The Battle of Öland

The battle at Øland on 1 June 1676, where the Swedish fleet lost its three largest men-of-war. In the centre the flagship “Kronan” (The Crown) is sinking, while being shelled by the “Christianus Quintus” (Christian V). To the right the “Svärdet” (The Sword) surrenders and to the left “Äpplet” (The Orb) runs ground.

The tapestries depicts only the danish victories during the Scanian War, even though Christian V did not succeed in reconquering the recently lost danish provinces of Scania, Halland and Blekinge. These where only some of the provinces lost by Frederik III after the swift swedish invasions of 1658-59, but they where considered to be danish core provinces. The major forces of Europe at the time had no interest in a swedish great power, and thus prevented the total annexation of Denmark through both military and financial support, but some provinces, such as Scania, Halland and Blekinge, remained on swedish hands and are today an integral part of Sweden.

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