The siege of Kalmar occurred in 1611 during the Kalmar War and constituted the major part of an intensive conflict between Denmark–Norway and Sweden for control of the strategically important city of Kalmar and its castle. For centuries, Kalmar was, from a strategic point of view, considered 'to be the key to Sweden'. The country that was in charge of the city with its fortified castle would reign over the Kalmar Strait and have free access to the north, along the Swedish east coast towards Stockholm. From this southern fulcrum in Sweden, a land-based attack against Danish territory and a naval attack with the Swedish navy could have been made possible.

Quick Facts Date, Location ...

Siege of Kalmar
Part of the Kalmar War
Date May 3 - August 3, 1611 Location Kalmar, Småland, Sweden Result Danish victory
Belligerents
Sweden	Denmark–Norway
Commanders and leaders
Bo Bååt Jakob Snakenborg Peder Hammarskjöld	Christian IV Sven Sehested
Strength
770 foot soldiers 100 cavalry 200-400 armed city residents	4,500 foot soldiers 1,200 cavalry Later on 7,000 men
Casualties and losses
700 dead	200 dead

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The battle of Kalmar occurred during the summer in the same year.

• F.H. Jahn: Historie om Kalmarkrigen Köpenhamn, 1820 (in Danish)
• Axel Larsen: Kalmarkrigen: et Bidrag til de nordiske Riges Krigshistorie - efter trykte og utrykte kilder Köpenhamn, 1889 (in Danish)
• Jonas Hedborg: Kungl. artilleriet. Yngre vasatiden 1985 (in Swedish)