The first notable field-battle defeat suffered directly under Charles XII of Sweden, securing Allied control of Rügen during the Great Northern War.
Key Facts
- Date
- 15 November 1715
- Swedish casualties
- ~500 dead or wounded
- Danish casualties
- 43 dead, 121 wounded
- Saxon & Prussian casualties
- 36 Saxons and 49 Prussians dead or wounded
- Battle duration
- Almost one hour
- Swedish artillery captured
- All artillery captured by Allied forces
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
During the Great Northern War, Allied forces comprising Prussian, Norwegian, Danish, and Saxon troops landed on the island of Rügen on 15 November 1715. Facing a numerical disadvantage of approximately one to five, Charles XII of Sweden chose to mount an aggressive cavalry assault against the fortified Allied beachhead, attempting to replicate the needle-manoeuvre that had succeeded at the Battle of Narva fifteen years earlier.
Swedish cavalry broke through the Allied 'Cheval de frise' defences but were rapidly repulsed and routed after approximately one hour of fighting. Around 500 Swedes were killed or wounded and all their artillery was captured. Allied losses were comparatively light: 43 dead and 121 wounded Danes, along with 85 combined Saxon and Prussian casualties. Charles XII had his horse shot dead beneath him during the engagement.
With the landing secured and Swedish forces defeated, the Allied coalition cleared the remaining Swedish troops from Rügen and subsequently joined forces besieging Stralsund. The battle marked the first notable field defeat suffered by Swedish forces under the direct command of Charles XII, significantly weakening Sweden's position in the southern Baltic theatre of the Great Northern War.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
3 belligerents
Side B
1 belligerent
Charles XII.