Truce of Altmark

Quick Facts: Who was Truce of Altmark?

Subject:

Truce of Altmark

Known for:

The 1629 peace treaty ending the Polish-Swedish War, crucial for Gustavus Adolphus's path to the Thirty Years' War.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The six-year Truce of Altmark (or Treaty of Stary Targ, Polish: Rozejm w Altmarku, Swedish: Stillståndet i Altmark) was signed on 26 September [O.S. 16 September] 1629 in the village of Altmark (Stary Targ), in Poland, by the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden, with help from Richelieu's envoy Charnacé, ending the Polish–Swedish War (1626–1629), and freeing King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden to enter the Thirty Years' War. The truce allowed Sweden to retain control of Livonia. Sweden also evacuated most of the Duchy of Prussia but kept the coastal cities.

Career & Major Achievements

Poland had other Swedish gains returned from the 1625 invasion. Most of Livonia north of the Daugava River was ceded to Sweden (Swedish Livonia), but Latgale, the southeastern area, remained under Polish rule.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Sweden received the right to two third of all the shipping tolls at Polish ports, such as at Gdańsk (Danzig) and Elbląg (Elbing) and from the Duchy of Prussia, for six years. The shipping tolls financed Sweden's involvement in the Thirty Years' War.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1625: 1625 Milestone — Poland had other Swedish gains returned from the 1625 invasion.
2. 1629: 1629 Milestone — 16 September] 1629 in the village of Altmark (Stary Targ), in Poland, by the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and Sweden, with help from Richelieu's envoy Charnacé, ending the Polish–Swedish War (1626–1629), and freeing King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden to enter the Thirty Years' War.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Truce of Altmark

True or False: “True or False: The primary financial purpose of the tolls secured by Sweden in the Altmark Treaty was to fund its participation in the Thirty Years' War.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): The treaty explicitly stipulated that the right to collect two-thirds of the shipping tolls at Polish ports was intended to finance Sweden's involvement in the escalating Thirty Years' War.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abbas the Great — Historical peer (Died in 1629) (1629): Fifth Safavid Shah of Iran, considered one of the greatest rulers in Iranian history.
• Alexis of Russia — Historical peer (Born in 1629) (1629): Tsar of All Russia, second Romanov to rule, known for legal reforms and wars.
• Christina, Queen of Sweden — Historical peer (Born in 1626) (1626): Queen of Sweden, known for her intellect, patronage, and dramatic abdication to Rome.
• Edmund Gunter — Historical peer (Died in 1626) (1626): English clergyman and mathematician known for Gunter's chain and logarithmic tangents.
• Giovanni Domenico Cassini — Historical peer (Born in 1625) (1625): Italian-French astronomer known for discovering Saturn's satellites and the Cassini Division.
• Honoré d'Urfé — Historical peer (Died in 1625) (1625): French novelist, best known for the pastoral romance *L'Astrée*.

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