The Battle of Bornhöved
2015By Anastacia Sampson
On the 7 December 1813, in what was then the minor village of Bornhöft in northern Germany, there was a significant battle between Sweden and Denmark. The fighting that took place during this significant battle is recorded in history as being part of the Napoleon Wars.
At the time of Napoleon Bonaparte's rule over France, from 1805 to 1815 there were a series of global conflicts. The wars were to a degree an extension of the French Revolutionary Wars. Sweden would also take part in a coalition battle, known as the Fourth Coalition in 1806 to 1807, against Imperial France. During the Napoleonic Wars, Sweden and the United Kingdom were allies in the sense that they opposed Imperial France and fought together during what was known as the Sixth Coalition in 1812 to 1814. However Denmark and Norway supported France, as they became an ally to Napoleon Bonaparte. The Sixth Coalition was when Austria, Prussia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain with a number of German States did finally defeated France. This lead to Napoleon being compelled into exile, but only after about two and a half million troops fought in this conflict and which led to about two million fatalities.
The Battle of Bornhöved would go done in history as the last time that Sweden and Denmark fought against each other on the battlefield. Prince Frederik of Hesse was the commander and leader of the Danish troops and Bror Cederström (a baron, general and Minister of War) was the commander and leader of the attacking Swedish troops.