Siege of Vordingborg
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The siege of Vordingborg (Danish: Belejringen af Vordingborg) was a siege between the Hanseatic and Danish forces at Vordingborg, Zealand during the Danish–Hanseatic War (1361–1370). The Danes managed to defend Vordingborg for two years until peace was settled at Stralsund.
Background
[edit | edit source]The Hanseatic League suffered a total military disaster at Helsingborg against Denmark in 1362, making Valdemar IV of Denmark stronger than ever.[1] In November 1367, 77 members of the Hanseatic diet held in Cologne, decided to form a confederation to attack Denmark.[1]
At the time of these conflicts, Vordingborg Castle was one of Denmark's biggest castles and Valdemar IV even used it as a residence.[2][3] The biggest of the castle's towers was the Goose Tower (Gåsetårnet), which is said to have gotten its name after a golden goose with which Valdemar VI crowned the tower. The goose symbolized the Hanseatic League, Valdemar's main enemy. He referred to the league as a bunch of squawking but otherwise harmless geese.[3]
Siege
[edit | edit source]At the outbreak of the war, the Hanseatic League would besiege Vordingborg, and a two-year-long siege would occur.[4] During the siege, the fort's commander, Hans Tyrbagh, got reinforcements from Valdemar IV.[5][6] This was unbeknownst to the Hanseatic forces, and Tyrbagh made a sortie and took many Hanseatic troops as hostage.[6][7] As a result, the two parties agreed that the Germans would retreat in return for the hostages. However this was never fulfilled, since the Hanseatic forces did not fully retreat, because of new reinforcements.[5][7]
Seeing this, Tyrbagh pretended to surrender the castle and demanded that the Germans should send some of their commanders into the castle, to discuss the matters.[5][7] Inside the castle, Tyrbagh held his promise and handed the keys over to the Germans.[5][6] However, the Hanseatic commanders would quickly be surrounded and imprisoned. Seeing this, the Hanseatic forces would retreat and abandon the siege.[5][7][6]
Aftermath
[edit | edit source]In addition to the failed siege of Vordingborg, the Zealandic castles of Korsør, Holbæk, Søborg, Gurre, and Jungshoved also held out to the end of the war.
See also
[edit | edit source]- Battle of Helsingborg (1362) – 1362 Danish victory
- Danish–Hanseatic rivalry – Medieval commercial and political rivalry between the Hanseatic League and Denmark
- Gurre Castle – Ruins of a royal castle located in North Zealand, Denmark
- Siege of Copenhagen (1368) – Siege and looting of Copenhagen by Hanseatic forces in 1368
- Siege of Kalundborg – 1341 siege in Denmark
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ a b Reisnert 2015, p. 206.
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- ^ a b c d e Reinhardt 1880.
- ^ a b c d Barfod 1885.
- ^ a b c d Both 1871.
Works cited
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