Dano-Swedish War 1813-1814 | |||||||||
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Part of the Napoleonic Wars, English Wars and the Dano-Swedish War | |||||||||
Battle of Bornhöved by Per Krafft the younger | |||||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||||
Sweden | Denmark–Norway | ||||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
Crown Prince Charles John Anders Fredrik Skjöldebrand |
Frederik VI Prince Frederik of Hesse | ||||||||
Strength | |||||||||
43,000-65,000 Swedish, Russian and Allied troops [1] [2] | 10,200-12,500 [3] [4] | ||||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||||
Unknown | Unknown |
Dano-Swedish War (1813-1814) (Danish: Kampen om Norge) was the last major conflict between Denmark and Sweden and would eventually lead to the collapse of Denmark–Norway
Background
Denmark and Sweden had already fought an inconclusive war. This was mostly because Sweden was tied up in the east in the Finnish War, where they lost Finland. Russian diplomats pointed to Norway as an “obvious territorial compensation”. Although Denmark and Russia had had an alliance, it was clear that Denmark needed Russia more than Russia needed Denmark.[5]
Denmark-Norway also saw the effects of the Napoleonic Wars. For the last 6 years they’d been at war with the United Kingdom. Denmark was eternally weakened by this, and saw no other way than to strengthen its ties with Napoleon [6]
Sweden had already tried to invade Norway in 1809, but was defeated because of the harsh weather conditions. So Sweden tried a new plan, to conquer Norway though it’s German duchies. This was done not only because of harsh Norwegian weather, but also to try to establish a good relationship with the Norwegians. Denmark already knew of the Swedish plan, so the Danish crown prince decided to go to Norway. This was partially done to prepare him to take the throne, but also in part to secure the Norwegians loyalty. [7]
Foreign support
Denmark was by 1812 still allies with Napoleon, and the Danish king Frederik VI had signed a secret defense agreement with France in a treaty at Fontainebleau, in which he put 10,000 soldiers at his disposal. The treaty was never honored however. [8] Sweden could count on support from both Russia and Britain. Sweden and Russia signed a treaty at Saint Petersburg and Sweden and England signed one at Stockholm both of them supported the Swedish claim to Norway. [9]
France had begun retreating from Russia in 1812, and Russia was now on a march through Central Europe and thus wanted allies. Russia proposed that Denmark joined the coalition. In compensation for Norway, Denmark would get the Hanseatic cities, the German north coast, and The Netherlands. This was mostly done because Austria had sought new allies to become the leading power in the coalition. Denmark rejected all these to keep its territory integrity. [10] [11]
War
Aftermath
It was first when Swedish troops reached Holstein that Frederik VI agreed to peace talks. Since the Swedish troops were in Kiel, then that was also where the peace negotiations would take place. [12]
In the negotiations between Denmark and Great Britain it was decided that Denmark-Norway was to cede the island Heligoland to the Unite Kingdom. In return, the United Kingdom would cede the occupied territories of Anholt, Danish India and the Danish West Indies. [13] Denmark was also forced to join the Coalition and send an army of 10,000 troops to be under the command of Marshall Bernadotte, which they would receive a subsidy of 400,000 pounds for. [14]
In the negotiations between Denmark and Sweden it was decided that Denmark would cede Norway (without its dependencies) to Sweden. In return, Denmark would gain Swedish Pomerania and Rügen -which they traded with Prussia for the Duchy of Lauenburg in the Congress of Vienna- and an indemnity of 1 million rixdollars. [15]
References
- ^ Barton 1925, pp. 113–116.
- ^ https://www.chakoten.dk/wp-content/uploads/Danish-Infantry-of-the-Line-and-Light-Infantry-1803-1814.-The-Perry-Achievement-.pdf
- ^ "The Kingdom of Denmark".
- ^ https://www.chakoten.dk/wp-content/uploads/Danish-Infantry-of-the-Line-and-Light-Infantry-1803-1814.-The-Perry-Achievement-.pdf
- ^ https://img.kb.dk/export/sites/kb_dk/en/nb/komponentgalleri/nb/713787158x1x.pdf
- ^ "Englænderkrigene - Læs om krigene i 1800-tallet - lex.dk". 4 September 2023.
- ^ https://unipress.dk/media/19773/9788775970759_den-dansk-norske-skilsmisse_smagsproeve.pdf
- ^ https://img.kb.dk/export/sites/kb_dk/en/nb/komponentgalleri/nb/713787158x1x.pdf
- ^ "Dansk udenrigspolitik 1812-1813 - e-tidsskrifter.dk".
- ^ "Dansk udenrigspolitik 1812-1813 - e-tidsskrifter.dk".
- ^ "Danmark-Norge og Napoleonskrigene".
- ^ https://www.kongehuset.no/artikkel.html?tid=30100
- ^ "Freden i Kiel 14. Januar 1814".
- ^ Jenssen-Tusch (1852)
- ^ https://www.kongehuset.no/artikkel.html?tid=30100