Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Western CIV Episode three hundred and
Speaker 1: thirty three Denmark. Today, we're going to explore Denmark's position
Speaker 1: of power in the Baltic Reason and its rise to
Speaker 1: predominance during the Thirty Years War, its internal and external challenges,
Speaker 1: and its eventual decline with the rise of Sweden. Really,
Speaker 1: for the first time since our narrative on the Vikings,
Speaker 1: Northern Europe is going to start to play a role
Speaker 1: in European affairs. And the reason for that is simple,
Speaker 1: and the reason is the Thirty Years War is going
Speaker 1: to draw these kingdoms back into the European central and
Speaker 1: to an extent Western periphery for really the first time
Speaker 1: for hundreds and hundreds of years now. Of course, Denmark's
Speaker 1: story begins long before the Thirty Years War. Its involvement
Speaker 1: in this what's going to be pan European conflict was
Speaker 1: linked to Central European affairs, specifically due to increased Spanish
Speaker 1: and French involvement in Central Europe beginning and of course
Speaker 1: the late sixteenth century. But this involvement, however, was more
Speaker 1: of a consequence of Denmark's existing position rather than a
Speaker 1: direct cause of the war, Unlike Sweden, which remained distant
Speaker 1: from Central European politics until the Thirty Years War. Later stages,
Speaker 1: Denmark had been deeply entrenched in these affairs for decades.
Speaker 1: The difference in the involvement stems from their distinct historical trajectories.
Speaker 1: While the piece of Westphalia in sixteen forty eight is
Speaker 1: going to mark the beginning of a relatively stable period
Speaker 1: in Central Europe, Scandinavia faced its own set of issues
Speaker 1: that predated the peace settlement. These issues were rooted in
Speaker 1: political and dynastic ambitions and would eventually drag both Denmark
Speaker 1: and Sweden into the Thirty Years War, albeit for very
Speaker 1: very different reasons. Denmark's dominance in the Baltic has been
Speaker 1: traditionally rooted in its historical claim over Norway and the
Speaker 1: control of the vital waterways they're in. If you look
Speaker 1: at a map of the Baltic region, you'll notice that Denmark,
Speaker 1: especially with the control of Norway, is specifically placed in
Speaker 1: a position to dominate. Ain't that trade if it so chooses?
Speaker 1: Recalled that England didn't establish successful trading relationships with Russia
Speaker 1: until the late sixteenth century. Why was that? While to
Speaker 1: an extent, that's because of Denmark's stranglehold over the trade
Speaker 1: in this region. Now, the marriage of James the sixth
Speaker 1: of Scotland to Anne of Denmark in fifteen ninety further
Speaker 1: strengthened Denmark's position in the region. This union brought the
Speaker 1: British Isles, particularly Scotland, closer to the heart of the
Speaker 1: Scandinavian political landscape. This strategic positioning gave Denmark significant leverage
Speaker 1: in regional affairs. And again, I hate to keep coming
Speaker 1: back to this, but this is nothing new. If we
Speaker 1: go back to the Viking Age, you'll remember that the
Speaker 1: British Isles were much more closely tied to the affairs
Speaker 1: of Northern Europe than they were to western, certainly Central
Speaker 1: or Southern Europe. Adding to its dynastic influence. Denmark's control
Speaker 1: over the strategic strait between the Baltic and the North Seas,
Speaker 1: referred to as the Sound, gave it economic and strategic dominance.
Speaker 1: The Sound was the only access point for shipping between
Speaker 1: these two important bodies of water, that is, the Baltic
Speaker 1: in the North Seas, making it a lucrative source of
Speaker 1: tolls and a strategic choke point. Denmark's jealousy guarded its access,
Speaker 1: using it to exert its influence and bolster its treasury
Speaker 1: and its economy. Further solidifying its regional control was the
Speaker 1: complex web of personal and political ties within Denmark itself.
Speaker 1: The Danish royal family, the House of Massacre this I'm
Speaker 1: sure the House of Oldenburg had familial links with various
Speaker 1: German princely houses, including those in Schleswig and Holstein. These
Speaker 1: connections were further cemented through trade, intermarriage, and shared political interest,
Speaker 1: particularly within the Roman Empire. And as you can probably
Speaker 1: tell where I'm going with this, drawing Denmark deeper and
Speaker 1: deeper into the affairs of the Holy Roman Empire. We've
Speaker 1: already talked in previous episodes about how family and personal
Speaker 1: connections within the Habsburg line were going to be a
Speaker 1: key part of our story going forward, but they're not
Speaker 1: the only family that matters. Increasingly, the princely lines of Germany,
Speaker 1: combined with those of Scandinavia, Sweden, Denmark, Norway are going
Speaker 1: to be important in our story. Internally, Denmark's structure was complex.
Speaker 1: The nobility wielded significant power, about two thirds of them
Speaker 1: residing in Denmark and controlled vast tracts of land. The
Speaker 1: crown however, was not without its own resources. Danish monarchs
Speaker 1: in the late sixteenth century enjoyed a strengthened monarchy and
Speaker 1: powerful nobility. This seemingly contradictory situation arose from a balance
Speaker 1: of power carefully and consistently maintained between the Danish king
Speaker 1: and his nobility. Now, the Danish kings were by no
Speaker 1: means absolute monarchs. I hope by now you realize that
Speaker 1: term doesn't mean a whole heck of a lot until
Speaker 1: we get to the later stages of early and late modernity. Now,
Speaker 1: they had to contend with the Rigsrod, a council of
Speaker 1: nobles who acted as a sort of check on royal power.
Speaker 1: You can think of them kind of like a parliament.
Speaker 1: This arrangement, while appearing to limit royal authority, actually fostered
Speaker 1: stability and prevented any one group from within the kingdom
Speaker 1: from becoming too dominant. It was this internal stability which
Speaker 1: allowed Denmark to project power effectively into the Baltic regions.
Speaker 1: Economic prosperity was intrinsically linked, as we've discussed, to its
Speaker 1: control over the shipping lanes and the sound The sound
Speaker 1: tolls levied on all ships passing through this crucial waterway
Speaker 1: represented a substantial portion of the Danish Crown's income. Between
Speaker 1: fifteen sixty and sixty oh eight, the Sound tolls alone
Speaker 1: brought it impressive one hundred and fifty six thousand to
Speaker 1: two hundred and forty one thousand reeks dollars annually. This
Speaker 1: is nothing more than a testament to the sheer volume
Speaker 1: of trade that was passing through Danish waters. This income
Speaker 1: flowed directly into the King's private account, effectively making it
Speaker 1: independent of any control over the nobility or the Reek stock. Interestingly,
Speaker 1: Denmark's involvement in the Baltic trade went simply beyond collecting tolls.
Speaker 1: The crown directly controlled only a small amount of the
Speaker 1: trade that passed through the Sound. The majority of this
Speaker 1: trade was conducted by the ankh the Dutch and German merchants.
Speaker 1: Despite this limited direct involvement, Denmark was still able to
Speaker 1: reap significant benefits from the tolls, Highlighting the importance of
Speaker 1: the Sound is an economic artery that we really shouldn't
Speaker 1: be overlooking here. It's a story in this era that
Speaker 1: tends to be dominated by our big names, right Spain,
Speaker 1: Austria with the Habsburgs certainly France, England increasingly, but we
Speaker 1: can't forget about Northern Europe and the ways that the
Speaker 1: Northern European economy is going to play a role in
Speaker 1: the development of the overall European economy in the century
Speaker 1: to come. Now, the Danish monarchs of this era were
Speaker 1: not shy about using this wealth. They invested heavily in
Speaker 1: promoting the Danish economy, venturing into various industries like whaling,
Speaker 1: which was getting increasingly important, and promoting trade. This proactive
Speaker 1: approach aimed to boost both national prestige and the personal
Speaker 1: wealth of the monarchs. This blend of economic pragmatism and
Speaker 1: dynastic ambition would become a defining characteristic of Danish foreign
Speaker 1: policy in the decades leading up to the Thirty Years Or.
Speaker 1: Despite its relatively peaceful stance prior to the Thirty Years War,
Speaker 1: Denmark maintained a significant military presence in the Baltic Military expenditure,
Speaker 1: a significant drain on any kingdom's coffers, consumed a large
Speaker 1: portion of Danish wealth. This military build up was driven
Speaker 1: by the need to protect its extensive coastline, in force
Speaker 1: its control over the Sound, and deter potential aggressors like Sweden.
Speaker 1: The Danish military expenditure underwent a significant period of expansion
Speaker 1: and reorganization in the late sixteen and then early seventeenth centuries.
Speaker 1: The size of the Danish army ballooned from a modest
Speaker 1: two eight hundred men in fifteen sixty three to a
Speaker 1: quite formidable twenty four thousand men by sixteen twenty five,
Speaker 1: reflecting the growing ambition and perceived threats facing the Danish crown.
Speaker 1: This growth necessitated not only an increase in troop numbers,
Speaker 1: but also the development of new military infrastructure. The fortifications
Speaker 1: also played a crucial role in the Danish military strategy.
Speaker 1: By sixteen twenty five, the Danish fleet consisted of thirty
Speaker 1: eight warships, a testament to the importance placed on naval power.
Speaker 1: In addition to expanding its naval forces, Denmark invested heavily
Speaker 1: in upgrading coastal defenses. Eight new fortifications, strategically placed along
Speaker 1: the Danish coastline were constructed to bolster the kingdom's defenses
Speaker 1: and safeguard vital waterways. The emphasis on fortifications was not
Speaker 1: merely a defensive strategy. It also served as a deterrent
Speaker 1: to potential aggressors. The impressive scale of these fortresses, coupled
Speaker 1: with the increase of the Danish army, aimed to discourage
Speaker 1: any notions of a quick and easy victory against Denmark.
Speaker 1: This strategy, however, would be put to the test at
Speaker 1: the outbreak of the Thirty Years War. Now, Denmark's increasingly
Speaker 1: assertive foreign policy was inextricably intertwined with the ambitions of
Speaker 1: its monarchs. Christian the Fourth, who ascended the Danish throne
Speaker 1: in fifteen eighty eight, embodied this new assertive foreign policy.
Speaker 1: Considered by many to be the most powerful Protestant monarch
Speaker 1: alongside England's Elizabeth the First, Christian the Fourth sought to
Speaker 1: expand Danish influence in the Baltic region and secure his
Speaker 1: legacy as a champion of the Protestant faith. This ambition, however,
Speaker 1: would bring him into direct conflict with the rising power
Speaker 1: of Sweden. Christian the Fourth's political ambitions extended beyond mere
Speaker 1: territorial expansion to position himself as a leading figure in
Speaker 1: the Protestant world, a counterweight to the Catholic Habsburg dynasty
Speaker 1: that dominated much of Central Europe. This ambition, however, would
Speaker 1: require Denmark to navigate the treacherous waters of sixteenth and
Speaker 1: seventeenth century European power politics. Now central to Christian's ambitions
Speaker 1: was his desire to curtail the growing influence of the
Speaker 1: Hanseatic League, which should, of course been around since the
Speaker 1: Middle Ages. This League, a powerful merchant guild that had
Speaker 1: dominated the Baltic trade for centuries, was seen as an
Speaker 1: impediment to Danish economic and political control, and, if I'm
Speaker 1: being honest, a bit of an anachronism. In the seventeenth century,
Speaker 1: Christian the Fourth recognized that undermining the Hanseatic League's power
Speaker 1: was essential for Denmark to solidify its position as the
Speaker 1: dominant force in the Baltic Christian the Fourth's efforts to
Speaker 1: expand Danish influence in northern Germany, however, put him immediately
Speaker 1: on a collision course with Sweden. This rivalry was not
Speaker 1: simply about territorial ambitions. It also had a strong religious undercurrent. Denmark,
Speaker 1: under Christian's leadership, championed the Protestant cause, while Sweden, though
Speaker 1: also Protestant, was perceived as less ideologically driven and committed.
Speaker 1: Adding fuel to this rivalry was a very personal element.
Speaker 1: Christian the Fourth and his Swedish counterpart, who will talk
Speaker 1: a lot about later. Gustavus Adolphus were two of the
Speaker 1: most ambitious and capable rulers of the era. Their class
Speaker 1: was in many ways inevitable and driven by a complex
Speaker 1: interplay of personal ambition, dynastic rivalry, and religious zeal. This
Speaker 1: rivalry would have far reaching consequences for the future of
Speaker 1: the Baltic region. Now, Sweden's rise as a European power
Speaker 1: would later coincide with Denmark's decline. While Denmark grappled with
Speaker 1: the economic and military strain of the Thirty Years War, Sweden,
Speaker 1: under the astute leadership of Gustavus Adolphus, emerged as a
Speaker 1: formidable military power. This shift in power dynamics, as we're
Speaker 1: going to see, is going to have a profound impact
Speaker 1: on the Baltic region. Gustavus Adolphus's reign marked a turning
Speaker 1: point in Swedish history. He inherited a kingdom on the rise,
Speaker 1: its internal problems larger resolved, and its ambitions growing. Unlike Denmark,
Speaker 1: which is going to be weakened by years of costly wars,
Speaker 1: Sweden under Gustavus Adolphus was a nation on the ascendancy,
Speaker 1: eager to claim its place on the European stage. One
Speaker 1: of Gustavus Adolphus's key strengths was his ability to adapt
Speaker 1: and innovate. He recognized that Sweden, with its limitary resources,
Speaker 1: could not hope to match the larger and wealthier powers
Speaker 1: of Europe in terms of manpower and finances. To compensate
Speaker 1: for these limitations, Gustavus Adolphus focused on developing a professional
Speaker 1: army that was smaller, more mobile, and technologically superior to
Speaker 1: its adversaries. Gustavis Adolphus's military reforms extended beyond simply improving
Speaker 1: the training and equipment. They also encompassed a new approach
Speaker 1: to warfare. He was among the first military leaders to
Speaker 1: fully grasp the potential of combined arm tactics, seamlessly integrating infantry, cavalry,
Speaker 1: and artillery into a cohesive fighting force. This innovative approach
Speaker 1: to warfare, coupled with Sweden's growing economic and military might,
Speaker 1: would eventually, as we'll see, turned the tide of the
Speaker 1: Thirty Years War and established Sweden as a major European power.
Speaker 1: Denmark's decline in the Baltic would not simply be a
Speaker 1: matter of military defeats. It also reflected a failure to
Speaker 1: adapt to the changing realities of power politics. The Danish monarchy,
Speaker 1: accustomed to being the dominant force in the region, failed
Speaker 1: to grasp the signs nificance of Sweden's rise or adapt
Speaker 1: to its strategies Accordingly, this failure to adapt, coupled with
Speaker 1: a series of poor decisions by Danish monarchs, would have
Speaker 1: long lasting consequences for Denmark's position in the Baltic Now,
Speaker 1: the Thirty Years War will be a turning point in
Speaker 1: the history of the Baltic region. Denmark, once the undisputed
Speaker 1: master of the strategically vital see, would find itself increasingly
Speaker 1: outmatched by its ambitious neighbor, Sweden. While Denmark's decline would
Speaker 1: be due in part to external factors like the rise
Speaker 1: of Sweden, it also reflected internal weakness, including a failure
Speaker 1: to adapt to the changing nature of warfare and a
Speaker 1: monarchy more concerned with dynastic ambitions than with long term
Speaker 1: interests of the Danish state. The legacy of this period
Speaker 1: would continue to shape the relationship between Denmark and Sweden
Speaker 1: for centuries to come, Yet much of that remains in
Speaker 1: the future of this podcast. For no so that Denmark
Speaker 1: and Sweden will play major roles in the thirty years
Speaker 1: ward to common really for the first time in our
Speaker 1: story since the Viking era, and it's important to recognize
Speaker 1: them as major players on the European stage. If you've
Speaker 1: enjoyed the episode but would like a more detailed overview
Speaker 1: of history, please check out the link in the show
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