This article is about the specific polity Kingdom of Denmark and therefore only includes events related to its territory and not to its possessions or colonies. If you are interested in the possession, this is the link to the article about the nation which includes all possessions as well as all the different incarnations of the nation.
If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this polity you can find it here:All Statistics
Is a sovereign state located in Northern Europe. The unified Kingdom of Denmark emerged in the tenth century.
Summary
The history of Denmark begins with the reign of King Harald Bluetooth, who in the 10th century unified the country and began the process of Christianizing the population. Under the Jelling dynasty, Denmark grew in power and influence, with kings like Sweyn Forkbeard and Canute the Great expanding Danish control over England, Norway, and parts of the Baltic region.
In the late Middle Ages, Denmark was part of the Kalmar Union with Norway and Sweden, though this union was often unstable. The Reformation in the 16th century led to the establishment of the Lutheran state church in Denmark. Under the Oldenburg dynasty, Denmark experienced periods of both expansion and decline, battling Sweden for control of Scandinavia.
The 17th and 18th centuries saw the rise of absolutist rule in Denmark, with the monarchy gaining increased power over the nobility. This period also saw the establishment of Danish colonies in the Caribbean, Greenland, and elsewhere. The 19th century brought liberal reforms and the loss of Norway, but also conflict with Germany over the status of the Duchy of Schleswig.
In the 20th century, Denmark experienced both occupation by Germany during World War II and postwar prosperity as part of the welfare state model.
Establishment
January 961: From c. 960 Harald Bluetooth appears to have established a kingdom in the lands of the Danes which stretched from Jutland to Skåne.
Chronology
Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation
The Frankish Kingdom was partitioned and reuinited several times as the Frankish rulers used to divide their territories equally among their heirs. This lead also to a number of wars and revolts.
1.1.Incoronation of Otto I
East Frankish King Otto I was crowned first Holy Roman Emperor.
February 962: Territorial change based on data about the borders of Denmark in 962.
Eric the Victorious was a Swedish monarch as of around 970. Since he is the first Swedish king in a consecutive regnal succession, who is attested in sources independent of each other, Sweden's list of rulers usually begins with him.
January 971: The Kingdom of Sweden was probably established by Eric the Victorious, who was king from around 970. Since he is the first Swedish king in a consecutive regnal succession, who is attested in sources independent of each other, Sweden's list of rulers usually begins with him.
The Battle of Svolder was a naval battle fought in September 999 or 1000 in the western Baltic Sea between King Olaf Tryggvason of Norway and an alliance of his enemies. After the Battle of Svolder, the victorious leaders split Norway into areas of control.
September 1000: The Battle of Svolder was a naval battle fought in September 1000 in the western Baltic Sea between King Olaf Tryggvason of Norway and an alliance of his enemies. After the Battle of Svolder, the victorious leaders split Norway into areas of control.
Were a series of ephemeral Norse-ruled personal unions between England and Scandinavian countries.
February 1014: Sweyn Forkbeard died and his realm was divided.
January 1019: Cnut the Great acquired England in 1016 and Denmark in 1018.
November 1035: After the death of Cnut the Great, the North Sea Empire was again divided into Denmark, England, and Norway.
March 1040: Harthacnut was the son of King Cnut the Great of Denmark and England. He became the ruler of both territories in 1040.
June 1042: Harthacnut died suddenly in 1042 and was succeeded by Magnus in Denmark and Edward the Confessor in England. Harthacnut was the last Dane to rule England.
Was the succesful Danish invasion of the Kingdom of England by Cnut the Great.
September 1015: Early in September 1015 Danish King sailed around Kent to Wessex, until he came to the mouth of the Frome, and harried in Dorset and Wiltshire and Somerset.
April 1016: Western Mercia conquered by Kingdom of England.
April 1016: Early in 1016, the Viking forces led by King Cnut of Denmark crossed the Thames and raided Warwickshire as part of their campaign to conquer England.
April 1016: The mid-winter assault by Cnut of Denmark devastated its way northwards across eastern Mercia.
May 1016: In 1016, King Cnut of Denmark encircled the city of London.
April 1017: The West Saxons accepted Cnut as king of all of England, and he was crowned by Lyfing, Archbishop of Canterbury, in London.
Was the invasion of northern Germany by king Canute VI of Denmark caused by disagreement with Adolf III, Count of Schauenburg and Holstein, over the possession of the island of Rügen.
September 1200: In the summer of 1200, King Knut VI of Denmark acquired the territory of Rendsburg through military occupation.
January 1201: On January 25, 1201, the army of Adolf III of Holstein and his ally Adolf I of Dassel was defeated by Danish forces near Washow. The County of Ratzeburg was occupied by Denmark.
July 1227: Battle of Bornhöved: Count Adolf IV of Schauenburg and Holstein defeated King Valdemar II of Denmark. As a result, the Danish border with the Holy Roman Empire was moved north from the Elbe river to the Eider River, the southern border of the Duchy of Schleswig.
Was a war between Denmark and Sweden which took place from 1276 to 1278. It started because of a disagreement over an agreed sum of 6,000 silver marks for Danish assistance to Magnus Birgersson in the battle against Valdemar Birgersson in 1275.
December 1276: King Magnus Ladulås of Sweden initiated the 6000-Mark war by invading the Danish provinces of Halland and Skåne in 1276. The Danish army, led by King Eric V of Denmark, managed to halt the Swedish advance near Uffo marches.
January 1277: King Magnus Ladulås of Sweden initiated the 6000-Mark war by invading the Danish provinces of Halland and Skåne in 1276. The Danish army, led by King Eric V of Denmark, managed to halt the Swedish advance near Uffo marches.
January 1278: Erik Klipping gathered a large army in 1277 and went into Västergötland which again was overcome and looted. Eric V of Denmark decided to end the campaign because it was not meant as anything other than an act of revenge in response to the Swedish king's assault on Halland and Skåne.
February 1278: Erik Klipping gathered a large army in 1277 and went into Västergötland which again was overcome and looted. Eric V of Denmark decided to end the campaign because it was not meant as anything other than an act of revenge in response to the Swedish king's assault on Halland and Skåne.
Was a war between Denmark and Norway.
January 1297: North Halland ceded to Norway.
Were a series of conflicts between France and several European monarchies between 1792 and 1815. They encompass first the French Revolutionary Wars against the newly declared French Republic and from 1803 onwards the Napoleonic Wars against First Consul and later Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. They include the Coalition Wars as a subset: seven wars waged by various military alliances of great European powers, known as Coalitions, against Revolutionary France - later the First French Empire - and its allies.
9.1.Gunboat War
Was a naval conflict between Denmark-Norway and the British during the Napoleonic Wars. The war's name is derived from the Danish tactic of employing small gunboats against the materially superior Royal Navy.
January 1814: The Treaty of Kiel was signed in 1814, ending the Napoleonic Wars. Denmark-Norway ceded Heligoland to Britain and Norway to Sweden. Denmark regained control of Anholt island as part of the agreement.
9.2.War of the Sixth Coalition
Was a war between France and a a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, and a number of German States. The coalition emerged after the decimation of the French army in the French invasion of Russia. The coalition ultimately invaded France and forced Napoleon to abdicate and go into exile.
January 1814: Swedish Pomerania, given to Denmark a year earlier in return for Norway, was ceded by Denmark to Prussia.
January 1814: The Treaty of Kiel was signed by King Frederick VI of Denmark-Norway and Crown Prince Charles John of Sweden. As a result, Norway was forced to cede to Sweden after being part of Denmark-Norway for centuries.
9.3.Congress of Vienna
Was a series of international diplomatic meetings after the end of the Napoleonic wars whose aim was a long-term peace plan for Europe. It redraw the borders of Europe and partially restored the Monarchies of the pre-revolutionary period.
October 1815: Prussia agreed to exchange Swedish Pomerania with the cession of the duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg to Denmark and assumed the Danish war debt to Sweden. The delivery via the Swedish governor to the Prussian plenipotentiary minister took place in October 1815.
Was a revolutionary wave in Europe that started in France. The revolutions were essentially democratic and liberal in nature, with the aim of removing the old monarchical structures and creating independent nation-states, as envisioned by romantic nationalism.
10.1.First Schleswig War
Was a revolt of German nationalists against Danish rule in the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein.
March 1848: On the morning of March 24, an extra train drove from Kiel to Rendsburg with the soldiers of the Kiel garrison and 50 volunteers under the command of the provisional Minister of War Prince Friedrich von Noer (brother of the Augustenburg Duke). By ringing the fire bell, it was possible to lure the unarmed soldiers of the garrison out of the fortress. Officers were granted free withdrawal, while nearly all soldiers joined the riot.
March 1848: Wishing to defeat Denmark before Prussian, Austrian, and German troops arrived to support them, 7,000 Schleswig-Holsteinish soldiers under General Krohn occupied Flensborg on 31 March.
April 1848: The Schleswig-Holstein units, led by General Krohn and Colonel Lüttichau, were defeated by Danish forces in the battle of Bau. This marked a setback for the rebel government of Schleswig-Holstein during the First Schleswig War in 1848.
April 1848: Prussian victory in battle at Oeversee.
May 1848: In 1848, during the First Schleswig War, the Schleswig-Holstein units, led by General Friedrich von Wrangel, were repelled by Danish forces in the battle of Bau. This territory later became part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
June 1848: The are of Dybbøl (Denmark) is occupied by German rebels.
July 1848: In 1848, during the First Schleswig War, Danish forces led by General Christian de Meza achieved a significant victory over the German rebels at the Battle of Dybbøl Hill. This battle was a turning point in the conflict, as it allowed the Danish government to regain control of the territory from the Schleswig-Holstein rebels.
May 1849: In 1849, during the First Schleswig War, Danish forces led by General Christian Julius de Meza successfully halted the Prussian advance through Jutland in a cavalry battle at Vejlby. This victory was a significant moment in the conflict between Denmark and the rebel government of Schleswig-Holstein.
June 1849: In 1849, during the First Schleswig War, Danish forces led by General Christian Julius de Meza successfully halted the Prussian advance through Jutland in a cavalry battle at Vejlby. This victory helped secure the territory for the Kingdom of Denmark.
July 1850: Battle of Isted.
July 1850: Danish victory in cavalry battle at Jagel.
October 1850: Danish forces resist German siege at Friedrichstadt.
November 1850: Battle of Lottorf.
April 1851: Holstein was pacified by Prussian and Austrian federal troops, and the Schleswig-Holstein army was dissolved on April 1, 1851.
Were two wars caused by the Schleswig-Holstein question (a series of issues deriving from the status of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein to the Danish Crown and to the German Confederation).
11.1.Second Schleswig War
Was a war caused by the status of the duchies of Schleswig, Holstein and Lauenburg, that were Dnish possession but at the same also part of the German confederation. When the Danish King died without an heir acceptable to the German Confederation, Prussian and Austrian troops invaded and occupied the duchies.
February 1864: On February 1, 1864, the Allies 8Prussia and Austria) crossed the Eider, the border river between Holstein and Schleswig.
February 1864: The Austrian troops reached the Sorge River.
February 1864: On February 3, 1864, heavy fighting broke out near Ober-Selk, Jagel, on the Königshügel and near Wedelspang, during which the Danes were pushed back into their entrenchments.
February 1864: Battle of Sankelmark.
February 1864: Christian Julius de Meza had the Danewerk evacuated on February 6, 1864 in order to escape the Prussian encirclement and, leaving the heavy artillery behind, retreated via Flensburg to the Düppeler Schanzen, a fortification located across from Sonderburg between Flensburg Fjord and Alsensund. return.
February 1864: The Prussian army, led by General Eduard Vogel von Falckenstein, crossed the Schlei River near Arnis on February 6, 1864. This marked the beginning of the military occupation of the territory by Prussia and Austria during the Second Schleswig War.
February 1864: In 1864, during the Second Schleswig War, Austrian forces led by General Ludwig von Gablenz captured Vejle after intense house-to-house combat against Prussian and Danish defenders. The town was then placed under military occupation by Prussia and Austria.
February 1864: On February 11 and 12, the Prussian army corps under Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia took up position on the Sundewitt peninsula, six to eight kilometers from the Schanzen.
February 1864: Some Prussian hussars, in the excitement of a cavalry skirmish, crossed the north frontier of Schleswig into Denmark proper and occupied the town of Kolding.
April 1864: The Danish army commanded by General Niels Christian Lunding, on direct order from the Minister of War, abandons Fredericia.
July 1864: Another advance of Prussian troops after crossing the Limfjord after a short fight reached the northern tip of Jutland on July 11, whereby the entire Danish mainland, a large part of the Danish kingdom itself, was occupied by Prussian and Austrian troops.
11.1.1.Bundesexekution of Holstein und Lauenburg of 1863
Was a military action by Prussia and Austria to occupy the Danish possessions of Holstein and Lauenburg at the beginning of the Second Schleswig War. It was based on a decision by the German Confederation (the two duchies were fiefs of the Confederation) and is therefore known as "Bundesexekution" (Federal execution).
11.1.1.1.German Confederation occupies Lauenburg and Holstein
Was the military occupation of the Danish possessions of Holstein and Lauenburg by Prussia and Austria at the beginning of the Second Schleswig War.
December 1863: The forces of the German Confederation occupy Büchen, Schwarzenbek, Wandsbek.
December 1863: The forces of the German Confederation occupy Altona, Pinneberg, Uetersen, Trittau.
December 1863: The forces of the German Confederation occupy Jevenstedt.
December 1863: The forces of the German Confederation occupy Rendsburg and thus whole Holstein and Lauenburg.
11.1.2.Treaty of Vienna (1864)
In the Treaty of Vienna, 30 October 1864, Denmark ceded Schleswig, Holstein and Lauenburg to Prussia and Austria. Denmark was also forced to surrender the enclaves in western Schleswig that were legally part of Denmark proper and not part of Schleswig.
October 1864: The Peace of Vienna in 1864 ended the Second Schleswig War between Denmark and the German states of Austria and Prussia. The treaty resulted in the territory of Schleswig being placed under a condominium of Austria and Prussia.
October 1864: In the Treaty of Vienna Denmark ceded Schleswig, Holstein and Lauenburg to Prussia and Austria. Denmark was also forced to surrender the enclaves in western Schleswig that were legally part of Denmark proper and not part of Schleswig, but was allowed to keep the island of Ærø (which had been administered as part of Schleswig), the town of Ribe and its surrounding land, and eight parishes from Tyrstrup Herred south of Kolding.
Was a global conflict between two coalitions, the Allies (primarily France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, Japan, and the United States) and the Central Powers (led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire). It was mainly caused by the competition of the western countries over domain in Europe and in the rest of the world with their colonial empires. The war ended with the defeat of the Central Powers. The war also caused the Russian Revolution and the ensuing Russian Civil War.
12.1.Aftermath of World War I
Were a series of treaties and military events that can be considered a direct consequence of World War I.
12.1.1.Treaty of Versailles
Was the treaty that ended the state of war between Germany and most of the Allied Powers.
June 1920: When World War I was over, the plebiscite in Northern Schleswig finally was held in early 1920; the northern part of it, around Tønder, Haderslev, Åbenra and Sønderborg, opted for Denmark. On 15 June 1920, Northern Schleswig was officially reunited with Denmark.
Was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945 (it started sooner in certain regions) between the Axis Powers (mainly Germany, Japan and Italy) and the Allies (mainly the Soviet Union, the U.S.A., the U.K., China and France). It was the war with more fatalities in history. The war in Asia began when Japan invaded China on July 7, 1937. The war in Europe began when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. The war ended with the complete defeat of the Axis powers, which were occupied by the Allies.
13.1.World War II (Eastern Theatre)
Was the Eastern European theatre of World War II.
May 1945: On 9 May Soviet troops landed on the island of Bornholm, and after a short fight, the German garrison (about 12,000 strong) surrendered.
13.2.World War II (Western Front)
Was the Western European theatre of World War II.
13.2.1.Administrative changes of occupied Denmark and its possessions during World War II
Were the administrative territorial changes of Denmark (occupied by Germany) and its overseas territories (free from German occupation) during World War II.
April 1940: Lasting approximately four hours, the German ground campaign against Denmark was one of the shortest military operations of the Second World War.
May 1945: German forces in North West Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands surrender.
May 1945: Following the liberation of Denmark and the end of World War II in Europe, the occupation of the Faroe Islands was terminated in May 1945 and the last British soldiers left in September.
Was a series of withdrawals from territories occupied by the Allies during World War II in the aftermath of the war.
April 1946: Soviet forces leave the island of Bornholm on 5 April 1946. The island was occupied since May 1945.
January 1001: Personal union of the kingdoms of England, Denmark and Norway. The first king to unite all three kingdoms was Sweyn Forkbeard, king of Denmark since 986 and of Norway since 1000.
March 1016: In 1016, Óláfr Haraldsson, also known as Saint Olaf, arrived in Norway and claimed the throne. He defeated Sveinn, the Danish king, and his allies in the battle of Nesjar, solidifying his rule over the Kingdom of Norway.
November 1035: After the death of Cnut the Great, the North Sea Empire was again divided into Denmark, England, and Norway.
January 1333: The Agreement of Helsingborg resulted in the transfer of the territory of Scania from Denmark to Sweden-Norway.
January 1333: Hven, a small island in the Öresund strait between Scania and Zealand, is acquired by Sweden in accordance to the Agreement of Helsingborg.
January 1361: The Agreement of Helsingborg provided that Scania had to be transferred back to Denmark in 1360.
January 1361: In accordance with the Treaty of Varberg, Halland is annexed by the Kingdom of Denmark.
July 1361: In 1361, Valdemar Atterdag, the King of Denmark, invaded the island of Gotland. Valdemar Atterdag was known for his military campaigns and efforts to regain Danish territories lost during the reign of his predecessors.
July 1380: When Haakon VI died in 1380, Olaf, who was already king of Denmark, also inherited the crown of Norway.
January 1817: On 7 June 1815, after 14 months under its rule, Prussia granted Saxe-Lauenburg to Sweden, receiving in return former Swedish Pomerania, however, additionally paying 2.6 million Taler to Denmark, in order to compensate Denmark for the loss of Norway. Denmark gained that ducal territory north of the Elbe, now ruled in personal union by the Danish House of Oldenburg, from Sweden, which thus again compensated Danish claims to Swedish Pomerania. On 6 December 1815 Frederick VI of Denmark issued his Asseveration Act (Versicherungsacte) affirming the given laws, the constitution and the Ritter- und Landschaft of Saxe-Lauenburg.
December 1918: Iceland gained sovereignty after World War I, becoming the Kingdom of Iceland.
April 1948: The Faroe Islands were in 1948 granted extended self-governance within the Danish Realm with the signing of the Home Rule Act of the Faroe Islands.
January 1954: Greenland was fully integrated into Denmark in 1953.
May 1979: In 1979, Denmark granted home rule to Greenland.
Selected Sources
Flemming, Thomas / Steinhage, Axel / Strunk, Peter (1995): Chronik 1946: Tag für Tag in Wort und Bild, Chronik-Verlag/Bertelsmann Lexikon Verlag,p. 60
Gerd Stolz: Das deutsch-dänische Schicksalsjahr 1864. 2. Auflage. 2013, Husum 2010, ISBN 978-3-89876-499-5, p. 32.
Slaget ved Svolder. Store norske leksikon. Retrieved on 31 March 2024 on https://snl.no/Slaget_ved_Svolder
Williams, M.H. (1989): United States army in World War II - Special Studies - Chronology 1941-1945, p. 530
Kingdom of Denmark
