- published: 05 May 2014
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Karlshamn is a locality and the seat of Karlshamn Municipality in Blekinge County, Sweden. It had 19,075 inhabitants in 2010, out of 30,918 in the municipality (2009).
Karlshamn received a Royal Charter and city privileges in 1664, when King Charles X Gustav, in Swedish Karl, realized the strategic location near the Baltic Sea. In 1666 the town was named Karlshamn, meaning Karl's Port in honour of the Swedish king.
At the outlet of the stream Mieån was found a harbour and fishing village "Bodekull" and a farm "Bodetorp". In the lower parts of "Mörrumsån" was a prosperous salmon fishery.
Sweden gained supremacy over the territory through Treaty of Roskilde 1658. The king Charles X Gustav immediately inspected the coast and found here a tremendously beautiful and incomparable harbour. Fortifications designed by Erik Dahlberg were erected on Boön 1659 and on Friesholmen 1675, called "Kastellet". Troops loyal to the Danish king attacked the town twice in 1676-78. The location attracted foreign merchants and in 1664 royal privileges were issued to establish a town named after the king, meaning "Karl's Port". The settlement expanded rapidly to count 647 citizens in the year 1700. Pestilence reduced the population in 1710.