Jacob de la Gardie and military enterprise during the Ingrian war (1609 – 1617) Jaakko Björklund (MA, MSc) University of Helsinki [email protected] Business of War in the Early Modern period • Warfare in the 16th and early 17th century highly privatized • Recruitment, management, organization, equipping, supply and finance of military forces • A large pan-European (and global) economy • Traditional negative view to private agents in war: • Immoral, inneficient, expensive, untrustworthy? • Privatized war a historical dead end in the narrative of the development of centralized nation states? 25.1.2019 [email protected] 2 The argument • I argue for a more balanced view, recognizing the (potential) effectiveness and indispensability of military enterprisers • Efficient use of private networks and access to otherwise inaccessible resources at lower transaction costs • Devolution of organizational responsibility to manageurial experts, and the commitment of this personnel behind a common venture Objectives 1. Assess the role of private military enterprisers with regards to the supply of the Swedish army 2. Develop a more detailed understanding of the business model and operational practices of military enterprisers 25.1.2019 [email protected] 3 The Ingrian war (1609 – 1617) • A fruitful (and understudied) war, which propelled Sweden towards imperial expansion • A formative phase in Swedish state development • Swedish military over-commitment: • Polish-Swedish War in Baltics 1600 – 1629 • Ingrian war in Russia 1609 – 1617 • Kalmar War vs. Denmark 1611 – 1613 • Älvsborg’s ransom 1613 - 1619 25.1.2019 [email protected] 4 Jacob De la Gardie • De la Gardie’s military entrepreneurship: • Recruitment • ”Business of the regiment / company” • Equipment purchases (clothes, horses, armament) • Grain supply • Money lending • Private business attached to official state business • Multiple overlapping roles • Commander, royal servant • Administrator (Novgorod) • Private enterpriser • Diplomat 25.1.2019 [email protected] 5 Win – win? • The crown • Nöteborg and Kexholm annexed • Secure eastern border • De la Gardie • Crown debts repaid with enfeofments • Social and political capital 25.1.2019 [email protected] 6.