Battle of Helsingborg (1362)

The Battle of Helsingborg was fought on 8 July 1362 between the Danish and Hanseatic fleets.

Battle of Helsingborg
Part of First Danish–Hanseatic War
Helsingborg in 1588, dominated by the citadel
Date 8 July 1362 Location Øresund off Helsingborg Result Danish victory
Belligerents
Denmark	Hanseatic League
Commanders and leaders
Valdemar IV	Johann Wittenborg
Strength
Ships capable of carrying 2,500 men	50 ships, 5 paid for by Sweden

As part of the ongoing trading and territorial disputes between the Hanseatic League, Sweden, and Denmark, the Hanseatic cities made an agreement with Sweden and Holstein to jointly attack Denmark, the agreed targets being Helsingborg and Copenhagen. The Mayor of Lübeck, Johann Wittenborg, was put in command of an attack force of some 50 small seagoing ships, 5 of which had been paid for by Magnus Eriksson, King of Sweden.

As Wittenborg's fleet sailed through the narrow Øresund en route for Copenhagen he was persuaded to attack the town of Helsingborg and its fortified citadel. He disembarked his fighting men and besieged the stronghold for several weeks. In the meantime Valdemar Atterdag, King of Denmark, assembled his own fleet, which was capable of carrying an army of 2,500 men, and made a surprise attack on the Hanseatic Fleet.

The Danish were victorious as most of Wittenborg's soldiers were in the town. The Hanseatic cities lost twelve of their ships and several of their nobles were captured.

On his return to Lübeck, Wittenborg was tried and executed because of his poor performance in the war. The captured nobles were later ransomed and the war brought to an end on 22 November 1365 by the peace treaty of Vordingborg.