Key Facts
- Dates
- 25–26 May 1676
- Swedish vessels lost
- 3 small vessels
- Dutch reinforcements added
- 9 ships plus Admiral Cornelis Tromp
- Part of conflict
- Scanian War
- Strategic result
- Allied fleet intact; Sweden lost Baltic control
Strategic Narrative Overview
The two fleets sighted each other on 25 May and exchanged fire near the Jasmund Peninsula off Rügen before darkness halted the engagement. Fighting resumed on 26 May with both sides formed in lines of battle, avoiding boarding actions. In the afternoon, Danish commander Niels Juel withdrew toward Øresund, anchoring in the shoals at Falsterbo reef. Swedish commander Lorentz Creutz declined to pursue and awaited orders from King Charles XI.
01 / The Origins
The Scanian War pitted Sweden against Denmark and its Dutch allies over dominance of the southern Baltic Sea. Sweden sought to reinforce its forces in Swedish Pomerania in northern Germany, requiring naval supremacy. Denmark, allied with the Dutch Republic, aimed to block Swedish troop movements and challenge Swedish hegemony in the Baltic region, leading both fleets to seek a decisive engagement near the island of Bornholm in May 1676.
03 / The Outcome
Sweden lost only three small vessels, but failed to destroy the allied fleet, which remained combat-ready and was reinforced two days later with nine ships and Dutch admiral Cornelis Tromp. Internal disputes between Creutz and his officers undermined Swedish discipline. On 1 June 1676, just days after Bornholm, the Swedish fleet suffered a decisive defeat at the Battle of Öland and lost control of the Baltic for the remainder of the year.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Lorentz Creutz.
Side B
2 belligerents
Niels Juel, Cornelis Tromp.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.