The Military timeline of Denmark is centered around an involvement in wars in
Northern Europe since 793 and, recently, elsewhere.
In the early
Middle Ages, Danish
Vikings invaded and conquered parts of the
British Isles and
Normandy. Later in the Middle Ages, Denmark was repeatedly in combat with
Scandinavian neighbours and in the
Baltic area. The "Union Wars" of the 15th and early 16th centuries took place between Denmark and
Sweden, then united in the
Kalmar Union. After Sweden broke away, Denmark – until 1814 remaining united with
Norway – again confronted Sweden in the
Northern Seven Years' War (1563–70) and the
Kalmar War (1611–13). Denmark was heavily involved in the
Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) on the side of the
Protestants of the
German lands. During the 16th to 18th centuries, Danish military involvement was also directed against
Russia and other
Eastern European nations in the series of
Northern Wars and subsequent campaigns.
Denmark was brought into the
Napoleonic Wars on the French side when attacked by Britain at the Battles of Copenhagen in
1801 and
1807. The eventual defeat of Napoleon led to the break-up of the Denmark-Norway union. The next major combats were over control of
Schleswig, in the
First and
Second Schleswig Wars. The result hereof being that Denmark lost Schleswig, of which the northern part returned in 1920.
Denmark remained neutral in
World War I, but in
World War II the country was
occupied, with little fighting, by
Nazi Germany in 1940.
1014 - The
Battle of Clontarf is fought in the region of
Howth, near
Dublin between the Irish and Viking forces of
Brian Boruma and his Viking and Irish opponents. The battle results in an Irish victory on the side of king Brian.
1016 – Viking army meets an English army at
Ashdon. The battle ends in an English defeat
1219 – 15 June In the
Battle of Lindanise in
Estonia (what would later be
Livonia), the Danish flag falls down from the sky, at least according to legend (see
Dannebrog)
1434 – A
Swedish peasant rebellion breaks out against the Danes
1448 – Disagreements over who should be the new King after Christoffer the Third's death, leads to war between Denmark and
Sweden
1455 – After 7 years of war Danish King Christian the First is recognised as King over the Union
1463 – Another outbreak of rebellion against the Danes in Sweden
1471 – In the
Battle of Brunkeberg, the Danes suffer complete defeat at the hands of the Swedish
1472 – Peace is concluded
1497 – 29 September
King Hans attempts to grab power in Sweden after internal disturbances. His army of
Germanmercenaries defeats a Swedish army in the
Battle of Rotebro and he is recognised as King of Sweden
1500 – 17 February King Hans is defeated in the battle of
Dithmarschen
1501 – A Swedish rebellion breaks out and King Hans loses most of Sweden
1501 – The Swedes attack Norway but are forced back.
Stockholm surrenders to the Swedes
1510 – Lübeck declares war on Denmark and Sweden joins Lübeck
1511 – 9 August A Danish fleet forces the Lübeck fleet to fall back at
Bornholm, and the rest of the war they remain in port
1512 – April Denmark concludes peace with Sweden and Lübeck
1517 – A rebellion in Sweden flares up again. In August a Danish army is deployed at Stockholm, but is defeated at Vedla
1518 – Another Danish army is deployed at Stockholm, but is not capable of forcing a decisive battle
1520 – 6 April A Danish army defeats a Swedish peasant army at
Uppsala and occupies Stockholm
1520 – 8 November The Swedish army is defeated. King Christian the Second acquires the title of King of Sweden, and orders all the Swedish nobility executed. This day is known as the bloodbath in Stockholm
1521 – Swedish
Gustav Vasa reconquers all of Sweden and the Union is dissolved. Gustav is declared King of Sweden
1534 – A Civil War named the
Count's Feud breaks out. Captain Clement raises a
Juttish peasant army
1535 – 9 June A Danish and Swedish fleet fights a naval battle against Lübeck. The battle ends in a draw but in the coming days the Lübeck fleet is destroyed
1536 – 11 June In the Danish Civil War a Danish peasant army is massacred in the battle of Oxnebjerg
1537 – 16 January Lübeck concludes peace with Christian the Third. The Civil War ends when
Copenhagen surrenders to Christian the Third
War against The Netherlands (1542–1543)
1542 – War breaks out between France and the German Emperor. Emperor
Charles V supports
Frederick II, Elector Palatine for the Danish crown, and Denmark participates in the war on the side of France
1543 – Denmark declares war on Netherlands, that are under the rule of Charles
1544 – Denmark concludes the
Treaty of Speyer with the German Emperor
1563 – 31 July Ambition and a fight over the right to each other's national weapons, war breaks out between Denmark and Sweden
1563 – 15 September A Danish army moves into Sweden and occupies
Älvsborg
1564 – 30 May A Danish fleet under the command of
Herluf Trolle, defeats a Swedish fleet between
Öland and
Gotland
1565 – 9 October The war's only big battle stands at
Axtorna. Rantzau defeats a numerically superior Swedish army
1570 – 13 December A peace treaty (
Treaty of Stettin) is concluded and terminates the war between Denmark and Sweden. Denmark gives back Älvsborg in return for 150.000 daler (Danish coin)
1643 – December: War with Sweden breaks out because of a long dispute over the dominance of the
Øresund, and dissent over the Øresund toll.
1643 – 12 December: The Swedish Field Marshal Thorsteinson crosses the border to
Holstein from Swedish territory in North Germany.
1644 – January:
Jutland is occupied by Swedish troops.
1644 – February: Swedish troops under
Gustav Horn advance into
Skåne and are stopped at
Malmö.
1644 – 16 May: A Danish fleet defeats a Dutch fleet at Lister Dyb, which was sent to reinforce the Swedes.
1644 – 1 July: The Danish Fleet meets the Swedish Fleet at Koldberg Heide. The battle ends in a decisive Danish victory, and the Swedish withdraw to the
Kiel Bay.
1644 – 12 October: A combined Swedish and Dutch fleet defeats a Danish fleet at
Fehmarn. This effectively decides the outcome of the war.
1645 – February: Peace negotiations are started in Brømsebro.
1645 – 13 August: Denmark and Sweden conclude peace in Brømsebro. Denmark is forced to hand over
Gotland,
Øsel and
Halland (South Sweden) as well as the
Norwegian province
Jemtland.
Knud J. V. Jespersen (2004). A History of Denmark. Palgrave Macmillan.
ISBN0-333-65917-1.
Specific
^
abGeorg Haggren, Petri Halinen, Mika Lavento, Sami Raninen and Anna Wessman (2015). Muinaisuutemme jäljet. Helsinki: Gaudeamus. p. 380.
ISBN978-952-495-363-4.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)
The Military timeline of Denmark is centered around an involvement in wars in
Northern Europe since 793 and, recently, elsewhere.
In the early
Middle Ages, Danish
Vikings invaded and conquered parts of the
British Isles and
Normandy. Later in the Middle Ages, Denmark was repeatedly in combat with
Scandinavian neighbours and in the
Baltic area. The "Union Wars" of the 15th and early 16th centuries took place between Denmark and
Sweden, then united in the
Kalmar Union. After Sweden broke away, Denmark – until 1814 remaining united with
Norway – again confronted Sweden in the
Northern Seven Years' War (1563–70) and the
Kalmar War (1611–13). Denmark was heavily involved in the
Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) on the side of the
Protestants of the
German lands. During the 16th to 18th centuries, Danish military involvement was also directed against
Russia and other
Eastern European nations in the series of
Northern Wars and subsequent campaigns.
Denmark was brought into the
Napoleonic Wars on the French side when attacked by Britain at the Battles of Copenhagen in
1801 and
1807. The eventual defeat of Napoleon led to the break-up of the Denmark-Norway union. The next major combats were over control of
Schleswig, in the
First and
Second Schleswig Wars. The result hereof being that Denmark lost Schleswig, of which the northern part returned in 1920.
Denmark remained neutral in
World War I, but in
World War II the country was
occupied, with little fighting, by
Nazi Germany in 1940.
1014 - The
Battle of Clontarf is fought in the region of
Howth, near
Dublin between the Irish and Viking forces of
Brian Boruma and his Viking and Irish opponents. The battle results in an Irish victory on the side of king Brian.
1016 – Viking army meets an English army at
Ashdon. The battle ends in an English defeat
1219 – 15 June In the
Battle of Lindanise in
Estonia (what would later be
Livonia), the Danish flag falls down from the sky, at least according to legend (see
Dannebrog)
1434 – A
Swedish peasant rebellion breaks out against the Danes
1448 – Disagreements over who should be the new King after Christoffer the Third's death, leads to war between Denmark and
Sweden
1455 – After 7 years of war Danish King Christian the First is recognised as King over the Union
1463 – Another outbreak of rebellion against the Danes in Sweden
1471 – In the
Battle of Brunkeberg, the Danes suffer complete defeat at the hands of the Swedish
1472 – Peace is concluded
1497 – 29 September
King Hans attempts to grab power in Sweden after internal disturbances. His army of
Germanmercenaries defeats a Swedish army in the
Battle of Rotebro and he is recognised as King of Sweden
1500 – 17 February King Hans is defeated in the battle of
Dithmarschen
1501 – A Swedish rebellion breaks out and King Hans loses most of Sweden
1501 – The Swedes attack Norway but are forced back.
Stockholm surrenders to the Swedes
1510 – Lübeck declares war on Denmark and Sweden joins Lübeck
1511 – 9 August A Danish fleet forces the Lübeck fleet to fall back at
Bornholm, and the rest of the war they remain in port
1512 – April Denmark concludes peace with Sweden and Lübeck
1517 – A rebellion in Sweden flares up again. In August a Danish army is deployed at Stockholm, but is defeated at Vedla
1518 – Another Danish army is deployed at Stockholm, but is not capable of forcing a decisive battle
1520 – 6 April A Danish army defeats a Swedish peasant army at
Uppsala and occupies Stockholm
1520 – 8 November The Swedish army is defeated. King Christian the Second acquires the title of King of Sweden, and orders all the Swedish nobility executed. This day is known as the bloodbath in Stockholm
1521 – Swedish
Gustav Vasa reconquers all of Sweden and the Union is dissolved. Gustav is declared King of Sweden
1534 – A Civil War named the
Count's Feud breaks out. Captain Clement raises a
Juttish peasant army
1535 – 9 June A Danish and Swedish fleet fights a naval battle against Lübeck. The battle ends in a draw but in the coming days the Lübeck fleet is destroyed
1536 – 11 June In the Danish Civil War a Danish peasant army is massacred in the battle of Oxnebjerg
1537 – 16 January Lübeck concludes peace with Christian the Third. The Civil War ends when
Copenhagen surrenders to Christian the Third
War against The Netherlands (1542–1543)
1542 – War breaks out between France and the German Emperor. Emperor
Charles V supports
Frederick II, Elector Palatine for the Danish crown, and Denmark participates in the war on the side of France
1543 – Denmark declares war on Netherlands, that are under the rule of Charles
1544 – Denmark concludes the
Treaty of Speyer with the German Emperor
1563 – 31 July Ambition and a fight over the right to each other's national weapons, war breaks out between Denmark and Sweden
1563 – 15 September A Danish army moves into Sweden and occupies
Älvsborg
1564 – 30 May A Danish fleet under the command of
Herluf Trolle, defeats a Swedish fleet between
Öland and
Gotland
1565 – 9 October The war's only big battle stands at
Axtorna. Rantzau defeats a numerically superior Swedish army
1570 – 13 December A peace treaty (
Treaty of Stettin) is concluded and terminates the war between Denmark and Sweden. Denmark gives back Älvsborg in return for 150.000 daler (Danish coin)
1643 – December: War with Sweden breaks out because of a long dispute over the dominance of the
Øresund, and dissent over the Øresund toll.
1643 – 12 December: The Swedish Field Marshal Thorsteinson crosses the border to
Holstein from Swedish territory in North Germany.
1644 – January:
Jutland is occupied by Swedish troops.
1644 – February: Swedish troops under
Gustav Horn advance into
Skåne and are stopped at
Malmö.
1644 – 16 May: A Danish fleet defeats a Dutch fleet at Lister Dyb, which was sent to reinforce the Swedes.
1644 – 1 July: The Danish Fleet meets the Swedish Fleet at Koldberg Heide. The battle ends in a decisive Danish victory, and the Swedish withdraw to the
Kiel Bay.
1644 – 12 October: A combined Swedish and Dutch fleet defeats a Danish fleet at
Fehmarn. This effectively decides the outcome of the war.
1645 – February: Peace negotiations are started in Brømsebro.
1645 – 13 August: Denmark and Sweden conclude peace in Brømsebro. Denmark is forced to hand over
Gotland,
Øsel and
Halland (South Sweden) as well as the
Norwegian province
Jemtland.
Knud J. V. Jespersen (2004). A History of Denmark. Palgrave Macmillan.
ISBN0-333-65917-1.
Specific
^
abGeorg Haggren, Petri Halinen, Mika Lavento, Sami Raninen and Anna Wessman (2015). Muinaisuutemme jäljet. Helsinki: Gaudeamus. p. 380.
ISBN978-952-495-363-4.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
link)