Kings and Estates, 1523-1660
Norway's decline, 1340-1490






Denmark's Rise, 1340-1490



In 1340, Denmark ceded SCANIA as a pawn to Sweden's King Magnus; in 1346, Denmark ceded ESTONIA as a pawn to the LIVONIAN ORDER. The country , after extended civil war, was in desparate need of cash. King VALDEMAR IV. ATTERDAG regained Scania by paying back the Swedish king. In disputes with the HANSEATIC LEAGUE, Valdemar Atterdag succeeded in establishing the SOUND LEVY, which was to remain Denmark's most important source of income until it's abolishment in 1863. At Valdemar Atterdag's death in 1375, Denmark had solid finances and a stable constitution.
In Denmark, political power was shared by the king, the king's council (RIGSRAD) and the diet (RIGSDAG), the nobility being the most important group represented in Rigsdag and Rigsrad. These institutions represented Denmark proper - Scania, Sjaelland, Jylland.
With Valdemar's successor, Olaf I., Denmark and Norway were united in DYNASTIC UNION, a union which was, under Queen MARGARETHE, joined by SWEDEN in 1397. While all 3 kingdoms were ruled by one king, they would continue to have separate administrations, constitutions and laws. The union is called UNION OF KALMAR after the castle where the contract establishing it was signed.
The union kings felt to be kings of Denmark first; they resided in KOPENHAGEN, Denmark's capital. Sweden's nobility resisted from the 1430es onward, but Norway for the most part stayed loyal.
The island of GOTLAND, before 1398, had been largely autonomous if not independent. However, it's administation had been shattered by a Danish raid under Valdemar Atterdag in 1361, and by 1397 it had deteriorated into a pirate's nest. In 1398 the TEUTONIC ORDER invaded the island to end piracy. Now the estates of Denmark and Sweden demanded the island's "return" to Denmark, and in 1409 the order handed over the island to Union King ERIK OF POMMERANIA in return for it's expenses for the expedition.
Erik of Pommerania, late in his rule, came into conflict with Denmark's and Sweden's nobility, and in 1437 withdrew to Gotland, still a region of it's own, where he resided until 1449, claiming the title of King. In the meantime, the estates of Denmark (Rigsdag) had elected a new king, CHRISTOPH OF BAVARIA, who took up residence in Kopenhagen. While two kings claimed the crown of Denmark, Sweden's Riksdag elected one of their own, Karl Knutsson, king; he was also elected by the Norwegians.
In 1449, new Danish King CHRISTIAN I. succeeded in regaining Gotland and in 1457 Norway. Norway from now on was a hereditary kingdom, and, like Gotland and Norway's outposts in the Atlantic, GREENLAND, ICELAND, the FAROES, SHETLANDS and ORKNEYS, became Danish outer possessions. In 1468, the Orkneys and Shetlands were ceded to Scotland as a dowry.
The Danish kings, again and again, attempted to reestablish their authority over Sweden, and succeeded at times, only to see the Swedes rebel again. Denmark, throughout the 14th century, was the dominant political power in Scandinavia.





EXTERNAL
FILES
DOCUMENTS World Statesmen : Denmark, by Ben Cahoon
Danske Mønt (Danish Coins) ; click king
Traktaten af 8. november 1493 mellem kong Hans og Ivan III, from Dansk-russiske forbindelser gennem 500 år.


This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2000, last revised on November 7th 2004

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