Landing at Ystad explained

Conflict:Battle of Ystad
Place:Ystad, Sweden
Coordinates:55.4167°N 63°W
Date:27 June 1676
Territory:Ystad is temporarily conquered by Denmark
Result:Dano-Dutch victory
Combatant1:
Partof:the Scanian War
Commander1: Niels Juel
Cornelis Tromp
Commander2: Otto Fersen
Johan Wittenberg
Units1:Unknown
Units2: Ystad garrison
Guard companies
Strength1:Some lightships
1 galiot
Unknown amount of men
Strength2:+1,500 cavalry
Casualties1:Unknown
Casualties2:2 officers
100 men

The Landing at Ystad, also known as the Battle of Ystad, was an amphibious attack and landing at Ystad performed by a Dano-Dutch fleet on 27 June 1676 during the Scanian War. The landing was a success, and the Swedish garrison and relief force were forced to retreat.

Background

In the summer of 1675 Denmark–Norway declared war on Sweden with the goal to reconquer Denmark and Norway's lost territories in 1645 and 1658.[1] After a combined Dano-Dutch fleet defeated the Swedish fleet at Öland, the former could thereafter pursue an amphibious landing across the Sound. The commanders of the Dano-Dutch fleet, Cornelis Tromp and Niels Juel, found Ystad to have a small garrison and could thus more easily be overtaken.

Landing

As soon as the Swedish garrison at Ystad saw the Dano-Dutch fleet, they sent message to Malmö, in which Charles XI sent a relief force of 1,500 cavalrymen and soon after guard companies too. Already on 26 June, Tromp and his ships had launched fire upon the Swedish garrison, however, the landing itself would take place the next day. On the morning of 27 June, the landing was initiated. Tromp and Juel sailed their frigate towards land and ordered their seamen and landing troops to be as loud as possible. The landing resulted in a success and the cavalry garrison was conquered.

Second confrontation

Concurrently, the Swedish relief forces, led by Otto von Fersen and Johan Wittenberg, arrived and battle ensued again. Under fighting came also the guard companies, however, the ships' fire supported the Dano-Dutch troops so well that the Swedes would retreat. The Swedish death toll was two officers and 100 men.

Aftermath

When the outcome of the battle reached Malmö, King Charles marched to Ystad to drive out the Danes, however, the march would be given up when finding out that the Danes had embarked on the ships again. Two days later, on 29 June, Christian V of Denmark would land at Raa near Helsingborg and the main invasion had begun.

Works cited

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Skånske krig 1675- 1679 . 2024-06-29 . Nationalmuseet . da.