In 1659, Denmark was occupied by Sweden, but after the failed assault on Copenhagen, the swedish king Charles X Gustav withdrew large parts of his army to Funen to gain some respite. The decisive battle therefor came to be fought on Funen. On 14 November 1659, the danish-allied army reached Nyborg and took up positions outside the occupied town.

The battle took place between Lake Hjulby and the Juelsberg estate, where a main road and motorway cut through the landscape today. The swedes retreated after losing the battle, and on the morning of 15 November the danish-dutch fleet began bombarding Nyborg. The bombardment forced the swedish army to surrender unconditionally, and it is believed that 3,000 swedes surrendered. The Danes emerged victorious from the battle. 

Battlefield Studies

For many years, archaeological investigations have been carried out on the battlefield where the Battle of Nyborg took place on 14 November 1659. The danish victory led to the restoration of the danish state, but also to the loss of the Scanian provinces. From 2008 to 2014, Østfyns Museer, in collaboration with the Museums of the City of Odense, conducted a comprehensive investigation of the battlefield at Nyborg, as well as thorough studies of the many different accounts, letters, and other sources originating from the battle. 

It has been possible to locate several of the events described in the sources, and also to move beyond the written accounts through the use of archaeology. The hope is that the experience gained from the investigation can form a body of knowledge that can be actively applied when other museums face similar investigations.

Take a walk along the Battlefield 

If you enjoy walking and would like to experience the battlefield up close, you can walk along the battlefield trail. It is a very scenic route that, among other things, takes you past Lake Hjulby. The walk is approximately 4.5 km long.