Niels Juel
Encyclopedia
Niels Juel was a Dano–Norwegian
admiral
. He was the brother of the diplomat Jens Juel
.
and Sophie Clausdatter Sehested, both were descendant of Danish nobility
, who lived in Jutland
where the father had a career as a local functionary and judge. However, Niels Juel was born in Christiania
in Norway
, where his mother sought refuge during the 1627 invasion of Jutland in the Thirty Years' War
, while his father took part in the defense of the country at home. The following year, ather the occupation had ended, the family was reunited in Jutland, but from the age of 6, Niels Juel was brought up by his aunt Karen Sehested at the Stenalt estate near Randers
. He served his naval apprenticeship under Maarten Tromp
and Michiel de Ruyter
, taking part in all the chief engagements of the First Anglo-Dutch War
(1652–54) between England and the Netherlands. During a long indisposition at Amsterdam
in 1655-1656 he acquired a thorough knowledge of shipbuilding, and returned to Denmark in 1656 a thoroughly equipped seaman. He served with distinction during the Dano-Swedish Wars
of 1658-60 and took a prominent part in the defence of Copenhagen
against Charles X of Sweden
.
During fifteen years of peace, Juel, as admiral of the fleet, labored assiduously to develop and improve the Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy
, though he bitterly resented the setting over his head in 1663 of Cort Adeler
on his return from the Turkish wars. In 1661 Juel married Margrethe Ulfeldt. On the outbreak of the Scanian War
he served at first under Adeler, but on the death of the latter in November 1675 he was appointed to the supreme command.
He then won a European reputation, and raised Danish sea-power to unprecedented eminence, by the system of naval tactics
, perfected by Michiel de Ruyter
in the Third Anglo-Dutch War
and afterwards by Horatio Nelson, which consists in cutting off a part of the enemy's force and concentrating the whole attack on it. He first employed this manoeuvre at the Battle of Jasmund off Rügen
(25 May 1676) when he broke through the enemy's line in close column and cut off five of their ships, which, however, nightfall prevented him from pursuing. Juel's operations were considerably hampered at this period by the conduct of his Dutch auxiliary, Philips van Almonde
, who accused the Danish admiral of cowardice. A few days after the battle of Jasmund, Cornelis Tromp
son of Maarten with 17 fresh Danish and Dutch ships of the line, superseded Juel in the supreme command.
Juel took a leading part in Cornelis Tromp's great victory off Battle of Öland
(1 June 1676), which enabled the Danes to invade Scania unopposed.
On the 1st of June 1677 Juel defeated the Swedish admiral Erik Carlsson Sjöblad
in the Battle of Møn. On the 30th of June 1677 he won his greatest victory, in the Battle of Køge Bay
(though it really happened at Stevns, seeing that the ships never entered the bay), where, with 25 ships of the line and 1267 guns, he routed the Swedish admiral Henrik Horn
with 36 ships of the line and 1800 guns. For this great triumph, the just reward of superior seamanship and strategy at an early stage of the engagement, Juel's experienced eye told him that the wind in the course of the day would shift from S.W. to W. and he took extraordinary risks accordingly; he was made lieutenant admiral general and a privy councillor. This victory, besides permanently crippling the Swedish navy, gave the Danes the self-confidence to become less dependent on their Dutch allies.
In the following year Cornelis Tromp
was discharged by Christian V, who gave the supreme command to Juel. In the spring of 1678 Juel put to sea with 84 ships carrying 2,400 cannon, but as the Swedes were no longer strong enough to encounter such a formidable armament on the open sea, his operations were limited to blockading the Swedish ports and transporting troops to Rügen.
After the Treaty of Lund Juel showed himself an administrator and reformer of the first order, and under his energetic supervision the Danish navy ultimately reached imposing dimensions, especially after Juel became chief of the admiralty in 1683. Personally Juel was the noblest and most amiable of men, equally beloved and respected by his sailors, simple, straightforward and unpretentious in all his ways. During his latter years he was popularly known in Copenhagen as the "good old knight". He is buried in the Church of Holmen
.
Denmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway is the historiographical name for a former political entity consisting of the kingdoms of Denmark and Norway, including the originally Norwegian dependencies of Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands...
admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
. He was the brother of the diplomat Jens Juel
Jens Juel (diplomat)
thumb|200-px|right|baron Jens JuelJens Juel was a Danish diplomat and stateman of great influence at the Danish court who was created Baron and granted Juellinge in 1672...
.
Biography
Niels Juel was born the son of Erik JuelErik Juel
Erik Juel, often referred to as Erik Juel to Hundsbæk and Alsted , was a Danish courtier, seignory and Privy Councillor, the father of Admiral Niels Juel and of the politician and diplomat Jens Juel.-Biography:...
and Sophie Clausdatter Sehested, both were descendant of Danish nobility
Danish nobility
Nobility in Denmark was a leading social class until the 19th or 20th century. Danish nobility exists yet and has a recognized status in Denmark, a monarchy, but its real privileges have been abolished....
, who lived in Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , 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...
where the father had a career as a local functionary and judge. However, Niels Juel was born in Christiania
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
in Norway
Norway
Norway , 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...
, where his mother sought refuge during the 1627 invasion of Jutland in the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, while his father took part in the defense of the country at home. The following year, ather the occupation had ended, the family was reunited in Jutland, but from the age of 6, Niels Juel was brought up by his aunt Karen Sehested at the Stenalt estate near Randers
Randers
Randers is a city in Randers municipality on the Jutland peninsula in central Denmark. It is Denmark's sixth-largest city, with a population of 60,656 . Randers city is the main town of the municipality and the site of its municipal council.-Overview:Randers municipality has 94,750 inhabitants...
. He served his naval apprenticeship under Maarten Tromp
Maarten Tromp
Maarten Harpertszoon Tromp was an officer and later admiral in the Dutch navy. His first name is also spelled as Maerten.-Early life:...
and Michiel de Ruyter
Michiel de Ruyter
Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter is the most famous and one of the most skilled admirals in Dutch history. De Ruyter is most famous for his role in the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the 17th century. He fought the English and French and scored several major victories against them, the best known probably...
, taking part in all the chief engagements of the First Anglo-Dutch War
First Anglo-Dutch War
The First Anglo–Dutch War was the first of the four Anglo–Dutch Wars. It was fought entirely at sea between the navies of the Commonwealth of England and the United Provinces of the Netherlands. Caused by disputes over trade, the war began with English attacks on Dutch merchant shipping, but...
(1652–54) between England and the Netherlands. During a long indisposition at Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1655-1656 he acquired a thorough knowledge of shipbuilding, and returned to Denmark in 1656 a thoroughly equipped seaman. He served with distinction during the Dano-Swedish Wars
Northern Wars
Northern Wars is a term used for a series of wars fought in northern and northeastern Europe in the 16th and 17th century. An internationally agreed nomenclature for these wars has not yet been devised...
of 1658-60 and took a prominent part in the defence of Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen 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...
against Charles X of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , 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....
.
During fifteen years of peace, Juel, as admiral of the fleet, labored assiduously to develop and improve the Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy
Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy
The Royal Danish-Norwegian Navy or The Common Fleet also known simply as the Danish Navy was the naval force of the united kingdoms Denmark and Norway from 1509 to 12 April 1814. The fleet was established when the Royal Danish Navy and the Royal Norwegian Navy was combined by King Hans, when he...
, though he bitterly resented the setting over his head in 1663 of Cort Adeler
Cort Adeler
Cort Sivertsen Adeler , known in Denmark as Coort Sifvertsen Adelaer, in The Netherlands as Koert Sievertsen Adelaer and in Italy as Curzio Suffrido Adelborst, was the name of honour given to Kurt Sivertsen, a Norwegian seaman, who rendered distinguished service to the Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy,...
on his return from the Turkish wars. In 1661 Juel married Margrethe Ulfeldt. On the outbreak of the Scanian War
Scanian War
The Scanian War was a part of the Northern Wars involving the union of Denmark-Norway, Brandenburg and Sweden. It was fought mainly on Scanian soil, in the former Danish provinces along the border with Sweden and in Northern Germany...
he served at first under Adeler, but on the death of the latter in November 1675 he was appointed to the supreme command.
He then won a European reputation, and raised Danish sea-power to unprecedented eminence, by the system of naval tactics
Naval tactics in the Age of Sail
Naval tactics in the Age of Sail were used from the early 17th century onward when sailing ships replaced oared galleys. These were used until the 1860s when steam-powered ironclad warships rendered sailing line of battle ships obsolete.-Early history:...
, perfected by Michiel de Ruyter
Michiel de Ruyter
Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter is the most famous and one of the most skilled admirals in Dutch history. De Ruyter is most famous for his role in the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the 17th century. He fought the English and French and scored several major victories against them, the best known probably...
in the Third Anglo-Dutch War
Third Anglo-Dutch War
The Third Anglo–Dutch War or Third Dutch War was a military conflict between England and the Dutch Republic lasting from 1672 to 1674. It was part of the larger Franco-Dutch War...
and afterwards by Horatio Nelson, which consists in cutting off a part of the enemy's force and concentrating the whole attack on it. He first employed this manoeuvre at the Battle of Jasmund off Rügen
Rügen
Rügen is Germany's largest island. Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of the Vorpommern-Rügen district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.- Geography :Rügen is located off the north-eastern coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea...
(25 May 1676) when he broke through the enemy's line in close column and cut off five of their ships, which, however, nightfall prevented him from pursuing. Juel's operations were considerably hampered at this period by the conduct of his Dutch auxiliary, Philips van Almonde
Philips van Almonde
Philips van Almonde was a Dutch Lieutenant Admiral, who served in his nation’s maritime conflicts of the 17th and early 18th centuries.Philips was the son of Pieter Jansz van Almonde, a wealthy burgher...
, who accused the Danish admiral of cowardice. A few days after the battle of Jasmund, Cornelis Tromp
Cornelis Tromp
Sir Cornelis Maartenszoon Tromp, 1st Baronet was a Dutch naval officer. He was the son of Lieutenant Admiral Maarten Tromp. He became Lieutenant Admiral General in the Dutch Navy and briefly Admiral General in the Danish Navy...
son of Maarten with 17 fresh Danish and Dutch ships of the line, superseded Juel in the supreme command.
Juel took a leading part in Cornelis Tromp's great victory off Battle of Öland
Battle of Öland
The battle of Öland was a naval battle between an allied Dano-Norwegian-Dutch fleet and the Swedish navy in the Baltic Sea off the east coast of the island of Öland on 1 June 1676. The battle was a part of the Scanian War that was fought for supremacy over the southern Baltic...
(1 June 1676), which enabled the Danes to invade Scania unopposed.
On the 1st of June 1677 Juel defeated the Swedish admiral Erik Carlsson Sjöblad
Erik Carlsson Sjöblad
Erik Carlsson Sjöblad was a Swedish governor, admiral, and baron.-Early years:Sjöblad was born in Halmstad, Halland, Sweden. His father, a general, was Baron Carol Sjöblad Nilsson ; his mother was Maria Eriksdotter Stierna . Sjoblad married Charlotta Regina Palbitski in 1681...
in the Battle of Møn. On the 30th of June 1677 he won his greatest victory, in the Battle of Køge Bay
Battle of Køge Bay
The Battle of Køge Bay was a naval battle between Denmark-Norway and Sweden that took place in the bay of Køge 1–2 July 1677, during the Scanian War, while Christian V was king of Denmark. It resulted in what may be Denmark's greatest naval victory....
(though it really happened at Stevns, seeing that the ships never entered the bay), where, with 25 ships of the line and 1267 guns, he routed the Swedish admiral Henrik Horn
Henrik Horn
Henrik Horn was a freiherr, military, field marshal , admiral and member of the Privy Council of Sweden ....
with 36 ships of the line and 1800 guns. For this great triumph, the just reward of superior seamanship and strategy at an early stage of the engagement, Juel's experienced eye told him that the wind in the course of the day would shift from S.W. to W. and he took extraordinary risks accordingly; he was made lieutenant admiral general and a privy councillor. This victory, besides permanently crippling the Swedish navy, gave the Danes the self-confidence to become less dependent on their Dutch allies.
In the following year Cornelis Tromp
Cornelis Tromp
Sir Cornelis Maartenszoon Tromp, 1st Baronet was a Dutch naval officer. He was the son of Lieutenant Admiral Maarten Tromp. He became Lieutenant Admiral General in the Dutch Navy and briefly Admiral General in the Danish Navy...
was discharged by Christian V, who gave the supreme command to Juel. In the spring of 1678 Juel put to sea with 84 ships carrying 2,400 cannon, but as the Swedes were no longer strong enough to encounter such a formidable armament on the open sea, his operations were limited to blockading the Swedish ports and transporting troops to Rügen.
After the Treaty of Lund Juel showed himself an administrator and reformer of the first order, and under his energetic supervision the Danish navy ultimately reached imposing dimensions, especially after Juel became chief of the admiralty in 1683. Personally Juel was the noblest and most amiable of men, equally beloved and respected by his sailors, simple, straightforward and unpretentious in all his ways. During his latter years he was popularly known in Copenhagen as the "good old knight". He is buried in the Church of Holmen
Church of Holmen
The Church of Holmen is a church in central Copenhagen in Denmark, on the street called Holmens Kanal. First built as an anchor forge in 1563, it was converted into a naval church by Christian IV. It is famous for having hosted the wedding between Margrethe II of Denmark, current queen of Denmark,...
.