Absolutist Denmark, 1660-1790 Early 19th Century






Denmark during the Age of the French Revolution, 1790-1814



The years of ENLIGHTENMENT had brought freedom of expression since the ABOLISHMENT OF CENSORSHIP in 1770. At the same time, national Danish sentiment arose against an administration dominated by German nationals. In 1776 the LAW OF INDIGENOUS RIGHTS was introduced, according to which only Danes could hold office in Denmark. Denmark had tried to stay neutral in the conflict between France and Great Britain. Napoleon tried to force all continental European states to join the blockade against British goods. Denmark (and Sweden) chose not to enforce the blockade, because both smuggling proved to be very profitable. For instance, Britain had imposed high taxes on tea which was oh so popular on the island. The Danish and Swedish East India Companies imported more tea than the (English) East India Company itself - and smuggled 90 % of it into Britain, where it still could be sold at a huge profit. Shortly afterwards, the East India Company was declared bankrupt. When Britain lowered its tariffs on tea, the Danish and Swedish East India Companies followed suit (into bankrupcy). However, in 1801 and again in 1807 the British navy attacked Copenhagen. As a consequence of the attack of 1807, Denmark lost its entire fleet, all its colonies and the island of Heligoland. The rough treatment drove Denmark into Napoleon's arms, and it stayed a loyal ally to the very end. The British control of the seas disrupted the Danish connections with Norway.



EXTERNAL
FILES 		Long Peace and Short War 1720-1814, from History of Denmark, from the Den. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, scroll down
The Danish Military in the Napoleonic Wars, by Henrik Schou
Denmark : the Army, from Histofig; Uniforms, from Histofig, in French
Henrik Schou, The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars in Scandanavia, from napoleonicwars.com, timetable
The Battle of Copenhagen 1801, from Langton Miniatures (a commercial site)
Copenhagen 1801, 1807, from regiments.org
Bombardementet i 1807, from Københavns Historie, posted by KKB, in Danish, illustrated, bibliography
DOCUMENTS World Statesmen : Denmark, by Ben Cahoon
The Weekly Messenger, Boston, Dec. 31st 1813, from Napoleon Bonaparte Internet Guide, has rumour that Denmark was about to switch sides; speculation on Danish currency
Map : Copenhagen 1807, 1:50,000, from napoleonseries.org
Ships of the Danish fleet, 1807, from Maritime History Virtual Archives Declaration of the King of Denmark, relative to the maritime Convention, Feb. 27th 1801, from Napoleon Series
Treaty between France and Denmark, March 7th 1812, from Napoleon Series
Medal : Departure of Danish troops from Hamburg, 1801, from Napoleonic Medals
Danish Coins 1808, 1812, 1813 from Napoleonic Medals
Denmark, encyclopedic entries c. 1800, from La Patience
The Danish Auxiliary Corps 1813, from warflags.com
Danemark, from Annuaire 1789-1815, in French; has doc. suppressing slave trade
Sources on Danish History 1700-1806, 1807-1848, from Skræp, in Danish
REFERENCE Knud J.V. Jespersen, A History of Denmark, Basingstoke : Palgrave MacMillan 2004, KMLA Lib.Sign. 948.9 J58h
Frederic Morton, The Rothschilds, NY : Kodansha 1961, pp.33-36, on 1804 Danish state loan


This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2000, last revised on November 8th 2004

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