User:Tinkaer1991/Ditmarschen Campaign of 1559: Difference between revisions

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**{{flagicon image|Coat of arms of Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, KG.png|22px}} [[Duke of Holstein-Gottorp|Holstein-Gottorp]]
**{{flagicon image|Coat of arms of Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, KG.png|22px}} [[Duke of Holstein-Gottorp|Holstein-Gottorp]]
*{{flagicon image|Arms of the County of Oldenburg.svg|26px}} [[County of Oldenburg|Oldenburg]]
*{{flagicon image|Arms of the County of Oldenburg.svg|26px}} [[County of Oldenburg|Oldenburg]]
| commander1 = {{flagicon image|Wappen Kreis Dithmarschen.svg}} Jacobs Harder{{POW}}<br/>{{flagicon image|Wappen Kreis Dithmarschen.svg}} Drees Johann{{KIA}}<br />{{flagicon image|Wappen Kreis Dithmarschen.svg}} Michael Boie
| commander1 = {{flagicon image|Wappen Kreis Dithmarschen.svg}} Jacobs Harder{{POW}}<br/>{{flagicon image|Wappen Kreis Dithmarschen.svg}} Drees Johann{{KIA}}<br />{{flagicon image|Wappen Kreis Dithmarschen.svg}} Michael Boie<br />{{flagicon image|Wappen Kreis Dithmarschen.svg}} Unknown priest
| commander2 = {{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} [[Frederick II of Denmark|Frederick II]]<br />{{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} [[Johann Rantzau]]<br />{{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} Moritz Ranzaus<br />{{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} Walther Waltherthum<br />{{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} Reimar Woldes<br />{{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} Wolf Schoneweses{{KIA}}<br />{{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} Joakim Blankenburg<br />{{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} [[John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev|John II]]<br/>{{flagicon image|Coat of arms of Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, KG.png|26px}} [[Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp|Adolf I]]{{WIA}}<br/>{{flagicon image|Arms of the County of Oldenburg.svg|22px}} [[Anthony I, Count of Oldenburg|Anthony I]]{{WIA}}
| commander2 = {{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} [[Frederick II of Denmark|Frederick II]]<br />{{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} [[Johann Rantzau]]<br />{{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} Moritz Ranzaus<br />{{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} Walther Waltherthum<br />{{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} Reimar Woldes<br />{{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} Wolf Schoneweses{{KIA}}<br />{{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} Joakim Blankenburg<br />{{flagicon|Denmark-Norway}} [[John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev|John II]]<br/>{{flagicon image|Coat of arms of Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, KG.png|26px}} [[Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp|Adolf I]]{{WIA}}<br/>{{flagicon image|Arms of the County of Oldenburg.svg|22px}} [[Anthony I, Count of Oldenburg|Anthony I]]{{WIA}}
| strength1 = {{abbr|c|circa}} 12.000 men
| strength1 = {{abbr|c|circa}} 12.000 men
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| units1 = Peasants and local [[militias]]
| units1 = Peasants and local [[militias]]
| units2 = See Danish force
| units2 = See Danish force
}}
}}The '''Ditmarschen Campaign of 1559''' ([[Danish language|Danish]]; ''Ditmarskenfelttoget af 1559''), also commonly known as the '''Last Feud''' (Danish; ''Sidste Fejde'': [[German language|German]]; ''letzte Fehde''), was a quick military campaign of [[Frederick II of Denmark]] and his two uncles, [[Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp]] and [[John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev|John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg]], against the Dithmarschan peasantry in 1559.

The '''Ditmarschen Campaign of 1559''' ([[Danish language|Danish]]; ''Ditmarskenfelttoget af 1559''), also commonly known as the '''Last Feud''' (Danish; ''Sidste Fejde'': [[German language|German]]; ''letzte Fehde''), was a quick military campaign of [[Frederick II of Denmark]] and his two uncles, [[Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp]] and [[John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev|John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg]], against the Dithmarschan peasantry in 1559.


Despite previously succeding in [[Battle of Hemmingstedt|repelling a Danish invasion in 1500]], the campaign was a swift and unexpensive for Frederick II, and Dithmarschen would be partitioned by Frederick, Adolf and John.
Despite previously succeding in [[Battle of Hemmingstedt|repelling a Danish invasion in 1500]], the campaign was a swift and unexpensive for Frederick II, and Dithmarschen would be partitioned by Frederick, Adolf and John.
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== Campaign ==
== Campaign ==
On 22 May 1559 Frederick and his forces marched over the border and set camp at [[Albersdorf]].


=== Initial confrontations ===
=== Initial confrontations ===
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== References ==
== References ==
{{Ref list}}


=== Sources ===
=== Sources ===

Revision as of 13:38, 28 April 2024

Ditmarschen Campaign of 1559

Map of the military campaigns
Date24 May–20 June 1559
Location
Result Dano-Holsteinian victory
Territorial
changes
Partitioning of Dithmarchen
Belligerents
Dithmarschen
Commanders and leaders
Jacobs Harder (POW)
Drees Johann 
Michael Boie
Unknown priest
Denmark–Norway Frederick II
Denmark–Norway Johann Rantzau
Denmark–Norway Moritz Ranzaus
Denmark–Norway Walther Waltherthum
Denmark–Norway Reimar Woldes
Denmark–Norway Wolf Schoneweses 
Denmark–Norway Joakim Blankenburg
Denmark–Norway John II
Adolf I (WIA)
Anthony I (WIA)
Units involved
Peasants and local militias See Danish force
Strength
c 12.000 men c 18-20.000 men
1000 vehicles
7500 horses
Casualties and losses
+3000 casualties
~4000 Surrendered
+400 dead
+100 wounded

The Ditmarschen Campaign of 1559 (Danish; Ditmarskenfelttoget af 1559), also commonly known as the Last Feud (Danish; Sidste Fejde: German; letzte Fehde), was a quick military campaign of Frederick II of Denmark and his two uncles, Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg, against the Dithmarschan peasantry in 1559.

Despite previously succeding in repelling a Danish invasion in 1500, the campaign was a swift and unexpensive for Frederick II, and Dithmarschen would be partitioned by Frederick, Adolf and John.

Background

Portrait of Frederick II, King of Denmark and Norway in 1590, by Hendrick Goltzius

On New Year's Day 1559 Christian III of Denmark died, and his first son, Frederick II of Denmark would inherent the Danish Realm. Frederick's first major decision as king was to invade and conquer the Peasant Republic of Dithmarschen.[1]

Dithmarschen had eluded previous Danish and Holsteinian attempts of conquest.[2] The most recent being in 1500, when Frederick's great-uncle John, King of Denmark (r 1481–1513) attempted to subjegate the region, yet lost at the humiliating Battle of Hemmingstedt.[2]

Prelude

Since the mid-1550's Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, Frederick's uncle, had been planning an assault in Dithmarschen. As Adolf raised an army for his invasion, it drew the attention of Frederick.[2] By April 1559 he joined Adolf's mobilisation together with his second uncle, John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg.[2] The Leading members of the Council of the Realm (Danish; Rigsråd), especially the chancellor, Johan Friis, opposed the war.[2] Their reasoning being, that Denmark was in an imminent danger of attack from Sweden or Lorraine,[a] and therefore it would be dangerous to commit Danish forces to something as insignificant like a campaign in Dithmarschen.[2]

Others (mainly Germans) argued for the campaign,[2] and in May 1559 Danish and Holsteinian forces were mobilized outside the border to Dithmarschen.

Danish force

The Danish-Holsteinian army composed of three infantry regiments:

  • Walther von Waltherthum's regiment of 12 fenniker[b] (c 3600 men)
  • Reimar v. Woldes' regiment of 10 fenniker (c 3000 men)
  • Wolf Schoneweses' regiment of 12 fenniker (c 3600 men)

The cavalry consisted of roughly 1800 men commanded by:

  • King Frederick (c 500 cavalry)
  • Duke Adolf and John (c 300 cavalry)
  • Moritz Rantzaus (c 500 cavalry)
  • Joakim v. Blankenburg (c 400 cavalry)
  • Didrik v. Holles (c 100 cavalry)

The armor was of good quality, yet instead of lances they used two pistols. Additionally each of the dukes carried 8 field pieces, 2 battering rams and 8 hearses.

Campaign

On 22 May 1559 Frederick and his forces marched over the border and set camp at Albersdorf.

Initial confrontations

Battle of Meldorf

Battle of Brunsbüttel

Battle of Heide

Aftermath

Partitioning of Dithmarschen

See also

Notes

  1. ^ As regent of Lorraine, Christina of Denmark claimed the Danish throne for her father, Christian II of Denmark (for further information, see claim)
  2. ^ a fennike consisted of 300 men, 1/3 being armed with muskets and rapiers, while the rest of the men were armed with halberds, swords and pikes

References

  1. ^ Lockhart 2004, p. 36.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Lockhart 2004, p. 37.

Sources

  • Lockhart, Paul (2004). Frederik II and the Protestant Cause. Boston: Brill.