The Treaty of Stettin ( or Fördraget i Stettin) or Alliance of Stettin () was the legal framework for the occupation of the Duchy of Pomerania by the Swedish Empire during the Thirty Years' War.Sturdy (2002), p. 59 Concluded on 25 August (O.S.) or 4 September 1630 (N.S.), it was predated to 10 July (O.S.) or 20 July 1630 (N.S.), the date of the Swedish Landing.In the 17th century, the Julian calendar was used in the region, which then was ten days late compared to the Gregorian calendar:Swedish invasion: 10 July – Julian, 20 July – Gregorian;Treaty: 25 August – Julian, 4 September – Gregorian.Langer (2003), p. 406Heitz (1995), p. 220 Sweden assumed military control, and used the Pomeranian bridgehead for campaigns into Central and Southern Germany.Parker (1997), pp. 120ff After the death of the last Pomeranian duke in 1637, forces of the Holy Roman Empire invaded Pomerania to enforce Brandenburg's claims on succession, but they were defeated by Sweden in the ensuing battles.Heitz (1995), pp. 223–229 Some of the Pomeranian nobility had changed sides and supported Brandenburg.Heitz (1995), p. 225 By the end of the war, the treaty was superseded by the Peace of Westphalia (1648) and the subsequent Treaty of Stettin (1653), when Pomerania was partitioned into a western, Swedish part (Western Pomerania, thenceforth Swedish Pomerania), and an eastern, Brandenburgian part (Farther Pomerania, thenceforth the Brandenburg-Prussian Province of Pomerania).Heitz (1995), p. 232
Background
Following the Capitulation of Franzburg in 1627, the Duchy of Pomerania was occupied by forces of Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor, under command of Albrecht von Wallenstein.Langer (2003), p. 402 The Swedish intervention in the Thirty Years' War began with the active military support of Stralsund,Heckel (1983), p. 143 a Pomeranian Hanseatic port which since the Battle of Stralsund successfully resisted imperial occupation with Danish and Swedish support.Press (1991), p. 213 Sweden and Stralsund concluded an alliance scheduled for twenty years.Olesen (2003), p. 390 The Danish campaigns in Pomerania and other parts of the Holy Roman Empire ended with the Battle of Wolgast in 1628 and the subsequent Treaty of Lübeck in 1629.Heckel (1983), p. 143 Except for Stralsund, all of Northern Germany was occupied by forces of the emperor and the Catholic League.Lockhart (2007), p. 168 In 1629, the emperor initiated the Re-Catholization of these Protestant territories by issuing the Edict of Restitution.Kohler (1990), p. 37
The Truce of Altmark ended the Polish–Swedish War (1626–1629) in September 1629, releasing the military capacities needed for an invasion of the Holy Roman Empire. Plans of Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden for such an intervention were approved of by a Riksdag commission already in the winter of 1627/28, approval by the Riksråd followed in January 1629.Theologische Realenzyklopädie I (1993), p. 172
On 26 June (O.S.)Ringmar (1996), p. 5 or 6 July (N.S.) 1630,Schmidt (2006), p. 49 Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden with a fleet of 27 ships arrived at the island of Usedom and made landfall near PeenemündeOakley (1992), p. 69 with 13,000 troops (10,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry on thirteen transport ships). The core of the invasion force consisted of trained peasants, recruited to the Swedish army following Gustavus Adolphus' military reforms of 1623.The Swedish military reform of 1623 divided the Lands of Sweden into nine military recruitment districts, each of which had to provide 3,600 soldiers. Able peasants between 15 and 60 years of age were put into selection groups of ten people each, and one of each group was recruited. On the one hand, this system reduced Sweden's war costs – on the other hand, it led to rebellions, desertions, and emigration from sparsely populated districts. Kroll (2003), pp. 143–144. See also: Swedish allotment system.Kroll (2000), p. 143 The western flank of the Swedish invasion force was cleared from Stralsund, which served as the basis for Swedish forces clearing Rügen and the adjacent mainland from 29 March until June 1630.Olesen (2003), p. 394 The officially stated Swedish motives were: Exclusion of Sweden from the Treaty of Lübeck (1629),Schmidt (2006), p. 50 Imperial support for Poland in the Polish–Swedish War (1626–1629), Liberation of German Protestantism,Basically referring to the principle of cuius regio, eius religio as determined in the Peace of Augsburg (1555) Restitution of German liberty. The Swedish landing force faced Albrecht von Wallenstein's imperial occupation forces in Pomerania, commanded by Torquato Conti.Porshnev (1995), p. 180 Large parts of the imperial army were pinned down in Italy and unable to react.Oakley (1992), p. 70 Wallenstein, who two years before had expelled the Danish landing forces at the same place was about to be dismissed. On 9 July, Swedish forces took Stettin (now Szczecin), but throughout 1630 were content with establishing themselves in the Oder estuary.
The treaty and amendments
The first draft of a Swedish-Pomeranian alliance, which the Pomeranian ducal councillors had worked out since 20 July 1630 (N.S.), was rejected by Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. A second draft was returned to the council together with a list of modifications Sweden insisted on. On 22 August (N.S.), actual Swedish-Pomeranian negotiations started, which Gustavus Adolphus on 1 September (N.S.) joined in person. The final negotiations lasted from 2–4 September (N.S.).
The actual agreement was made on 25 August (O.S.) or 4 September (N.S.), but pre-dated to 10 July (O.S.) or 20 July 1630 (N.S.). The alliance was to be "eternal".Nordisk familjebok 21, p. 1327 The treaty also included the alliance with Stralsund of 1628, which was concluded when the town resisted the Capitulation of Franzburg and was thus besieged by Albrecht von Wallenstein's army.
Subsequent treaties were the "Pomeranian Defense Constitution""Pommersche Defensivverfassung" of 30 August 1630 (O.S.), and the "Quartering Order""Quartierordinnance" of 1631. The Swedish king and the high-ranking officers were given absolute control over the duchy's military affairs,"Kriegs-Regiment" while the political and ecclesial power remained with the dukes, nobles, and towns. The duchy's foreign affairs were to be within the responsibility of the Swedish crown. The amending treaties were necessary because the Pomeranian nobility had insisted on having the shift in military control of the duchy to Sweden separate from the Swedish-Pomeranian alliance.
The Pomeranian contributions detailed in the treaties amounted to an annual 100,000 Talers. Furthermore, Pomerania was obliged to supply four Swedish garrisons.Heitz (1995), p. 221
The alliance
Implementation in Pomerania
When Bogislaw XIV, Duke of Pomerania had concluded the alliance, he immediately wrote a letter to Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor, reading "This union is not directed against the majesty of the Emperor or the Empire, but is rather designed to maintain the constitution of the Empire in its ancient state of liberty and tranquillity, and to protect the religious and secular settlements against the ravagers and disturbers of the public peace, and thereby not only to leave intact the relationship which binds us, Bogislaw XIV [...] to His Imperial Roman Majesty [...] but also to preserve our lawful duty and obligations to the same."Sturdy (2002), pp. 59–60 Bogislaw XIV further blamed the "barbarities and cruelties of the Imperial soldiers" for leaving him no choice.Porshnev (1995), p. 176 Yet, Ferdinand II did not forgive Bogislaw XIV, and instead the imperial occupation forces in Pomerania were instructed to act even more harshly. As a consequence, raids were conducted frequently, buildings and villages were burned, and the population was tormented. The imperial atrocities became one argument for the Pomeranian population to support Sweden. Another argument was that in contrast to Pomerania, there was no serfdom in Sweden, and thus the Pomeranian peasants held a very positive view of the Swedish soldiers, who were in fact peasants in arms.Porshnev (1995), p. 179
With the aforementioned treaties, Sweden included the Pomeranian duchy in her military contributions' system, enabling her to triple the size of her forces there within a short period. In 1630, Carl Banér was appointed Swedish legate in Stettin, succeeded in 1631 by Steno or Sten Svantesson Bielke,Sten Svantesson Bielke (1598-1638). Not to be confused with Sten Bielke the Younger (1624-1684, Swedish rigsrådet). Backhaus (1969), p. 19. Droste (2006), p. 423Backhaus (1969), p. 19 who in 1630 was the Swedish commander in Stralsund.
From the Oder estuary bridgehead, the Swedish forces subsequently cleared the Duchy of Pomerania of imperial forces in 1631.Theologische Realenzyklopädie I (1993), p. 175 The Pomeranian towns of Gartz (Oder) and Greifenhagen (now Gryfino), both south of Stettin, were attacked on 4 and 5 January 1631. The imperial occupation forces had established a defense in both towns since 4 and 7 June 1630.Heitz (1995), p. 219 With these taken, Sweden was able to advance further south into Brandenburg, and west into Western Pomerania and Mecklenburg. The last imperial stronghold in Pomerania was Greifswald, which was besieged by Sweden since 12 June 1631. When imperial commander Perusi was shot during a ride, the imperial garrison surrendered on 16 June. Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden even returned from Brandenburg to supervise the siege, and upon his arrival received the university's homage for the liberation.
Support for Sweden among the peasants did not fade even when they were mobilized and recruited for military construction works. A different situation emerged in the towns, where burghers were often in conflict with the garrison. While the Swedish king issued several decreesArtikelbriefe ruling and restricting the interaction of soldiers and burghers, this did not prevent "turmoils against the undisciplined soldatesca" already in 1632.Langer (2003), p. 407 The larger towns often refused to fulfill the demands of the Swedish military.
+Major Swedish fortifications in Pomerania"Main fortress"(Hauptfestung)"Small fortress"(Kleine Festung)Major sconce(Schanze)LocationSoldiers in fall 1630LocationSoldiers in fall 1630LocationSoldiers in fall 1630Stettin(now Szczecin)4,230Anklam400BrandshagenndStralsund3,130Damm(now Szczecin-Dabie)280Damgarten(now part of Ribnitz-Damgarten)ndDemmin830PeenemündendGreifswald(taken in June 1631)Neue Fähr (Rügen)ndKolberg(now Kolobrzeg)1,000TribseesndWolgast990Wieck(now part of Greifswald)1,050Wollin (town)(now Wolin)ndData obtained from Langer (2003), pp. 397–398, citing the contemporary Swedish military administration.nd: No data cited. The number of units in the sconces varied. Langer (2003), p. 397.
Bridgehead for the Swedish intervention in the Holy Roman Empire
When Gustavus Adolphus landed in Pomerania, the German Protestant nobility met his intervention with distrust.Lorenzen (2006), p. 67 In April 1631, at a convention in Leipzig, they decided to set up a third front on their own,Schmidt (2006), p. 51 and except for Magdeburg, who had allied with Sweden already on 1 August 1630, did not side with Sweden. In Swedish strategy, Magdeburg was to be the spark inflaming a "universal rebellion in Germany" – yet initially this strategy failed.
In early 1631, Swedish forces advanced into Brandenburgian territory. On 23 January 1631, Sweden concluded an alliance with France in Brandenburgian Bärwalde (now Mieszkowice) near Greiffenhagen. Brandenburgian Frankfurt (Oder) and Landsberg (Warthe) (now Gorzow) were taken on 15 and 23 April, respectively. Subsequently, Brandenburg was forced into treaties with Sweden on 14 May, 20 June and 10 September 1631. While these obliged George William, Elector of Brandenburg to hand over control of the Brandenburgian military to Sweden, he refused to enter an alliance.