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xtruss · 1 year

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After Concession From Berlin on Tanks, Scrotums Licker of The West & Criminal Thug Zelensky Demands German U-Boats, Frigate

The German government folded to months of pressure from Washington and Kiev this week and agreed to send its Leopard 2 main battle tanks east, marking a major escalation in the NATO-Russia proxy conflict in Ukraine. Not skipping a beat, Kiev immediately began calling on the West to deliver even more advanced hardware, including fighter jets.

Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk has called on Germany to send one or more of its submarines and possibly even a decommissioned frigate to Ukraine to “kick the Russian fleet out of the Black Sea.”

In a series of tweets Saturday and Sunday, Melnyk – Ukraine’s former ambassador to Germany, outlined why Berlin should send its U-boats to the warzone.

“Germany (ThyssenKrupp) produces one of the world’s best submarines,” Melnyk wrote, referring to the Type 212A diesel-electric attack sub made by German steel and defense giant ThyssenKrupp AG. “The Bundeswehr has 6 such U-boats. Why not send one to Ukraine?” he asked.

“It is not wishful thinking, but my PERSONAL experience. As consul-general in Hamburg, I was on board [a] U-212A at marine base Eckernforde in 2008. Really huge! One admiral told me: you need ONE sub to keep the Russian Black Sea fleet in check,” he wrote in a follow-up tweet accompanied by a cutaway diagram of the sub.

Melnyk also urged Germany to send its recently decommissioned Lubeck frigate, “or at least its weaponry like [the] Sea Sparrow [shipborne short-range anti-missile system] and Harpoon [anti-ship] missiles.”

In another tweet, he posted a link to a ThyssenKrupp promotional video on the Type 212CD Expeditionary sub.

Melnyk called on Ukraine’s NATO “allies” to come up with "a MASTER PLAN on how to DEFEAT Russia with tightly coordinated shipments of modern weapons including fighter jets and submarines” instead of worrying about escalating the conflict.

US Bends Truth With Claim That Abrams Tanks For Kiev Are Not An Escalation, Says Russian Official! The US is denying the obvious by asserting that sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine is not an escalation of the ongoing conflict, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told Sputnik, adding that Washington's move seeks to bring order to NATO's ranks.

Reaction to the Ukrainian diplomat’s proposal on subs and frigates was mixed, with some dubbing it a “brilliant idea,” while others asked how the boats could be shipped to the Black Sea without Turkey taking issue. “How about no?” one critic suggested. “You get nothing, junge. Report yourself [to the front] and take up arms. This disgusting begging is unbearable,” another wrote. Others joked that maybe Kiev should ask France for an aircraft carrier or even go straight to nukes. “Mr. Melnyk, at some point you must realize that your alleged friends are not interested in a quick end to the war. You represent foreign interests superbly, keep it up,” one person commented. “Kick out a fleet that has been there since the 18th century with a submarine? And I thought in the Ukrainian government only Zelensky was the comedian,” another chimed in.

Andriy Melnyk has been a staple fixture of the German political scene since his appointment as ambassador to Germany in early 2015. Before the escalation of the Ukraine crisis, German politicians privately characterized him as a “pain in the a**” and did what they could to avoid encountering him. Last May, Bundestag lawmakers asked for the diplomat to be kicked out of the country after he called Chancellor Olaf Scholz an “offended liverwurst” for delaying his visit Kiev. Melnyk has consistently criticized the German government for its slow approval of new weapons deliveries. In 2021, he warned that Kiev might build nukes if it wasn’t allowed to join NATO.

Group of Pentagon Officials Secretly Lobbying Sending F-16 Jets to Ukraine, Reports Say!

After Germany and the US approved the delivery of Leopard 2 and Abrams tanks this week, Kiev set its sights on fighter jets, with Zelensky asking NATO to realize the “dream” of delivering “aircraft to Ukraine” after Russian forces destroyed most of the country’s air force. European diplomats and Pentagon officials are reportedly already lobbying to send F-16s to the conflict zone as NATO’s “red line” on arms deliveries continues to slowly shift in the direction of further escalation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused the West of being openly involved in a “proxy war” with Moscow, and warned that any cargoes containing weaponry meant for Kiev will be considered legitimate targets by Russia.

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whatdoesshedotothem · 2 years

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Tuesday 17 September 1833

6 35

fine morning and F64° at 6 35 - paid all to the master himself and breakfast over at 9 20 - had my valet de place of yesterday and out at 9 40 - to the streamer office paid all and gave passports - then in 18 minutes at Lachrewehre [Lachswerhallee] (went some distance along the road by which we arrived from Oldseloe [Bad Oldesloe]) a pretty little public tea garden with formal avenues of lime and cut hornbeam hedges in the old style - called Lachrewehre [Lachswerhallee] because here, 3 or 4 centuries ago, when salmon used to come upon the Trave in such shoals as to impede navigation, and it was publically read in the church that no one should give their servants Salmon more than twice a week - there was a wehre or high fence or barrier erected across the river that the salmon could not get over so that their [progress] was stopt - no Jews allowed to live in Lubeck -so after having done their business in the day go to the good village of Meisseling (spelt from sound) 1 ½ lieue (2 lieues= 1 meilen or French poste) from and belonging to Lubeck, and where the Steckenitz canal (that communicates with the Elbe at Lauenburg) joins the Trave – the duties on passing the Sund (sound as we English call it) are so high, the Baltic timber is landed at Lubeck, and floated down to Hamburg by the Steckeintz canal, cut above a hundred years ago – From Lachrewehre [Lachswerhallee] back to the Holstein gate, and then left to the end of the ramparts that way – saw in the distance the church steeple of the village of Radkow7 lieues from [?], belongs to the duke of Oldenburg (O- near Bremen) (spelt from sound) 2 lieues (1 meile) from Lubeck, and to where blucher retreated from Lubeck in 1806, and capitulated to the French general Bernadotte prince of Ponte Corvo, now K. of Sweden, and who, as such, came to Lubeck against the French in 1813 after the battle of Leipzig (in October) – Had Napoleon had Lubeck one year longer, the road straight from the Hamburg gate to Hamburg 12 lieues or 6 meilen (instead of 16 lieues as now by Schönberg that is 8 meilen and 18 lieues or 9 meilen by Arensberg [Ahrensburg]) would have been done – it was tire a cordon, and preparations made – but all was stopt with the misfortunes of Napoleon – the king of Denmark would do nothing even to the road by Schönberg – he wanted it by Arensberg [Ahrensburg] – the Lubeckois and Hamburgois would pay for the road by Sconberg [Schönberg], but he would not let them – but he had already made a new chaussée (a good road) from Kiel to Hamburg – clear enough, thought I, he wants the Hamburg trade to a place of his own – returned along the

Miss F- and I should have eaten the famous Eel soup at Hamburg and if I had not seen the Institution for crooked persons at Lubeck had not seen the best-worth seeing thing there - said Lubeck was famous for baskets.

river and ferried over it – then to the Radthaus hotel de ville, to see the Senate room – no old paintings there – a good room 33 by 14 of my usual steps (take them at 2ft. each) – a very handsome dark carved oak entrance door – ends and 1 side (of which last 8 pannels and the stove in the middle opposite to 9 window) painted in fresco by an Italian whose name the man who shewed the room could not tell – home at 12 20 – changed my dress and all ready to be off at 1 Miss Ferrall arrived from Arensburg [Ahrensburg] at 12 ¾ - somehow or other this detained me till 1 ½ at which hour off from the Stadt Hamburg at Lubeck - had been very comfortable and well satisfied with everything a very good reasonable hotel - the good road lime shaded road I went yesterday as far as the turn (left) to Israeldorf [Israelsdorf] then not so good but very fair sometimes mere sand till 2 35 when we came to the Trave – making the road anew paving and covering with gravel then with sand just on this side the river – waited ¼ hour for the ferry boar and then over in ¼ hour – pretty view along here the broad river, up and down – should have come by the little steamer at 11 or after this morning, at 1 mark per person but it was too small to take the carriage: but finding afterwards it did not arrive at Travemunde [Travemünde] till after 5 (5 ½ or later) I did not regret having come a quicker way – a neat gasthaus just on the other side the river – bits of roughish pavé here and there but chiefly, and better, sand – at 3 ½ 1st sight of Travemunde [Travemünde] its phare, and the low white sandy shores of the Baltic – nicely farmed country all hereabouts and I believe all thro’ Holstein – smallish enclosures here just like England – green hedges chiefly hornbeam and hazel – sandy land – nicely wooded - alighted at the Stadt Hamburg Travemunde [Travemünde] (comfortable had a good mutton chop at 5 ¼) at 3 ¼ - nice little town - long goodish street along the river of small but neat looking brick houses - saw the carriage on board the ‘Frederick Den Siette i.e. Fred VI streamer’ 80 horse power, built at Copenhagen fine vessel Captain ...... then went to the top of the house - 60 bricks steps and about 5 ladders of 15 steps each - fine view of the river - the Baltic, the town, and very pretty baths and boarding-house with its pretty straw-thatched additional boarding house and stabling and nice little grounds in front - walked up to these buildings and to the baths which are nearer to the water - very pretty- went back to the Inn - enjoyed my mutton chop and went on board the streamer exactly at 6pm - Miss F- met immediately an old acquaintance lucky thought I I shall get comfortably rid of her I had said to myself several times in the carriage I thought her the most disagreeable girl I ever saw and how heartily glad I should be to get rid of her Miss F- met with her friend a Madame Hage - introduced - she had just been in Switzerland and was delighted to talk it over with me - she and Miss F- retired at 8 ½ I walked about till 9 ¼ and then went to my carriage for the night - lay across it with my feet upon my travelling bag pretty comfortably till perhaps between 12 and one or an hour later dozing or slumbering - then sick about every ¼ hour till 8 or 9 in the morning

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scotianostra · 3 years

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September 11th 1297 saw the Battle of Stirling Bridge.

If you follow my history posts through the years you will know I try to change them around, rather post the same old thing every year, in this post I will concentrate a wee bit more on the man usually forgotten, Andrew de Moray and his struggle in the North.

Andrew de Moray had been captured after fighting for King John at the Battle of Dunbar but had escaped only to find his family’s lands in Avoch on the Black Isle under English control.

There can be no doubt that de Moray got his patriotism and fighting zeal from his father, also called Andrew de Moray, and also captured at Dunbar he was incarcerated in the Tower of London, where he died in 1298.

The young de Moray was imprisoned in Chester and promptly escaped and made his way back to the highlands and the family seat, Avoch Castle near Inverness.

He is sometimes portrayed as Wallace’s lieutenant but Moray was entirely his own man and a very capable leader in his own right.

The English having travelled as far as Elgin at one stage, were beaten back by de Moray and his rag-tag bunch of local freedom fighters. The northern troops’ activities mirrored much of what was going on in the south, with guerrilla tactics widely used to unsettle Edward’s army and score small but psychologically significant victories. So for every small victory against the English in the South for Wallace, Moray matched it in the Highlands.

The uprising gathered pace and it was in the early months of 1297 that Wallace and de Moray were said to have met, although historical documents of the period are imprecise. The meeting apparently took place in Perth, where both armies met to expel the English occupiers and create a base for an attack to liberate Dundee.

Wallace, at this stage, is said to have returned south with his army and the preparations for the battle at Stirling began. De Moray, held in high regard by Wallace and, according to some, the senior partner of the two, is credited with creating the tactical plan that won the day for the Scots.

Unfortunately Andrew was fatally injured at Stirling, when a stray arrow is said to have pierced him and, after a month or so it finally took his life. The Scots would go on to some heavy defeats in the future and, it is argued, were unable to function as well without the tactics de Moray brought to what was, in effect, a peasants’ revolt.

De Moray’s son, also called Andrew, followed in the family tradition and rallied behind Robert the Bruce, even marrying his sister, Christina, at one stage.

Both Wallace an Moray were conferred with the title of ‘leader of the army of the realm of Scotland’ and both received Knighthoods at roughly the same time – suggesting that, during the period they were held in equal regard.

Both men co-signed a letter to the mayors of Lubeck and Hamburg asking for trade routes with Scotland to be re-opened with, interestingly, de Moray’s name above that of his more celebrated colleague.

Where Wallace has, like so many other Scots historical figures, been romanticised; his story pulled to the boundaries of what is actually true in print, poem, song and more recently Hollywood, it is no surprise that de Moray, who shamefully, failed to get a single mention in the Mel Gibson film, I won’t go into all the historical inaccuracies in Braveheart, but the main two in the winning battle sequence at Stirling were blatantly obvious, they failed to include a bridge in the battle scenes and also put a schiltron scene at the battle of Stirling when it should have been at the Falkirk Battle.

#Scotland #scottish #Battle of Stirling Brig #english #england #history #medieval history

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capitan-blood · 3 years

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The Mary Rose (part 1)

The new Mary Rose museum at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard has been built only yards from the site where Henry VIII's flagship was built on the mudflats next to the naval yard in 1509. It is next door to the navy's oldest serving ship, Nelson's flagship HMS Victory, which is only half the age.

Mary Rose painting by Geoff Hunt.

Launched in 1511, the Mary Rose was intended to be the flagship of King Henry VIII's fleet. She was a new breed of warship with purpose-built gun-ports that made her a fearsome floating fortress. But on 19 July 1545, for reasons still unknown, she sank in the Solent whilst leading 60 ships against the French. Here she stayed until 11 October 1982, when 60 million people worldwide watched the wreck being raised live on television. After the Battle of the Solent had ended, the French had withdrawn and the clean-up process had begun, work on recovering the Mary Rose was started. Even though she was quite an old ship, with 34 years behind her when she sank in 1545, she was still a valuable asset, as well as the property of the King, so Henry VIII was eager to have her re-floated and back in service as soon as possible. The Lord Admiral, John Dudley, who had commanded the English fleet at the battle and had witnessed the loss of the Mary Rose, entrusted her recovery to Southampton-based Venetian salvage operators Petre de Andreas and Symone de Maryne.

They planned to use a traditional method for recovering ships; running cables under the ship's hull, which would be pulled taut by two larger vessels (in this case, the 700-ton carracks, the Sampson and the Jesus of Lubeck), bringing the Mary Rose towards the surface so she could be moved to shallower water, where she could be emptied of her contents then pumped out, allowing her to float once more. This method was, and still is, commonly used in underwater salvage; the Swedish Vasa was raised using this technique, and more recently the cruise ship Costa Concordia was refloated in a similar manner. The original plan had to been to raise the Mary Rose on 3rd August 1545, 15 days after her loss. This should have been a simple operation; she had sunk in reasonably shallow water, with her masts protruding above sea level. Venetians were considered to be experts in the field of wreck salvage, so the Admiralty obviously had high hopes.

On 5th August, it was reported that the sails and yard arms had been brought ashore, and her masts had been secured by cables, and two days later, the Duke of Suffolk, Charles Brandon, informed the Secretary of State, William Paget, that the Mary Rose would be raised "... this afternoon or tomorrow". By 9th August, all that had been achieved was the snapping of the Mary Rose's masts, delaying the raising operation further. After six more days of effort, they had still failed to move her. On 8th December, they were paid 40 Marks (about £ 27), and were told that their services would no longer be required. This wasn't the end of the story, though, as although the Mary Rose had been given up, there was still her contents that needed recovering. There were nearly £ 2,000,000 worth of guns on board (in modern money), and when the country was short of money thanks to the King's excessive spending, that was a lot of cash to leave rusting on the sea bed. Work on the Mary Rose concluded in 1552, all the salvage work up to that date having cost £ 559 8s 7d, (around 170,000 in today"s money), and the wreck was finally abandoned. It wouldn't be until 10th June 1836 that the Mary Rose would be seen again by human eyes.

The second part of the flagship's name is believed to refer to the Tudor rose, emblem of Henry VIII's house. Mary could refer to the Virgin, but it is more commonly seen as a reference to Henry VIII's sister.

The Mary Rose represents a transition in naval history as it carried both new bronze cannons (foreground) along with wrought iron ones firing stone shots (ringed) and weapons, such as longbows and fire arrows, common in medieval warfare.

The skeleton of a healthy, young, male dog was found just by the entrance to the master carpenter's cabin. Named Hatch by museum staff, he was between 18 months and two years old, probably used for catching rats and looked like a cross between a terrier and a whippet.

#mary rose #shipwreck #british ship #king henry VIII #naval archeology #tudor rose #carrack medieval #flagship #warship #archaeological sites #artifacts #wreck recovery #16th century #history

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ltwilliammowett · 5 years

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The Wreck of the Mary Rose (Part1)

The Mary Rose a relic from the Tudor period was launched in 1511 as a carrack with 78-91 guns. She was involved in the naval battle in Solent. A French fleet commanded by Claude d'Annebault had been sent to the coast of Great Britain during the Italian Wars. It arrived at Solent in July 1545. Her target was an invasion of the Isle of Wight and the destruction of an English fleet to which the Mary Rose belonged. On 19 July 1545 the warship sank in the evening. The reason for the sinking is controversial. In the aftermath of the accident and in modern times, it was mostly argued that the ship had been turned sideways due to a lack of stability and had thus absorbed water. On deck of the ship there were about 400 - 600 men.

The carrack Mary Rose as depicted in the Anthony Roll. The distinct carrack profile with high "castles" fore and aft can clearly be seen. Although the number of guns and gun ports is not entirely accurate, the picture is overall an accurate illustration of the ship

In addition, the gun ports were open. Probably during a turning manoeuvre the list was strengthened, in addition a gust possibly came. Due to the weight of the heavy cannons in particular and the additional crew, the ship was possibly deeper in the water than in earlier years, so that the open ports would have been only one meter above the waterline - too low not to take up any water on the list side. It was also discussed to what extent the crew did not lead the ship properly, possibly even refused orders, which could have led to a poorly executed turning manoeuvre. A shoal a few hundred meters away could also have led to a hasty maneuver; however, the sinking Mary Rose could have been deliberately steered to the shoal to prevent complete sinking.

The sinking of the Mary Rose by Geoff Hunt

Alternatively, it was discussed that the French had hit the Mary Rose cannon. In contemporary reports, this view was held only by one Frenchman. More recently, however, Dominic Fontana, a geographer at the University of Portsmouth, agreed that the ship might have been hit just above the waterline; the incoming water might have caused the list and ultimately the sinking, and she sank very quickly, tipped over to her starboard side and stayed there.

The Lord Admiral, John Dudley, who had commanded the English fleet at the battle and had witnessed the loss of the Mary Rose, entrusted her recovery to Southampton-based Venetian salvage operators Petre de Andreas and Symone de Maryne. They planned to use a traditional method for recovering ships; running cables under the ship’s hull, which would be pulled taut by two larger vessels (in this case, the 700-ton carracks, the Sampson and the Jesus of Lubeck), bringing the Mary Rose towards the surface so she could be moved to shallower water, where she could be emptied of her contents then pumped out, allowing her to float once more. This method was, and still is, commonly used in underwater salvage; the Swedish Vasa was raised using this technique, and more recently the cruise ship Costa Concordia was refloated in a similar manner.

The Mary Rose in seabed 1545, unkown

The original plan had to been to raise the Mary Rose on 3rd August 1545, 15 days after her loss. This should have been a simple operation; she had sunk in reasonably shallow water, with her masts protruding above sea level. Venetians were considered to be experts in the field of wreck salvage, so the Admiralty obviously had high hopes.

The Mary Rose as she would have appeared some time after sinking, when parts of the starboard side are beginning to erode, by Jon Adams

There were nearly £2,000,000 worth of guns on board (in modern money), and when the country was short of money thanks to the king's excessive spending, that was a lot of cash to leave rusting on the sea bed. In 1547, £37 11s 5d was paid out for the removal of anchors and weapons, while £20 was paid out for similar work. But considering the small number of guns found, it's likely they were stolen. Soon she was forgotten and due to the sea currents, she lost almost her entire backboard side. But not only the wood was removed, also sand and mud was carried on her and so the remains of the Mary Rose were well protected.

#naval history #wreck of the Mary rose #part 1 #16th century #age of sail

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the-deeds-to-shibden · 4 years

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Monday 26 August 1839

[Quite a busy and pleasant day. Ann starts it with producing a quality sketch of Uppsala castle, before joining her wife for a book-browsing session at the university library, where Anne really gets stuck into exhaustive (and exhausting) descriptions of the architecture and shelving, with a view to implementing some of that back at Shibden (sigh). Another visit to the cathedral provides snippets of Swedish history, followed by a trip out to the Old Uppsala, the capital of pre-Christian Sweden. Unbelievably, Anne completely misses the grave of Anders Celsius in the church there, which could have inspired her to get herself a few more thermometers with a scale she hasn’t used yet. What an opportunity missed! But they get to enjoy some first-rate secret-recipe mead and another beautiful sunset.]

[up at] 6 50/”

[to bed at] 12 40/”

fine morning Fahrenheit 61º and sun out at 7 1/2 – breakfast at 8 20/” to 9 – Ann sketching the chateau from our room window – left her to finish (to colour) her sketch a little and I off to the library at 9 10/” sent for Ann at 9 40/” ‘Catalogue general de la litterature Française contenant les ouvrages publiés en France, ……. pendant l’ année 1837 …. avec table systématique pour les ouvrages imprimés en 1837 et les Journaux de 1838. publié par la Librairie Brockhaus et Avenarius. 1ere première année. 3 francs Paris, Brockhaus and Avenarius, Libraire Française- -allemande et etrangère. Rue Richelieu, no 60. Leipzig, même maison. They refer to la Bibliographie de Monsieur Beuchot and le Bulletin de Monsieur Cherbuliez – and Bibliographie d’Allemagne, paraissant à Leipzig the above lying on the table of professor Skraeder ancient history with Arabic books (published here) etc. etc. Had his pedigrees and papers pasted into book with whity brown paper leaves left about 1 1/2 inches broad – books about the breadth and twice the length of one common quarto i.e. narrow folio size

Laerebog i de romerske oldsager af S. B. Bugge rector ved cathedralskolen I Christiania. med fem steentryk. Christiania 1837. Trykt I R. Hviids Enkes Bogtrykkerie og paa keder Forlag af G. Hansen.

Beitrage zur genauern Kenntniss der ehstnischen Sprache. Neunzehntes heft. Pernau, beim herausgeber. Reval, bei Bornwasser. 1828.

Initia Homerica by Th. Burgess a.m. London 1820. printed by Dove – sold by R. Priestley – given to Upsala by ‘Thomas Burgess episcopus Salisburiensis donatus 1837’

the Italian cabinet? made at Augsburg – very curious – Christina’s snuffgrater and box looking like

a broadish knife the box at one end and the blade a grater on which the tobacco leaves were grated Real musk in a little lead box like a bit of a small animal bag or pouch with short 1/4 inch long like bristles on it – Christinas small fusils to kill fleas – Gustaf 3 died 1792 left chest about 3 feet 6 inches x 6 feet and about 2 feet 6 inches broad – and black leather covered box to be opened in 1842. 2 of his drawings in Indian ink dated the one a chateau 1763. (26 September 1763) and a bridge and two towers one at each end or thereabouts of the bridge dated ‘Gustaf fecit d[ie] 19 September 1763 Drotningholm at the library till 11 1/4 – gave the man 32 skillngs banco a one rigs dollar note – content he then shewed us the new library – not yet finished tho’ some books put there on the ground floor – there at 11 25/” new library bookcases au premièr 6 1/2 x 2 1/4 red books, handbook which is about 6 1/2 inches long height up to gallery = about 4 yards – pilasters between the cases – 3 red books wide i.e. about 6 1/2 inches x 3 = 19 1/2 to 20 inches Racking or shelf-grooves at every 2 inches – about 2 inches left in front of the cases for hanging doors if wanted lock-up doors with wire net at the old library 5 or 6 feet high against the bottom shelves there will be book cases to front the pilasters Salle about 58 yards long and about 5 yards wide across from pilaster to pilaster – grand entrance in the middle 5 cases on each side the door and then 5 windows on each side beyond these 5 cases respectively – greenish – white veined or waved marble (like my specimen of the holy sepulchre at home) window seats about 2 feet 6 inches high from the floor – whole breadth of window including frame = about 5 feet 6 inches whole heighth including framing = about 10 feet up to bottom of gallery – glass 6 panes in heighth - panes about 17 or 18 inches x 10 and 4 panes in breadth i.e. 2 in each 1/2 opening with a spagnolette the whole heighth of the window – 3 yards and taken up by the partition down the middle which parts the whole floor into two similar book-galleries, a ballustred gallery running all round at about 13 feet high from the floor – the man said there was says there are 120,000 volumes – floor diamond flags size of those formerly in the hall at Shibden, of red-greenish porphyry (like the windowseats) – 2 rooms at each end of the book rooms and between these 2 rooms (at each end of the building) a spiral staircase to the top of the building, and leading also to an immense salle (over the library, i.e. au seconde) to be galleried all round above? with portico behind the pillars underneath the gallery? – alcove (is a sort of throne to be there or what?) at left end as one looks on the town this immense salle entered also in the middle by the great staircase as below – 2 flights of steps taking up a breadth of about 13 yards and a depth of about 16 yards in a projection towards the castle the opposite front looking exactly along a long straight road to Dannemora and old Upsala and on to the town, and a little to the left on the cathedral as now renewed since its being burnt in 1702 – (chateau, right, going up great stairs and looking towards the town) at the new library till 12 5/” at the cathedral at 12 1/4 – the monument to the memory of Linnaeus is in a little side chapel (left, near the great west doors as one enters ‘Carolo a Linne’ | Botanicorum | principi | amici et Discipuli | MDCCXCVII.’ the a = von = de = noble (e.g. Thomas a Beckett) above the inscription is a bronze head – side face – très ressemblant, by J[ohan] T[obias] Sergell ‘A[nno]: MDCCXCIV’ beautiful brown whitish green veined granite? from Elfdal north of Falun the marble of the window seats etc. at the new library comes from between Norköping and Nyköping – i.e. from the forest of Kolmorden (the comma over the en in Linne is to double the e)

Linnaeus’s grand daughter died here (Updala) last spring and left to Ridder Bielca who married her sister a fortune that would keep ten cavaliers 10 horsemen i.e. ten men and ten horses and the terrain (but that depends upon the goodness of the land) that would maintain one horseman = 8-10,000 dollars banco purchase money, the terrain containing forest, fisheries etc. everything here counted by how much land will keep a man or horseman – the academy has as much (as the man said yesterday) as would keep a hundred men – and a terre to keep a man costs 4,000 to 5,000 dollars banco to buy it – In buying land one ought ot have 6 to 8 percent for one’s money – fine tomb from Rome in 1793 of archbishop Carolus Fridrik Mennander nat[us] 1712 ob[iit] 1786 formerly bishop of Åbo who translated the bible into Finnish – whole length of him, sitting, leaning on ‘Biblia Fennica’ – good likeness – 7 allegorical female figures all on a tablet under the figure of Religion carrying a large cross and leaning on an urn –

chappel of Gustaf Wasa painted in fresco by

‘John: Gust: Sandberg pinxit 1831-1838’

Eric xiv and Jean iii sons of Gustaf Wasa and Charles ix his youngest son }

Left hand, on entering the chapel (behind the alter) the paintings are

over the pictures

arms . 1st Gustaf on horseback receiving the keys of Stockholm Riddarholm castle some years ago burnt down

window . 2nd ____ on horseback (young) in a battle against the Danes

ditto . 3rd _____ at Lubeck asking assistance – a Danish nobleman claiming him

ditto . 4th ______ at the peasants cottage in Dalecarlia with flail, entering the barn – a Dane seeking him

ditto . 5th _______ Haranguing the peasants in Dalecarlia

ditto . 6th _______ two bishops presenting him the 1st bible Eric 14 at his elbow who was again a boy, dressed in red

arms . 7th ________ taking leave of the deputies, died soon after

1 and 4 azure. 3 fold crowns (the arms of Sweden)

2 and 3 azure. lion rampant or on 3 white wavy bands i.e. lakes (the arms of Gotheborg)

escutcheon of pretence arms of Gustaf Wasa

azure. a gold sheaf (gerb) called in Swedish vasa – supporters 2 lions or crowned proper

In the sacristie or room where they keep the 2 gold crowns lately taken respectively from the heads of Jean iii and his queen Catherine and some valuable gold cups etc. is the half length old wooden statue of the pagan God Thor – part of his left side gone and his right arm broken off from the elbow – gilded formerly – brought from old Upsala – many more old things all burnt with the cathedral in 1702 – this room is a sort of safe closet – safe from fire – 3 boxes of valuables put here as we should send plate to the bank for safety –

Get at Stockholm, chez C. M. Carlson Roadbook of Sweden and Norway. 1830. i.e. ‘Vägvisare’ Roadbook, bought a little one at Upsala. for 12 skillings banco. – came in at 3 3/4 – dinner at 3 55/” to 4 20/” – good – same as yesterday but herring-and-rice-and-potatoes-pudding with anchovy sauce instead of soup – off at 4 3/4 from Upsala alight at old Upsala at 5 1/4 – off to the tumuli close by the Dummer Cull judges’ hill first – then the 3 tumuli of Odin, Thor and Frea – all the

very near together, and the | cull, hill, collis. | 3 conical mounds very conspicuous all the way from Upsala – fine view from all especially from Frea because farthest from the church – quite close to Odin and impedes the view from him – good country about here – more quite clear ground (clear of stones, boulders and rock) than we have seen elsewhere – therefore land valuable here – but no forest of two miles therefore wood dear – large extensive plain on all sides – merely a few bits on the Eastern side, that one can just see encumbered with stone to remind one of being still in Sweden – the church small – not worth going into but expected (disappointed) some to see there some funeral urns found in 1 of the tumuli – fine view of Upsala – its castle looks well from here – its 2 (there are only 2) round towers (North and Northeast corners) seen, and none of the ugly pediment side seen – the 2 cathedral-towers are seen as one – and the peasants’ church tower and one other church tower one seen in one line – Beyond Frea’s tumulus a little range of hill and the foot of this and of the tumulus itself towards the village and Upsala studed with little hillocks – on the other side the tumulus and range of hill is a little lake – Ann is sketching the church – she did the castle very nicely this morning – Old Upsala pretty little picturesque gardeny village – a peep at the little River – a minute or 2 in the old church – nothing worth seeing in it – back at the house to drink our bottle of mead at 6 5/” excellent – good as champagne – how to make it is a secret – heirloom secret – 24 Rigs skillings per bottle – a pink mead at 48 skillings but she has none at present – off again at 6 25/” in 20 minutes a little rock and boulder and Sweden again – excellent road charming evening – beautiful sunset – Hogsta should be Uggelsta single house – poor little place – could not sleep there – next stage . . . Andersby . . . 2 1/8 miles – nice open country – sowing rye and reaping it – at Dannemora no! Ӧsterby near Dannemora, at 11 5/” – we had to call the people up – very fine day – Fahrenheit 62º now at midnight –

Anne’s marginal notes:

Catalogue of French books Paris and Leipzig

Initia Homerica

Christina’s cabinet

New library

order such at Shibden?

vide bottom of next page

new library

salle au seconde

Kolmorden and Elfdal marble vide bottom of last page

manner of estimating property

bishop Mennander who translated the bible into Finnish

WYAS Catalogue: SH:7/ML/TR/13/0009 SH:7/ML/TR/13/0010 SH:7/ML/TR/13/0011 SH:7/ML/TR/13/0012

One of the frescoes by Johan Gustaf Sandberg in Uppsala Cathedral showing the exploits of King Gustav I Vasa (Gustav Vasa Speaking to the Dalecarlians at Mora):

The three tumuli (the Royal Mounds) at Old Uppsala:

The church at Old Uppsala, which Ann sketched:

Interior of Carolina Rediviva, now the main building of Uppsala University library; a work in progress when Anne and Ann visited it and Anne described it so thoroughly:

#anne lister #ann walker #travelnotes1839 #sweden1839 #anne lister code breaker #gentleman jack #annelister #annwalker

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cincinnatusvirtue · 4 years

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Syttende Mai: Swedish-Norwegian War of 1814. Norwegian nationalism and the establishment of Sweden’s current royal house.

Europe in 1814-1815 is a flurry political activity. The War of the Sixth Coalition has supposedly finally defeated Napoleonic France in the spring of 1814. That autumn in Vienna, Austria the major anti-French powers, Britain, Austria, Prussia and Russia and the anti-republican/anti-Bonapartist restored Bourbon dynasty of France are attempting to dictate terms for the outlook of Europe’s map. The conservativism of the monarchs from each of these countries sees republicanism and national revolution as the very tenets of ideology that had undid Europe’s delicate balance of power since the French Revolution of 1789. Austrian Foreign Minister and later Chancellor Klemens Von Metternich is the “maestro” for the so called Concert for Europe or Congress of Vienna is leading the charge, hoping to create system whereby the great powers of Europe will consult each other in an early form of shuttle diplomacy to suppress massive changes to Europe’s map. For the immediate several decades of the 19th century following Napoleon’s defeat this so called “Metternich System” to varying degrees will work in suppressing nationalist and revolutionary sentiment. Increasingly this will be difficult to maintain as romantic nationalism and republicanism have been planted as seeds in the collective psyche of Europe’s many peoples. The Congress of Vienna includes the Big Five (Britain, Austria, Prussia, Russia & Bourbon France) but it also includes Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, various smaller German and Italian states and the Scandinavian powers of Denmark and Sweden. These latter two nations would have their own roles in the Napoleonic Age and in 1814 romantic nationalism within the third Scandinavian nation, Norway, would give birth briefly to a new nation caught in the dynastic struggles between Denmark and Sweden.

Over the course of Scandinavian history the modern nations of Norway, Denmark and Sweden went through many changes from small petty kingdoms born out of the Viking Age to more unified but separate countries and then countries united under the singular banner of the Kalmar Union (1397-1523). By the 18th and 19th centuries though they were divided between the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway in personal union and the Kingdom of Sweden. All these nations were populated by related Germanic peoples who spoke related languages and had common histories, mythologies and cultures all shared the same official religion of Lutheranism. They were also separated by their own local customs as well and differences in their related languages and somewhat due to historical memory of their overlapping but separate pasts. Geopolitical struggle also wrapped up Scandinavia. In the 17th century Sweden arose to become a great power in Europe, forging the Swedish Empire which ruled Sweden, Finland, parts of Baltic countries, Poland, Russia and Germany. Meanwhile Denmark-Norway had the role of second-tier or middling power in European politics. Denmark-Norway was in personal union with a single king but Denmark was very much the dominant power in the union with Copenhagen dictating it’s northern partner’s fate. Sweden remained its rival and Norway was their battleground more often than not.

During the 18th century, Sweden’s off and on wars with Poland-Lithuania, Russia, Denmark-Norway and other powers weakened its status. By the Napoleonic era, Sweden like Denmark-Norway was a shadow of its former self. Nevertheless it still retained a strong enough influence to help tip the balance in favor of the French Empire or its opponents. Sweden’s ruling family, the Holstein-Gottorp dynasty from Germany had at its head Gustav IV Adolf. Gustav IV was opposed to French republicanism and to Napoleon and sought an alliance with his country’s traditional enemy, Russia. Against advice from his inner council, Gustav joined the War of the Third Coalition against France in support of Britain, Russia, Austria, Naples & Sicily. During this war, Sweden was a non-entity. France won the war with the victory of Austria and Russia at Austerlitz. During the Prussian lead War of the Fourth Coalition in 1806 Sweden saw its possessions in modern Germany and Poland, known as Swedish Pomerania lost to the French advance which had wiped out the Prussians in under a month and bloodied the Russians as well. During this time, Napoleon’s troops and the nationalist spirit they invoked revived a partial Polish state, the Duchy of Warsaw. The Duchy was seen by Polish nationalists as a first step towards reviving the conquered Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth which had been partitioned in the 18th century by Prussia, Russia and Austria. The French saw it more or less as a client state and vehicle from which it could support its own army in ventures elsewhere in Europe. The defeat of Russia in 1807 and the Treaty of Tilsit now forced Russia to join Napoleon’s economic blockade of his most steadfast enemy, Britain. It also put Russia at odds with Sweden which remained a British ally.

1808 saw the Finnish War between Sweden and Russia, the Russians overwhelmed Swedish garrisons in Finland proper and then in a daring infantry crossing of the ice frozen waters of the Gulf of Bothnia arrived on the eastern Swedish shores where Sweden was forced to surrender. Finland was lost to the Russians ever after, becoming the new Grand Principality/Duchy of Finland with the Tsar as Grand Duke. Sweden’s fall from the heights of power was never more evident. 1809 Gustav IV was arrested and overthrown in a coup and replaced by his uncle and former regent, who was crowned Charles XIII. Charles XIII was old, suffered from heart attacks and had no suitable heir. His role in governance was minimal and more ceremonial for the presentation of stability. The Swedish parliament, the Riksdag needed to find a new heir. It found it initially in a Danish prince, who Charles XIII adopted as he was named Charles August, however the prince died from a stroke while riding a horse, he was only 41, so the search renewed. The ultimate choice was from an unlikely source, Napoleonic France.

Jean Bernadotte was a Frenchman who came from the middle class once hoping to become an attorney. He had no noble connections but eventually made his way into the army and under the French Revolution where men could be promoted on merit and not have to rely on aristocratic connection Bernadotte became an officer. He fought in numerous campaigns in Germany and Italy in particular and earned praise for valor and inspiring his men. By the time Napoleon came to power in France, Bernadotte eventually became one of eighteen of his Marshals of the Empire, a new form of aristocracy based on Napoleon’s need to control the military and to honor his subordinate men of distinction. Bernadotte was also made Prince of Ponte Corvo for his service in the Battle of Austerlitz. However, he also began to fell afoul of his Emperor’s favor gradually. During the 1806 campaign against Prussia while leading his own French Corps, Bernadotte was ordered to support Marshal Davout’s Corps but due to poor roads failed to commit troops to battle. Though his troops nearby presence aided in forcing the Prussians to retreat. Napoleon believed his disobeyed orders and nearly court-martialed Bernadotte. Though no such action was taken and Bernadotte was kept in the campaign. His corps eventually captured the German city of Lubeck which had Prussian, Swedish and Dano-Norwegian soldiers in it. Swedish prisoners were well treated by Bernadotte and returned to Sweden regaling their fair treatment by Bernadotte. Following the Treaty of Tilsit which made peace with Russia and Prussia and made them into reluctant but nominal French allies Bernadotte was made a regional governor in north Germany where he proved an adept administrator. He was tasked with invading Sweden but lack of troop transport ships and the new Spanish campaign in which France turned on its former ally Spain lead to new focus elsewhere. Meanwhile Denmark-Norway became a new ally of the French in 1808 and this lead to a limited war between Britain and Denmark. Bernadotte served as leader of French troops in Denmark. He well treated and respected the Danes, earning good favor with more Scandinavians. During Napoleon’s campaign against Spain he wanted to install a new king on the throne one with Bonapartist connections. Bernadotte was a first choice but he rejected the offer. Napoleon instead went with his own brother Joseph Bonaparte. Joseph was friends with Bernadotte and in fact his brother in law. Since both were married to the Clary sisters with Joseph married to Julie Clary and Bernadotte to Desiree Clary, one time fiancée of Napoleon himself.

Bernadotte continued to serve with the French in the War of the Fifth Coalition against a renewed Austrian Empire and fought in command of a subordinate German (Saxon) corps. that was virtually obliterated at the Battle of Wagram. Napoleon got the victory but relieved Bernadotte of his command and sent him back to France for administrative duties first in Belgium then back to Paris. During his role in preparing an army in Belgium (Army of Antwerp) Bernadotte made criticisms of Napoleon which found their way back to the Emperor. He was to be sent to Spain, he disobeyed the order and was sent to face Napoleon himself was instead given a new role as governor of the Papal States in French occupied Rome, Italy. Unexpectedly the invitation to become heir to the Swedish throne was presented to Bernadotte, in part due to the humane treatment he had shown Swedish prisoners of war years earlier and in part due to his overall diplomatic and administrative prowess. By this time, 1810, Sweden had come to peace terms with France.

Bernadotte had longed to advance to a position of full on royalty and his occasional differences with Napoleon had essentially left him to fulfill an endless cycle of administrative duties that while important were not satisfying to his own desires. Not only was his humane treatment of Swedish troops in the past a consideration, but the Swedes thought a Napoleonic insider might make relations with France more diplomatic in the future as well as give insight into Napoleon’s character whether in opposition or as an ally. Napoleon was sought for advice by the Swedes and initially put forth his own stepson (Eugene de Beauharnais) who served as Viceroy of the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy as a candidate but his stepson refused to convert to Lutheranism which was required by the Swedish Riksdag as part of the deal. Napoleon also could not convince any of his brothers who already occupied thrones nor were his nephews old enough, so Bernadotte was accepted by Napoleon to be emancipated from service to France. Initially, he made Bernadotte take an oath never to take up arms against France but Bernadotte refused stating he couldn’t determine the path Sweden might take, Napoleon eventually relented unconditionally. It was later to be a strategic error on his part.

Bernadotte arrived in Stockholm, Sweden on November 5th, 1810. He was adopted by King Charles XIII as a son made heir to the throne officially. He also converted from Roman Catholicism to Lutheranism as required. He was well received by the Swedes who popularly believed he would gain some territory for them, namely Finland. With Charles XIII infirm, Bernadotte, rechristened Charles John or Karl Johan, set about governing the country, namely its foreign policy. He was pressured to retake Finland but he realized due to Sweden’s finances, need for military reform, logistical difficulties with Russian troop strength and the Finns lack of desire for reunion with Sweden, the war wouldn’t end in their favor. Furthermore, France was pressuring Sweden to comply with the Continental System and declare war on Britain, lest it face a three way invasion from France, Russia and Denmark. The new Crown Prince Charles John agreed to this, leading to a low level war with Britain which realized it was Napoleonic pressure which lead to Sweden’s nominal declaration of war. Little activity resulted from this and Sweden and Britain’s “war” was virtually in name only which satisfied Napoleon. Both nations steered clear of conflict foreseeing economic disaster and realizing each other’s potential as allies against France at a later date. This opportunity came when Napoleon launched an invasion of Russia in 1812 due to its lack of compliance with the Continental System. Napoleon was lead further and further into Russia facing a few large battles that were tactical victories but not the decisive one he needed. He captured Moscow that was left in burning ruins by the retreating Russians and eventually news of a coup in Paris forced him to abandon his troops to a long drawn out retreat back to friendly territory in Poland. The French and allied army was drained by desertion, disease, battle, starvation, Russian attrition and most famously the Russian winter. By 1813 the failed invasion forced Napoleon to raise new armies back in France and Germany while he once conquered foes Prussia and Austria rejoined a resurgent and advancing Russia. Meanwhile, the British Royal Navy commanded the seas and contributed ground troops to the years long Peninsular War joining Portugal and Spanish guerillas in pushing back the French occupiers and their Spanish Bonapartist collaborators to French border. With France on the retreat, Sweden sensed it was their time to join in an make a difference. The final tipping point for Sweden was the French refusal to accept transferring Norway from their Danish ally to Sweden to compensate for the loss of Finland. Charles John joined the War of the Sixth Coalition now commanding Swedish forces numbering almost 20,000 in the so called Army of the North which reinforced by 30,000 Prussians and a British regiment converged with the main Prussian, Russian and Austrian armies near Leipzig, Germany where the French supported by Polish, Italian and German allies were defeated in the so called Battle of the Nations which lasted for three days in October 1813. Part way through the battle, German vassals of Napoleon from the client Kingdoms of Saxony and Wurttemberg switched sides and joined the Coalition against France. Napoleon was defeated and in a fighting retreat against the advancing Allies. The other powers were fine with Denmark losing Norway to Sweden as compensation and the Swedes quickly turned their attention away from France instead fighting the Danes and beating them in December at the Battle of Bornhoved, the last time in history to the present day that Denmark and Sweden in their long historical rivalry would fight each other.

Following this campaign in January 1814, Britain and Sweden forced Denmark to sign the Treaty of Kiel. It gave the British some small islands off the Danish coast as compensation and the whole of the Kingdom of Norway proper to Sweden. In exchange Sweden gave Denmark, Swedish Pomerania in Northern Germany/Poland. Excluded from this exchange was the Norwegian dependencies of the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Greenland which all remained with the Danish crown. Denmark in turn also joined the anti-French coalition but little came of this since Napoleon abdicated and went into exile on Elba in April 1814 (only to return in 1815 and reign during the 100 Days until the Battle of Waterloo finally defeated him).

Norwegians had no say in the Dano-Swedish negotiations and spurred by feelings of romantic nationalism for their own nationhood with distant memories of a time with Norway was a dominant Scandinavian power free of Danish or Swedish rule. Accordingly events in Scandinavia shifted from France now turned to regional conflict. Norway refused Swedish authority and accepted that Denmark had given up on them, they declared independence and passed a liberal constitution calling for a constitutional monarchy. It was signed by the Norwegian Assembly on May 17, 1814 (Syttende Mai) and they named Danish Crown Prince Christian Frederick its own independent king, separate from Demark. He accepted and quickly showed up in Norway to take control of events. Sweden wouldn’t stand for Norwegian independence and Denmark refused to get involved after the Napoleonic Wars. Determined to make the most of what was promised to them, Sweden under Charles John’s military leadership engaged in the brief Swedish-Norwegian War in the summer of 1814.

Sweden planned a pincer movement across the border to trap Norwegian troops and to take the capital, Christiania (Oslo) . Norway got 30,000 volunteers to make up their army while the Swedes could muster 45,000 troops. The Swedes were experienced and well equipped and with Charles John, a former Napoleonic French general as their leader had sound leadership when compared to their Norwegian enemy. However, the Norwegians did have artillery and great deal of pride and what followed was a three campaign that saw the Norwegians in a fighting retreat. The Norwegians, to the Swedes surprise, put up a more spirited fight than expected. Winning tactical victories in the Battles of Lier and Langes but both only delayed the inevitable as the Norwegian command was hampered by indecisiveness in overall strategy and the Swedes continued to outflank them. Eventually with crucial Norwegian fortresses outgunned and outnumbered, they surrendered and fell back. On August 14, 1814, Norwegian representatives separate from their elected king, Christian Frederick signed the Convention of Moss which agreed to a ceasefire/surrender of Norwegian forces but given the Norwegians early victories and Swedes desire to end things quickly and not hamper long term relations agreed to a more equitable arrangement. Moss decided the following points, Sweden and Norway would agree to a personal union with the Swedish monarch as king of both countries. However, Sweden and Norway would have separate parliaments, the Riksdag in Sweden and the Storting in Norway. Christian Frederick would return to Denmark and abandon all claims to Norway which as a constitutional monarch he accepted the will of his people. Finally, Norway would be allowed to maintain its own separate constitution as was created in May 1814 with minor amendments to accommodate the new union. Charles John, being future king accepted these terms as did the Swedes and the Norwegian Storting.

In the aftermath, the Union of Sweden-Norway was born in 1814 with Charles XIII as its first king, reigning until his death in 1818. Charles John finally took over as King of Sweden & Norway as Charles XIV John. His descendants, the House of Bernadotte rule Sweden as a constitutional monarchy to this day. The Swedish-Norwegian war also notable as the last war between these two nations and the very last war Sweden has fought to the present time, having maintained neutrality in all wars since that time. Sweden-Norway out of the Convention of Moss allowed Norway to not be a conquest but received as a fully equal entity with its own internal parliament and separate constitution while sharing the same monarch, this dynamic was in some ways a precursor to the later dual monarchy model followed by the Austrian Empire when in became the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867.

At times over the next century, the Union would see periods of cooperation, pan-Scandinavian sentiment, including proposed union with Denmark and varying degrees of estrangement. Issues for Sweden-Norway centered around having a common foreign policy dictated from Stockholm which began to fuel recurring resentment among the Norwegians since they couldn’t debate foreign policy themselves and only their Prime Minister could represent their interests while the Swedish Riksdag directed policy. Furthermore, Swedish cultural attitudes tended to view Norway and Norwegians as junior partners in the Union and very much still a subjugated people only added to resentment from Norway. Emigration from both countries but particularly Norway to the United States during the 19th century was commonplace, so much so that Norwegian-American and Swedish-American communities grew to have distinct ethnic enclaves and cultural impacts in the US, mostly centered in the Upper Midwestern states and even on cuisine and the regional American English dialects spoken. In the present day more Norwegian-Americans exist than do Norwegians in Norway. Finally, the continued cultural resentment and practical differences in two separate parliaments and disagreement over foreign policy lead to a renewed desire for separation and dissolution to the Union. Their were attempts to accommodate a separate foreign policy for Norway but Sweden and Norway couldn’t agree on its terms and Sweden threated military intervention anytime Norway brought up independence. Sweden’s parliament began to double down in the early 20th century on Sweden taking more precedence over Norway, increasing tension and fracturing the Union. Finally, in 1905 with impasse being unavoidable Norway’s Storting tried one last attempt to get then King Oscar II to approve a separate foreign service, he exercised his veto and declined. The ministers of Norway tendered their resignation, which he refused to accept since no replacements to form a new government could be found. The ministers turned their government’s fate to the Storting’s hands, unilaterally they declared Oscar II had ceased to be Norway’s king and declared an end to the union with Sweden. Sweden declared this a Norwegian revolt. Sweden’s Riksdag did however agree to consider negotiation for the dissolution if the Norwegian people passed it in a plebiscite. The Storting anticipated this move announced their own plebiscite on August 13th prior to the Swedish demand being made. The plebiscite was not phrased in such a way to ask yes or no in favor but rather did the Norwegian people recognize the union as de-facto dissolved already, 99% of the voters agreed it had. There was a unlikely prospect of war, but both sides had considered it, Norway had asked for a several million dollar loan from France in the event of such a conflict. Following the vote, Norway asked Sweden’s Riksdag to cooperate, both sides agreed to hold talks. That September Swedish troops on the border were placed and in response Norwegian army and naval troops were put on standby. Nevertheless and agreement was reached on September 23rd, 1905. The union would dissolve but a neutral zone to be arbitrated by the international court in the Hague would decide its outcome, also Norway must dismantle its fortifications seen as an act of potential aggression against Sweden. Oscar II then renounced all claims to the Norwegian throne for himself and his descendants. The Storting made one last offer for a descendant of his take the throne separately but Oscar declined seeing it as pointless. The Storting then offered the throne of Norway to yet another Danish prince, as it had 91 years prior, this time Carl of Denmark who accepted and became King of Norway Haakon VII, the first unanimously recognized monarch of an independent Norway since 1387. His descendants in the House of Glucksburg reign as monarchs of Norway to this day with his grandson Harald V as the current king. The 17th of May or Syttende Mai is celebrated in Norway as Constitution Day to this day and in Norwegian- American communities is the most visible public celebration of Norway and Norwegian culture.

#norway #sweden #denmark #sweden-norway #swedish norwegian war #norwegian independence #syttende mai #napoleonic wars #19th century #nationalism

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athingofvikings · 1 year

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A Thing Of Vikings Chapter 141: Nor The Arrow For Its Swiftness

Chapter 141: Nor The Arrow For Its Swiftness

“Captain, according to the wireless range finder, there is no one else in a position to stop them aside from us.”

*recording indicates seven seconds of silence aside from normal bridge noises*

“Then it’s up to us.”

“But we’re just—”

“In the right place at the right time, XO Jorgenson.”

*PA System Announcement Whistle*

“This is the captain speaking. Battle stations. This is not a drill. Battle stations. I repeat, all hands to battle stations. Prepare for combat. We are about to engage the enemy fleet. Repeat, this is not a drill.”

*battle stations klaxon is heard in background*

“Comms, Priority message to High Command. Message reads: Zeta. Zeta. Zeta. Enemy airships, numbering eighteen, on approach from North by Northeast over the Baltic, altitude three kilometers, four hundred kilometers south of Stockholm, two hundred kilometers east of Copenhagen. The Kvasir is the only ship currently in range. Optical examination reveals they are carrying city-buster ordnance. They are heading on a course for Copenhagen, Lubeck, or Hamburg. We will buy what time we can. Requesting immediate reinforcements. Zeta. Zeta. Zeta. End message.”

“Signal sent, Captain Haddock.”

“Thank you, Mr. Irving. Helm, get us up above the cloud deck. Drop all ballast and prepare for maximum altitude. All non-essential personnel are to be evacuated. Include a copy of the bridge record in their pods.”

“Aye, Ma’am.”

“Wings, prepare to deploy our dragons. We’re going to need screening elements and spotters.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Comms, instruct Engineer Mac Phearson to take the safety governors off the focusing array and deploy all of the remaining elements of the distributed array. And prepare their focal elements for long-range collimation. He’ll know what I mean.”

“Aye aye, Ma’am.”

*recording indicates thirty more seconds of bridge conversations as orders are followed*

“What are you thinking, Ma’am?”

“I’m thinking that our little airship is the only thing standing between those bombs and cities of several million people, XO.”

“That’s true. But when I said the other day that I was hoping to live up to my family name, this wasn’t what I had in mind.”

“Nor me, but while we can make our choices, we don’t get to pick what decisions we’re faced with, do we?”

“No. We don’t. Ma’am, are you planning on going out there personally?”

*nine more seconds of background conversations*

“I suppose that I should. Send word to have Inquisitive saddled, would you?”

“Aye, Ma’am. See you on the other side.”

“On the ground or in Valhalla, Snitlout. It has been an honor working with you.”

—Bridge Records of Imperial Science Ship Kvasir, Captain Dame Astrid Haddock VII commanding, prior to attempted sneak attack on Imperial territory.

All essential hands and wings of the Kvasir were lost, but brought down sixteen times their tonnage in enemy airships and delayed the enemy forces from their objectives by twelve hours, allowing for the massing of a defensive force and the activation of air defenses in targeted cities. Captain Haddock and Inquisitive (NF-00005871b) did significant damage to the enemy propulsion systems and gas envelopes after the Kvasir was downed, and they, and their entire crew, were granted honors—the majority of them posthumous—for their actions.

AO3 Link

#a thing of vikings #atov #httyd fanfiction

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irenethehistorynerd · 5 years

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What do Napoleon, the son of a French lawyer, and being kind to prisoners of war have to do with the Swedish monarchy? Significantly more than you would think. In 1810, Jean Baptiste Bernadotte was elected Prince Royal of Sweden, and eight years later became the founding king of the dynasty that rule Sweden to this day, proving that, contrary to what Michael Palin said, sometimes you do vote for a king. To understand the Bernadotte's rise to power, you have to understand late eighteenth century Europe. In the summer of 1789, Louis XVI, an absolute monarch from a long line of absolute monarchs attempted to solve his financial issues using the nominal democratic system France already had in place. This went poorly, and resulted in the common people calling for a new constitution, taking the Bastille, forcing Louis and his family from their opulent home in Versailles, and culminated in a lot of very wealthy and important people losing a very important appendage to the guillotine. "What does this have to do with the price of meatballs in Sweden", you ask? Well, the act of dethroning and de-heading Louis, scion of the long and noble line of Bourbon, sent a shock across Europe. After all, if the French monarch could be thrown out of power, and a 'democracy' instituted in less than two years, were any of the other absolute monarchs of Europe safe? With the English kicked out of their American colonies, and the French monarchy quite literally headless, it seemed that the age of the 'enlightened despot', or the benevolent philosopher dictator was coming to an end. This was particularly worrying to the Swedish king Gustav III who was a great admirer of Marie Antoinette. He was a little more politically savvy than Louis XVI, and he survived his initial summoning of the Riksdag--or the (at the time) nominal Swedish democratic system. However, he made enemies, and bit a bullet Abraham Lincoln style in 1792. Gustav III left his throne to his thirteen year old son, Gustav IV, or Gustav Adolf. The years in which Gustav IV's uncle served as regent were the best of his reign. Gustav Adolf grew into a paranoid and arrogant king, which lead to him losing Finland, Pomerania, and the Aland islands. He was forced to abdicate, and handed the throne to his uncle, Charles XIII. Charles XIII wasn't so much the best choice for king as he was the only choice for king. The House of Vasa had been struggling since the abdication of Queen Kristina in 1654, and Charles had only tenuous claims to the throne himself. Furthermore, Charles was childless and a bit senile. It was clear to Charles and the ruling class of Sweden that if they wanted to continue to have a monarchy, they would have to elect somebody. The year was 1809. Now, the 'election' of a monarch wasn't an uncommon thing, the Vasa's themselves had been elected. In cases where a royal line was dying out without an heirs, or in the case of creating an entirely new country, the nobility of a country would take a look at all the princes of Europe, and see who they liked. This sort of thing had been happening since medieval times, and in the tumultuous world of nineteenth century Europe, it was nothing to balk at. Two distant cousins of Charles XIII were nominated as heirs, but one was an idiot, and the other died. There was a whole host of unsuitable candidates for Crown Prince of Sweden, and a significant portion of the Riksdag were sick of it. They wanted a successful monarch, someone who wasn't an idiot who would lose Finland. And who was more successful than the plucky young Corsican ruling France? There was no way in hell that any self respecting Swede was going to invite Napoleon to be their king--they were an independent country after all. But maybe one of his brothers, or one of his Marshals, the military geniuses who had won Napoleon his vast empire. Enter Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte. A commoner from Southern France, he ran away from his apprenticeship as a lawyer at age eighteen to join the French army. Like Napoleon, he had used the chaos of the French Revolution to rise rapidly through the ranks, eventually becoming a general. He supported Napoleon on his campaigns, eventually being made the French Minister of War, a Marshal, and then the Prince of Ponte-Corvo, a small principality in Italy. Bernadotte was an attractive candidate for a number of reasons. He was a proved general, a proved administrator, and he already had an heir. He was extremely popular in Sweden, having received and made peace with Swedish officers independently of Napoleon's commands. He was also unemployed, which was very convenient for the Swedes. Most importantly, he had been kind to the right person back in the day. Baron Otto Morner was about to become the brother-in-law to the Swedish Chancellor, and he was a big fan of Bernadotte. Bernadotte had been a major player in the Battle of Lubeck, during which Bernadotte and the French had roundly kicked Prussian and Swedish ass, but, like, nicely. Bernadotte captured a contingent of Swedish soldiers, and was so nice to them that Otto Morner was still a huge Bernadotte stan four years later. While in Paris, Morner brought the proposition to Bernadotte, who was incredulously flattered. There was a lot going against Jean Baptiste Bernadotte however, and he knew it. He didn't speak Swedish, he wasn't Lutheran, and all of this was seemingly happening behind Napoleon's back. Napoleon and Jean Baptiste had never been great friends, and they certainly weren't bosom friends at the time, but Bernadotte said that the religion and the language thing could be fixed easily, and that, should Emperor Napoleon and King Charles agree, he would be happy to have his name up for consideration. There was a hiccup. Morner hadn't been acting entirely officially. He was just a lieutenant, not an ambassador. An ambassador had, in fact, been sent to Napoleon, asking him on his opinion on who should succeed Charles XIII. Napoleon had backed King Frederick VI of Denmark-Norway, hoping to unite Scandinavia under a friendly flag. When he found out that Jean Baptiste had been offered the position, he wasn't crazy about Bernadotte being on the Swedish throne, but he loved the idea of a Frenchman on the throne. He went to his ex-stepson, Eugene, the Viceroy of Italy, and offered the position to him. Eugene refused. Napoleon decided to, well, not support Bernadotte, because if Bernadotte failed it would be embarrassing for Napoleon, but he wasn't not not supporting Bernadote. Jean Baptiste discussed it with his wife, and after getting Napoleon's 'do it if you want', formally submitted his name for consideration. Baron Morner was an enthusiastic hype-man, campaigning for Bernadotte much like how modern pundits campaign for elected officials. Though there was a significant faction in favor of Frederick VI, and King Charles still wanted to elect his idiot cousin, Jean Baptiste was elected unanimously. There were a few hurdles that had be overcome before Jean Baptiste could become Prince Royal, however. He had to become a Lutheran, that was non-negotiable. He also had to promise not to give any Swedish posts to Frenchmen, and allow Charles XIII to adopt him. Jean acceded, and took the name Charles John, becoming king Charles John XIV, or Carl Johann XIV to the Swedes. The new Charles was good to his word, and any worries of a French takeover of Sweden were assuaged for good in 1813 when Charles and Swedish forces joined the sixth coalition to fight against Napoleon. Charles was Crown Prince for about eight years, from 1810 to 1818. During this time, he conquered Norway, and unified Sweden and Norway again. By the time he became King, he had thoroughly won over his new people. Jean Baptiste Bernadotte's legacy lives on today in the ruling family of Sweden. The current king, Carl Gustav XVI is the great, great, great, great grandson of Jean Baptiste. When Carl Gustav's daughter, Crown Princess Victoria, becomes Queen Regnant, she will be the eighth Bernadotte monarch.

#history #monarchy #royalty #sweden #bernadotte #napoleon #europe #jean baptiste bernadotte

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bobmccullochny · 1 year

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History

December 18, 1916 - During World War I, the Battle of Verdun concluded after ten months of fighting in which 543,000 French and 434,000 German soldiers were killed.

December 18, 1940 - Adolf Hitler ordered the German General Staff to begin planning Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of Soviet Russia.

December 18, 1956 - Japan was admitted to the United Nations.

Birthday - West German Chancellor Willy Brandt (1913-1992) was born in Lubeck, Germany (as Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm). During Hitler's regime, he was an anti-Nazi exile. He returned to Germany after World War II, entered politics and was elected chancellor in 1969. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1971 for his efforts to improve East-West relations during the Cold War.

#Todays Smile

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wolfy58 · 4 years

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1839 August Monday 26

Got up 6 50/..Went to bed 12 40/..

Fine morning F 61º and sun out at 7 ½ – breakfast at 8 20/.. to 9 – Adney sketching the chateau from our room window – left her to finish (to colour) her sketch a little and I off to the library at 9 10/.. sent for Adney at 9 40/..

‘Catalogue general de la litterature Française contenant les ouvrages publiés en France, ……. pendant l’ année 1837 …. avec table systématique pour les ouvrages imprimés en 1837 et les Journaux de 1838. publié par la Librairie Brockhaus et Avenarius. 1ere année. 3 fr. Paris, Brockhaus and Avenarius, Libraire Française- -allemande et etrangère. Rue Richelieu, no 60. Leipzig, même maison.

They refer to la Bibliographie de Monsieur Beuchot and le Bulletin de Monsieur Cherbuliez – and Bibliographie d’Allemagne, paraissant à Leipzig

The above lying on the table of professor Skræder ancient history with Arabic books (published here) etc. etc. Had his pedigrees and papers pasted into book with whity brown paper leaves left about 1 ½ inches broad – books about the breadth and twice the length of one common 4to i.e. narrow folio size

Lærebog i de romerske oldsager af S. B. Bugge rector ved cathedralskolen i Christiania. med fem steentryk. Christiania 1837. Trykt i R. Hviids Enkes Bogtrykkerie og paa hendes Forlag af G. Hansen.

Beitrage zur genauern Kenntniss der ehstnischen Sprache. Neunzehntes heft. Pernau, beim herausgeber. Reval, bei Bornwasser. 1828.

Initia Homerica by Th. Burgess a.m. London 1820. printed by Dove – sold by R. Priestley – given to Upsala by ‘Thomas Burgess episcopus Salisburiensis donatus 1837’

The Italian cabinet? made at Augsburg – very curious – Christina’s snuffgrater and box looking like

a broadish knife the box at one end and the blade a grater on which the tobacco leaves were grated

Real musk in a little lead box like a bit of a small animal bag or pouch with short ¼ inch long like bristles on it –

Christinas small fusils to kill fleas –

Gustaf 3 died 1792 left chest about 3 feet 6 inches x 6 feet and about 2 feet 6 inches broad – and black leather covered box to be opened in 1842. 2 of his drawings in Indian ink dated the one a chateau 1763. (26 September 1763) and a bridge and two towers one at each end or thereabouts of the bridge dated ‘Gustaf fecit d[ie] 19 September 1763 Drotningholm

At the library till 11 ¼ – gave the man 32 sk. banco a one rigs dol. note – content, he then shewed us the new library – not yet finished tho’ some books put there on the ground floor – there at 11 25/.. new library bookcases au premièr 6 ½ x 2 ¼ red books, handbook which is about 6 ½ inches long height up to gallery = about 4 yards – pilasters between the cases – 3 red books wide i.e. about 6 ½ inches x 3 = 19 ½ to 20 inches

Racking or shelf-grooves at every 2 inches – about 2 inches left in front of the cases for hanging doors if wanted lock-up doors with wire net at the old library 5 or 6 feet high against the bottom shelves

There will be book cases to front the pilasters

Salle about 58 yards long and about 5 yards wide across from pilaster to pilaster – grand entrance in the middle 5 cases on each side the door and then 5 windows on each side beyond these 5 cases respectively – greenish – white veined or waved marble (like my specimen of the holy sepulchre at home) window seats about 2 feet 6 inches high from the floor –

whole breadth of window including frame = about 5 feet 6 inches

whole heighth including framing = about 10 feet up to bottom of gallery –

Glass 6 panes in heighth - panes about 17 or 18 inches x 10 and 4 panes in breadth i.e. 2 in each ½ opening with a spagnolette the whole heighth of the window – 3 yards and taken up by the partition down the middle which parts the whole floor into two similar book-galleries, a ballustred gallery running all round at about 13 feet high from the floor – the man said there was says there are 120,000 volumes – floor diamond flags size of those formerly in the hall at Shibden, of red-greenish porphyry (like the windowseats) – 2 rooms at each end of the book rooms and between these 2 rooms (at each end of the building) a spiral staircase to the top of the building, and leading also to an immense salle (over the library, i.e. au 2nde) to be galleried all round above? with portico behind the pillars underneath the gallery? – alcove (is a sort of throne to be there or what?) at left end as one looks on the town this immense salle entered also in the middle by the great staircase as below – 2 flights of steps taking up a breadth of about 13 yards and a depth of about 16 yards in a projection towards the castle the opposite front looking exactly along a long straight road to Dannemora and old Upsala and on to the town, and a little to the left on the cathedral as now renewed since its being burnt in 1702 – (chateau, right, going up great stairs and looking towards the town) at the new library till 12 5/..

At the cathedral at 12 ¼ – the monument to the memory of Linne’ is in a little side chapel (left) near the great west doors as one enters

‘Carolo a Linne’ | Botanicorum | principi |

amici et Discipuli | MDCCXCVIII.’

the a = von = de = noble (e.g. Thomas a Beckett)

Above the inscription is a bronze head – side face – très ressemblant, by J.T. Sergell ‘anno: MDCCXCIV’ beautiful brown whitish green veined granite? from Elfdal north of Falun the marble of the window seats etc. at the new library comes from between Norköping and Nyköping – i.e. from the forest of Kolmorden

(the comma over the e in Linne is to double the e)

Linne’s grand daughter died here (Upsala) last spring and left to Ridder Bielca who married her sister a fortune that would keep ten cavaliers 10 horsemen i.e. ten men and ten horses and the terrain (but that depends upon the goodness of the land) that would maintain one horseman = 8-10,000 dollars banco purchase money, the terrain containing forest, fisheries etc.

Everything here counted by how much land will keep a man or horseman – the academy has as much (as the man said yesterday) as would keep a hundred men – and a terre to keep a man costs 4,000 to 5,000 dollars banco to buy it – In buying land one ought to have 6 to 8 p.c. for one’s money –

Fine tomb from Rome in 1793 of archbishop Carolus Frid. Mennander nat. 1712 ob. 1786 formerly bishop of Åbo who translated the bible into Finnish – whole length of him, sitting, leaning on ‘Biblia Fennica’ – good likeness – 7 allegorical female figures all on a tablet under the figure of Religion carrying a large cross and leaning on an urn –

chappel of Gustaf Wasa painted in fresco by ‘John: Gust: Sandberg pinxit 1831-1838’

Eric xiv and Jean iii sons of Gustaf Wasa and Charles ix his youngest son

Left hand, on entering the chapel (behind the alter) the paintings are

over the pictures

arms . 1st Gustaf on horseback receiving the keys of Stockholm Riddarholm castle

some years ago burnt down

window . 2d ____ on horseback (young) in a battle against the Danes

ditto . 3d _____ at Lubeck asking assistance – a Danish nobleman claiming him

ditto . 4th ______ at the peasants cottage in Dalecarlia with flail, entering the barn – a

Dane seeking him

ditto . 5th _______ Haranguing the peasants in Dalecarlia

ditto . 6th _______ two bishops presenting him the 1st bible Eric 14 at his elbow who

was again a boy, dressed in red

arms . 7th ________ taking leave of the deputies, died soon after

1 and 4 azure. 3 fold crowns (the arms of Sweden) 2 and 3 azure. lion rampant or on 3 white wavy bands i.e. lakes (the arms of Gotheborg)

escutcheon of pretence arms of Gustaf Wasa azure. a gold sheaf (gerb) called in Swedish vasa – supporters 2 lions or crowned proper

In the sacristie or room where they keep the 2 gold crowns lately taken respectively from the heads of Jean iii and his queen Catherine and some valuable gold cups etc. is the half length old wooden statue of the pagan god Thor – part of his left side gone and his right arm broken off from the elbow – gilded formerly – brought from old Upsala – many more old things all burnt with the cathedral in 1702 – this room is a sort of safe closet – safe from fire – 3 boxes of valuables put here as we should send plate to the bank for safety –

Get at Stockholm, chez C.M. Carlson

Roadbook of Sweden and Norway. 1830.

i.e. ‘Vägvisare’ Roadbook, bought a little one at Upsala.

for 12 sk. banco. –

Came in at 3 ¾ – dinner at 3 55/.. to 4 20/.. – good – same as yesterday but herring-and-rice-and-potatoes-pudding with anchovy sauce instead of soup – off at 4 ¾ from Upsala alight at old Upsala at 5 ¼ – off to the tumuli close by the Dommera Cull, judges’ hill first – then the 3 tumuli of Odin, Thor and Frea – all the very near together, and the (cull, hill, collis.) 3 conical mounds very conspicuous all the way from Upsala – fine view from all especially from Frea because farthest from the church – quite close to Odin and impedes the view from him –

Good country about here – more quite clear ground (clear of stones, boulders and rock) than we have seen elsewhere – therefore land valuable here – but no forest of two miles therefore wood dear – large extensive plain on all sides – merely a few bits on the Eastern side, that one can just see encumbered with stone to remind one of being still in Sweden – the church small – not worth going into but expected (disappointed) some to see there some funeral urns found in 1 of the tumuli – fine view of Upsala – its castle looks well from here – its 2 (there are only 2) round towers (North and Northeast corners) seen, and none of the ugly pediment side seen – the 2 cathedral-towers are seen as one – and the peasants’ church tower and one other church tower are seen in one line –

Beyond Frea’s tumulus a little range of hill and the foot of this and of the tumulus itself towards the village and Upsala studded with little hillocks – on the other side the tumulus and range of hill is a little lake – Adney is sketching the church – she did the castle very nicely this morning – Old Upsala pretty little picturesque gardeny village – a peep at the little river – a minute or 2 in the old church – nothing worth seeing in it – back at the house to drink our bottle of mead at 6 5/.. excellent – good as champagne – how to make it is a secret – heirloom secret – 24 Rigs sk. per bottle – a pink mead at 48 sk. but she has none at present –

Off again at 6 25/.. in 20 minutes a little rock and boulder and Sweden again – excellent road charming evening – beautiful sunset – Hogsta should be Uggelsta single house – poor little place – could not sleep there – next stage … Andersby … 2 1/8 miles – nice open country – sowing rye and reaping it – at Dannemora no! Ӧsterby near Dannemora, at 11 5/.. – we had to call the people up – very fine day – F 62º now at midnight –

In margin: Catalogue of French books Paris and Leipzig

Initia Homerica

Christina’s cabinet

New library

order such at Shibden?

vide bottom of next page

new library

salle au seconde

Kolmorden and Elfdal marble vide bottom of last page

manner of estimating property

bishop Mennander who translated the bible into Finnish

#anne lister #ann walker #anne lister code breaker #sweden 1839 #uppsala

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