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Swedish Intervention in the Livonian War (1570s)

Type Event Region Northern Europe Time 1570–1583

Sweden, holding northern Estonia since 1561, expanded its war against Russia under John III in the 1570s;…

Timeline

  1. 1570–1574Stockholm · SwedenAfter the end of the Northern Seven Years' War, John III consolidated Sweden's existing foothold in Estonia and increased military pressure on Russia in the 1570s. Sweden did not merely 'decide to intervene' in Livonia at this point, but escalated its eastern Baltic policy since 1561 into a full-scale war against Russia.
  2. 1575–1581Estonia · EstoniaSwedish forces repeatedly clashed with Russia and Poland-Lithuania in Estonia, contesting castles and ports. After the Battle of Wenden in 1578 Poland-Lithuania gained the upper hand; Sweden consolidated Reval (Tallinn) and northern Estonia, and captured Narva and other places late in the war.
  3. 1583Plussa River · Livonian frontierOn 10 August 1583 Sweden and Russia signed the Truce of Plussa, ending the Swedish-Russian front of the Livonian War. Sweden retained most of Ingria and northern Livonia/Estonia, while Russia kept only a narrow outlet to the sea at the mouth of the Neva River.

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