Svend Poulsen | |
|---|---|
 Svend Poulsen Gønge (right), luring the Swedish colonel Sparre into an ambush while disguised as a Swede | |
| Nickname(s) | Gøngehøvdingen |
| Born | c. 1610 |
| Died | c. 1680 |
| Allegiance | Denmark-Norway |
| Service | Danish Army |
| Years of service | 1625-1660 1675-1679 |
| Rank | Major |
| Battles / wars | Torstenson War, Second Northern War, Scanian War |
Svend Poulsen (c. 1610 – c. 1680), also referred to as Svend Poulsen Gønge (Swedish: Svend Gjönge Povlsen) was a Danish military commander in the 17th century, serving in the armies of Christian IV, Frederick III, and Christian V. He fought in the Torstenson War, Second Northern War, and the Scanian War, and led the snaphane militia in guerilla warfare against Sweden in occupied Zealand from 1658 to 1659. He was popularized under the name Gøngehøvdingen (English: the Gønge chieftain) in 1853, when his exploits were fictionalized under that name by Danish author Carit Etlar. The historicity of his aliases has since been disputed.