Norway now saw a period of peace lasting for half a decade. Relations with England was strengthened, and it was soon clear that England and Norway was alone against the rest of the world. France, Spain and Austria, the three largest kingdoms on continental Europe, hated us and our Lutheran ways, and our relaxed religious tolerance, who allow even more reformist Lutherans place in our country does not help. Austria and Spain has even gone so far as to redefine their catholic beliefs to further spread it. Will we see a new reconquista, but this time against "unlawful" christians? To our east, Sweden and Novgorod was sharpening their swords, for Norway had done nothing to reestablish good relations with them.
In all of this, a new Norwegian powerbase was being built, in Vinland. English settlers were to our south and even to our norths. To the west, more inland, were bigger tribes of Skrælinger, or Trolls as it would be in the language of our English allies and friends. A plan was made to take over their fragile tribal kingdom, but first our base had to be strengthened.
And so it went, for 50 years, until 1613. And the Swedes declared war and their allies, the Danes, joined them. As their main army marched north and turned east, to Österbotten, our two armies marched into Bohuslen and Västerbotten. Our army in Østlandet was intercepted by a minor Danish force and summarily crushed. The 50 years of peace had been well spent. A general by the name of Lars Larsson, an orphan which had been trained to be a soldier for all his life and was now a general, led the army going from Østlandet to Bohuslen. Once in Bohuslen, Larsson routed the 6k Swedish/Danish army there and laid siege to Göteborg.
Meanwhile, in the north, Österbotten and Västerbotten had been sieged by Sweden and Norway respectively. Our army had been the sole concern of the paranoid Norwegian Council, and also of mine, thus our army was on par with the Swedish and Danish one, though outnumbered. Quality was the issue though, not quantity. But where we could, we would avoid the huge battles. Before winter set in, Västerbottens fortress was assaulted and taken, but not without losses. 2.500 Swedish forces killed 4.000 Norwegian soldiers, leaving our northern army with only 9.000 men.
In Scotland, rebellions had started to flare up. Our army there was busy on two occations, and at the same time was attacked by a Swedish force. The force cannot have anticipated any major forces as it was only 2k big, versus our 9k force. After the rebellions had been subdued, the siege of Edinburgh was broken. The 4k losses to our force in Scotland meant it wouldn't take alot to break Norwegian dominance of Scotland.
In Sweden then, Lars Larssons force outside Göteborg had been routed all the way south to Skåne. The Swedes, obviously thinking the Danes would take care of Larsson, left him alone, but no Danish army was in Skåne to welcome him. He then continued north, laid siege to Stockholm for a short while before marching North again. Once he arrived in Västerbotten, he saw the situation in the North was precarious, to say the least. Both Österbåtten and Västerbotten had fallen to Sweden, and they now had a moral victory over Norway with more provinces being controlled. At this time the council had had enough of this war, and wanted to sign a white peace with Sweden. The King had to be counselled day in and day out, but he held the pressure, and the war continued.
Larsson, seeing the situation in the north marched to Österbotten first. Winter was setting again, and at christmas 1614, he arrived at Vasa where he was welcomed as a liberator, not a conqueror. This land would not be lost to the Swedes! The Swedish soldiers in Vasa held out until April, when they surrendered, asking only for food. And as summer neared, the second Norwegian army, who had received reinforcements in the form of new recruits, marched to Västerbotten. Word then reached the two armies that Oslo was under siege, and that time was precarious. Västerbotten was again assaulted, this time at a greater cost. The 12k Norwegian force lost almost 6k troops to the Swedes before the assaults were over. Larsson had now went from Österbotten to Lappland, and then continuing south, where he encountered a 13k Swedish army. Battle ensued and out general, the hero as he is now, soundly beat the Swedes!
Thus, as the results reached Stockholm, a peace overture was made and peace was signed. Norway had expanded again, at the expense of Sweden, by adding Västerbotten Len to it's territory.
In all of this, a new Norwegian powerbase was being built, in Vinland. English settlers were to our south and even to our norths. To the west, more inland, were bigger tribes of Skrælinger, or Trolls as it would be in the language of our English allies and friends. A plan was made to take over their fragile tribal kingdom, but first our base had to be strengthened.
And so it went, for 50 years, until 1613. And the Swedes declared war and their allies, the Danes, joined them. As their main army marched north and turned east, to Österbotten, our two armies marched into Bohuslen and Västerbotten. Our army in Østlandet was intercepted by a minor Danish force and summarily crushed. The 50 years of peace had been well spent. A general by the name of Lars Larsson, an orphan which had been trained to be a soldier for all his life and was now a general, led the army going from Østlandet to Bohuslen. Once in Bohuslen, Larsson routed the 6k Swedish/Danish army there and laid siege to Göteborg.
Meanwhile, in the north, Österbotten and Västerbotten had been sieged by Sweden and Norway respectively. Our army had been the sole concern of the paranoid Norwegian Council, and also of mine, thus our army was on par with the Swedish and Danish one, though outnumbered. Quality was the issue though, not quantity. But where we could, we would avoid the huge battles. Before winter set in, Västerbottens fortress was assaulted and taken, but not without losses. 2.500 Swedish forces killed 4.000 Norwegian soldiers, leaving our northern army with only 9.000 men.
In Scotland, rebellions had started to flare up. Our army there was busy on two occations, and at the same time was attacked by a Swedish force. The force cannot have anticipated any major forces as it was only 2k big, versus our 9k force. After the rebellions had been subdued, the siege of Edinburgh was broken. The 4k losses to our force in Scotland meant it wouldn't take alot to break Norwegian dominance of Scotland.
In Sweden then, Lars Larssons force outside Göteborg had been routed all the way south to Skåne. The Swedes, obviously thinking the Danes would take care of Larsson, left him alone, but no Danish army was in Skåne to welcome him. He then continued north, laid siege to Stockholm for a short while before marching North again. Once he arrived in Västerbotten, he saw the situation in the North was precarious, to say the least. Both Österbåtten and Västerbotten had fallen to Sweden, and they now had a moral victory over Norway with more provinces being controlled. At this time the council had had enough of this war, and wanted to sign a white peace with Sweden. The King had to be counselled day in and day out, but he held the pressure, and the war continued.
Larsson, seeing the situation in the north marched to Österbotten first. Winter was setting again, and at christmas 1614, he arrived at Vasa where he was welcomed as a liberator, not a conqueror. This land would not be lost to the Swedes! The Swedish soldiers in Vasa held out until April, when they surrendered, asking only for food. And as summer neared, the second Norwegian army, who had received reinforcements in the form of new recruits, marched to Västerbotten. Word then reached the two armies that Oslo was under siege, and that time was precarious. Västerbotten was again assaulted, this time at a greater cost. The 12k Norwegian force lost almost 6k troops to the Swedes before the assaults were over. Larsson had now went from Österbotten to Lappland, and then continuing south, where he encountered a 13k Swedish army. Battle ensued and out general, the hero as he is now, soundly beat the Swedes!
Thus, as the results reached Stockholm, a peace overture was made and peace was signed. Norway had expanded again, at the expense of Sweden, by adding Västerbotten Len to it's territory.
