Siege of Fredriksten

Fredriksten fortress as seen from the harbor.

Date	November 30, 1718
Location	Fredriksten, Fredrikshald (today's Halden), Norway
Result	Danish-Norwegian victory

Belligerents

Swedish Empire

Denmark–Norway

Commanders and leaders

Charles XII of Sweden †
Carl Gustaf Armfeldt

Barthold Nicolai Landsberg

Strength

6,000

1,800

Casualties and losses

200 inclusive Charles

9 dead, 10 wounded, 19 captives, 22 died of sickness, 41 escaped, 478 got sick.

The Siege of Fredriksten was a siege of the Norwegian fortress of Fredriksten in the city of Fredrikshald, today's Halden, by Charles XII of Sweden. While inspecting his troops' lines, Charles XII was killed by a projectile that shot into the left side of his head and out of the right. The Swedes broke the siege off, and the Norwegians kept the fortress.

King Charles XII of Sweden made several campaigns into the city during the Great Northern War during his campaign to capture Denmark–Norway. At the close of the Great Northern War, the Norwegian Army had been weakened in early 1716 by withdrawal of 5000 of the best troops to Denmark. When rumors reached Christiania that Charles XII was preparing to invade, all remaining troops in Østerdal and Gudbrandsdal were ordered to the border at Halden and Fredrikstad. The Norwegians expected the Swedes to invade at Kongsvinger, Basmo and/or Halden. It was at Basmo where Charles XII struck, crossing the border March 8, 1716. The Norwegian scorched earth policy and guerrilla raid interdiction of supply chains by the residents of Bohuslen deprived Charles of supplies, while the fortresses still held by the Norwegians behind his lines threatened his supply chain and his retreat if seriously weakened in combat. Charles took Christiania (now Oslo), but without heavy siege artillery, was unable to take Akershus.

After a brief occupation, Charles retraced his steps to the Norwegian fortresses in southeastern Norway with the objective of capturing Frederiksten. This would remove the threat at his back, and the fortifications could serve as the base for a renewed offensive later that year. Capturing the harbours at the mouth of the Glomma river would also allow him to land the necessary provisions for a successful siege of Akershus.

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