Treaties of Roskilde (1568)
Encyclopedia
The Treaties of Roskilde
of 18 and 22 November 1568 were peace treaties between the kingdoms of Denmark-Norway and the allied Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck on one side, and the Swedish kingdom on the other side, supposed to end the Northern Seven Years' War
after the de facto succession of the later king John III
in Sweden. Negotiated on John's initiative, he refused ratification, viewing the concessions his envoys made in Roskilde as too far-reaching. Most notably, these concessions included Swedish obligations to pay Denmark her war costs, and to cede Swedish Estonia
. Thus, the war dragged on until it was concluded by the Treaty of Stettin (1570).
in late 1567, his brother duke John
(the later king John III) assumed control of the kingdom and had Erik imprisoned. When this was accomplished, he sent a delegation to Denmark to negotiate for an end of the Northern Seven Years' War
inherited from his brother. Frederik II of Denmark was unable to exploit the inner-Swedish conflict, as his treasures were emptied by the costs of his German mercenary armies, on whom he had relied throughout the war, and the rebuilding of the Danish navy, finished by the summer of 1567, after a large part of it had sunk in a storm in July 1566. Furthermore, duke John maintained amicable relations to Sigismund II Augustus
of Poland-Lithuania
, thwarting hopes for an anti-Swedish alliance in the contemporary Livonian War
.
, established in 1561 during the Livonian War, which was to be ceded to Magnus of Holstein, brother of the Danish king. Furthermore, the Swedish crown was obliged to pay for the Danish war costs from 1563 to 1568. The draft was signed on 18 November 1568 by the Swedish envoys Jören Ericksson Gyllensterne (Jörgen Gyldenstiern of Fouglevig), Ture Bielke (Thure Bielcke of Salestad) and Niels Jensson (secretary), and for the Danish side by Peer Oxsse
(Per or Peder Oxe of Gisselfeld, hofmester
), Johan Friis
(Frijs of Hesselagger, chancellor
), Holger Rossenkrantzs (Holger Ottesen Rosenkrantz
of Boller, governor in North Jutland), Peder Billde (Bilde of Svanholm, commander of Callundborg) and Nils Kaass (Kaas of Taarupgaard, secretary).
In the treaty between Lübeck and Sweden, the latter confirmed Lübeck's privileges as of 1523,In 1523, Lübeck was an ally of Sweden in the war against Denmark
. and restored peace between the parties. The draft was signed on 22 November 1568 by the same Swedish and Danish envoys who signed the Dano-Swedish agreement, and in addition, by Christoffer Thode (Christoph Tode), Calixtus Schein and Frederijck Kuevell for Lübeck as well as by Caspar Paselick, who signed for Denmark.
summoned in Stockholm
: Frederick II was to receive "powder, lead and pikes" instead of war reparations.
Likewise, Frederick II summoned a Danish riksdag, the only one summoned between 1536 and 1627, in January 1570. By threatening to abdicate, Frederick II secured the riksdag's and the Danish Council's consent to new taxes, which were to finance the planned decisive blow on Sweden in the year 1570. While this blow never materialized, a combined fleet of Danish and Lübeck vessels led by Per Munck had previously bombarded Reval (Tallinn), the principal city in Swedish Estonia, for eleven days in July 1569; and in November of the same year, Danish land forces had re-captured Varberg Fortress
from the Swedish defendants but lost their commanders Daniel Rantzau
and Franz Brokenhuus during the siege.
Lübeck, in addition to war costs and losses amounting to more than 300,000 talers, lost much of her pre-war Swedish trade to other Hanseatic cities
. On 13 December 1570, the parties finally settled for peace in the treaty of Stettin.
Roskilde
Roskilde is the main city in Roskilde Municipality, Denmark on the island of Zealand. It is an ancient city, dating from the Viking Age and is a member of the Most Ancient European Towns Network....
of 18 and 22 November 1568 were peace treaties between the kingdoms of Denmark-Norway and the allied Free and Hanseatic City of Lübeck on one side, and the Swedish kingdom on the other side, supposed to end the Northern Seven Years' War
Northern Seven Years' War
The Northern Seven Years' War was the war between Kingdom of Sweden and a coalition of Denmark–Norway, Lübeck and the Polish–Lithuanian union, fought between 1563 and 1570...
after the de facto succession of the later king John III
John III of Sweden
-Family:John married his first wife, Catherine Jagellonica of Poland , house of Jagiello, in Vilnius on 4 October 1562. In Sweden, she is known as Katarina Jagellonica. She was the sister of king Sigismund II Augustus of Poland...
in Sweden. Negotiated on John's initiative, he refused ratification, viewing the concessions his envoys made in Roskilde as too far-reaching. Most notably, these concessions included Swedish obligations to pay Denmark her war costs, and to cede Swedish Estonia
Swedish Estonia
The Duchy of Estonia , also known as Swedish Estonia, was a dominion of the Swedish Empire from 1561 until 1721, when it was ceded to Russia in the Treaty of Nystad, following its capitulation in the Great Northern War. The dominion arose when the northern parts of present-day Estonia were united...
. Thus, the war dragged on until it was concluded by the Treaty of Stettin (1570).
Background
After the Swedish king Erik XIV had become insane and murdered leading aristocratsSture Murders
The Sture Murders in Uppsala, Sweden of 24 May 1567 were the murders of five incarcerated Swedish nobles by Erik XIV of Sweden, who at that time was in a state of serious mental disorder, and his guards. The nobles, among them three members of the influential Sture family, had been charged with...
in late 1567, his brother duke John
John III of Sweden
-Family:John married his first wife, Catherine Jagellonica of Poland , house of Jagiello, in Vilnius on 4 October 1562. In Sweden, she is known as Katarina Jagellonica. She was the sister of king Sigismund II Augustus of Poland...
(the later king John III) assumed control of the kingdom and had Erik imprisoned. When this was accomplished, he sent a delegation to Denmark to negotiate for an end of the Northern Seven Years' War
Northern Seven Years' War
The Northern Seven Years' War was the war between Kingdom of Sweden and a coalition of Denmark–Norway, Lübeck and the Polish–Lithuanian union, fought between 1563 and 1570...
inherited from his brother. Frederik II of Denmark was unable to exploit the inner-Swedish conflict, as his treasures were emptied by the costs of his German mercenary armies, on whom he had relied throughout the war, and the rebuilding of the Danish navy, finished by the summer of 1567, after a large part of it had sunk in a storm in July 1566. Furthermore, duke John maintained amicable relations to Sigismund II Augustus
Sigismund II Augustus
Sigismund II Augustus I was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, the only son of Sigismund I the Old, whom Sigismund II succeeded in 1548...
of Poland-Lithuania
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
, thwarting hopes for an anti-Swedish alliance in the contemporary Livonian War
Livonian War
The Livonian War was fought for control of Old Livonia in the territory of present-day Estonia and Latvia when the Tsardom of Russia faced a varying coalition of Denmark–Norway, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Union of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of Poland.During the period 1558–1578,...
.
Terms
The Swedish delegation in Roskilde consented to all Danish and Lübeck demands. The Dano-Swedish treaty thus included the restoration of the pre-war borders between the kingdoms, except for the Swedish dominion in EstoniaSwedish Estonia
The Duchy of Estonia , also known as Swedish Estonia, was a dominion of the Swedish Empire from 1561 until 1721, when it was ceded to Russia in the Treaty of Nystad, following its capitulation in the Great Northern War. The dominion arose when the northern parts of present-day Estonia were united...
, established in 1561 during the Livonian War, which was to be ceded to Magnus of Holstein, brother of the Danish king. Furthermore, the Swedish crown was obliged to pay for the Danish war costs from 1563 to 1568. The draft was signed on 18 November 1568 by the Swedish envoys Jören Ericksson Gyllensterne (Jörgen Gyldenstiern of Fouglevig), Ture Bielke (Thure Bielcke of Salestad) and Niels Jensson (secretary), and for the Danish side by Peer Oxsse
Peder Oxe
Peder Oxe was a Danish finance minister and Steward of the Realm.-Background:...
(Per or Peder Oxe of Gisselfeld, hofmester
Hofmeister (office)
In medieval Europe, a Hofmeister was a house tutor, also responsible for the care of his students beyond their education....
), Johan Friis
Johan Friis
Johan Friis was a Danish statesman. He studied in Odense and in Copenhagen before completing his education abroad....
(Frijs of Hesselagger, chancellor
Chancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
), Holger Rossenkrantzs (Holger Ottesen Rosenkrantz
Rosenkrantz (family)
Rosenkrantz, also spelled Rosencrantz, is a Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish noble family. The family is known since the 1300s and belongs to the old nobility. It has played a prominent rôle in Denmark and Norway, its members having been estate owners as well as high officials.-General:The oldest...
of Boller, governor in North Jutland), Peder Billde (Bilde of Svanholm, commander of Callundborg) and Nils Kaass (Kaas of Taarupgaard, secretary).
In the treaty between Lübeck and Sweden, the latter confirmed Lübeck's privileges as of 1523,In 1523, Lübeck was an ally of Sweden in the war against Denmark
Swedish War of Liberation
The Swedish War of Liberation , , was a civil war in which the Swedish nobleman Gustav Vasa successfully deposed the Danish king Christian II as regent of the Kalmar Union in Sweden. The war started in January 1521 when Gustav Vasa was appointed "hövitsman" over Dalarna. After Gustav Vasa sacked...
. and restored peace between the parties. The draft was signed on 22 November 1568 by the same Swedish and Danish envoys who signed the Dano-Swedish agreement, and in addition, by Christoffer Thode (Christoph Tode), Calixtus Schein and Frederijck Kuevell for Lübeck as well as by Caspar Paselick, who signed for Denmark.
Consequences
By accepting the Danish terms, the members of the Swedish delegation had exceeded their competence, and John (III) refused to ratify the treaties. John had his refusal backed up by a declaration from a Riksdag of the EstatesRiksdag of the Estates
The Riksdag of the Estates , was the name used for the Estates of the Swedish realm when they were assembled. Until its dissolution in 1866, the institution was the highest authority in Sweden next to the King...
summoned in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
: Frederick II was to receive "powder, lead and pikes" instead of war reparations.
Likewise, Frederick II summoned a Danish riksdag, the only one summoned between 1536 and 1627, in January 1570. By threatening to abdicate, Frederick II secured the riksdag's and the Danish Council's consent to new taxes, which were to finance the planned decisive blow on Sweden in the year 1570. While this blow never materialized, a combined fleet of Danish and Lübeck vessels led by Per Munck had previously bombarded Reval (Tallinn), the principal city in Swedish Estonia, for eleven days in July 1569; and in November of the same year, Danish land forces had re-captured Varberg Fortress
Varberg Fortress
Varberg Fortress is a former fortification in Varberg, Halland County, Sweden .-History:Varberg Fortress was built in 1287-1300 by count Jacob Nielsen as protection against his Danish king, who had declared him an outlaw after the murder of King Eric V of Denmark.Jacob had close connections with...
from the Swedish defendants but lost their commanders Daniel Rantzau
Daniel Rantzau
Daniel Rantzau was a Danish-German general who was known for his leadership in the Northern Seven Years' War. A distant relative of Johan Rantzau, Daniel Rantzau was raised in Holstein, and received a solid academic education but preferred a military career...
and Franz Brokenhuus during the siege.
Lübeck, in addition to war costs and losses amounting to more than 300,000 talers, lost much of her pre-war Swedish trade to other Hanseatic cities
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
. On 13 December 1570, the parties finally settled for peace in the treaty of Stettin.