HISTORY RE-ENACTED! In 1718 an army of Caroleans gathered in the Åredalen valley under the command of General Armfeldt charged with the mission to invade Trondheim. Many a hardship awaited the soldiers and the campaign ended in disaster as 3 000 men froze to death in the mountains between Tydal and Handöl. A guide in the tracks of the Caroleans with maps, history, tips for experiences, activities, etc. The Carolean Death March. Illustration: Alf Lannerbäck. www.karoliner.com THEN NOW Sweden - a great power In the tracks of Armfeldt 14 year-old Karl XII acceded to the royal throne of the Explore the history and join in the tracks of the Caroleans. Here are great power Sweden in 1697. Twelve years later the great Carolean centres presenting films in historic setting, exhibitions, etc. power was weakened with the defeat in the battle of Poltava. Further losses ensued and in 1718 King Karl XII gathered his soldiers, the Caroleans, in order to invade Duved skans Norway, by way of compensation. The main force, led by From the main monument to Armfeldt’s campaign, situated on a hill the king would conquer southern Norway while a northern possibly the site of a 17th century sconce, you can overlook the site army was charged with attacking Tröndelag from Jämtland. of the sconce built in the 18th century and where the army gathered before the campaign on Norway. There is another memorial at the 18th century sconce. Mobilising in Duved The commander of the Jämtland army, Lieutenant General General Armfeldt Carl Gustaf Armfeldt was given orders to conquer From Skalstugan into Norway Trondheim within six weeks. At the point of marching off The marching route from Skalstugan is marked from Mt from Duved in August, the army consisted of 10 073 men, 6 721 horses and 2 500 fat stock together with Skalstugefjället down to Lake Feren in Meråker, and onwards to 727 farmers driving carts to help with transports. The years of poor harvests made provisioning difficult. Levring up to Stene skans. There are also information boards along At this time Åre had some 500 parishioners and all of Jämtland 14 000 inhabitants. Half of Armfeldt’s the hiking trail. Caroleans came from Finland. Stene skans The sconce has to some extent been reconstructed including a stockade and cannon. Information boards and maps have been posted. For those interested in military history there are several more The Carolean monument in Duved attractions along the valley between the Swedish border and Verdal. Rinnleiret Rinnleiret outside Levanger is a former military installation with various exhibitions and a Carolean centre, screening Carolean films. Available here is also accommodation and refreshments. At Stene skans Mobilising in Duved Stene skans The capture of Stene skans Armfeldt marched via Fersdalen in Meråker towards his first goal: Stene skans. A sham attack was made while the main force threatened the Norwegians on the sides and from behind. The commander of the Nordenfjeld army in Tröndelag, Major General Vincent Budde, ordered his dragoons to beat a fast retreat from the sconces Stene and Skåne. THEN NOW Failed attempt to reach Stjørdal Trondheim In Forradalen, where the much feared Captain The march continued towards Långström was shot, there are two memorial stones. Trondheim but the high water level in the River Stjördalsälven put a stop to A Carolean centre with exhibitions is found in the the attack. The Caroleans turned back old school by the E14 in Hegra. towards Verdal where provisioning seemed easier. The civil population had suffered hard during the years of Trondheim There are two Carolean centres in Trondheim: poor harvests and the Swedish army’s At Nidarosdomen, in Erkebispegården, is harrying did not help. Rustkammeret depicting the military history of Tröndelag through the centuries as well as of the Carolean Era. The other centre is in Kristiansten In Forradalen fästning with fabulous views of the city and the fiord. The king is annoyed King Karl XII was not satisfied with the events and in October thus ordered the immediate departure to Trondheim. The city was reached within a week. Budde had had time to mobilise his defence. Without heavy artillery the Caroleans had poor opportunities to capture the city’s fortress Kristiansten. Budde ensconced himself to outwait the enemy. Major General Budde in Kristiansten At Rustkammeret in Trondheim Captain Långström and General de la Barre Carolean Captain Peter Långström and his men spread fear in Tröndelag while carrying out reconnaissance tours. He was eventually killed in an ambush in Forradalen, Stjördal. General Reinhold Johan de la Barre, during the campaign Armfeldt’s closest man, captured the strategic prize of Röros with its rich findings of copper. Kristiansten fästning Haltdalen Haltdalen’s Carolean centre is located at The king is dead Gammelgården, where Armfeldt stayed overnight King Karl XII was shot on 30 before the death march. Adjacent is a replica November at the Fredriksten of Haltdalen’s old church where the Caroleans fortress. Armfeldt still waiting gathered for vespers. for confirmation of his death retreated in mid-December with From Gammelgården runs a marked Carolean his army towards Haltdalen. hiking trail, via Nordpå Fjellstue in the Bukkhammeren massif and there are various information boards along the route towards Tydal. In Gammelgården in Haltdalen THEN NOW The start of the Death March In the morning of Christmas Day 1718 vesper was held at the small stave church in Haltdalen. The retreat continued across Mt Bukkhammeren in a raging blizzard and 200 men died; the troops reached Tydal. The population suffered badly during the soldiers’ harrying. The fatal retreat from Tydal started early on New Year’s Day. The weather was freezing. With local women as hostages, Norwegian farmers from Tydal were forced to guide the way across the mountains. The Carolean exhibition now in the 705-senteret Tydal Here the Carolean atmosphere is tangible year round. In the 705-senteret is an exhibition and the library has a collection of Carolean literature. Many villagers are involved in the play Karolinerspelet – a unique show staged out of doors during a few cold winter evenings. The staging of the play is often combined with lectures, seminars, guided tours, etc. On the Swedish border is the mountain lodge Storerikvollen, with a marked hiking trail in the tracks of the Caroleans with information boards. Disaster strikes Storulvån Storulvån lodge has an interesting Carolean centre In their worn and torn summer uniforms, the emaciated with exhibitions, literature and films. The lodge soldiers walked into a severe snowstorm in the bare is a node for outdoor recreation and guided tours mountain region. All over there were frostbitten soldiers On horseback at Storulvån will pass by many sites with a Carolean campaign – lying, standing, crawling - the Caroleans were shattered. history. After three days the first men arrived in the three farms in Handöl. There was little help available and the barber- surgeons had to carry out many amputations. A latter find of a soapstone tablet describes the disaster: “In 1719 on 20 Handöl Jan were here buried 600 Men”. In all, about 3 000 soldiers The Carolean grave in Handöl serves as a reminder died on the mountain. of the tragic end, with a memorial stone and a monument. The Infopunkt near the small chapel describes the gruesome work done by the barber- After-effects surgeons. Inside the chapel is a soapstone tablet, once Despite the few battles the losses were substantial and the suffering severe, both for the soldiers and the marking of the mass grave. In Handöl is also a the civilians. These days’ friendly atmosphere between the neighbours in terms of friendship, family Carolean exhibition in Hanriis Café och Butik. relationships, trade and cultural joint projects are proof that the two peoples have survived the kings’ wars. The chapel in Handöl Touring by car you can visit the various Carolean centres with EXPERIENCE HISTORY! exhibitions and films. The memorials in the form of exhibitions, fortresses, On a journey in the tracks of the Caroleans you will encounter many fascinating sites and areas: scenic sconces, monuments, tablets, summits, fertile farming areas, cities and the sea. Add to this the seasonal changes and varying weather. graves, churches, reconstructed Journey in the tracks of the Caroleans (see map on the next page); hike in the tracks or try ski touring. stockades and cannons facilitate Choose between the ‘Inmarschsträckan’ (the March Route) Skalstugan - Feren - Stene and ‘Döds- the comprehension of the Carolean marschsträckan’ (the Death Route) Haltdalen - Tydal - Handöl. The routes are marked trails and there history. are information boards about the campaign. Soapstone tablet found in 1898 in Handöl with the inscrip- tion “In the year 1719 on 20 Jan were buried here 600 Men”. There are outdoor shows staged, on snow as well as on bare ground depicting the history; brief dramas Biking in the Caroleans’ tracks on and as well as major performances. off roads. Carolean theatre in Tydal, www.karolinerspelet.no Carolean theatre in Røros, www.elden-roros.no Visit www.karoliner.com for the current programme. IN THE TRACKS OF THE CAROLEANS 1718–1719 The map offers an overview of the events in 1718-1719 and serves as a guide to the experiences available presently related to the Caroleans. The dates given in the map follow the Old Style calendar, i.e. 11 days earlier than present days. Hiking / ski touring The route which the troops followed is marked in brown arrows. Where the arrows are blue we recommend that you hike in the Caroleans’ tracks. The sections via Storerikvollen – Blåhammaren – Storulvån and across Mt Bukkhammeren are well suited to hiking and ski touring.