Danish overseas colonies Danish:Danske kolonier | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1537–1953 (Denmark) 1537–1814 (Norway) | |||||||||||
| Motto: Ske Herrens vilje "The Lord's will be done" | |||||||||||
| Anthem: Der er et yndigt land (English:"There is a lovely country") (1835–1953) Kong Christian stod ved højen mast (English:"King Christian stood by the lofty mast") | |||||||||||
 All territories ever owned byDenmark–Norway (including trading posts) | |||||||||||
| Capital | Copenhagen | ||||||||||
| Common languages | Official language: Danish Regional languages: Norwegian,German,Icelandic,Greenlandic,Faroese | ||||||||||
| Religion | Evangelical Lutheranism | ||||||||||
| Government | Constitutional monarchy | ||||||||||
| King | |||||||||||
• 1537–1559 | Christian III(first) | ||||||||||
• 1947–1953 | Frederik IX(last) | ||||||||||
| Prime Minister | |||||||||||
• 1848–1852 | Adam Wilhelm Moltke(first) | ||||||||||
• 1950–1953 | Erik Eriksen(last) | ||||||||||
| Legislature | Rigsdagen | ||||||||||
| Landstinget | |||||||||||
| Folketing | |||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
• Established | 1537 | ||||||||||
• Disestablished | 1953 | ||||||||||
| Currency | Rigsdaler | ||||||||||
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Danish overseas colonies andDano-Norwegian colonies (Danish:De danske kolonier) were the colonies thatDenmark–Norway (Denmark after 1814) possessed from 1537 until 1953. At its apex, the colonies spanned four continents: Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America.[1]
The period of colonial expansion marked a rise in the status and power ofDanes andNorwegians in theKalmar Union. Danes and Norwegians during this time increasingly saw themselves as citizens of the same "State Fatherland" (Statsfædrelandet), the realm of theOldenburg monarchs.
In the 17th century, following territorial losses on theScandinavian Peninsula, Denmark–Norway began to develop forts with trading posts inWest Africa, and colonies in theCaribbean, and theIndian subcontinent.Christian IV first initiated the policy of expanding Denmark–Norway's overseas trade, as part of themercantilist wave that was sweeping Europe. Denmark–Norway's first colony was established atTranquebar (Trankebar) on India's southern coast in 1620. AdmiralOve Gjedde led the expedition that established the colony.
After 1814, when Norway was ceded to Sweden following theNapoleonic Wars, Denmark retained what remained of Norway'sgreat medieval colonial holdings.
Today, the only remaining vestiges are two originally Norwegian dependencies that are currently within theDanish Realm, theFaroe Islands andGreenland; the Faroes were a Danish county until 1948, while Greenland's colonial status ceased in 1953. They are now autonomous territories[2] within the Kingdom of Denmark withhome rule, in a relationship referred to as the "Unity of the Realm".
Denmark-Norway maintained several trading stations and four forts along theGold Coast in West Africa, especially around modern dayGhana. Three trading stations were built:[3]Fort Frederiksborg, Kpompo;Fort Christiansborg nearAccra in 1661, which was purchased from Sweden; and Frederiksberg. The forts wereFort Fredensborg (1734),Fort Kongenstein (1783),Fort Prinzenstein (1784), andFort Augustaborg (1787), several of which exist as ruins today. Of these, only one is still in existence, theOsu Castle, which used to be the residence of Ghanaian presidents.
Plantations were established near Frederiksborg, but they failed. Fort Christiansborg became the base for Danish power in West Africa, and the centre for the slave trade to the Danish West Indies. In 1807, Denmark's African business partners were suppressed by theAshanti, which led to the abandonment of all trading stations. Denmark sold its forts to theUnited Kingdom in 1850.
Denmark maintained a scattering of small colonies and trading posts throughout the Indian sub-continent from the 17th to 19th centuries, after which most were sold or ceded to Britain which had become the dominant power there.[3] The most important economic aspect wasspice trade and access to the east Asian area, includingImperial China situated farther to the east.
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The colony atTrankebar (modern day: Tharangambadi) was kept for over 200 years, with a few interruptions, until it was sold to the British in 1845.
In 1755, Denmark acquired theFrederiksnagore (now Serampore), and later the towns of Achne and Pirapur. They are located about 25 kilometres (16 mi) north of Kolkata (formerly Calcutta). In 1818,Serampore College was established in Serampore, which still exists today. These towns were also sold to Britain in 1845.
There were also colonization attempts of theNicobar Islands, calledFrederiksøerne ("Frederik Islands") orNy Danmark ("New Denmark") by the Danes between 1754 and 1868.
As with Greenland and the Faroe Islands, Norwegian claims toIceland were inherited by Denmark–Norway. Also like those possessions, Iceland was retained by Denmark at the Treaty of Kiel. A growing independence movement in Iceland led to Denmark granting it home rule in 1874 and expanding that home rule in 1904. In 1918, Iceland became a fully sovereign kingdom, titled the "Kingdom of Iceland", inpersonal union with Denmark.
DuringNazi Germany'soccupation of Denmark from 1940 to 1945, theRepublic of Iceland was declared on 17 June 1944 after the result of areferendum.
As with Greenland, Denmark–Norway inherited the medieval Norwegian claims to theFaroe Islands as the successor state to Norway. The Faroes had become part of the Kingdom of Norway in 1035. After Norway was given to Sweden after the Napoleonic Wars, Denmark retained the Faroes as a condition of the Treaty of Kiel. The Faroe Islands were incorporated into Denmark in 1851 with the implementation of the Danish constitution.
Denmark–Norway acquired the island ofSt. Thomas in 1671[3] andSt. Jan (now St. John) in 1718, and boughtSt. Croix fromFrance in 1733. All of the islands' economies were based primarily onsugar. These islands were known as theDanish West Indies and were eventually sold to theUnited States in 1917 for 25 million dollars.[3] Several Danish-American succession talks had been made since 1870 due to a rising number of riots and unrest from the poorer English-speaking population. The Zahle Government (1914–1920) held a heavily boycotted election for Danish mainland constituencies, which produced a minority for the sale of the islands. The United States hoped to use them as naval bases. Since 1917, the islands have been known as theUnited States Virgin Islands.
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Greenland was settled by immigrants fromIceland andNorway in theViking Age after the arrival ofErik the Red in 995 or 996. Medieval Greenland was abishopric with 22 churches and 2 convents under thearchdiocese of Nidaros. In 1261, the Greenlanders became subjects of theKingdom of Norway (872–1397). With the ratification of theKalmar Union in 1397,Denmark–Norway inheritedGreenland. After theNorsesettlement in Greenland finally disappeared in the 15th century, Europeans did not settle the island again until 1721, when theLutheran ministerHans Egede arrived and established the town now known asNuuk. After Norway was ceded to the king ofSweden in 1814 following theNapoleonic Wars, Denmark retained the old territorial claims as a condition of theTreaty of Kiel.
The development and settlement of Greenland accelerated in 1945, instigated by the region's geostrategic importance in theCold War era, itself exemplified and manifested by theU.S. Air Base of Thule from 1943. Another reason and driving force was the emergence of fundamental technical abilities, such as aircraft andicebreakers at Greenland's disposition, giving the otherwise remote island a supply situation somewhat similar to Europe.
Following a period of increasing integration in the 19th century, Greenland was incorporated into Denmark in 1953 with the implementation of the Danish constitution.
Greenland and theFaroe Islands were the last vestiges of the colonial empire. Greenland's colonial status ceased in 1953, becoming an integral part of theKingdom of Denmark. It gainedhome rule in 1979 and further autonomy, includingself-determination, in 2009. Likewise, the Faroes were incorporated into the Kingdom in 1816, with the status of a county, and then given home rule in 1948.
Denmark has established very specific territorial autonomies with its two island territories
Faroese and Greenlandic are seen as official regional languages in the self-governing territories belonging to Denmark.
Greenland [...] is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark
The Faroe Islands [...] is one of three autonomous territories in the Nordic Region
Danish Empire travel guide from Wikivoyage
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