Carl Gustaf Armfeldt
Encyclopedia
Carl Gustaf Armfeldt was a Swedish officer, general
and friherre (baron) who took part in the Great Northern War
.
He was born in Swedish Ingria
to lieutenant colonel Gustaf Armfelt and Anna Elisabet Brakel. Like other members of his family Armfelt devoted himself to war and at seventeen years' age joined Nylands kavalleri as a cadet
. In 1685 he left this position and left for France
where he joined prince Ferdinand of Fürstenburg
's regiment as a mere footsoldier. He campaigned in France for twelve years and returned to Sweden as a captain.
. He was named commander of the Finnish army in 1713.
During the long war he distinguished himself in several occasions, especially during the defense of Helsingfors
in 1713, but met an overwhelming Russian force and was defeated at the battle of Storkyro
in 1714.
was sent into Norway
to take Trondheim
. Poorly equipped, Armfelt pulled out after the king fell at Fredrikshald
.
The ensuing disaster that struck his army is known as the Carolean Death March
. On New Year's Eve
1718 he arrived at Norwegian Tydal
, with 80 kilometers to the closest Swedish village in Jämtland
. When the troops had marched 10 kilometers from Tydalen, a severe blizzard
struck from the northwest. The bitter cold killed the guide
on the very first day, and the army scatted blindly in the mountains (Sylan
mountain range). On the following nights hundreds more perished. Of the over 5,000 men who left Tydalen, only 2,100 were found alive on arrival at Duved, mostly hardened Finnish veteran
s.
but never took office, as the county was under Russian control and was ceded to Russia after the treaty of Nystad
. He was elevated to friherre on 5 July 1731 and named general of infantry in 1735. According to the Pernå parish records (cited by Hornborg, 1952) he died at Liljendal
in Nyland on 24 October 1736, and was interred at Isnäs on 3 December 1736.
He was married in 1700 to Lovisa Aminoff (1685–1741), daughter of cavalry captain Johan Fredrik Aminoff. Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt is his grandson.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and friherre (baron) who took part in the Great Northern War
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
.
He was born in Swedish Ingria
Swedish Ingria
Swedish Ingria was a dominion of the Swedish Empire from 1580 to 1595 and then again from 1617 to 1721, when it was ceded to the Russian Empire in the Treaty of Nystad....
to lieutenant colonel Gustaf Armfelt and Anna Elisabet Brakel. Like other members of his family Armfelt devoted himself to war and at seventeen years' age joined Nylands kavalleri as a cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
. In 1685 he left this position and left for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where he joined prince Ferdinand of Fürstenburg
Ferdinand of Fürstenburg
Ferdinand of Fürstenburg was a Prince of Fürstenburg. He was the son of Frederick Rudolf of Fürstenburg and Anna Magdalena of Hanau-Lichtenberg. He is known for commanding an infantry regiment in which future Swedish General Carl Gustaf Armfeldt served in when Armfeldt joined in the year 1685. He...
's regiment as a mere footsoldier. He campaigned in France for twelve years and returned to Sweden as a captain.
Great Northern War
Due to his military experience he was employed in the Finnish army as a generaladjutant in 1701 and stayed with this army for most of the Great Northern WarGreat Northern War
The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...
. He was named commander of the Finnish army in 1713.
During the long war he distinguished himself in several occasions, especially during the defense of Helsingfors
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
in 1713, but met an overwhelming Russian force and was defeated at the battle of Storkyro
Battle of Storkyro
The Battle of Storkyro was fought on February 19, 1714 / March 2, 1714 near the village of Napo in Storkyro parish , Ostrobothnia, Swedish Empire between a Swedish and a Russian army, as part of the Great Northern War....
in 1714.
1718 Norwegian Campaign
In 1717 Armfeldt was promoted to lieutenant general and commanded the Swedish force which on the orders of Charles XII of SwedenCharles XII of Sweden
Charles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
was sent into Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
to take Trondheim
Trondheim
Trondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
. Poorly equipped, Armfelt pulled out after the king fell at Fredrikshald
Fredrikshald
Fredrikshald may refer to:* Fredrikshald Bay, Nunavut, Canada* Fredrikshald, Norway, former name of the town of Halden...
.
The ensuing disaster that struck his army is known as the Carolean Death March
Carolean Death March
The Carolean Death March or the Catastrophe of Øyfjellet refers to the disastrous retreat by a Swedish Carolean army under the command of Carl Gustaf Armfeldt across the Tydal mountain range in Trøndelag around the new year 1718-1719.-Background:...
. On New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
1718 he arrived at Norwegian Tydal
Tydal
Tydal is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Ås. Other villages include Østby, Gressli, Aunet, and Stugudalen. There is a school and a kindergarten in Tydal....
, with 80 kilometers to the closest Swedish village in Jämtland
Jämtland
Jämtland or Jamtland is a historical province or landskap in the center of Sweden in northern Europe. It borders to Härjedalen and Medelpad in the south, Ångermanland in the east, Lapland in the north and Trøndelag and Norway in the west...
. When the troops had marched 10 kilometers from Tydalen, a severe blizzard
Blizzard
A blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by strong winds. By definition, the difference between blizzard and a snowstorm is the strength of the wind. To be a blizzard, a snow storm must have winds in excess of with blowing or drifting snow which reduces visibility to 400 meters or ¼ mile or...
struck from the northwest. The bitter cold killed the guide
Guide
A guide is a person who leads anyone through unknown or unmapped country. This includes a guide of the real world , as well as a person who leads someone to more abstract places .-Guide - meanings related to travel and recreational pursuits:There are many variants of...
on the very first day, and the army scatted blindly in the mountains (Sylan
Sylan
Sylan , Sylarna , Bealjehkh is a mountain range on the border between Norway and Sweden, in the counties Sør-Trøndelag and Jämtland....
mountain range). On the following nights hundreds more perished. Of the over 5,000 men who left Tydalen, only 2,100 were found alive on arrival at Duved, mostly hardened Finnish veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
s.
Later life
In 1719 Armfelt was named governor of Viborg countyViborg and Nyslott County
Viborg and Nyslott County was a county of the Swedish Empire from 1634 to 1721. Prior to 1658 it was known as the County of Karelia . The county was named after the castle towns of Viborg and Nyslott , today located in the towns of Vyborg in Russia and Savonlinna in Finland.The county was...
but never took office, as the county was under Russian control and was ceded to Russia after the treaty of Nystad
Treaty of Nystad
The Treaty of Nystad was the last peace treaty of the Great Northern War. It was concluded between the Tsardom of Russia and Swedish Empire on 30 August / 10 September 1721 in the then Swedish town of Nystad , after Sweden had settled with the other parties in Stockholm and Frederiksborg.During...
. He was elevated to friherre on 5 July 1731 and named general of infantry in 1735. According to the Pernå parish records (cited by Hornborg, 1952) he died at Liljendal
Liljendal
Liljendal is a former municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Southern Finland and was part of the Eastern Uusimaa region. The municipality had a population of 1,472 and covered an area of of which is water. The population density was .The municipality was bilingual, with...
in Nyland on 24 October 1736, and was interred at Isnäs on 3 December 1736.
He was married in 1700 to Lovisa Aminoff (1685–1741), daughter of cavalry captain Johan Fredrik Aminoff. Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt is his grandson.