Military history of Denmark
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793 – 1050 The Viking Age
- 793 Vikings raid LindisfarneLindisfarneLindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
monastery on Holy Island in the North SeaNorth SeaIn the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
. This is considered the start of the Viking Raids - 810 FrieslandFrieslandFriesland is a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient region of Frisia.Until the end of 1996, the province bore Friesland as its official name. In 1997 this Dutch name lost its official status to the Frisian Fryslân...
is attacked by Danish Vikings - 855 Danish Viking army besieges ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, though never capturing the city - 866 Large Danish Viking army arrives in EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
- 876 King Alfred cedes East and North England to the Danes thus establishing the DanelawDanelawThe Danelaw, as recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , is a historical name given to the part of England in which the laws of the "Danes" held sway and dominated those of the Anglo-Saxons. It is contrasted with "West Saxon law" and "Mercian law". The term has been extended by modern historians to...
- 911 Emperor of Western FranciaWestern FranciaWest Francia, also known as the West Frankish Kingdom or Francia Occidentalis, was a short-lived kingdom encompassing the lands of the western part of the Carolingian Empire that came under the undisputed control of Charlemagne's grandson, Charles the Bald, as a result of the Treaty of Verdun of...
Charles the SimpleCharles the SimpleCharles III , called the Simple or the Straightforward , was the undisputed King of France from 898 until 922 and the King of Lotharingia from 911 until 919/23...
surrenders what will later be known as NormandyNormandyNormandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
to Viking chief RolloRollo of NormandyRollo , baptised Robert and so sometimes numbered Robert I to distinguish him from his descendants, was a Norse nobleman of Norwegian or Danish descent and founder and first ruler of the Viking principality in what soon became known as Normandy...
. - 920 The DanelawDanelawThe Danelaw, as recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , is a historical name given to the part of England in which the laws of the "Danes" held sway and dominated those of the Anglo-Saxons. It is contrasted with "West Saxon law" and "Mercian law". The term has been extended by modern historians to...
is reconquered by England - 982 LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
is sacked by Vikings - 1013 'Svend Tveskæg' attacks England and is recognised as the new King of England
- 1016 Viking army meets an English army at AshdonAshdonAshdon is a village and civil parish in Essex, England. It is located about northeast of Saffron Walden and is northwest from the county town of Chelmsford. The village is in the district of Uttlesford and the parliamentary constituency of Saffron Walden...
. The battle ends in an English defeat
Early period
- 1043 Magnus I of NorwayMagnus I of NorwayMagnus I , known as the Good or the Noble, was the King of Norway from 1035 to 1047 and the King of Denmark from 1042 to 1047. He was an illegitimate son of king Olaf II of Norway, but fled with his mother in 1028 when his father was dethroned. In 1035 he returned to Norway and was crowned king at...
defeats the WendsWendsWends is a historic name for West Slavs living near Germanic settlement areas. It does not refer to a homogeneous people, but to various peoples, tribes or groups depending on where and when it is used...
at Lyrskov Hede - 1157, 23 October Valdemar IValdemar I of DenmarkValdemar I of Denmark , also known as Valdemar the Great, was King of Denmark from 1157 until 1182.-Biography:...
defeats Sven on Grate Hede in the Danish civil war - 1184, 21 May A Danish fleet of 125 ships under Absalon defeats a Vendish fleet.
- 1219, 15 June In the battle of Lyndanis in EstoniaEstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
the Danish flag falls down from the sky, at least according to legend (see DannebrogFlag of DenmarkThe national flag of Denmark, Dannebrog is red with a white Scandinavian cross that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side...
) - 1362 Valdemar Atterdag defeats a Hanseatic fleet (see Hanseatic LeagueHanseatic LeagueThe Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
) that was besieging HelsingborgHelsingborgHelsingborg is a city and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 97,122 inhabitants in 2010. Helsingborg is the centre of an area in the Øresund region of about 320,000 inhabitants in north-west Scania, and is Sweden's closest point to Denmark, with the Danish city...
, and forces LübeckLübeckThe Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
to conclude peace
Union wars 1434 – 1523
- 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 SwedenSwedenSweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
- 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 BrunkebergBattle of BrunkebergThe Battle of Brunkeberg was fought on October 10, 1471 between the Swedish regent Sten Sture the Elder and forces led by Danish king Christian I.-Background:...
, 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 German mercenaries defeats a Swedish army in the battle of RotebroRotebroRotebro is a town in Stockholm county, Sweden, near Sollentuna. It is divided into two parts, Rotsunda and Gillbo, by the railway.Rotebro is located in the northernmost part of the Sollentuna municipality. In the 1890s, a yeast factory moved there from Alkärret, Brunnsviken...
and he is recognised as King of Sweden - 1500, 17 February King Hans is defeated in the battle of Dittmarsken
- 1501 A Swedish rebellion breaks out and King Hans loses most of Sweden
- 1501 The Swedes attack Norway but are forced back. StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
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 BornholmBornholmBornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea located to the east of the rest of Denmark, the south of Sweden, and the north of Poland. The main industries on the island include fishing, arts and crafts like glass making and pottery using locally worked clay, and dairy farming. Tourism is...
, 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 UppsalaUppsala- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
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 reconquors all of Sweden and the Union is dissolved Gustav is declared King of Sweden
War with Lübeck and 'The Counts Feud' 1534 – 1536
- 1534 A Civil War named the Count's FeudCount's FeudThe Count's Feud , also called the Count's War, was a civil war that raged in Denmark in 1534–36 and brought about the Reformation in Denmark...
breaks out. Captain Clement raises a JuttishJutlandJutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
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 CopenhagenCopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
surrenders to Christian the Third
War against The Netherlands 1542 – 1543
- 1542 War breaks out between France and the German Emperor. Emperor Charles VCharles V, Holy Roman EmperorCharles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
supports Frederick II, Elector PalatineFrederick II, Elector PalatineFrederick II, Count Palatine of the Rhine , a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty, was Prince-elector of the Palatinate from 1544 to 1556.- Biography :...
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 SpeyerTreaty of Speyer (1544)The Treaty of Speyer or Peace of Speyer was signed on May 23, 1544 between Denmark and the Holy Roman Empire during a diet of the Holy Roman Empire in Speyer, Germany. Danish king Christian III had imposed heavy tolls on the Sound and two other channels between the North Sea and the Baltic sea, in...
with the German Emperor
7-Year War 1563 – 1570
- 1563, 31 July Ambition and a fight over the right to each others national weapons, war breaks out between Denmark and Sweden
- 1563, 15 September A Danish army moves into Sweden and occupies ÄlvsborgÄlvsborgÄlvsborg is the name of a geographical region in Sweden, which can refer to:*Älvsborg, Gothenburg, one of 21 boroughs of Gothenburg, Sweden.*Älvsborg County, a former county of Sweden*Älvsborg Fortress, a sea fortress at Gothenburg...
- 1564, 30 May A Danish fleet under the command of Herluf TrolleHerluf TrolleHerluf Trolle was a Danish naval hero, born at Lillö, Scania.- Early life :Herluf Trolle was born of the Trolle, a Swedish-originated family of high nobility, was son of Kirsten Herlufsdatter Skave and sir Joachim Arvidsen Trolle, Lord of Lilloe; thus grandson of justiciar Arvid Trolle, Lord of...
, defeats a Swedish fleet between ÖlandÖland' is the second largest Swedish island and the smallest of the traditional provinces of Sweden. Öland has an area of 1,342 km² and is located in the Baltic Sea just off the coast of Småland. The island has 25,000 inhabitants, but during Swedish Midsummer it is visited by up to 500,000 people...
and GotlandGotlandGotland is a county, province, municipality and diocese of Sweden; it is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. At 3,140 square kilometers in area, the region makes up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area... - 1565, 9 October The war's only big battle stands at AxtornaBattle of AxtornaThe Battle of Axtorna was fought October 20, 1565 at Axtorna, a little village today in Falkenberg Municipality, Halland County in western Sweden....
. Rantzau defeats a numerically superior Swedish army - 1570, 13 December A peace treaty (Treaty of StettinTreaty of StettinThe Treaty of Stettin of December 13, 1570, ended the Northern Seven Years' War fought between Sweden and Denmark with her internally fragmented alliance of Lübeck and Poland. It also settled Swedish, Danish and Holy Roman Imperial claims regarding the Livonian War. Unfavourable for Sweden, it...
) is concluded and terminates the war between Denmark and Sweden. Denmark gives back Älvsborg in return for 150.000 daler (Danish coin)
Kalmar War 1611 – 1613
- 1611, 4 April War between Denmark and Sweden breaks out when Sweden attempts to break the Danish monopoly on trade with RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
- 1611, 11 June The Swedish Army is defeated at KalmarKalmarKalmar is a city in Småland in the south-east of Sweden, situated by the Baltic Sea. It had 62,767 inhabitants in 2010 and is the seat of Kalmar Municipality. It is also the capital of Kalmar County, which comprises 12 municipalities with a total of 233,776 inhabitants .From the thirteenth to the...
- 1613, 20 January Denmark and Sweden sign a peace treaty. Denmark becomes an uncontested power nation in ScandinaviaScandinaviaScandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
30 Year War 1618 – 1648
- 1618 Denmark enters the war between Catholics and Protestants
- 1626 The Danish Army under Christian the Fourth is defeated by a Catholic army in the Battle of Lutter am Barenberge
- 1628 In the battle of WolgastWolgastWolgast is a town in the district of Vorpommern-Greifswald, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. It is situated on the bank of the river Peenestrom, vis-a-vis the island of Usedom that can be accessed by road and railway via a bascule bridge...
, Christian the Fourth is crushed by a German army and forced to conclude peace
Thorsteinson War 1643 – 1645
- 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 HolsteinHolsteinHolstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
from Swedish territory in North Germany. - 1644, January: JutlandJutlandJutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
is occupied by Swedish troops. - 1644, February: Swedish troops under Gustav Horn advance into Skåne and are stopped at MalmöMalmöMalmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
. - 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 FehmarnFehmarnFehmarn is an island and - since 2003 - a town on this island in the Baltic Sea, off the eastern coast of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and ca. 18 kilometers south of the Danish island of Lolland...
. 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 GotlandGotlandGotland is a county, province, municipality and diocese of Sweden; it is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. At 3,140 square kilometers in area, the region makes up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area...
, ØselSaaremaaSaaremaa is the largest island in Estonia, measuring 2,673 km². The main island of Saare County, it is located in the Baltic Sea, south of Hiiumaa island, and belongs to the West Estonian Archipelago...
and HallandHalland' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , on the western coast of Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat.-Administration:...
(South Sweden) as well as the NorwegianNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
province JemtlandJämtlandJämtland or Jamtland is a historical province or landskap in the center of Sweden in northern Europe. It borders to Härjedalen and Medelpad in the south, Ångermanland in the east, Lapland in the north and Trøndelag and Norway in the west...
.