Battle of Køge Bay

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Battle of Køge Bay

Part of the Scanian War

Battle in Køge Bay. Painted by Claus Møinichen.

Date	1 July-2 July 1677
Location	Køge Bay, south of Copenhagen
Result	Decisive Danish victory

Belligerents

Commanders

Strength

27 ships, 6,700 men

34 ships, 8,260 men

Casualties and losses

Ca. 100 dead

8 ships, ca. 3,000 dead

v • d • e Scanian War

Bornholm – Öland – Køge Bay – Halmstad – Lund – Malmö – Landskrona – Marstrand – Conquest of Jemtland – Conquest of Bohuslän – Uddevalla

The Battle of Køge Bay was a naval battle between Denmark-Norway and Sweden that took place in the bay of Køge July 1 - July 2, 1677, during the Scanian War. It resulted in Denmark's perhaps greatest naval victory.

[edit] Prelude

After losing control of the Baltic Sea in the Battle of Öland the year before, the Swedish navy wanted it back. The Danish fleet, commanded by Niels Juel, had 1,354 cannons and 6,700 men, while the Swedish fleet, commanded by Henrik Horn, had 1,792 cannons and 8,260 men.

The Swedish fleet had left Dalarö, near Stockholm, on June 9, 1677. On June 13 it was joined by Kalmar, off Öland, and by Andromeda and Gustavus, survivors of Sjöblad's squadron. The Danish fleet had left Copenhagen on 24 June 1677. Lack of wind forced it to anchor of Stevn's Point. At daybreak on June 19 the two fleets sighted each other.

[edit] The Battle

At about 8am on 30 June, Horn weighed anchor with a SSW wind and sailed toward the Danish fleet, sending two ships to try to draw Juel out; he in turn sent two ships to attack them. Both sides kept their distance, the Swedes forming a line, followed by the Danes. Juel tried in vain all night to get the weather gage.

On 1 July at daybreak, despite some of his ships having fallen behind, Juel closed, as did the Swedes, and fighting began at about 5am. Horn sent in fireships but the Danes towed them aside. As the fleets approached the coast near Stevn's Point, Juel bore away a little in the hope that the Swedes would try to stay to windward and run aground.

The Swedes lost eight war ships, several smaller ships and over 3,000 men. The Danish fleet did not lose any ships, but approximately 100 men were killed and 275 wounded.