Battle of Køge Bay (1677)

Battle of Køge Bay
Part of the Scanian War
Battle in Køge Bay. Painted by Claus Møinichen.
Date 1-2 July 1677 Location Køge Bay, south of Copenhagen Result Decisive Danish victory
Belligerents
Denmark	Sweden
Commanders and leaders
Niels Juel	Henrik Horn
Strength
34 ships, 6,700 men	45–47 ships, 9,200 men
Casualties and losses
Ca. 275 wounded & 100 dead	20 ships Ca. 3,000 wounded, captured & dead

The Battle of Køge Bay was a naval battle between Denmark and Sweden that took place in bay off Køge 1–2 July 1677 during the Scanian War. The battle was a major success for admiral Niels Juel and is regarded as the greatest naval victory in Danish naval history.

After losing control of the Baltic Sea in the Battle of Öland the year before, the Swedish navy wanted it back. The Danish fleet, commanded by Niels Juel, had 1,354 cannons and 6,700 men, while the Swedish fleet, commanded by Henrik Horn, had +1,792 cannons and 9,200 men.

On 20 May, Sjöblad's squadron from Gothenburg had already left, before the rest of the fleet from Stockholm had set sail. This led to the catastrophic defeat at the battle of Möen where Sjöblad's squadron of two ships of the line, six armed merchant ships (classed as frigates) and a few smaller ships (ca 400 cannons in total) fought against the superior firepower of the Danish fleet, which had about: nine ships of the line, four frigates (ca 670 cannons). In the following battle, Sjöblad's own flagship Amarant was captured and the outcome destroyed the initial Swedish plan and eventually led to the future defeat at Koge Bay.

The remaining Swedish fleet had left Dalarö, near , on 9 June 1677. On 13 June it was joined by Kalmar, off Öland, and by Andromeda and Gustavus, survivors of Sjöblad's squadron. The Danish fleet had left Copenhagen on 24 June 1677. Lack of wind forced it to anchor off Stevn's Point. At daybreak on 19 June the two fleets sighted each other.

At about 8am on 30 June, Horn weighed anchor with a SSW wind and sailed toward the Danish fleet, sending two ships to try to draw Juel out; he in turn sent two ships to attack them. Both sides kept their distance, the Swedes forming a line, followed by the Danes. Juel tried in vain all night to get the weather gauge.

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