Återerövringen

Återerövringen, or the re-conquest, refers to a series of military campaigns conducted by the Swedish Empire in the late 17th century. These campaigns were aimed at reclaiming territories that had been lost to foreign powers during the Thirty Years' War and the subsequent Swedish Deluge. The primary objective was to restore Sweden's influence and control over the Baltic region.

The re-conquest began in 1674 with the Swedish invasion of Poland, which was then under the control of the Swedish king Charles X Gustav. The campaign was successful, and Sweden reclaimed Livonia, Estonia, and Ingria. However, the subsequent campaigns were less fortunate. In 1678, Sweden suffered a significant defeat at the Battle of Fehrbellin, which marked the beginning of the end for Swedish dominance in the region.

The re-conquest campaigns were part of a broader effort to reassert Swedish power in Europe. However, they ultimately failed to achieve their objectives. The Swedish Empire's military and economic resources were stretched thin, and the campaigns were costly and time-consuming. Additionally, the Swedish king's personal rule and the lack of a strong central authority contributed to the empire's decline.

The re-conquest campaigns ended in 1697 with the Treaty of Nystad, which recognized the loss of Livonia and Estonia to the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The Swedish Empire never fully recovered from these losses, and the re-conquest campaigns are often seen as a turning point in Swedish history, marking the beginning of the empire's decline.