Full resolution (TIFF) - On this page / på denna sida - XVI. Reign of Gustavus III, 1771–1792 - F. The Russian War—First Part
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294 A History of Sweden
der then that no shot hit the mark. Gustavus’ taste for
theatricals had had a practical application.
The Anjala Conspiracy. In the summer of 1788 the
king and his army were transported to Finland. The
new Swedish fleet was to defeat the Russian, and then
land troops at St. Petersburg. In the meantime the
land forces were to advance against the city and thus
enclose it from two sides. Off the Island of Hogland
in the Gulf of Finland the battle was fought creditably
by the Swedes, but it was indecisive. The fleet was
unable to penetrate to St. Petersburg. The plan to
land troops miscarried.
The king then decided to attack the city from the
land side only. But the army had not advanced far
beyond the Russian border before the hatred of the
lordly officers broke out in a meeting, which in one
stroke destroyed what had been built up during sixteen
years, and crushed all hope of a victory over a hated
foe, a mutiny so shameful that it has no parallel in
history. Now these lordly officers felt that they had a
fine opportunity to wreak vengeance on him who had
deprived them of their political power. As ground for
their mutiny they alleged the fact that the king had
no right to begin an aggressive war "without the con-
sent of the Estates. That they had thus caused their
country an irreparable loss they did not seem to
consider.
The same wretched spectacle as during the two pre-
vious wars was now repeated. It became popular
among the officers to censure everything that the king
did, speak disrespectfully of him, and treat him with
open contempt. A large number of officers conspired
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