Siege of Nykøbing

Siege of Nykøbing Castle
Part of the Danish-Hanseatic War (1361–1370)
Last remaining part of Nykøbing Castle (2018)
Date ? – 15 August 1368 Location Nykøbing Castle, Falster, Denmark 54°46′18″N 11°51′56″E Result Swedish victory Territorial changes Falster falls into Swedish rule
Belligerents
Sweden Hanseatic League	Denmark
Commanders and leaders
Heinrich	Henning Aldestorf
Units involved
Unknown	Nykøbing garrison
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

The siege of Nykøbing or the siege of Nykøbing Castle (Danish: Belejringen af Nykøbing Slot), was a siege of Nykøbing Castle, Falster, between Danish and Swedish forces during the Danish-Hanseatic War (1361–1370). The siege ended in a Swedish victory, though the Danes were able to achieve a good instrument of surrender.^[1]

Background

Further information: Confederation of Cologne

In 1367 the Confederation of Cologne together with Holstein and Sweden attacked Denmark.^[2] Albert, King of Sweden made successful campaigns in Scania taking Lund, Ystad, and Simrishamn. From here, Albert promised to make an expedition to the Danish Isles, although he could not participate because of wounds or illness. Instead, Albert's son, Duke Henrik, would lead the combined Swedish-Hanseatic expedition.^[3]

Expedition and siege

The first goal was the island of Møn, in which the city of Stege fell.^[4] Hereafter the Swedes moved to Falster, where they began besieging Nykøbing Castle.^[4] The leader of the castle, Henning Aldestorf, defended the castle bravely,^[1] although he would surrender on 15 August.^[4] However, because of his brave actions, Duke Henrik allowed him to keep the castle if reinforcements from Valdemar IV of Denmark came before the next St. Michael's Day.^[4][5] If reinforcements had not come until then, then the Mecklenburgian Fikke Moltke would have taken over the castle as a subject of Albert of Sweden.^[4][5]

Aftermath

Presumably, Danish reinforcements did not come, because in 1370 Fikke Moltke acknowledged his mortgage to Albert of Sweden.^[5] With the presumed takeover of Falster, the Swedish troops moved to raid Lolland.^[4]

See also

• Siege of Vordingborg – Siege between the Hanseatic League and Denmark between 1368–1370
• Siege of Copenhagen (1368) – Siege and looting of Copenhagen by Hanseatic forces in 1368
• Siege of Lindholmen – Siege between the Hanseatic League and Denmark
• Valdemar Atterdag's invasion of Gotland

References

1. Lundbye 1939, p. 190.
2. Reisnert 2015, p. 206.
3. Reinhardt 1880, p. 433.
4. Reinhardt 1880, p. 434.
5. Lerdam 1996, p. 87.

Works cited

• Reinhardt, Christian (1880). Valdemar Atterdag og hans Kongegjerning (in Danish). Gad. p. 443.
• Lundbye, Peter (1939). Danmarks riges genopretter, skildret i ny historisk belysning efter de samtidige kilders beretning (in Danish). E. Munkagaard.
• Lerdam, Henrik (1996). Danske len og lensmænd 1370-1443 (in Danish). Museum Tusculanum.
• Reisnert, Anders (2015). The Siege and Storm of Lindholmen during the Second Hanseatic War (1368-1369) (PDF). Sweden: DR. RUDOLF HABELT GMBH • BONN.