Tordenskiold’s bluff at Marstrand in July 1719 is one of the best-known episodes in the military history of Denmark-Norway, and it was commemorated on a medal of King Frederik IV. The medal was illustrated in Denarius’ medal catalogue, which had just been published when this article first appeared in March 2019. It shows the battle of Marstrand on 25 July 1719, in which the Norwegian Tordenskiold played an important role.
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Carlsten fortress: the key to Marstrand
Peter Wessel Tordenskiold, who had become commander of the North Sea squadron, wanted to capture Nya Älvsborg near Gothenburg. To do so, he first had to neutralise Carlsten fortress at Marstrand, which was important to the Swedish fleet.
Work on Carlsten began after Bohuslän became Swedish in 1658, and the fortress was still being expanded in 1719. The seven-storey tower known as Bergkastellet was surrounded by four bastions. The southern approach was guarded by the redoubts of Gustavsberg and Hedvigsholm, while the batteries of Atonetta and Norra Blockhuset closed the northern approach. The harbour was protected by Kyrkobatteriet, the church battery.
At the fortress the Swedes had seven ships of the line, two frigates, three galleasses and a floating battery. But the ships were undermanned, and the crews were only enough to man the guns and defend the fortress.
How Tordenskiold fooled the Swedes
On 21 July 1719 Tordenskiold managed to land 600 soldiers while his ships bombarded the fortress. Then came the bluff: he ordered his soldiers to keep moving around the town, so that the fortress commander believed the Danish-Norwegian force numbered several thousand men.
He gave the commander until 3 pm on 23 July 1719 to surrender. When the answer was slow in coming, he walked up to the Swedes himself and asked: «Hvad Djævelen nøler I efter?» (What the devil are you waiting for?). The Swedes then abandoned Carlsten fortress. The commander, Henrich Danckwardt, was later convicted of cowardice and executed by the Swedes.
The story of the marching soldiers has lived on for three centuries. The Norwegian encyclopedia Store norske leksikon points out, however, that the anecdote is disputed and that the surrender itself was more chaotic than the story suggests. See also Wikipedia’s account of the attack on Marstrand.
The medal for the capture of Marstrand
King Frederik IV marked the victory with a medal, and it remains a sought-after piece for anyone interested in the Great Northern War.
In our shop you will find Denmark, Capture of Marstrand 1719.
More coins of the same king are listed under Frederik IV, and other commemorative pieces among our medals.
