Siege of Sveaborg
Sveaborg (Suomenlinna), Helsinki, Finland
What happened
Russian forces under Friedrich Wilhelm von Buxhoeveden and Jan Pieter van Suchtelen besieged the Swedish sea fortress commanded by Carl Olof Cronstedt. After taking Helsingfors (Helsinki), the Russians bombarded the island fortress of Sveaborg. Cronstedt agreed to surrender if Swedish help did not arrive by 3 May. It did not come, and he handed over the fortress, its garrison and its fleet.
Why it matters
It is often seen as the decisive event of the Finnish War. Sweden lost its archipelago fleet, making it much harder to supply its army in Finland.
What came next
Russia took all of Finland by autumn 1808. Sweden gave up Finland in the Treaty of Fredrikshamn in 1809.
Did you know?
Sveaborg, now called Suomenlinna, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Timeline
- 2 Mar 1808Russians take Helsingfors.
- 6 Apr 1808Cronstedt agrees to a conditional surrender.
- 3 May 1808Sveaborg surrenders.
- 1991Named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.