DEKMARE
729
DENMARK
3;rowing revenue made it possible to increase the na-
tion's military strength. At the same time the pitiful
condition of (he jioasauts reiiiMiiied unchanged. Chris-
tian V (I(i7()-1(i0!t) adojitod the Frenrh regime as far
is possible, invited Ciennaii nobles into his country,
ind grautetl them extensive privileges. Naturally,
the youthful sovereign attempted to bring back to
Denmark its former greatness; in 1675 he began war
ivith Sweden. His fleet destroyed that of the enemy
iff Oeland (1676). He himself crossed over to Skane,
ind his Norwegian troops made an inroad into West^
Gotland. The loss of the battle of Lund (8 Dec., 1676)
forced him to make peace in that city. Sweden kept
its possessions, and Denmark received only a small
indemnity (1679). King Christian survived these
svents twenty peaceful years. His son, Frederick IV
[1690-1730), "had to take an active part in the North-
jrn War; but no great battles took place, nor was
Denmark subject to grievous devastation. Eventu-
illy (1720) the Gottorp section of Schleswig was re-
tained by Denmark. Frederick was succeeded by the
pietistic Christian VI, under whose rule hardly any
- hanges took place. His consort induced him, how-
jver, to erect extravagant structures, which proved X heavy burden on the finances. Under Frederick V (1746-1766) commerce and industry, sciences and irts throve, though the economic situation was very unsatisfactorj'. His .son. Christian VII, ruined him- self by his debaucheries. The infidel German physi-
- ian .Striinse, in whom the queen reposed her entire
confidence, gained a great, and partly baleful, influence aver the administration. He fell a victim to a con- spiracy, whereupon the queen had to leave Denmark. The crown prince, who had been actual ruler during the lifetime of his father, reigned fifty-five years as Frederick VI. In concert with his excellent minister Bernstorff, he devoted himself to the welfare of his people, abolished serfdom (1788), and advanced, as far as lay in him, the happiness of his subjects. In 1801, however, he was involved in a conflict with Great Britain, which resented Denmark's resolution to remain neutral in the conflict between Great Britain and France. An indecisive naval engagement took place before Copenhagen. After the Treaty of Tilsit, Kngland sought to paralyze Denmark, then under the iiifliiciice of Russia and France, and disembarking .iO.ddO men near Copenliagen, forced the Danes to sur- render their splendid fleet. The ensuing war with Great Britain ruined Denmark financially. More- over, it was forced to cede Norway to Sweden by the treaty of Kiel (1814). The modern tendency towards the increase of civil liberty prevailed also in Denmark. In 18.'5.5 the monarch granted a constitution which re- mained in force under King Christian VIII (1838^8). In the latter reign occurred the first friction of the Danes with the German element in Schleswig, where the latter constituted a strong majority. Still, an open rupture was avoided during the king's life. The contest began in earnest when Frederick VII ascended the throne. The Germans desired that the two duchies of Schleswig and Holstein should be made one .State, which should belong to the German Confedera- tion and be connected with Denmark only by a per- sonal union. The Government sought to counteract this movement by various measures, partly of an odious character. Repi-esentatives of the German party at last (23-24 March, 1848) proclaimed the inde- pendence of the duchies and appointed a provisional government whose head was Prince Frederick of Sonderburg-Augustenburg. The garrisons at Kiel, Eckernforde, and (iluckstadt went over to him, and the fortress of Rendsburg fell into his hands without a blow. Volunteers from all sides rallied round his standard. As the King of Denmark did not yield to the wishes of the rebels, war began. The army of Schleswig-Holstein was at first worsted (at Ban and Flensburg), but when Prussian reinforcements under
Wrangel arrived, the Danes were forced to retreat.
The intervention of King Oscar of .Sweden brought
about the truce of Malmo, but its negotiations proved
fruitless. Hostilities began again in the spring of
1849, and were continued with varying success (defeat
of the Danes at Eckernforde, Diippel, Kolding, their
victory of Fredericia). The diplomatic intrigues of
the Great Powers compelleil Prussia to make peace
with Denmark (2 July, 18.50) and to withdraw her
soldiers. Unassisted, the small army of the duchies
now opposed the Danes, but was completely routetl
in the battle of Idstedt (29 July, 1850). On 27 Aug-
ust of the same year the European Powers signed a
declaration at London by which the unity of the Dan-
ish monarchy was guaranteed. An Austrian contin-
gent occupied Holstein, restored Danish rule, and dis-
solved the army of the duchies.
During the truce of Malmo (1848) the first Danish Parliament was assembled by the king. After long and excited debates, a really liberal constitution was accepted 5 June, 1849, according to which the ad- ministrative power is substantially divided between the king and the representatives of the people (Folke- thing and Landsthing). All efforts to regulate the
Ckstle of Rosenborg, Copenhagek
relations with the duchies were fruitless. In the au- tumn of 1863, therefore, the Government proposed a bill according to which Denmark and Schleswig should receive a common constitution, while Holstein-Lauen- burg, as a member of the German Confederacy, was not included. This so-called "November Law", which was to go into effect the first day of January, 1864, was accepted by an overwhelming majority. After the death of Frederick VII, King Christian l.\, in spite of many warnings, approved of this new law. For this reason complications arose with the German Confederacy and later with its principal members, Prussia and Austria. Saxon and Hanoverian troops now occupied Holstein. An army consisting of Prussians and Austrians crossed the Eider (6 Feb., 1864) and, within three months, occupied the whole of Schleswig and Jutland ivs far as Lymfjord. A con- ference in Ijondon produced no results, and the war started anew. Duppel soon fell, Alsen was occupied, and even the island of Fiinen was threatened. At this jiuicture the Treaty of Vienna was signed, by which the duchies were ceded to Austria and Prussia. By it.s victorious war of 1866 Prussia became finally the .sole possessor of these Danish territories.
The loss of Schleswig having made useless the No- vember law, the Constitution of 1849 was modified 20 July, 1866, and it is this revised and more liberal con- stitution which is still in force. Years of internal dis- cord now followed, as the Radicals strove constantly to diminish the rights of the king, and as he was com- pelled to adopt extraordinarj' measures owing to his non-acceptance of the proposed budget. Not till the resignation of the conservative ministry of Estrup (1894) was there a temporary cessation of strife.
