Dividing system

After Charles X of Sweden's death in 1660, Sweden's territory was at its height - covering today's entire Sweden, Finland, Estonia, half Latvia (including Riga), today's S:t Petersburg, Trondheim (a big part of central Norway), parts of northern Germany and Poland, and finally the islands Åland, Gotland, Ösel, Öland and Bornholm (today, only Öland and Gotland is Swedish). Many Swedes were amazed of the big territorial expansion - but it has also caused trouble. The territories, excluding Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Åland and Öland, had been won by victories against Denmark by the treaties of Brömsebro and Roskilde 1658 (Treaty of Roskilde), the treaty of Stolbova with Russia 1617, and the peace treaty after the Thirty Years' war in 1648. Sweden's all enemies, Poland, Denmark-Norway and Russia, was interested in recovering their territorial losses. The swedes were most interested in keeping those who had been conquered, but now in peace there were no money for an army that could do that. Sweden was - like many other states in 350 years ago - poor economically. Denmark got back Trondheim and Bornholm, to give not make them so angry. But everybody knew that Sweden would be attacked sometime, and there was a great problem.

Related Topics:
Charles X of Sweden - Treaty of Roskilde - Thirty Years' war

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The young king, Charles XI of Sweden, came up with an idea in the 1670s - the Dividing system. Until now, Swedens soldiers has been recruited from peasants who were part of groups - about 10 strong, healthy men in each group. In war, the state made a conscription and took out one soldier per each group for military services, all over the nation. When more soldiers was required; another conscription was made. The peasants, who formed the big part of the population, feared the conscriptions not only cause the fear of going to war, but also because the loss of those going to war made it more difficult with the hard work on the farms. It was also very expensive with war and the state couldn't afford it.

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The new system, the Dividing system, worked as the follow:

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The new groups, squads (or 'rote', in Swedish), was about the same size. But instead of picking one from each squad, one by one, as in conscriptions, the squads should now together keep one soldier ready to go to war for the state. The rest of the squad should supply their soldier in peace with a little house to live in, and either food or some ground to make food from. They should also make his uniform after the states' instructions, some special for the area where they lived, but the rifles were made by the state itself.

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Once the country was going to war; the soldier picked up his equipment at the one in his squad who kept it, and gathered with others at an agreed meeting place. The Caroline army ('Karolinerarmén' at swedish) was formed.

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