Great Wrath: Difference between revisions
It's 1714-1721 in virtually every book. |
There were Finns in Charles XII's army as well. |
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The '''Greater Wrath''' ({{lang-fi|Isoviha}} {{lang-sv|Stora ofreden}}) is a term used in [[History of Finland|Finnish history]] for the Russian [[invasion]] and subsequent [[military occupation]] from [[1714]] until the [[treaty of Nystad]] [[1721]], which ended the [[Great Northern War]], although sometimes the term is used to denote all of the Great Northern War. |
The '''Greater Wrath''' ({{lang-fi|Isoviha}} {{lang-sv|Stora ofreden}}) is a term used in [[History of Finland|Finnish history]] for the Russian [[invasion]] and subsequent [[military occupation]] from [[1714]] until the [[treaty of Nystad]] [[1721]], which ended the [[Great Northern War]], although sometimes the term is used to denote all of the Great Northern War. |
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In the war Finnish troops fought both in Poland and Russia and were also deployed in large numbers in the defense of the [[Baltic]] territories, where they slowly succumbed to the grinding of [[Peter I of Russia|Peter the Great]]'s attacks. After the disaster of [[Battle of Poltava|Poltava]] in [[1709]], very little help was to be had by the shattered continental army. Russia invaded Finland in 1713 and destroyed the Finnish army at the [[battle of Storkyro]] in [[1714]]. |
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The victory at Storkyro, [[Mikhail Golitsyn]], became governor of Finland. The Finnish peasants were forced to pay large contributions to the occupying Russians (as was the custom in that time). Plundering was widespread, especially in [[Ostrobothnia]]. Churches were looted, [[Storkyro]] was burned to the ground. A scorched earth zone several hundred kilometer wide was burned to hinder Swedish counteroffensives. About 5 000 Finns were killed and some 10 000 taken away as [[slave]]s, of which a few thousand returned later.<ref>''Suomen historian pikkujättiläinen''. ISBN 951-0-1425-0. Page 265.</ref> Thousands also fled to the (relative) safety of Sweden, and many more into the woods. Atrocities were at their worst between 1714-17 when the infamous Swedish Count [[Gustaf Otto Douglas]], who had defected to the Russian side during the war, was in charge of the occupation. |
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Even the Swedish western side of the [[Gulf of Bothnia]] was ravaged by the Russians. The city of [[Umeå]] was burned to the ground by the Russians on [[September 18]], [[1714]], and after struggling to rebuild was razed again in [[1719]], [[1720]], and [[1721]]. |
Even the Swedish western side of the [[Gulf of Bothnia]] was ravaged by the Russians. The city of [[Umeå]] was burned to the ground by the Russians on [[September 18]], [[1714]], and after struggling to rebuild was razed again in [[1719]], [[1720]], and [[1721]]. |
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Revision as of 18:07, 27 August 2007
The Greater Wrath (Template:Lang-fi Template:Lang-sv) is a term used in Finnish history for the Russian invasion and subsequent military occupation from 1714 until the treaty of Nystad 1721, which ended the Great Northern War, although sometimes the term is used to denote all of the Great Northern War.
In the war Finnish troops fought both in Poland and Russia and were also deployed in large numbers in the defense of the Baltic territories, where they slowly succumbed to the grinding of Peter the Great's attacks. After the disaster of Poltava in 1709, very little help was to be had by the shattered continental army. Russia invaded Finland in 1713 and destroyed the Finnish army at the battle of Storkyro in 1714.
The victory at Storkyro, Mikhail Golitsyn, became governor of Finland. The Finnish peasants were forced to pay large contributions to the occupying Russians (as was the custom in that time). Plundering was widespread, especially in Ostrobothnia. Churches were looted, Storkyro was burned to the ground. A scorched earth zone several hundred kilometer wide was burned to hinder Swedish counteroffensives. About 5 000 Finns were killed and some 10 000 taken away as slaves, of which a few thousand returned later.[1] Thousands also fled to the (relative) safety of Sweden, and many more into the woods. Atrocities were at their worst between 1714-17 when the infamous Swedish Count Gustaf Otto Douglas, who had defected to the Russian side during the war, was in charge of the occupation.
Even the Swedish western side of the Gulf of Bothnia was ravaged by the Russians. The city of Umeå was burned to the ground by the Russians on September 18, 1714, and after struggling to rebuild was razed again in 1719, 1720, and 1721.
It took several decades for the Finnish population and economy to recover after the peace in 1721, at which point Finland was scourged again during the Lesser Wrath.
References
- ^ Suomen historian pikkujättiläinen. ISBN 951-0-1425-0. Page 265.
Bibliograhy
- Svenska slagfält, 2003, (Wahlström & Widstrand, ISBN 91-46-21087-3)