Action of 7 July 1565

This battle in the Northern Seven Years' War took place on 7 July 1565 and was a decisive victory for a Swedish fleet of 49 ships, under Klas Horn, over a combined Danish and Lübecker fleet of 36 ships, under Otte Rud.

Action of 7 July 1565
Part of Northern Seven Years' War
Fighting between the Swedish and Danish flag ships St Erik and Jegermesther, drawn by Rudolf van Deventer.
Date 7 July 1565 Location Baltic Sea near Bornholm Result Swedish victory
Belligerents
Sweden	Denmark–Norway Lübeck
Commanders and leaders
Klas Horn	Otte Rud
Strength
49 ships	36 ships
Casualties and losses
3 ships lost 362 dead 523 wounded	3 ships lost Approximately 4,000 dead and wounded

Battle

The Danish Dans Christopher was sunk and Trolle drowned but some of her survivors boarded and captured the small Swedish ship St Goran. The Swedish Grip was rammed and sunk by a larger Lübeck ship, which also sank as a result. After the Swedish ship Gyllende Lejon caught fire the fleets scattered, leaving the Danish flagship, Jegermesther, unsupported and she was captured at about 9:30 pm. After this the Allies returned to Copenhagen, and the Swedes to Dalarö. Swedish vice-admiral Sten Sture and his captain, Baner, were killed.

Ships involved

Sweden

• St Erik 90 (flag)
• Finska Svan 82 (Vice Admiral Sten Sture, captain Baner)
• David 42
• Troilus 44
• Svenska Hektor 87
• Grip — rammed and sunk
• Böse Lejon 56 (ex-Danish Byens Løffue)
• St Goran — captured
• Gyllende Lejon / Forgylden Lejon — burnt
• 40 (or possibly 53?) other ships

Denmark/Lübeck

• Jegermesther 90 (flag) — captured
• Svenske Jomfru (Erik Rud)
• Dans Christopher (Nils Trolle) — sank
• Josua (Lübeck flag)
• Unknown ship (Lübeck) — sank after ramming
• 19 other Danish ships
• 12 other Lübeck ships

References

• Kloth, Herbert: "Lübecks Seekriegswesen in der Zeit des nordischen 7-jährigen Krieges 1563–1570", Zeitschrift des Vereines für lübeckische Geschichte und Altertumskunde, Vol. 21 (1923), pp. 1–51, 185–256 plus Vol. 22 (1923–25), pp. 121–52 & 325–79
• Anderson, R. C.: Naval Wars in the Baltic 1522–1850
• Lars Ericson Wolke, Martin Hårdstedt, Medströms Bokförlag (2009). Svenska sjöslag