The Estrup cabinet was the government of Denmark from 11 June 1875 to 7 August 1894. It replaced the Fonnesbech Cabinet and was succeeded by the Reedtz-Thott Cabinet on 7 August 1894. It is the longest sitting government in Danish history.
115-513: Some of the terms in the table begin end after 7 August 1894 because the minister was in the Reedtz-Thott cabinet as well. This Danish history article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about government in Denmark is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . History of Denmark The history of Denmark as a unified kingdom began in
230-817: A border forest between Danish and Saxon settlements. A system of Danish fortifications, the Danevirke , runs through Southern Schleswig, overcoming the drainage divide between Baltic ( Schlei ) and North Sea ( Rheider Au ). At the Baltic end of the Danevirke is Hedeby , a former important Viking town. Between the Danish-German border and the Kongeå lies Southern Jutland (the South Jutland County ), historically also known as Northern Schleswig. Northern and Southern Schleswig once formed
345-724: A defensive wall stretching from present-day Schleswig and inland halfway across the Jutland Peninsula. The pagan Saxons inhabited the southernmost part of the peninsula, adjoining the Baltic Sea, until the Saxon Wars in 772–804 in the Nordic Iron Age , when Charlemagne violently subdued them and forced them to be Christianised. Old Saxony was politically absorbed into the Carolingian Empire and Abodrites (or Obotrites ),
460-538: A frugal childhood. The very urban Kierkegaard visited his sombre ancestral lands in 1840, then a very traditional society. Writers like Steen Steensen Blicher (1782-1848) and H.C. Andersen (1805–1875) were among the first writers to find genuine inspiration in local Jutlandic culture and present it with affection and non-prejudice. Blicher was of Jutish origin and, soon after his pioneering work, many other writers followed with stories and tales set in Jutland and written in
575-480: A good relationship with Archbishop Adalbert of Hamburg - Bremen – at that time the archbishop of all of Scandinavia . The new religion , which replaced the old Norse religious practices , had many advantages for the king. Christianity brought with it some support from the Holy Roman Empire . It also allowed the king to dismiss many of his opponents who adhered to the old mythology. At this early stage there
690-599: A group of Wendish Slavs who pledged allegiance to Charlemagne and who had for the most part converted to Christianity , were moved into the area to populate it. Old Saxony was later referred to as Holstein . In medieval times, Jutland was regulated by the Law Code of Jutland ( Jyske Lov ). This civic code covered the Danish part of the Jutland Peninsula, i.e., north of the Eider (river) , Funen as well as Fehmarn . Part of this area
805-514: A legislator, Valdemar enjoys a central position in Danish history. To posterity the civil wars and dissolution that followed his death made him appear to be the last king of a golden age. The Middle Ages saw a period of close cooperation between the Crown and the Roman Catholic Church . Thousands of church buildings sprang up throughout the country during this time. The economy expanded during
920-513: A migration of peoples from the Pontic–Caspian steppe. The Nordic Bronze Age period in Denmark, from about 1,500 BC, featured a culture that buried its dead, with their worldly goods, beneath burial mounds . The many finds of gold and bronze from this era include beautiful religious artifacts and musical instruments, and provide the earliest evidence of social classes and stratification . During
1035-525: A new head tax ( Danish : nefgjald ) had brought his people to the verge of rebellion. Canute took weeks to arrive where the fleet had assembled at Struer, but he found only the Norwegians still there. Canute thanked the Norwegians for their patience and then went from assembly to assembly ( Danish : landsting ) outlawing any sailor, captain or soldier who refused to pay a fine which amounted to more than
1150-517: A number of smaller towns, make up the suggested East Jutland metropolitan area , which is more densely populated than the rest of Jutland, although far from forming one consistent city. 1. Hamburg (boroughs north of the Elbe ) 1,667,035 2. Kiel 247,717 3. Lübeck 218,095 4. Flensburg 92,550 5. Norderstedt 81,880 6. Neumünster 79,502 7. Elmshorn 50,772 8. Pinneberg 44,279 9. Wedel 34,538 10. Ahrensburg 34,509 Geologically ,
1265-772: A period in history known as the Danish Estonia began. Legend has it that the Danish flag, the Dannebrog fell from the sky during the Battle of Lindanise in Estonia in 1219. A series of Danish defeats culminating in the Battle of Bornhöved on 22 July 1227 cemented the loss of Denmark's north German territories. Valdemar himself was saved only by the courageous actions of a German knight who carried Valdemar to safety on his horse. From that time on, Valdemar focused his efforts on domestic affairs. One of
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#17328588042971380-535: A significant cultural border until this day, also reflected in differences between the West and East Jutlandic dialect. When the industrialisation began in the 19th century, the social order was upheaved and with it the focus of the intelligentsia and the educated changed as well. Søren Kierkegaard (1818–1855) grew up in Copenhagen as the son of a stern and religious West Jutlandic wool merchant who had worked his way up from
1495-596: A weakened Denmark provided windows of opportunity to both the Hanseatic League and the Counts of Holstein . The Holstein Counts gained control of large portions of Denmark because the king would grant them fiefs in exchange for money to finance royal operations. Valdemar spent the remainder of his life putting together a code of laws for Jutland , Zealand and Skåne . These codes were used as Denmark's legal code until 1683. This
1610-415: A years harvest for most farmers. Canute and his housecarls fled south with a growing army of rebels on his heels. Canute fled to the royal property outside the town of Odense on Funen with his two brothers. After several attempts to break in and then bloody hand-to-hand fighting in the church, Benedict was cut down, and Canute was struck in the head by a large stone and then speared from the front. He died at
1725-522: Is adjacent to South Jutland in the south. South Jutland stretches between Sønderjylland in the south, and the border between the two administrative regions of Southern Denmark and Central Jutland in the north. West Jutland ( Vestjylland ) is the central western part of Northern Jutland. It lies between Blåvandshuk in the south, and the Nissum Bredning in the north. It is north of South Jutland and west of East Jutland. East Jutland ( Østjylland )
1840-769: Is connected to Funen by the Old and New Little Belt Bridge , and Funen in turn is connected to Zealand and Copenhagen by the Great Belt Bridge . Jutland is known by several different names, depending on the language and era, including German : Jütland [ˈjyːtlant] ; Old English : Ēota land [ˈeːotɑˌlɑnd] , known anciently as the Cimbric Peninsula or Cimbrian Peninsula ( Latin : Cimbricus Chersonesus ; Danish: den Cimbriske Halvø or den Jyske Halvø ; German: Kimbrische Halbinsel or Jütische Halbinsel ). The names are derived from
1955-618: Is crossed by the Elbe–Lübeck Canal , that connects the Elbe at Lauenburg to the Baltic at Lübeck, and there are over 50 lakes in the area, many of which are part of the Lauenburg Lakes Nature Park . Hamburg is its own city-state and does not belong to Schleswig-Holstein. The north elbish districts of Hamburg that are on the Jutland peninsula are historically part of the region of Stormarn . The former border rivers of Stormarn are
2070-453: Is flat, with comparatively steep hills in the east and a barely noticeable ridge running through the center. West Jutland is characterised by open lands, heaths , plains, and peat bogs , while East Jutland is more fertile with lakes and lush forests. The southwestern coast is characterised by the Wadden Sea , a large unique international coastal region stretching through Denmark, Germany, and
2185-548: Is no evidence that the Danish Church was able to create a stable administration that Harald could use to exercise more effective control over his kingdom, but it may have contributed to the development of a centralising political and religious ideology among the social elite which sustained and enhanced an increasingly powerful kingship. England broke away from Danish control in 1035 and Denmark fell into disarray for some time. Sweyn Estridsen's son, Canute IV , raided England for
2300-456: Is now in Germany. During the industrialisation of the 1800s, Jutland experienced a large and accelerating urbanisation and many people from the countryside chose to emigrate. Among the reasons was a high and accelerating population growth; in the course of the century, the Danish population grew two and a half times to about 2.5 million in 1901, with a million people added in the last part of
2415-643: Is the central eastern part of Northern Jutland. It lies between Skærbæk on the Kolding Fjord in the south, and the end of the Mariager Fjord in the north. Aarhus , the largest city completely on the Jutland peninsula, is in East Jutland. The concept of Central Jutland ( Midtjylland ) is of recent date, since a few decades ago it was usual to divide Northern Jutland into the traditional East and West Jutland (in addition to North and South Jutland), only. However,
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#17328588042972530-622: The Ecclesiastical History . This is also supported by the archaeological record, with extensive Jutish finds in Kent from the fifth and sixth centuries . Saxons and Frisii migrated to the region in the early part of the Christian era. To protect themselves from invasion by the Christian Frankish emperors, beginning in the 5th century , the pagan Danes initiated the Danevirke ,
2645-473: The Cimbric Chersonese was the home of Teutons , Cimbri , and Charudes . Many Angles , Saxons and Jutes migrated from Continental Europe to Great Britain starting around 450 AD. The Angles gave their name to the new emerging kingdoms called England (i.e., "Angle-land"). The Kingdom of Kent in south east England is associated with Jutish origins and migration , also attributed by Bede in
2760-710: The First World War . However, an estimated 5,000 Danes living in North Slesvig were killed serving in the German army. The 1916 Battle of Jutland was fought in the North Sea west of Jutland. Denmark had declared itself neutral, but was invaded and occupied by Nazi Germany within a few hours on 9 April 1940. Scattered fighting took place in South Jutland and in Copenhagen. Sixteen Danish soldiers were killed. Some months before
2875-510: The German minority openly sided with Germany and volunteered for German military service. While some Danes initially feared a border revision, the German occupational force did not pursue the issue. In a judicial aftermath after the end of the war, many members of the German minority were convicted, and German schools were confiscated by Danish authorities. There were some instances of Danish mob attacks against German-minded citizens. In December 1945,
2990-523: The Grenen spit in the north to the confluence of the Elbe and the Sude in the southeast. The historic southern border river of Jutland as a cultural-geographical region, which historically also included Southern Schleswig , is the Eider . The peninsula, on the other hand, also comprises areas south of the Eider : Holstein , the former duchy of Lauenburg , and most of Hamburg and Lübeck . Jutland's geography
3105-610: The Jutes and the Cimbri , respectively. The Jutland peninsula reaches from the sandbar spit of Grenen on the North Jutlandic Island in the north, to the banks of the Elbe in the south. The peninsula is also called the Cimbric peninsula . Jutland as a cultural-geographical term mostly only refers to the Danish part of the peninsula, from Grenen to the Danish-German border. Sometimes,
3220-689: The Kalmar Union , made official in 1397. Her successor, Eric of Pomerania (King of Denmark from 1412 to 1439), lacked Margaret's skill and thus directly caused the breakup of the Kalmar Union. Eric's foreign policy engulfed Denmark in a succession of wars with the Holstein counts and the city of Lübeck. When the Hanseatic League imposed a trade embargo on Scandinavia, the Swedes (who saw their mining industry adversely affected) rose up in revolt. The three countries of
3335-664: The Kattegat , and Als at the rim of the Baltic Sea , are administratively and historically tied to Jutland, although the latter two are also regarded as traditional districts of their own. Inhabitants of Als, known as Alsinger , would agree to be South Jutlanders, but not necessarily Jutlanders. The largest North Sea islands off the Jutish coast are the Danish Wadden Sea Islands including Rømø , Fanø , and Mandø in Denmark, and
3450-609: The Maglemosian culture (9,500–6,000 BC); the Kongemose culture (6,000–5,200 BC), the Ertebølle culture (5,300–3,950 BC), and the Funnelbeaker culture (4,100–2,800 BC). The first inhabitants of this early post-glacial landscape in the so-called Boreal period , were very small and scattered populations living from hunting of reindeer and other land mammals and gathering whatever fruits
3565-463: The Maglemosian people , residing in seasonal camps and exploiting the land, sea, rivers and lakes. It was not until around 6,000 BC that the approximate geography of Denmark as we know it today had been shaped. Denmark has some unique natural conditions for preservation of artifacts, providing a rich and diverse archeological record from which to understand the prehistoric cultures of this area. The Weichsel glaciation covered all of Denmark most of
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3680-699: The Mid Jutland Region and the North Jutland Region as well as the Capital Region of Denmark are located in the north of Denmark which is rising because of post-glacial rebound . Some circular depressions in Jutland may be remnants of collapsed pingos that developed during the Last Ice Age . Jutland has historically been one of the three lands of Denmark , the other two being Scania and Zealand . Before that, according to Ptolemy , Jutland or
3795-584: The Monarchy of Denmark the oldest in Europe. The area now known as Denmark has a rich prehistory , having been populated by several prehistoric cultures and people for about 12,000 years, since the end of the last ice age . Denmark's history has particularly been influenced by its geographical location between the North and Baltic seas, a strategically and economically important placement between Sweden and Germany , at
3910-462: The New Testament into Danish; it became an instant best-seller. Jutland Jutland ( Danish : Jylland [ˈjyˌlænˀ] , Jyske Halvø or Cimbriske Halvø ; German : Jütland , Kimbrische Halbinsel or Jütische Halbinsel ) is a peninsula of Northern Europe that forms the continental portion of Denmark and part of northern Germany ( Schleswig-Holstein ). It stretches from
4025-495: The North Frisian Islands including Sylt , Föhr , Amrum and Pellworm in Germany. On the German islands, some North Frisian dialects are still in use. Administratively, the Jutland peninsula belongs to three German states and three Danish regions: The ten largest cities on the Jutland peninsula are: Aarhus , Silkeborg , Billund , Randers , Kolding , Horsens , Vejle , Fredericia and Haderslev , along with
4140-405: The North Jutlandic Island (Danish: Nørrejyske Ø or Vendsyssel-Thy ). Northern Jutland is traditionally subdivided into South Jutland ( Sydjylland ), West Jutland ( Vestjylland ), East Jutland ( Østjylland ), and North Jutland ( Nordjylland ). More recent is the designation Central Jutland ( Midtjylland ) for parts of traditionally West and East Jutish areas. Subregions of Northern Jutland include
4255-636: The North Jutlandic Island . The storm breach of Agger Tange created the Agger Channel, and another storm in 1862 created the Thyborøn Channel close by. The channels made it possible for ships to shortcut the Skagerrak Sea . The Agger Channel closed up again over the years, due to natural siltation , but the Thyborøn Channel widened and was fortified and secured in 1875. Denmark was neutral during
4370-558: The Obotrites and conquered the city of Reric whose population was displaced or abducted to Hedeby . In 809, King Godfred and emissaries of Charlemagne failed to negotiate peace, despite the sister of Godfred being a concubine of Charlemagne, and the next year King Godfred attacked the Frisians with 200 ships. Viking raids along the coast of France and the Netherlands were large-scale. Paris
4485-519: The Pre-Roman Iron Age (from the 4th to the 1st century BC ), the climate in Denmark and southern Scandinavia became cooler and wetter, limiting agriculture and setting the stage for local groups to migrate southward into Germania . At around this time people began to extract iron from the ore in peat bogs . Evidence of strong Celtic cultural influence dates from this period in Denmark, and in much of northwest Europe, and survives in some of
4600-462: The Privy Council of Denmark had lost some of its influence, and that of Norway no longer existed. The two kingdoms, known as Denmark–Norway , operated in a personal union under a single monarch. Norway kept its separate laws and some institutions, such as a royal chancellor , separate coinage and a separate army. As a hereditary kingdom, Norway's status as separate from Denmark remained important to
4715-552: The Rani , monasteries like Eldena Abbey ) and settlement (Danish participation in the Ostsiedlung ). The Danes lost most of their southern gains after the Battle of Bornhöved (1227) , but the Rugian principality stayed with Denmark until 1325. In 1202, Valdemar II became king and launched various " crusades " to claim territories, notably modern Estonia . Once these efforts were successful,
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4830-574: The Stör and Krückau in the northwest, the Trave and Bille in the east, and the Elbe in the south. There exists also a district of Stormarn northeast of Hamburg in Schleswig-Holstein. But this district does not cover the entire area of the historic region of Stormarn, and while those parts of Stormarn now lying in Schleswig-Holstein are nowadays considered parts of Holstein, the areas of Stormarn today in
4945-467: The 12th century, based mostly on the lucrative herring -trade, but the 13th century turned into a period of difficulty and saw the temporary collapse of royal authority. During the disastrous reign of Christopher II (1319–1332), most of the country was seized by the provincial counts (except Skåne, which was taken over by Sweden) after numerous peasant revolts and conflicts with the Church. For eight years after Christopher's death, Denmark had no king, and
5060-410: The 1800s. This growth was not caused by an increase in the fertility rate , but by better nutrition, sanitation, hygiene, and health care services. More children survived, and people lived longer and healthier lives. Combined with falling grain prices on the international markets because of the Long Depression , and better opportunities in the cities due to an increasing industrialisation, many people in
5175-411: The 1st century. It seems clear that some part of the Danish warrior aristocracy served in the Roman army . Occasionally during this time, both animal and human sacrifice occurred and bodies were immersed in bogs . In recent times some of these bog bodies have emerged very well-preserved, providing valuable information about the religion and people who lived in Denmark during this period. Some of
5290-430: The 8th century, but historic documents describe the geographic area and the people living there—the Danes —as early as 500 AD. These early documents include the writings of Jordanes and Procopius . With the Christianization of the Danes c. 960 AD, it is clear that there existed a kingship. King Frederik X can trace his lineage back to the Viking kings Gorm the Old and Harald Bluetooth from this time, thus making
5405-463: The 8th–11th centuries. Viking explorers first discovered and settled in Iceland in the 9th century, on their way from the Faroe Islands . From there, Greenland and Vinland (probably Newfoundland ) were also settled. Utilizing their great skills in shipbuilding and navigation they raided and conquered parts of France and the British Isles . They also excelled in trading along the coasts and rivers of Europe, running trade routes from Greenland in
5520-399: The Baltic and the North Sea, canals were built across the Jutland Peninsula, including the Eider Canal in the late 18th century, and the Kiel Canal , completed in 1895 and still in use. In 1825, a severe North Sea storm on the west coast of Jutland breached the isthmus of Agger Tange in the Limfjord area, separating the northern part of Jutland from the mainland and effectively creating
5635-462: The Danes. However, distance and a lack of common interests prevented a lasting union, and Sweyn's son Cnut the Great barely maintained the link between the two countries, which completely broke up during the reign of his son Hardecanute . A final attempt by the Norwegians under Harald Hardrada to reconquer England failed, but did pave the way for William the Conqueror's takeover in 1066. The history of Christianity in Denmark overlaps with that of
5750-399: The East Jutish cultural area. A new meaning of Central Jutland is the entire area between North and South Jutland, corresponding roughly to the Central Jutland Region . While the term Northern Jutland (Danish: Nørrejylland ) refers to the whole region between Kongeå and Grenen , North Jutland (Danish: Nordjylland ) only refers to the northernmost part of Northern Jutland, and encompasses
5865-405: The Ertebølle culture, which had maintained a Mesolithic lifestyle for about 1500 years after farming arrived in Central Europe. The Neolithic Funnelbeaker population persisted for around 1,000 years until people with Steppe-derived ancestry started to arrive from Eastern Europe. The Single Grave culture was a local variant of the Corded Ware culture , and appears to have emerged as a result of
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#17328588042975980-414: The Hanseatic League. He conquered Gotland , much to the displeasure of the League, which lost Visby , an important trading town located there. The Hanseatic alliance with Sweden to attack Denmark initially proved a fiasco since Danish forces captured a large Hanseatic fleet, and ransomed it back for an enormous sum. Luckily for the League, the Jutland nobles revolted against the heavy taxes levied to fight
6095-439: The Jutland peninsula can be found in Holstein, the ten largest lakes being the Großer Plöner See (which is also the largest lake on the whole Jutland peninsula), Selenter See , Kellersee , Dieksee , Lanker See , Behler See , Postsee , Kleiner Plöner See , Großer Eutiner See , and the Stocksee. One of the world's most frequented artificial waterways, the Kiel Canal , runs through the Jutland peninsula in Holstein, connecting
6210-439: The Kalmar Union all declared Eric deposed in 1439. However, support for the idea of regionalism continued, so when Eric's nephew Christopher of Bavaria came to the throne in 1440, he managed to get himself elected in all three kingdoms, briefly reuniting Scandinavia (1442–1448). The Swedish nobility grew increasingly unhappy with Danish rule and the union soon became merely a legal concept with little practical application. During
6325-421: The Netherlands. The peninsula's longest river is the Eider , that rises close to the Baltic but flows in the direction of the North Sea due to a moraine, while the Gudenå is the longest river of Denmark. In order for ships not having to go around the whole peninsula to reach the Baltic, the Kiel Canal , the world's busiest artificial waterway, that crosses the peninsula in the south, has been constructed. Jutland
6440-420: The North Sea at Brunsbüttel to the Baltic at Kiel - Holtenau . The Eider is the longest river of the Jutland peninsula. Holstein is one of the most populated subregions of the Jutland peninsula because of the densely populated area around Hamburg, which in large parts lies in Holstein. Between the Eider and the Danish-German border stretches Southern Schleswig . Notable subregions of Southern Schleswig are
6555-403: The Northeastern half of what now constitutes England , where Danes settled and Danish law and rule prevailed. Prior to this time, England consisted of approximately seven independent Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. The Danes conquered (terminated) all of these except for the kingdom of Wessex . Alfred the Great , king of Wessex, emerged from these trials as the sole remaining English king, and thereby as
6670-416: The Swedish royal family. The dynastic plans called for her son, Olaf II to rule the three kingdoms, but after his early death in 1387 she took on the role herself (1387–1412). During her lifetime (1353–1412) the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden (including the Faroe Islands , as well as Iceland , Greenland , and present-day Finland ) became linked under her capable rule, in what became known as
6785-526: The Viking Age. Various petty kingdoms existed throughout the area now known as Denmark for many years. Between c. 960 and the early 980s, Harald Bluetooth appears to have established a kingdom in the lands of the Danes which stretched from Jutland to Skåne. Around the same time, he received a visit from a German missionary who, according to legend, survived an ordeal by fire , which convinced Harald to convert to Christianity . Sweyn Estridson (1020–1074) re-established strong royal Danish authority and built
6900-411: The administration. King Valdemar and Absalon ( ca 1128–1201), the bishop of Roskilde , rebuilt the country. During Valdemar's reign construction began of a castle in the village of Havn, leading eventually to the foundation of Copenhagen , the modern capital of Denmark. Valdemar and Absalon built Denmark into a major power in the Baltic Sea , a power which later competed with the Hanseatic League ,
7015-425: The base of the main altar on 10 July 1086, where he was buried by the Benedictines. When Queen Edele came to take Canute's body to Flanders, a light allegedly shone around the church and it was taken as a sign that Canute should remain where he was. The death of St. Canute marks the end of the Viking Age. Never again would massive flotillas of Scandinavians meet each year to ravage the rest of Christian Europe. In
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#17328588042977130-412: The center of mutual struggles for control of the Baltic Sea ( dominium maris baltici ). Denmark was long in disputes with Sweden over control of Skånelandene and with Germany over control of Schleswig (a Danish fief ) and Holstein (a German fief). Eventually, Denmark lost these conflicts and ended up ceding first Skåneland to Sweden and later Schleswig-Holstein to the German Empire . After
7245-450: The changes he instituted was the feudal system where he gave properties to men with the understanding that they owed him service. This increased the power of the noble families ( Danish : højadelen ) and gave rise to the lesser nobles ( Danish : lavadelen ) who controlled most of Denmark. Free peasants lost the traditional rights and privileges they had enjoyed since Viking times. The king of Denmark had difficulty maintaining control of
7360-441: The city-state of Hamburg, are not. The bulk of the southernmost areas of the Jutland peninsula belongs to Holstein , stretching from the Elbe in the south to the Eider in the north. Subregions of Holstein are Dithmarschen on the North Sea side, Stormarn at the centre, and Wagria on the Baltic side. There is an area in Holstein called Holstein Switzerland because of its comparable higher hills. The largest amount of lakes on
7475-449: The climate was able to offer. Around 8,300 BC the temperature rose drastically, now with summer temperatures around 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit), and the landscape changed into dense forests of aspen , birch and pine and the reindeer moved north, while aurochs and elk arrived from the south. The Koelbjerg Man is the oldest known bog body in the world and also the oldest set of human bones found in Denmark , dated to
7590-489: The countryside relocated to larger towns or emigrated. In the later half of the century, around 300,000 Danes, mainly unskilled labourers from rural areas, emigrated to the US or Canada. This amounted to more than 10% of the then total population, but some areas had an even higher emigration rate. In 1850, the largest Jutland towns of Aalborg, Aarhus and Randers had no more than about 8,000 inhabitants each; by 1901, Aarhus had grown to 51,800 citizens. To speed transit between
7705-409: The counts of Holstein , and the Teutonic Knights for trade, territory, and influence throughout the Baltic. In 1168, Valdemar and Absalon gained a foothold on the southern shore of the Baltic, when they subdued the Principality of Rügen . In the 1180s, Mecklenburg and the Duchy of Pomerania came under Danish control, too. In the new southern provinces, the Danes promoted Christianity (mission of
7820-476: The defensive line of Dannevirke, including the Viking city of Hedeby, across Jutland, the Danish isles and into southern present day Sweden ; Scania and perhaps Halland and Blekinge . Furthermore, the Jelling stones attest that Harald had also "won" Norway . In retaliation for the St. Brice's Day massacre of Danes in England, the son of Harald, Sweyn Forkbeard mounted a series of wars of conquest against England. By 1014, England had completely submitted to
7935-422: The early 12th century, Denmark became the seat of an independent church province of Scandinavia. Not long after that, Sweden and Norway established their own archbishoprics, free of Danish control. The mid-12th century proved a difficult time for the kingdom of Denmark. Violent civil wars rocked the land. Eventually, Valdemar the Great (1131–82), gained control of the kingdom, stabilizing it and reorganizing
8050-457: The end of the last ice age . During the ice age, all of Scandinavia was covered by glaciers most of the time, except for the southwestern parts of what we now know as Denmark. When the ice began retreating, the barren tundras were soon inhabited by reindeer and elk, and Ahrenburg and Swiderian hunters from the south followed them here to hunt occasionally. The geography then was very different from what we know today. Sea levels were much lower;
8165-399: The estuary of the Elbe at the Geesthacht barrage Lauenburg is the southeasternmost area of Schleswig-Holstein . It exists administratively as the district of Herzogtum Lauenburg ( Duchy of Lauenburg ), the surface of which is equal to the territory of the former Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg , which historically did not belong to Holstein. The Duchy of Lauenburg existed since 1296, and when it
8280-570: The eventual cession of Norway in 1814 , Denmark retained control of the old Norwegian colonies of the Faroe Islands , Greenland and Iceland . During the 20th century, Iceland gained independence, Greenland and the Faroes became integral parts of the Kingdom of Denmark and North Schleswig reunited with Denmark in 1920 after a referendum. During World War II , Denmark was occupied by Nazi Germany , but
8395-467: The expansionist war in the Baltic; the two forces worked against the king, forcing him into exile in 1370. For several years, the Hanseatic League controlled the fortresses on the Sound , the strait between Skåne and Zealand. Margaret I , the daughter of Valdemar Atterdag, found herself married off to Håkon VI of Norway in an attempt to join the two kingdoms, along with Sweden, since Håkon had kinship ties to
8510-456: The farmers of Western Jutland were mostly free owners of their own land or leasing it from the Crown, although under frugal conditions. Most of the less fertile and sparsely populated land of Western Jutland was never feudalised. East Jutland was more similar to Eastern Denmark in this respect. The north–south ridge forming the border between the fertile eastern hills and sandy western plains has been
8625-503: The first English Monarch . In the early 9th century, Charlemagne 's Christian empire had expanded to the southern border of the Danes, and Frankish sources (e.g. Notker of St Gall ) provide the earliest historical evidence of the Danes. These report a King Gudfred , who appeared in present-day Holstein with a navy in 804 where diplomacy took place with the Franks ; In 808, King Gudfred attacked
8740-425: The hardness of hunter-gatherer life in the cold north. Based on estimates of the amount of game animals, scholars estimate the population of Denmark to have been between 3,300 and 8,000 persons in the time around 7,000 BC. It is believed that the early hunter-gatherers lived nomadically, exploiting different environments at different times of the year, gradually shifting to the use of semi permanent base camps. With
8855-585: The homestead dialect. Many of these writers are often referred to as the Jutland Movement , artistically connected through their engagement with public social realism of the Jutland region. The Golden Age painters also found inspiration and motives in the natural beauty of Jutland, including P. C. Skovgaard , Dankvart Dreyer , and art collective of the Skagen Painters . Writer Evald Tang Kristensen (1843-1929) collected and published extensive accounts on
8970-454: The invasion, Germany had considered only occupying the northern tip of Jutland with Aalborg airfield, but Jutland as a whole was soon regarded as of high strategic importance. Work commenced on extending the Atlantic Wall along the entire west coast of the peninsula. Its task was to resist a potential allied attack on Germany by landing on the west coast of Jutland. The Hanstholm fortress at
9085-685: The island of Great Britain was connected by a land bridge to mainland Europe and the large area between Great Britain and the Jutlandic peninsula – now beneath the North Sea and known as Doggerland – was inhabited by tribes of hunter-gatherers. As the climate warmed up, forceful rivers of meltwater started to flow and shape the virgin lands, and more stable flora and fauna gradually began emerging in Scandinavia, and Denmark in particular. The first human settlers to inhabit Denmark and Scandinavia permanently were
9200-506: The kingdom in the face of opposition from the nobility and from the Church. An extended period of strained relations between the crown and the Popes of Rome took place, known as the "archiepiscopal conflicts". By the late 13th century, royal power had waned, and the nobility forced the king to grant a charter , considered Denmark's first constitution . Following the Battle of Bornhöved in 1227,
9315-647: The largest part of Himmerland , the northernmost part of Crown Jutland ( Kronjylland ), the island of Mors ( Morsø ), and Jutland north of the Limfjord (the North Jutlandic Island , which is subdivided into the regions of Thy , Hanherred , and Vendsyssel , the northernmost region of Jutland and Denmark). Nordjylland is congruent with the North Jutland Region ( Region Nordjylland ). The largest Kattegat and Baltic islands off Jutland are Funen , Als , Læsø , Samsø , and Anholt in Denmark, as well as Fehmarn in Germany. The islands of Læsø , Anholt , and Samsø in
9430-436: The last time in 1085. He planned another invasion to take the throne of England from an aging William I . He called up a fleet of 1,000 Danish ships, 60 Norwegian long boats , with plans to meet with another 600 ships under Duke Robert of Flanders in the summer of 1086. Canute, however, was beginning to realise that the imposition of the tithe on Danish peasants and nobles to fund the expansion of monasteries and churches and
9545-683: The most well-preserved bog bodies from the Nordic Iron Age are the Tollund Man and the Grauballe Man . From around the 5th to the 7th century, Northern Europe experienced mass migrations. This period and its material culture are referred to as the Germanic Iron Age . In his description of Scandza (from the 6th-century work, Getica ), the ancient writer Jordanes says that the Dani were of
9660-622: The mouth of the Trave at Lübeck - Travemünde up to the mouth of the Wakenitz into the Trave (in Lübeck), from there up the Wakenitz until its outflow from lake Ratzeburger See , then through lake Kleiner Küchensee to the mouth of the de:Schaalseekanal into lake Großer Küchensee, from there along the canal through lakes Salemer See, Pipersee and Phulsee to lake Schaalsee , on from Zarrentin am Schaalsee along
9775-617: The north to Constantinople in the south via Russian and Ukrainian rivers, most notably along the River Dnieper and via Kiev, then being the capital of Kiev Rus , which was founded by Viking conquerors. The Danish Vikings were most active in Britain, Ireland , France , Spain , Portugal and Italy where they raided, conquered and settled (their earliest settlements included sites in the Danelaw , Ireland and Normandy ). The Danelaw encompassed
9890-567: The northeast, and the Baltic Sea to the southeast. The peninsula's Kattegat and Baltic coastline stretches from Grenen down to the mouth of the Trave in Lübeck - Travemünde , and its Skagerrak and North Sea coastline runs from Grenen until down to the Geesthacht barrage east of Hamburg , which is defined as the point where the Lower Elbe ( Unterelbe ) and the estuary of the Elbe, that are subject to
10005-503: The northern part of Schleswig-Holstein down to the Eider ( Southern Schleswig ), is also included in the cultural-geographical definition of Jutland, because the Eider was historically the southern border of Denmark and the cultural and linguistic boundary between the Nordic countries and Germany from c. 850 to 1864. In Denmark, the term Jylland can refer both to the whole peninsula and to
10120-416: The northwestern promontory of Jutland became the largest fortification of Northern Europe. The local villagers were evacuated to Hirtshals . Coastal areas of Jutland were declared a military zone where Danish citizens were required to carry identity cards, and access was regulated. The small Danish airfield of Aalborg was seized as one of the first objects in the invasion by German paratroopers. The airfield
10235-579: The older place names. The Roman provinces , whose frontiers stopped short of Denmark, nevertheless maintained trade routes and relations with Danish or proto-Danish peoples, as attested by finds of Roman coins. The earliest known runic inscriptions date back to c. 200 AD. Depletion of cultivated land in the last century BC seems to have contributed to increasing migrations in northern Europe and increasing conflict between Teutonic tribes and Roman settlements in Gaul . Roman artifacts are especially common in finds from
10350-589: The outflow of lake Schaalsee, the Schaale , until its mouth into the Sude at Teldau , then along the Sude until its confluence with the Elbe at Boizenburg , and further on along the Elbe, until the Geesthacht barrage east of Hamburg , where the tide-dependent estuary of the Elbe begins. Travemünde → Trave → Wakenitz → Ratzeburger See →Kleiner Küchensee→Großer Küchensee→Schaalsee canal→Salemer See→Pipersee→Phulsee→ Schaalsee → Schaale → Sude → Elbe at Boizenburg →beginning of
10465-521: The peninsula after the last Ice Age, some 12,000 years ago. The local culture of Jutland commoners before industrial times was not described in much detail by contemporary texts. It was generally viewed with contempt by the Danish cultural elite in Copenhagen who perceived it as uncultivated, misguided or useless. While the peasantry of eastern Denmark was dominated by the upper feudal class , manifested in large estates owned by families of noble birth and an increasingly subdued class of peasant tenants,
10580-508: The peninsula of Eiderstedt and North Frisia on the North Sea side, and the peninsulas of Danish Wahld , Schwansen , and Anglia on the Baltic side. There is a considerable North Frisian minority in North Frisia , and North Frisian is an official language in the region. In Anglia and Schwansen on the other hand, there exist indigenous Danish minorities, with Danish being the second official language there. The Danish Wahld once formed
10695-607: The peninsulas of Djursland with Mols , and Salling . Also in Northern Jutland is the Søhøjlandet , which is the highest elevated Danish region, and at the same time, the region with the highest density of lakes in Denmark. Denmark's longest river, the Gudenå , flows through Northern Jutland. South Jutland ( Sydjylland ) is the southernmost part of Northern Jutland. It is not to be confused with Southern Jutland ( Sønderjylland ), which
10810-459: The region between Grenen and either the Danish-German border or the Eider. In Germany, however, the peninsula as a whole is only referred to as Kimbrische Halbinsel or Jütische Halbinsel , while the term Jütland is reserved solely for the cultural-geographical definition of Jutland. The Jutland peninsula is bounded by the North Sea to the west, the Skagerrak to the north, the Kattegat to
10925-418: The remaining part of the German minority issued a declaration of loyalty to Denmark and democracy, renouncing any demands for a border revision. Up until the industrialisation of the 19th century, most people in Jutland lived a rural life as farmers and fishers. Farming and herding have formed a significant part of the culture since the late Neolithic Stone Age , and fishing ever since humans first populated
11040-497: The rising temperatures, sea levels also rose, and during the Atlantic period , Denmark evolved from a contiguous landmass around 11,000 BC to a series of islands by 4,500 BC. The inhabitants then shifted to a seafood based diet, which allowed the population to increase. Agricultural settlers made inroads around 4,000 BC. Many dolmens and rock tombs (especially passage graves ) date from this period. The Funnelbeaker farmers replaced
11155-552: The royal dynasty in its struggles to win elections as kings of Denmark. The two kingdoms remained tied until 1814. The Reformation , which originated in the German lands in the early 16th century from the ideas of Martin Luther (1483–1546), had a considerable impact on Denmark. The Danish Reformation started in the mid-1520s. Some Danes wanted access to the Bible in their own language. In 1524 Hans Mikkelsen and Christiern Pedersen translated
11270-640: The same stock as the Suetidi (Swedes, Suithiod ?) and expelled the Heruli and took their lands. The Old English poems Widsith and Beowulf , as well as works by later Scandinavian writers — notably by Saxo Grammaticus (c. 1200) — provide some of the earliest references to Danes. Other and non-Danish: With the beginning of the Viking Age in the 9th century, the prehistoric period in Denmark ends. The Danish people were among those known as Vikings , during
11385-569: The sons of the above-mentioned Godfred. At the same time St. Ansgar travelled to Hedeby and started the Catholic Christianisation of Scandinavia . Gorm the Old was the first historically recognized ruler of Denmark , reigning from c. 936 to his death c. 958 . He ruled from Jelling , and made the oldest of the Jelling Stones in honour of his wife Thyra . Gorm
11500-464: The subsequent reigns of Christian I (1450–1481) and Hans (1481–1513), tensions grew, and several wars between Sweden and Denmark erupted. In the early 16th century, Christian II (reigned 1513–1523) came to power. He allegedly declared, "If the hat on my head knew what I was thinking, I would pull it off and throw it away." This quotation apparently refers to his devious and machiavellian political dealings. He conquered Sweden in an attempt to reinforce
11615-525: The summer of 755 and were expanded with large works in the 10th century. The size and number of troops needed to man it indicates a quite powerful ruler in the area, which might be consistent with the kings of the Frankish sources. In 815 AD, Emperor Louis the Pious attacked Jutland apparently in support of a contender to the throne, perhaps Harald Klak , but was turned back by the sons of Godfred, who most likely were
11730-412: The term has been used in and around Viborg , so that the people of Viborg could differentiate themselves from the populations to the east and west. The majority of what is today called Central Jutland is actually the traditional West Jutish culture and dialect area, i.e. Herning , Skive , Ikast , and Brande . By contrast, Silkeborg and the other areas east of the Jutish ridge are traditionally part of
11845-407: The territory of the former Duchy of Schleswig . The region is called Sønderjyllands Amt in Danish, and it is regarded as the northern part of Sønderjylland , which refers to the combined territory of Northern and Southern Schleswig. Northern Jutland is the region between the Kongeå and Jutland's northernmost point, the Grenen spit. In Danish, it is called Nørrejylland , and also encompasses
11960-462: The tides, begin. The part of the Baltic Sea the peninsula is bounded by is referred to as da:Bælthavet in Danish and de:Beltsee in German, a designation deriving from the Great , Little , and Fehmarn belts, while the Baltic Sea as a whole is called Østersøen and Ostsee , respectively. The peninsula's land border in the southeast and south is constituted by a string of several rivers and lakes: from
12075-421: The time of the Maglemosian culture around 8,000 BC. With a continuing rise in temperature the oak , elm and hazel arrived in Denmark around 7,000 BC. Now boar , red deer , and roe deer also began to abound. A burial from Bøgebakken at Vedbæk dates to c. 6,000 BC and contains 22 persons – including four newborns and one toddler. Eight of the 22 had died before reaching 20 years of age – testifying to
12190-418: The time, except the western coasts of Jutland. It ended around 13,000 years ago, allowing humans to move back into the previously ice-covered territories and establish permanent habitation. During the first post-glacial millennia, the landscape gradually changed from tundra to light forest, and varied fauna including now-extinct megafauna appeared. Early prehistoric cultures uncovered in modern Denmark include
12305-582: The union, and had about 100 leaders of the Swedish anti-unionist forces killed in what came to be known as the Stockholm Bloodbath of November 1520. The bloodbath destroyed any lingering hope of Scandinavian union. In the aftermath of Sweden 's definitive secession from the Kalmar Union in 1521, civil war and the Protestant Reformation followed in Denmark and Norway. When things settled down,
12420-460: Was a significant change from the local law making at the regional assemblies ( Danish : landsting ), which had been the long-standing tradition. Several methods of determining guilt or innocence were outlawed including trial by ordeal and trial by combat. The Code of Jutland ( Danish : Jyske Lov ) was approved at meeting of the nobility at Vordingborg in 1241 just prior to Valdemar's death. Because of his position as "the king of Dannebrog" and as
12535-474: Was absorbed by the Kingdom of Prussia and became part of the Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein in 1876, the new district was allowed to keep the name "duchy" in its name as a reminiscence to its ducal past, and today it is the only district in Germany with such a designation. The region is named for its former capital, the town of Lauenburg on the Elbe , but its seat is now at Ratzeburg . Lauenburg
12650-482: Was besieged and the Loire Valley devastated during the 10th century. One group of Danes was granted permission to settle in northwestern France under the condition that they defend the place from future attacks. As a result, the region became known as "Normandy" and it was the descendants of these settlers who conquered England in 1066. The oldest parts of the defensive works of Danevirke near Hedeby at least date from
12765-475: Was born before 900 and died c. 958 . His rule marks the start of the Danish monarchy and royal house (see Danish monarchs' family tree ). The Danes were united and officially Christianized in 965 AD by Gorm's son Harald Bluetooth (see below), the story of which is recorded on the Jelling stones . The extent of Harald's Danish Kingdom is unknown, although it is reasonable to believe that it stretched from
12880-537: Was eventually liberated by British forces of the Allies in 1945, after which it joined the United Nations . In the aftermath of World War II, and with the emergence of the subsequent Cold War , Denmark was quick to join the military alliance of NATO as a founding member in 1949. The Scandinavian region has a rich prehistory , having been populated by several prehistoric cultures and people for about 12,000 years, since
12995-523: Was forced to cover most of the cost. After the war, the remaining German prisoners of war were recruited to perform extensive mine clearance of 1.4 million mines along the coast. Many of the seaside bunkers from World War II are still present at the west coast. Several of the fortifications in Denmark have been turned into museums, including Tirpitz Museum in Blåvand, Bunkermuseum Hanstholm , and Hirtshals Bunkermuseum . In Southern Jutland, parts of
13110-450: Was instead controlled by the counts. After one of them, Gerhard III of Holstein-Rendsburg , was assassinated in 1340, Christopher's son Valdemar was chosen as king, and gradually began to recover the territories, which was finally completed in 1360. The Black Death in Denmark , which came to Denmark during these years, also aided Valdemar's campaign. His continued efforts to expand the kingdom after 1360 brought him into open conflict with
13225-598: Was significantly expanded by the Germans in order to secure their traffic to Norway, and more airfields were built. Danish contractors and 50,000–100,000 workers were hired to fulfill the German projects. The alternative for workers was to be unemployed or sent to work in Germany. The fortifications have been estimated to be the largest construction project ever performed in Denmark at a cost of then 10 billion kroner, or 300-400 billion DKK today (45-60 billion USD or 40-54 billion euro in 2019). The Danish National Bank
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