After Swedish defeats in the Great Northern War as well as in the Russo-Swedish War of 1741-1743, there was a pressing need to construct fortifications to guard both the border as well as the coast of Finland. By 1745 Degerby (later Lovisa - ) was deemed to be a suitable location for a border fortification and to protect it from hostile naval forces a seafortress at Svartholm was required to be built. Main base of operations and a base for Swedish naval forces would be built to Sveaborg ().