Draft:Dano-Swedish War (1813-1814)

Dano-Swedish War 1813-1814
Part of the Napoleonic Wars, English Wars and the Dano-Swedish War
Battle of Bornhöved by Per Krafft the younger
Date 1813-1814 Location Duchy of Schleswig, Duchy of Holstein Result Coalition victory (Treaty of Kiel) Territorial changes Norway ceded to Sweden Swedish Pomerania ceded to Denmark
Belligerents
Sweden Russian Empire Hanover Supported by: United Kingdom	Denmark–Norway
Commanders and leaders
Crown Prince Charles John Anders Fredrik Skjöldebrand	Frederik VI Prince Frederik of Hesse
Strength
65,000 Swedish and Russian troops	10,200
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

Dano-Swedish War (1813-1814) (Danish: Kampen om Norge) was the last major conflict between Denmark and Sweden and would eventually lead to the collapse of Denmark–Norway

Background

Denmark and Sweden had already fought an inconclusive war. This was mostly because Sweden was tied up in the east in the Finnish War, where they lost Finland. Russian diplomats pointed to Norway as an “obvious territorial compensation”. Although Denmark and Russia had had an alliance, it was clear that Denmark needed Russia more than Russia needed Denmark.

Denmark-Norway also saw the effects of the Napoleonic Wars. For the last 6 years they’d been at war with the United Kingdom. Denmark was eternally weakened by this, and saw no other way than to strengthen its ties with Napoleon

Sweden had already tried to invade Norway in 1809, but was defeated because of the harsh weather conditions. So Sweden tried a new plan, to conquer Norway though it’s German duchies. This was done not only because of harsh Norwegian weather, but also to try to establish a good relationship with the Norwegians. Denmark already knew of the Swedish plan, so the Danish crown prince decided to go to Norway. This was partially done to prepare him to take the throne, but also in part to secure the Norwegians loyalty.

Foreign support

Main articles: War of the Sixth Coalition and French invasion of Russia

Denmark was by 1812 still allies with Napoleon, and the Danish king Frederik VI had signed a secret defense agreement with France in a treaty at Fontainebleau, in which he put 10,000 soldiers at his disposal. The treaty was never honored however. Sweden could count on support from both Russia and Britain. Sweden and Russia signed a treaty at Saint Petersburg and Sweden and England signed one at Stockholm both of them supported the Swedish claim to Norway.

France had begun retreating from Russia in 1812, and Russia was now on a march through Central Europe and thus wanted allies. Russia proposed that Denmark joined the coalition. In compensation for Norway, Denmark would get the Hanseatic cities, the German north coast, and The Netherlands. This was mostly done because Austria had sought new allies to become the leading power in the coalition. Denmark rejected all these to keep its territory integrity.

Aftermath

Main article: Treaty of Kiel

It was first when Swedish troops reached Holstein that Frederik VI agreed to peace talks.

it was decided in the Treaty of Kiel that Denmark would cede Heligoland to the Unite Kingdom and Norway to Sweden (it would still keep its dependencies.

In return, Denmark would gain Swedish Pomerania (which they would trade for Lauenburg) and an indemnity of 1 million rixdollars, and the Unite Kingdom would cede the occupied Anholt, Danish India and the Danish West Indies.

Denmark was also forced to join the Coalition and send an army of 10,000 troops under the command of Bernadotte.