The 17th Century, 1600 - 1699 A Colonypower

Like the other European countries, Denmark got some colonies during the century. Denmark was later than the other countries, and maybe the Danes wasn't sure if getting colonies was good for the country.

1613 Nordic Power

In the beginning of 1600 there is once again danger of war between Denmark and Sweden. Denmark is rearmament the navy and in a very few years the Danish navy is tripled with only new and modern ships. In Elsinore there is build a canonfoundry.

In 1609 Sweden declares blockade against the polish harbourcity, Riga. The Danish navy convoy Danish and Dutch ships to Riga.

April the 4th 1611 Denmark declares war against Sweden. The Danes has not war fewer, so the war is a kind of trench warfare.

The 20th of January 1613 Denmark and Sweden sign a peaceagreement. Nearly all the Danish goals are fulfilled. Denmark is still a big nordic power. Already in 1614 Sweden join the alliance made by the Dutch and Lübeck. The goal for the alliance is to break the Danish dominance in the baltic area.

1620 The first Danish Colony

Like many other European countries, Denmark are exploring the world and in India Denmark establish its first colony, Trankebar.

Trankebar was a colony from 1620 until 1845, where it was sold to the United Kingdom (England). The best time for Trankebar were from 1687 - 1714, where the trade brought good times for the people of Trankebar. Today the harbourcity is called Tarengampadi

The beginning of the famous building, Børsen, in Copenhagen is taking place in 1619. The building is one of the many buildings king Christian has created in the city of Copenhagen.

1624 Postal Service

In 1623 king Christian is establishing a silvermine in Norway and soon a new town, Kongsberg is growing.

One more famous building in Copenhagen is finished, it is the castle Rosenborg, which was finished in 1624. The castle was used as a summerresidence for the royal family. In 1624 the Danish postal service was founded.

1629 Peaceagreement

1618 a war began in Europe between the Protestants and the Catholics. This war should last for 30 years! In 1625 Denmark joined the war on the side of the Protestants.

Soon the Danes began to loose maybe because their allies didn't helped. In 1627 the whole Jutland was occupied by the enemy.

Januar the 6th 1629 the peacenegotiations began in Lübeck. Denmark was a little lucky, because the Danes neither had to give up any Danish country nor had to pay indemnity.

1659 Copenhagen

Without any warnings Sweden is attacking Denmark in the end of 1643. Already at the end of January 1644 Jutland is occupied by an enemy once again. In 1645 Denmark has no more money to keep on the war with Sweden and have to agree a peacetreaty with Sweden, where we must give up some of the Danish areas.

King Christian dies February the 21st 1648. When he became king in 1588 Denmark was a very rich country now it is very poor.

The new king is Frederik, who is the 2nd son of king Christian. The eldest son Christian died in 1647 by alchoholism. The new king is removing governmentpeople, who had misused their positions. In 1656 the Swedish king has attacked Poland, and the Danes like to hear the news from Poland telling that the Swedes have big troubles in the occupied country. Denmark wants to have the lost areas back from Sweden, and both Russia and the Netherlands tells Denmark they will become Denmarks allies in a new war with Sweden. The Swedes tells the Dutch that Sweden will give the Netherlands very fine merchantconditions in the areas occupied by Sweden. The Netherlands are now on the Swedish side. Instead it seems that the Germans will be allied with Denmark. Denmark begins to prepare for war and June the 1st 1657 the king signs the wardeclaration. Denmark is once again at war with Sweden, but the Danes had forgotten to made agreements with the countries, which said they maybe would allies.

After a little victory the Danes are suddenly under big pressure and have to remove. Jutland is again occupied by the Swedes. 1658 begins with the coldest winter ever known and the Swedish army is walking over the belts, which are covered with ice. Already in February the Swedes are standing only 22 kilometers (14 miles) outside Copenhagen. A peacetalk begins and Denmark must give up Scania, Halland, Blekinge, and some areas in Norway.

August the 7th 1658 the Swedish king is breaking the peacetreaty - Now it is time for the final battle between Denmark and Sweden. The whole Denmark is occupied by Sweden, only Copenhagen is free. Sweden begins a siege of Copenhagen.

The Netherlands dont want the Swedes to be the leading power in Scandinavia and they want to help the Danes, also the polish and the Germans wants to help Denmark. The Netherlands is sending a navy to Copenhagen, where they breake the Swedish navys barring of Copenhagen. The Germans and the polish is liberating the western parts of Denmark.

The big powers of Europe - England and France - dont want to see Denmark as a leading power in Scandinavia again, and they dont want Sweden to be a weaked nation, even the Danes has got back nearly all the occupied areas. In a way the Swedes are defeated.

France and England are pressing the Danish allies to stop the supporting of Denmark and May the 26th 1660 Denmark has to sign a peacetreaty with Sweden, where Denmark - once again - have to give up the old Danish countries.

Today (1999) there is still people in Scania, who don't feel like Swedes. They have their own flag, which is looking very much like the Danish flag. The former Danes has established a society: Skåneland.

1660 Absolute Monarchy

The absolute monarchy The king don't have to ask anyone for any advice about ruling the country, just like the dictators of today. The painting is from the salvation of king Christian 5.

After the war with Sweden, Denmark is nearly broked. Denmark needs all its people of all positions to reestablish the country. September the 8th 1660 a meeting begins in Copenhagen between deputies from the nobles, the clericals, and the middle-class. The goal for the meeting is to made a new constitution for Denmark. The nobles wants freedom for tax-paying, but the others want everybody to pay taxes. The disagreement between the deputies is so big, so the only thing the deputies can agreed is that the king must made the new constitution.

The court makes the new constitution in such a way, so Denmark has absolute monarchy from the 18th of October 1660.

Already 10 years later king Frederik dies and are followed by his son, Christian.

1666 The Virgin Islands

March the 30th 1666 the Danish flag is running up on the first carribian island, St. Thomas. Already 2 years later Denmark has to give up the colonization of the island, but in 1672 the Danish colors can again be seen.

In 1675 the Danish governor of St. Thomas is taking the neighbouring island, St. Jan as a Danish colony.

Once again in 1675 there is war between Denmark and Sweden. The Danes are soon taking the Swedish occupied areas in Germany. From Denmark armies are going into Sweden. In Scania the Danish armies are liberators, but already at the end of 1676 the Swedes has defeated the Danish armies.

1676 The Speed of the Light

The Danish physician, Ole Rømer, discoveres the speed of the light.

The war between Sweden and Denmark is going on. On the sea the Danish navy is going from victory to victory. On the northern front Denmark has success, but in the south the Danes have problems, mostly because of intrigues between the court and the leading officers of the army.

August the 23rd 1679 Denmark and Sweden is signing a peacetreaty and once again Denmark has to give up areas, which were taking back from Sweden. In 1684 Denmark builds a new fortress and warharbour at the small islands east of Bornholm. The Fortress is build because Sweden has built the fortress and warharbour Karlskrona. King Christian dies in August 1699 at a rather critical time, because Sweden once again annoyes Denmark, by moving troops near to the southern border of Denmark.