Battle of Colberger Heide

Battle of Colberger Heide
Part of the Torstenson War
Battle of Kolberg Heath, Wilhelm Marstrand
Date 1 July 1644 Location Off Fehmarn, Baltic Sea Result Inconclusive
Belligerents
Denmark–Norway	Swedish Empire
Commanders and leaders
Christian IV  (WIA)	Klas Fleming Klas Bjelkenstjerna
Strength
40 warships	34 warships
Casualties and losses
207 killed and wounded	101 killed and wounded

The Battle of Colberger Heide (also Kolberger Heide or Colberg Heath) took place on 1 July 1644 during the

The Dano-Norwegian fleet, coming from the east, and the Swedish fleet, coming from the west, met just north of the island of Fehmarn (Femern). The Swedes turned and sailed south along the west side of Fehmarn, inshore of a shoal, while the Danes followed a little further offshore. The Swedes turned north and swung around before resuming their westward course alongside the Danes. As the battle progressed the fleets turned before the wind, north and then back east south of the island of Langeland. As they approached the island of Lolland the Swedes turned south and eventually ended up in Kiel Bay while the Danes continued south-east, anchoring to the east of Fehmarn.

Casualties

Neither side had lost a ship. Dano-Norwegian casualties were 37 killed and 170 wounded, and Swedish casualties were 32 killed and 69 wounded. Among the Dano-Norwegian casualties were commander Jørgen Vind, who died of his wounds soon after the battle,^[1] and the king, whose wounds included the loss of an eye.

Impact

While the Dano-Norwegian fleet gained a minor success when it subsequently managed to incarcerate the Swedish fleet at the

The Dano-Norwegian merchant ships averaged around 20 guns each.

Sweden

The fireships were named Meerman, Caritas, Meerweib, Bona, Jungru, St Mikael and 1 other. 4 had previously been used as horse transports and were barely ready.

References

Footnotes