the Danes and their allies, and Swedish independence was achieved just over a year after the start of the war, along with the return of Gotland.

## Background

Christopher III was elected king of the Danes in 1440, and later in Sweden and Norway in 1441 and 1442 respectively. In this timeline, Swedish nobles were infuriated at the king's lack of control, and plotted his overthrow.

### Preparations

The 12,000 men strong Swedish army was ordered to move to the fortress in Elfsborg on 11 November 1444; three mercenary regiments were also hired by the government that day and were ordered to move to Elfsorg as well. Support to the Swedish adminisration was drummed up from the minor nobles, clergymen, and traders.

Two days later on the 13th, England, who was Denmark's rival, agreed to support Swedish independence. On 2 January 1445, Lithuania also agreed to support independence. The nobles were hesitant to ask for support from the latter because Kazimierz I Jagiellon was being considered for the Polish throne, which finally occurred on 2 September 1446.

## The War

### Scania and Denmark Proper

The Swedish nobles decided to officially declare independence on 1 April 1445, selecting Gustav I Drake as their leader. He was also made into the general of the army in Elfsborg. That army was sent to occupy Halland which was done on 14 May. Meanwhile, Norwegian troops led by Birger Torsson marched and besieged Elfsborg shortly after, and Gustav I's army fought back that army on the 22nd in the Battle of Elfsborg, which ended on the 29th with a complete Swedish victory.

Danish troops attempted to reclaim Halland, but were assailed by Eric I's pretender rebels in the Battle of Lund on 6 June. The Danes retreated on 22 June, having lost about 3,000 men in the battle, and Swedish troops engaged the rebels the following day. They were beaten on 8 July, having lost another 2,000 men whereas the Swedes barely lost any. The rebels retreated and occupied Halland on August 12.

Lund was sieged down by Swedish troops following the battle. The fortress finally fell on 12 September 1446. During this time, Lithuanian troops arrived and nearly occupied the countryside, but soon after the country was forced to leave the war (see below). After the siege, Swedish forces occupied Scania on their own, and finished it on 5 November. Swedish forces then joined the Jutland campaign.

Meanwhile, English troops landed in Jutland some time before 1446, and later moved to Holstein on 20 February and began sieging it down; it finally fell on 8 October. The troops then fought Holsteiner ones in Schleswig on 8 November and killed 4,000 men in that single battle.

Swedish troops moved into Denmark proper on 23 November that year, following the fall of Scania. Sjaelland was besieged that day, causing protests across Denmark to end the war. This was the main factor leading to the end of the war.

### Other Land Campaigns

On an unknown date, 7,000 Frisian troops attacked 2,000 Lithuanian troops in the Battle of Lublin, signalling the Frisian invasion into Lithuania. Their troops besieged Kaunas on 24 December 1445, losing many due to attrition caused by the harsh winter. The fortress was occupied on 23 June 1446. Danish troops also entered Lithuania shortly before the end of the siege, and occupied Voluine on 16 July. On 2 September, Poland took King Kazimierz I as their own, thus removing Lithuania from the war.

Also on an unknown date, Norwegian troops besieged Dalaskogen and Bergslagen, but retreated due to attrition. They arrived again and occupied Dalaskogen on 16 August 1446, then Halsingland on 27 October.

### Naval Situation

Shortly after the start of the war, Denmark and its subjects began blockading the eastern coast of Sweden proper. On 23 May 1445, English ships were attacked in Heligoland Bight by Danish, Norwegian, and Frisian ships; despite being outnumbered nearly 4 to 1, England narrowly won, losing only 2 ships (recouping this loss by capturing 2 Danish ships) and sinking 29. English ships also attacked the Danes' in the Oresund on 29 July, and again along the Coast of Holland on 8 August; both were won with ease. The blockade of Sweden ended shortly after that, likely due to the Battle of Heligoland Bight.

The Swedish navy took control of the Oresund on 16 September.

## End

With Sjaelland besieged, Denmark agreed to a peace on 8 December 1446, which was signed in Stockholm. The treaty led to Sweden gaining its independence, along with the cession of Gotland to Sweden and a payment of 104 ducats to Sweden and England.