When did the Finnish War start and end?
The Finnish War lasted from the 21st of February 1808 to the 17th of September 1809. It was fought between the Kingdom of Sweden and the Russian Empire as part of the broader Napoleonic Wars.
Questions about Finnish War
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What caused the Finnish War between Sweden and Russia?
The Finnish War was triggered by Swedish King Gustav IV Adolf's refusal to join Napoleon's Continental System and cut trade with Britain after the 1807 Treaty of Tilsit. Russia used his resistance as a pretext to occupy Finland, which would push the Russo-Swedish frontier west and create a buffer zone near Saint Petersburg.
What territory did Sweden lose as a result of the Finnish War?
Under the Treaty of Fredrikshamn signed on the 17th of September 1809, Sweden ceded the whole of Finland and all territories east of the Torne river to Russia, including the north-eastern areas then called Västerbotten and today known as Norrbotten.
Why did the Swedish fortress Sveaborg surrender during the Finnish War?
Sveaborg surrendered on the 6th of May 1808 after prolonged negotiations. Its commander, Admiral Carl Olof Cronstedt, and his council concluded that further resistance was futile despite the fortress holding 6,000 men, over 700 cannons, and supplies sufficient to last until summer 1808.
What happened to King Gustav IV Adolf during the Finnish War?
Gustav IV Adolf was dethroned by a coup in Stockholm on the 13th of March 1809, blamed for the fatal mistakes that led to the loss of Finland. His uncle was proclaimed Charles XIII of Sweden in his place.
What long-term effects did the Finnish War have on Sweden?
According to 2015 studies by political scientists Jan Teorell and Bo Rothstein, the defeat drove major reforms to Swedish governance. Sweden had been among Europe's most corrupt countries before 1809; the war's loss created a perceived existential threat from the east that motivated Swedish elites to build a more effective and less corrupt state. The war also produced a new Swedish constitution and established the House of Bernadotte as Sweden's royal dynasty in 1818.