Atlas of Battles

battle, early modern

Capture of Älvsborg

Capture of Älvsborg was a battle fought in 1563 in what is now Sweden. Its exact site is not recorded; the atlas places it at its recorded location. It was part of the Northern Seven Years' War, which ran from 1563 to 1570.

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Fought1563
WhereSweden57.686N, 11.838E, placed at the location, approximate
OutcomeSee Peace negotiations and consequences; Treaty of Stettin (1570); Swedish victory against Poland–Lithuania.; Disputed result between Denmark and Sweden; Denmark becomes the dominant Nordic power; Sweden was forced to pay 150,000 riksdaler; Sweden was also forced to pay 75,000 daler to Lübeck.
BelligerentsDenmark–Norway; Free City of Lübeck; Poland–LithuaniaagainstSweden
Casualties and lossesHeavyand100,000 dead, including civilians
Part ofNorthern Seven Years' War1563 to 1570

Where it sits in the Northern Seven Years' War

Capture of Älvsborg, 1563Battle of Öland, 1563Battle of Mared, 1563Siege of Halmstad, 1563, 1563Siege of Steinvikholm fortress, 1564Action of 30 May 1564, 1564Action of 12 July 1564, 1564Battle of Rügen, 1565Action of 4 June 1565, 1565Action of 7 July 1565, 1565Siege of Varberg, 1565Battle of Axtorna, 1565Action of 26 July 1566, 1566Battle of Brobacka, 1566Siege of Akershus fortress, 1567, 1567Bombardment of Reval 1569, 1569Siege of Varberg, 156915631569Capture of Älvsborg, 1563
18 placed engagements of the Northern Seven Years' War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date1563 (year precision)
PlaceSweden
57.686N, 11.838E
KindBattle, early modern
Territorial changeStatus quo ante bellum in Scandinavia; Sweden turned over her possessions in Livonia for a payment by Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II.
Casualties and lossesHeavy100,000 dead, including civilians
Commanders
  • Frederick II of Denmark
  • Daniel Rantzau
  • Herluf Trolle
  • Otte Rud
  • Peder Huitfeldt
  • Jacob Brockenhuus
  • Eric XIV of Sweden
  • John III of Sweden
  • Jakob Bagge
  • Klas Horn
  • Charles de Mornay
  • Bo Birgersson Grip
Capture of ÄlvsborgCapture of ÄlvsborgSiege of ÄlvsborgBattle of GöteborgSiege of RagnhildsholmBohus explosionSiege of Bohus FortressSiege of ÄlvsborgSiege of RagnhildsholmBohus explosionAalborgVäxjöHalmstadTrollhättanFrederikshavnMariestad100 km57.686N, 11.838E
Placed at its recorded location; the exact site is not recorded. with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1563

Capture of Älvsborg is one of 1,390 engagements of the 16th century in the atlas and one of 111 in present-day Sweden.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q5037082, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Capture of Älvsborg, revision 1381059213, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.