1721 – The Russian Pillage

1721 was the year a Russian naval force burned and ravaged the coast of Norrland. More than a thousand burned farms, six towns, many ironworks and mills. Everything was burned except for churches. The order from the Russian tsar was to not kill civilians, only military.

The troops avoided Gävle, where the resistance was too strong, instead Söderhamn, Hudiksvall, Sundsvall, Härnösand, Umeå and Piteå were destroyed. The terror was carried out in May and June 1721. However, as early as 1710 the same thing had occurred along the coasts of Uppland and Sörmland.

Why did this happen? The answer is war. Or rather, the end of what is referred to as the Great Nordic War of 1700-1721. It put an end to the “Swedish Empire” around the Baltic Sea. Power and dominance in Northern Europe would now be redistributed. Many were involved in the hunt, Russia, France, England, Denmark, Prussia and others.

During peace negotiations, Sweden tried to gain better terms. Russia had claimed both the Baltics and Finland and could therefore deploy a large and fast galley fleet. Söderhamn burns on May 21, Hudiksvall on May 22.

When the Russians burned Piteå, Sweden accepted the terms of peace. The Russian fleet sailed home, and peace was finally established. Sweden regained Finland and was now able to rebuild the country. The royal autocracy was over and a new period, often called the “Age of Liberty”, awaited.