Siege of Tönning
| Siege of Tönning | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theGreat Northern War | |||||||
 Tönningdefensive works | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Swedish EmpireHolstein-Gottorp |
 Denmark–Norway(1700; 1713–1714)  Saxony(1713–1714) Tsardom of Russia(1713–1714) | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Frederick IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp(1700)Nils Gyllenstierna(1700)Magnus Stenbock(1713–1714) |
Aleksandr Danilovich Menshikov(1713–1714) | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
9,000 Swedes (1713–1714) 1,600 Holsteiners (1713–1714) | 36,000 (1713–1714) | ||||||
During theGreat Northern War,the fortress ofTönning(Danish:Tønning) in the territory ofHolstein-Gottorp,an ally of theSwedish Empire,was besieged twice.Denmark-Norwaywas forced to lift the first siege in 1700, but a combined force of the anti-Swedish coalition successfully besieged and took Tönning in 1713–1714.
1700
[edit]The first siege was one of the first military actions of theGreat Northern War.Denmark-Norway,Saxe-Poland-LithuaniaandRussiahad agreed on invading theSwedish Empireon three fronts, and accordingly, Danish forces moved intoHolstein-Gottorp,[1]allied and dynastically tied to Sweden,[2]and laid siege toTönningin March 1700.[1]The siege had to be lifted whenCharles XII of Sweden,backed by theMaritime Powers,in a surprise move deployed an army in front ofCopenhagen,forcingFrederik IV of Denmark-Norwayout of the war by thePeace of Travendalon 18 August 1700.[3]Denmark re-entered the war only in 1709 as a consequence of theSwedish defeat at Poltava.[4]
1713–1714
[edit]In early 1713, forces of theSwedish EmpireandHolstein-Gottorpwere encircled by a combinedRussianandSaxe-Polisharmy in apocketaroundTönning.The Swedish force consisted of the remains ofMagnus Stenbock's 16,000 men who had broken out of theStralsund pocket,and ignoring orders to march into Poland turned west, defeated aDanisharmy theBattle of Gadebuschand pursued their remains into Holstein. The Russian and Saxe-Polish allies of Denmark sent 36,000 troops after Stenbock.[5]
In February 1713, breaching his proclaimed neutrality,[6]the minor dukeCharles Frederick of Holstein-Gottorp[7]provided Stenbock with shelter and auxiliaries at his fortress ofTönningin anticipation of support by theMaritime Powers,expecting a recurrence of the1700 precedent.Yet, the Maritime Powers did not intervene, and the trapped, still 9,000 strong force of Stenbock ran out of supplies. When the food situation deteriorated and 2,800 Swedes fell ill, Stenbock surrendered on 16 May 1713.[8]
The 1,600 strong Holstein garrison of the Tönning fortress held out[8]until 7 February 1714.[9]Danish forces, in pursuit of a royal occupation order of 13 March 1713,[6]gained complete control over Holstein-Gottorp when the last Holsteiners loyal to Sweden were captured in 1715.[8]After Tönning's surrender, its defensive works and palace were leveled until 1735.[10]
The decision of the duke of Holstein-Gottorp to open Tönning to Stenbock as well as the brokering of the Swedish surrender is ascribed to baronGeorg Heinrich von Görtz,a diplomat at Charles Frederick's court. The Swedish captives were partitioned equally among the victorious powers, despite orders Russian commanderAleksandr Danilovich Menshikovhad received from tsarPeter the Greatto secure the greatest share for Russia, arguing that the Russians had provided the largest contingent in the combined army. The disobedience led to rumors that Menshikov was bribed by Görtz.[7]
Sources
[edit]References
[edit]Bibliography
[edit]- Bushkovitch, Paul (2001).Peter the Great. The struggle for power, 1671-1725.New studies in European history. Cambridge University Press.ISBN0-521-80585-6.
- Frost, Robert I (2000).The Northern Wars. War, State and Society in Northeastern Europe 1558-1721.Longman.ISBN978-0-582-06429-4.
- Jakubowski-Tiessen, Manfred (1983).Der frühe Pietismus in Schleswig-holstein. Entstehung, Entwicklung und Struktur.Arbeiten zur Geschichte des Pietismus (in German). Vol. 19. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.ISBN3-525-55802-3.
- Klose, Olaf (1958).Handbuch der historischen Stätten Deutschlands: Bd. Schleswig-Holstein und Hamburg, hrsg. von O. Kolse Band 1 von Handbuch der historischen Stätten Deutschlands(in German). Kröner.
- Wilson, Peter Hamish (1998).German armies. War and German politics, 1648-1806.Warfare and history. Routledge.ISBN1-85728-106-3.