Swedish Pomerania

Swedish Pomerania (Swedish: Svenska Pommern) was a Dominion under the Swedish Crown from the 17th to the 19th century, situated on the German Baltic Sea coast. Following the Polish War and the Thirty Years' War Sweden held extensive control over the lands on the Southern Baltic Coast including Pomerania and parts of Silesia and Prussia. At the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 Sweden received Upper Pomerania, or Vorpommern, a strip of Lower Pomerania, or Hinterpommern, with the islands of Rügen, Usedom and Wollin.

Economy

In economic terms Pomerania did not represent any gain for Sweden. Only during the administration under Fredrik Vilhelm von Hessenstein (1776-1791) did the dominion produce a surplus. (The total income in 1782 had been 250.000 Thaler.) In other terms it had represented a liability, where the main expenditures were the Fortress at Stralsund and military defences in general. The primary source of income was the "licent", the duties levied on export and import by sea. The taxes on spirits and grains brought to mill were replaced in 1672 by a personal tax, the "Quartalsteuer" (quarterly tax). The contributions to the war effort during the Thirty Years War had become a standing order and by the 18th century they had been replaced by a base tax, the "hujensteuer". The population of Swedish Pomerania were 89.000 subjects in 1766 and had reached 113.000 in 1802, with about a quarter were living on the island of Rügen.

Related Topics:
Fredrik Vilhelm von Hessenstein - Thaler - Thirty Years War - 18th century

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