Sir James Saumarez was in command of the British forces in the Baltic for four more years after his initial campaign (1809–1812) and a small British force was present even later. The main work, however, had been done in his first year, 1808. The pattern of that year was repeated in 1809: minor conflicts in Danish waters, and a deep penetration by the main fleet as far as the Gulf of Finland. But, apart from near Denmark, the British did little fighting, though the Swedes and Russians were busy. In 1810–1811 naval activity was even less, but the events of 1812 included considerable Royal Naval action throughout the Baltic.

The change between 1809 and 1810 was the result of political and diplomatic developments late in 1809, but these had been in effect signalled earlier in the year, before Saumarez had even arrived. In March the Swedish army menacing Norway revolted against King Gustav IV Adolf. When the news reached Stockholm a dormant nobles’ plot sprang to life. The king was detained, his uncle Karl, duke of Södermanland, was made regent, and a new Riksdag called for 1 May. Meanwhile a new late-winter Russian offensive recaptured the Åland Islands and brought a Russian army across the Gulf of Bothnia to seize several places along the north Swedish coast.

When Saumarez arrived at Gothenburg in Victory on 4 May, therefore, the political condition of the Baltic seemed especially unstable. The British government was wary of the revolutionaries in Stockholm, who included some unsettlingly radical and pro-French elements. Saumarez had to feel his way through the political thickets, both Swedish and British (yet another British administration collapsed during the year). He was unable to deal officially with the new government until it was recognized in London. He did, however, fully appreciate that what Sweden needed above all was a period of peace under whatever government was in power. It would certainly not have had that under Gustav Adolf.

Meanwhile in April and May there were similar minor fights in Danish waters to those that had occurred the year before. The intensity and frequency of the fighting was, however, much lessened. Two British ships captured the Danish sloop Aalborg (6) as it escorted a convoy in the Skagerak in March, but a British raid on Fladstrand in April was driven off by gunboats.