Author Topic: "Galten och Suggan" (Boar and Sow)  (Read 778 times)

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Offline Cannoneer

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"Galten och Suggan" (Boar and Sow)
« on: April 14, 2012, 08:13:33 AM »
These two unique Russian guns were taken as war trophies by Sweden around the beginning of the 17th century.

This photo was taken circa 1890 in Mariefred, Sodermanland, SE.
   

http://www.sim1.se/swe/castle/grips/grips_01.html

The cannons
“These are the two Russian cannons you can see in the courtyard of Gripsholm castle.
The bigger cannon was cast in 1579 and the smaller one in 1577. The cannons are quite big, and they are actually much larger than most cannons of that time. Both cannons were captured during the war and dragged back to Gripsholm Castle in 1623. Originally both cannons were called 'The Wulf'. One of them, they don't know which, was taken at Narva in 1581and [sic] the other at Ivangorod in 1612.
The Swedes renamed the cannons though into "The Boar" and "the Sow". The story goes that they were so annoyed by the task of dragging the big cannons through the mud all the way back to Sweden, that they gave they gave [sic] them pig names :-)”

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pakuwibowo/5984118813/sizes/o/in/photostream/
"The inscriptions tell us that the bigger cannon was cast in 1579 and the smaller in 1577. Both were named "The Wolf". One of them, we don't know which, was taken at Narva in 1581, and the other at Ivangorod in 1612. Both were brought to Gripsholm Castle in 1623."


http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n417/BoomJ100/TheBoarandtheSowtworussiancanonsfromtheendofthe16thcenturyattheGripsholmcastleinMariefredSweden5.jpg

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n417/BoomJ100/TheBoarandtheSowtworussiancanonsfromtheendofthe16thcenturyattheGripsholmcastleinMariefredSweden4.jpg

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n417/BoomJ100/TheBoarandtheSowtworussiancanonsfromtheendofthe16thcenturyattheGripsholmcastleinMariefredSweden3.jpg

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n417/BoomJ100/TheBoarandtheSowtworussiancanonsfromtheendofthe16thcenturyattheGripsholmcastleinMariefredSweden1.jpg

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n417/BoomJ100/TheboarandthesowThisphotowastakenonJuly152004inMariefredSodermanlandSE.jpg

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n417/BoomJ100/TheboarandthesowThisphotowastakenonJuly152004inMariefredSodermanlandSE2-1.jpg

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n417/BoomJ100/TheBoarandtheSowtworussiancanonsfromtheendofthe16thcenturyattheGripsholmcastleinMariefredSweden2.jpg

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n417/BoomJ100/TheboarandthesowThisphotowastakenonJuly152004inMariefredSodermanlandSE1.jpg

Andy Chou
http://www.flickr.com/photos/andychou/2226279188/sizes/l/in/set-72157603812615561/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/andychou/2225472569/sizes/l/in/set-72157603812615561/



RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline BoomLover

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Re: "Galten och Suggan" (Boar and Sow)
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2012, 08:18:31 AM »
 ;D that is a beautiful pair of cannon! Thanks for posting them, along with the links for the closeups...
"Beware the Enemy With-in, for these are perilous times! Those who promise to protect and defend our Constitution, but do neither, should be evicted from public office in disgrace!

Offline cannonmn

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Re: "Galten och Suggan" (Boar and Sow)
« Reply #2 on: April 14, 2012, 10:08:45 AM »
"Dear Santa, do you mind if I change my list just once more, there are only two things I want now, only TWO, and you can pick 'em up on your way south!"

Offline Cannoneer

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Re: "Galten och Suggan" (Boar and Sow)
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2012, 08:36:30 AM »
The Swedish troops were supposedly angry enough about having to lug the two ‘wolves’ home, that they renamed them pigs; so could you imagine the vile names that Donner and Blitzen would give them, if they had to haul both these bronze beasts across the sky to Washington DC.
It appears like this may be an apocryphal story, because it’s only logical to think that the Swedes would have been filled to bursting with pride at having bested the Russians in battle, and at having gotten these two magnificent trophies to Gripsholm Castle (no matter how difficult a task it was getting them there). In any case, according to this author, at that time Swedes would have considered “Boar and Sow” to be terms of endearment.

The Elder Edda and Ancient Scandinavian Drama by Bertha S. Phillpotts
http://books.google.com/books?id=HwtKAL26kOoC&pg=PA169&lpg=PA169&dq=the+boar+and+the+sow+gripsholm+castle

linssimato
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fonsen/4890464682/sizes/l/in/photostream/

henrikj
http://www.flickr.com/photos/henrikj/4226623358/sizes/o/in/photostream/

foje64
http://www.flickr.com/photos/foje64/2885192963/sizes/o/in/photostream/

AlaskaFlyRod
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25858013@N02/2453942184/sizes/l/in/photostream/

Wikipedia
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Galten_och_Suggan_Gripsholm_18_sept_2009.jpg
RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.