Empire · 1537–1814 · Europe
Denmark–Norway
Also known as Denmark-Norway
When the Kalmar Union fell apart after Sweden broke away in 1523, Denmark kept Norway, and in 1537 Christian III made Norway a dependency ruled from Copenhagen, along with Iceland, the Faroe Islands and claims to Greenland. The twin realms controlled the Sound, the narrow strait into the Baltic, and collected rich tolls from passing ships.
Christian IV built towns and fortresses but lost wars to Sweden, and in 1658 Denmark gave up Scania, Halland and Blekinge for good. In 1660 Frederick III became an absolute hereditary monarch. Denmark-Norway also held trading posts in India and on the Gold Coast, and the Danish West Indies, where enslaved Africans grew sugar. Siding with Napoleon proved disastrous: after his defeat, the Treaty of Kiel in 1814 handed Norway to Sweden.
- Years
- 1537–1814
- Capital
- Copenhagen
- Greatest extent
- 1600, about 2.60 million km²
- Region
- Europe
Rough estimate; most of it Greenland, claimed but barely controlled; plus Norway, Iceland and Denmark with Scania. Wikipedia gives c. 2.66M km² for 1800
Legacy
Greenland and the Faroe Islands are still linked to Denmark, and written Norwegian long remained close to Danish.
Rulers
- Christian III 1534–1559
Made Norway a dependency of the Danish crown in 1537 and brought in Lutheranism
- Christian IV 1588–1648
Great builder of towns and palaces, but lost wars to Sweden
- Frederick III 1648–1670
Lost Scania in 1658; became absolute hereditary monarch in 1660
- Christian VII 1766–1808
Mentally ill king whose doctor Struensee briefly ruled as a reformer
- Frederick VI 1808–1814 (in Norway)
Lost Norway to Sweden after siding with Napoleon
Realms on the map
- Denmark-Norway 1526–1814
- Danish India 1757–1808
- Danish Gold Coast 1659–1850
Wars
- Thirty Years' War 23 May 1618 – 24 October 1648
- Napoleonic Wars 18 May 1803 – 20 November 1815