Älvsborg Fortress
Encyclopedia
Älvsborg, also Elfsborg Fortress, is a sea fortress located in today's Gothenburg
(Göteborg), Sweden
. Situated on the mouth of the Göta Älv
river, it served to protect Sweden's access to the Atlantic Ocean
and the nearby settlement of today's Gothenburg
and its four predecessors. The fortress was relocated in the 17th century, this New Älvsborg Fortress is still maintained. Of the Old Älvsborg Fortress ( or Älvsborgs slott), only few ruins are visible today in the vicinity of the Carnegie-pier.
In 1643, a settlement in New Sweden
, North America
, was named Fort Nya Elfsborg
("Fort New Älvsborg"), after the Swedish fortress. This settlement was however abandoned in 1655.
when the area north of Älvsborg, Bohuslän
, was part of Norway
(until 1658), and the area south of it, Halland
, was part of Denmark
(until 1645). Sweden's only Atlantic settlement, Gothenburg
's first predecessor Lödöse
("Gothenburg 1") at the mouth of the Göta Älv
, was built about 1200, superseded by New Lödöse ("Gothenburg 2") near the modern town.
In 1473, New Lödöse was granted substantial privileges. The Old Älvsborg Fortress was built in the 14th century, located at the Klippan area near what is now the harbour entrance of Gothenburg
. After the Danes
several times easily conquered the fortress, the fortification works was gradually expanded. New Lödöse was burned down by Danish forces in 1521, and after it was initially rebuilt at the same spot in 1526, it was later relocated ("Gothenburg 3") near the Älvsborg fortress, west of the modern town.
In 1563, when the Northern Seven Years' War
broke out, the Swedish burned down this town by themselves to not let Denmark capture it, and Denmark took over Älvsborg Fortress. The war ended with the Treaty of Stettin (1570), which obliged Sweden to pay 150,000 riksdaler for the ransom of the fortress of Älvsborg. To pay this extraordinarily high amount of money, Sweden heavily taxed all moveables in the country, resulting in further impoverishment of the war-torn population. Unburned towns had to pay one twelfth, peasants one tenth, burned down towns one eighteenth of their properties' value. In 1603, the adjacent town was again relocated ("Gothenburg 4") to the site of the channel opposing Älvsborg Fortress, it was the first town called "Göteborg", built by Charles IX of Sweden
. The town was annilihated by Denmark in 1611, who took possession of Älvsborg between 1612 and 1619.
Today, only few remains of the fortress are preserved.
river meets the sea. It protected the new town of Gothenburg
, founded in 1621 by Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden
. New Älvsborg Fortress today is a listed building (byggnadsminne) and a popular tourist attraction.
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
(Göteborg), Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. Situated on the mouth of the Göta Älv
Göta älv
The Göta is a river that drains lake Vänern into the Kattegat at the city of Gothenburg on the western coast of Sweden. It is located in Götaland, with the river itself being a site of early Geatish settlement. The length is 93 km. Often the combination of Göta älv and Klarälven is mentioned...
river, it served to protect Sweden's access to the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and the nearby settlement of today's Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
and its four predecessors. The fortress was relocated in the 17th century, this New Älvsborg Fortress is still maintained. Of the Old Älvsborg Fortress ( or Älvsborgs slott), only few ruins are visible today in the vicinity of the Carnegie-pier.
In 1643, a settlement in New Sweden
New Sweden
New Sweden was a Swedish colony along the Delaware River on the Mid-Atlantic coast of North America from 1638 to 1655. Fort Christina, now in Wilmington, Delaware, was the first settlement. New Sweden included parts of the present-day American states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania....
, North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, was named Fort Nya Elfsborg
Fort Nya Elfsborg
Fort Nya Elfsborg was a fortification and settlement established as a part of New Sweden. Built in 1643 and named after the Älvsborg Fortress off Gothenburg, Fort Nya Elfsborg was located on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River, between present day Salem and Alloway Creek.-History:Fort Nya...
("Fort New Älvsborg"), after the Swedish fortress. This settlement was however abandoned in 1655.
Old Älvsborg Fortress
A fortified outpost was especially important for SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
when the area north of Älvsborg, Bohuslän
Bohuslän
' is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Götaland on the northernmost part of the country's west coast. It is bordered by Dalsland to the northeast, Västergötland to the southeast, the Skagerrak arm of the North Sea to the west, and the county of Østfold in Norway to the north...
, was part of 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...
(until 1658), and the area south of it, Halland
Halland
' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , on the western coast of Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat.-Administration:...
, was part of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
(until 1645). Sweden's only Atlantic settlement, Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
's first predecessor Lödöse
Lödöse
Lödöse is a locality situated in Lilla Edet Municipality, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 1,265 inhabitants in 2005...
("Gothenburg 1") at the mouth of the Göta Älv
Göta älv
The Göta is a river that drains lake Vänern into the Kattegat at the city of Gothenburg on the western coast of Sweden. It is located in Götaland, with the river itself being a site of early Geatish settlement. The length is 93 km. Often the combination of Göta älv and Klarälven is mentioned...
, was built about 1200, superseded by New Lödöse ("Gothenburg 2") near the modern town.
In 1473, New Lödöse was granted substantial privileges. The Old Älvsborg Fortress was built in the 14th century, located at the Klippan area near what is now the harbour entrance of Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
. After the Danes
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
several times easily conquered the fortress, the fortification works was gradually expanded. New Lödöse was burned down by Danish forces in 1521, and after it was initially rebuilt at the same spot in 1526, it was later relocated ("Gothenburg 3") near the Älvsborg fortress, west of the modern town.
In 1563, when 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...
broke out, the Swedish burned down this town by themselves to not let Denmark capture it, and Denmark took over Älvsborg Fortress. The war ended with the Treaty of Stettin (1570), which obliged Sweden to pay 150,000 riksdaler for the ransom of the fortress of Älvsborg. To pay this extraordinarily high amount of money, Sweden heavily taxed all moveables in the country, resulting in further impoverishment of the war-torn population. Unburned towns had to pay one twelfth, peasants one tenth, burned down towns one eighteenth of their properties' value. In 1603, the adjacent town was again relocated ("Gothenburg 4") to the site of the channel opposing Älvsborg Fortress, it was the first town called "Göteborg", built by Charles IX of Sweden
Charles IX of Sweden
Charles IX of Sweden also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1604 until his death. He was the youngest son of King Gustav I of Sweden and his second wife, Margaret Leijonhufvud, brother of Eric XIV and John III of Sweden, and uncle of Sigismund III Vasa king of both Sweden and Poland...
. The town was annilihated by Denmark in 1611, who took possession of Älvsborg between 1612 and 1619.
Today, only few remains of the fortress are preserved.
New Älvsborg Fortress
New Älvsborg Fortress was built in the 17th century near the ruins of the old fortress, but on a small island where the Göta ÄlvGöta älv
The Göta is a river that drains lake Vänern into the Kattegat at the city of Gothenburg on the western coast of Sweden. It is located in Götaland, with the river itself being a site of early Geatish settlement. The length is 93 km. Often the combination of Göta älv and Klarälven is mentioned...
river meets the sea. It protected the new town of Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, founded in 1621 by Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden
Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden
Gustav II Adolf has been widely known in English by his Latinized name Gustavus Adolphus Magnus and variously in historical writings also as Gustavus, or Gustavus the Great, or Gustav Adolph the Great,...
. New Älvsborg Fortress today is a listed building (byggnadsminne) and a popular tourist attraction.