Denmark, Brief History

The Danes, a homogenous Gothic-Germanic people, have inhabited Denmark since prehistoric times. Danish is the principal language. A small German-speaking minority lives in southern Jutland; a mostly Inuit population inhabits Greenland; and the Faroe Islands have a Nordic population with its own language. Education is compulsory from ages seven to 16 and is free through the university level.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church is state supported and accounts for about 97% of Denmark's religious affiliation. Denmark has religious freedom, however, and several other Protestant denominations and other religions exist.

During the Viking period (9th-11th centuries), Denmark was a great power based on the Jutland Peninsula, the Island of Zealand, and the southern part of what is now Sweden. In the early 11th century, King Canute united Denmark and England for almost 30 years.

Viking raids brought Denmark into contact with Christianity, and in the 12th century, crown and church influence increased. By the late 13th century, royal power had waned, and the nobility forced the king to grant a charter, considered Denmark's first constitution. Although the struggle between crown and nobility continued into the 14th century, Queen Margrethe I succeeded in uniting Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland under the Danish crown. Sweden and Finland left the union in 1520; however, Norway remained until 1814. Iceland, in a "personal union" under the king of Denmark after 1918, became independent in 1944.

The Reformation was introduced in Denmark in 1536. Denmark's provinces in today's southwestern Sweden were lost in 1658, and Norway was transferred from the Danish to the Swedish crown in 1814, following the defeat of Napoleon, with whom Denmark was allied.

The Danish liberal movement gained momentum in the 1830s, and in 1849 Denmark became a constitutional monarchy. After the war with Prussia and Austria in 1864, Denmark was forced to cede Schleswig-Holstein to Prussia and adopt a policy of neutrality. Toward the end of the 19th century, Denmark inaugurated important social and labor market reforms, laying the basis for the present welfare state.

Denmark remained neutral during World War I. Despite its declaration of neutrality at the beginning of World War II, it was invaded by the Germans in 1940 and occupied until it was liberated by the Allied forces in May 1945. Denmark became a charter member of the United Nations and was one of the original signers of the North Atlantic Treaty.

The oldest known picture of 'Dannebrog' (the Danish flag) appeared in the coat of arms of the kings of Denmark in the late fourteenth century.

According to the chroniclers, Dannebrog fell from the heavens during the battle at Lyndanise near Reval in Estonia in 1219, and it brought victory to the Danes under king Valdemar II ('the Victorious'). The story goes that Anders Suneson, the fighting bishop in the king's army, stood with his arms lifted towards heaven during the entire battle. Whenever he tired, and his arms came down, the Danes did not do well, and eventually two helpers held up his arms. That was when the Maltese cross banner descended from above and the victory was ensured.

Four years later, Valdemar and his son Valdemar the Young were taken prisoners by Count Heinrich of Schwerin and as a condition for the release of the royal hostages Denmark had to give up all its Baltic possessions save Ruegen and Estonia. Valdemar tried once more to win back the lost possessions, but for the first time ever he tasted defeat, at Bornhoeved on 22 July 1227.

Estonia remained a part of Denmark until 1346 when the territory was sold by King Valdemar 'Atterdag' to the German Order of Knights, a confederation of German pilgrims and merchants with headquarters in Kønigsberg.

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Denmark, Timeline