Simon Grundel-Helmfelt

Baron Simon Grundel-Helmfelt (1617–1677) was a Swedish Field marshal.

Related Topics:
1617 - 1677 - Swedish - Field marshal

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Served in the Thirty Years' War from 1641.

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Distinguished himself at the Battle of Breitenfeld and received his first commission.

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Knighted in 1646, when he changed his name from Grundel to Grundel-Helmfelt.

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Wounded outside Rain am Lech by a musket bullet later that year.

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In 1649 promoted Colonel of the Artillery and in 1655 General of the Infantry.

Related Topics:
Colonel - General

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Appointed Governor of Riga in 1656, where he successfully defended the town against tsar Alexej and his army of 90,000 men,

Related Topics:
Governor - Riga - Alexej

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and then Governor-General of Ingria in 1659.

Related Topics:
Governor-General - Ingria

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Returned to Stockholm in 1676 to become Commander in chief of the Swedish army during the Scanian War.

Related Topics:
Stockholm - Scanian War

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Helmfelt is most notable for the overwhelming victory he won despite being heavily outnumbered at the Battle of Lund.

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He was killed in the following year at the Battle of Landskrona.

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Even if his father was the mayor of Stockholm, Helmfelt was a man of the people and though he was knighted and received the highest rank in the army, he was always a down to earth man.

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