Battle of Axtorna

The Battle of Axtorna or simply Axtorna, was a battle fought between the Kingdom of Sweden and Denmark-Norway 20 October 1565 at Axtorna, a small village in what is today Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County in south-western Sweden.

Battle of Axtorna
Part of Northern Seven Years' War

Old danish propaganda image of the battle
Date20 October 1565
Location
Axtorna, close to Falkenberg, Sweden
57.040°N 12.643°E / 57.040; 12.643
Result Danish victory
Belligerents
Sweden Denmark–Norway
Lübeck
Commanders and leaders
Jakob Henriksson Hästesko Daniel Rantzau
Strength
8,100 infantry
3,000 cavalry
47 artillery pieces		 6,000 infantry
1,400 cavalry
21 artillery pieces
Casualties and losses
1,200–1,700 300–2,500
The fields where the battle took place. The photo is approximately taken from the Danish position facing north towards the Swedish position.

Background

The battle

The Danish commander Daniel Rantzau had been forced to yield the fortress Varberghus to the Swedes on 15 September 1565, after they had taken Ny Varberg, then Halland's largest city. Rantzau received the news that a Swedish army of superior strength led by Jacob Henriksson Hästesko was approaching from the east, forcing him to move his forces toward Falkenberg. Rantzau had decided to commit to combat since the Swedish force had just arrived from its march and hadn't rearranged into a militarily cohesive unit.

Aftermath

The Danes won as a consequence of their superior cavalry tactic[1] and Rantzau became a renowned general after the battle and throughout the war. Despite the victory and the capture of the Swedish artillery, the Danish had suffered great losses and stayed near the battlefield for a week, while large portions of the Swedish army were intact.

References
  1. Svenska Slagfält: "Axtorna 1565: En fråga om kavalleritaktik" (2003) pp. 69-76

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