Henhold til Dansk Regel - Rise of the Danish Empire

[Coffee Warlord]

This is a Europa Universalis III (with the Heir to the Throne expansion) dynasty, using the Magna Mundi mod. Realizing this would make an excellent write up (and the fact that I'm roleplaying this more than deciding to conquer the WHOLE world), I'm up and writing.




Herrens år 1448 (year of our lord 1448)


The Union of Kalmar promised a new era of political power in Europe for the great Norse countries. Formalized June 17,
1397, one King would rule the lands of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. With Iceland and Finland also under control of the
Union, it would represent a powerful northern power that could contend with the might of the Great Powers of Europe.

It was not to last.

With the death of Christopher of Bavaria in January of 1448, the Union effectively ended. The troublesome Swedes, always
chafing under what they considered foreign rulers, elected Charles VIII of Sweden, aka Karl Knutsson, aka Charles the
Usurper (as known to future Danes).

In Denmark, Count Christian of Oldenburg would be selected by the Statsraad as King of Denmark, placing rulership of Norway
as the high point of rivalry between Danes and Swedes. The matter would be concluded, and the lines drawn in 1450, as
Norway formally acknowledged Christian I as King of Norway.

Thus begins the reign of Christian I, King of Denmark and Norway, Duke of Schleswig, Count of Oldenburg, Lord of the
Northlands.

Not long after Norway took sides in the great struggle, political tensions grew to full out war between Denmark-Norway and
Sweden. Charles the Usurper, backed by 12,000 men, marched from Stockholm into the provinces of Skane and Halland, Danish
territory for several generations. The Usurper, widely regarded as a masterful tactician, held signifigant advantages in
this war. First, the young Christian was by no means a military genius - while his nation was on par numerically, Swedish
troops were better led and more disciplined than their Danish Cousins. Second, there was no way Norweigen troops could
arrive to support Christian's Danish armies in time - while they had a sizable force, the sheer time needed to move troops
would ensure the fate of Skane rested soley in the hands of the Danish Royal Army.

The world stood back and watched this power struggle, many with tightly concealed glee - a unified Scandanavia was a threat.
Fractured, they were ripe for abuse by the Holy Roman Empire and the other Great Powers of Europe.


Herrens år 1453 - The War of Swedish Succession

Summer, 1453. 12,000 Swedish troops, under the direct command of Charles the Usurper, march south towards Skane. While the
Danish capital of Copenhagen was safe, with the sea routes under firm control of the superior Danish fleet, the same could
not be said of their Swedish territorial holdings. It would take more troops than Christian could muster to turn back this
invading army. As such, Christian turned to the great equalizer... money.

The Sound Due, a tax imposed on all merchant traffic sailing into and out of the Baltic through the Danish Straights (the
Øresund), provided a hefty benefit to the coffers of Danish Kings since the time of of Eric of Pomerania. It was in this
financial advantage that King Christian utilized to delay the Swedes. Using the toll money to raise large numbers of
mercenary forces brought in from northern Germany, the Swedes tactical advantage could be nullified, buying precious time
for new recruits to be trained and raised.

The cost was high, but the results were successful. Two major engagement in both Skane and Halland resulted in the Swedish
Army being forced into retreat. Backed by large numbers of mercenary forces, the Danish Army held off the Usurper's troops.
Thousands perished on each side, but morale plummeted among the Swedish army, buying crucial time for the Danes.

The far North was a different story. Encouraged by the news that the Danes had turned back the massed Swedish force, the
Norweigan army marched into northern Swedish provinces, laying seige to vast portions of northern Sweden. While
strategically less important than the war waged in the south, this proved to further demoralize the Swedes, and more
importantly, freed up Norway's Army to turn south.

The war had reached a lull as 1454 came around, as the harsh Scandanavian winter forced both sides into regrouping. By this
point, the Danes has established a firm line of defense at Skane, and the routed Swedish forces held fast in Smaland.
Spring would revive the conflicts, though this time it was Christian's men who would take the offensive.


In the now famous Battle of Smaland, 9,000 Danish Troops clashed with the main Swedish Army. The lines held firm, but in a
classic flanking maneuver, the Germanic Lions, a potent mercenary forced purchased by Christian, struck from cover, breaking
Charles's lines and forcing the 10,000 strong Swedish army into full retreat. The war had turned in favor of the Danes.

With Norway's armies marching further towards Stockholm, and the fall of the Swedish provinces of Smaland, Vastergotland,
and Varmland, Sweden was poised on a complete fall from grace.

In 1456, after 5 years of war, the Second Treaty of Kalmar was signed, in the same historic building where the first Union
was forged. Charles the Usurper would renounce all claim to the throne of Sweden, and the Swedish nobility would
acknowledge King Christian of Denmark-Norway as their rightful ruler. As part of the peace treaty, both Sweden and Norway
would retain autonomy for internal rule, with all foreign political negotiations handled by the Danish crown.

The Union was re-forged, and Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, Duke of Schleswig, Count of Oldenburg, Lord of
the Northlands, could turn his attention to matters of state, both domestic and abroad.

[Coffee Warlord]

Herrens år 1456 - Christian Meets World

At his core, Christian was not by any modern definition, a superb ruler. Sheer willpower and impressive financial reserves
were his weapons. He had no natural aptitude for military strategy or diplomacy, but nonetheless was a man who knew his own
limitations, and acted accordingly. His court was packed with wise men, who focused on both military and government reform.
Where many of the European powers enacted more and more stringent laws concerning the commonfolk, Christian's Denmark stood
out - his subjects knew more freedoms and personal rights than the vast majority of Europe, and statutes of tolerance and
innovation were the norm.

Of course, this was largely in part of the sheer distance of Denmark from the reach of the Church. The Papacy, for all its
power and influence, could never fully control the Danish peoples. Sheer distance and the impression of being a cultural
backwater provided the Scandanavian people a distinct advantage over their southern rivals. Papal sanctions held much less
sway here than in points south.

Which led to the Jewish Proclamation of 1458, which read as follows:

Be it known that His Grace King Christian I of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden hereby offers refuge to all mens of Jewish
descent, and their families. Let them live within the protection of the Northlands for all Eternity, free of persecution.
Such lands will be provided to them, and they shall pay such taxes as determined by local law. Positions for educated
Jewish men shall be open to the Most High Courts of Denmark, up to and including advisory positions within the King's
Council.

Across Europe, Denmark established themselves as a powerful force. With peace concluded and the Union re-established, the
Berlin Treaty was signed, sealing a military alliance with the Margrave of Brandenburg. This alliance, while it would prove
short-lived historically, provided a much-needed moment of pause for the aggressive ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the
Habsburgs of Austria. With a powerful Elector allied to the Danish throne, along with several marriages between members of
the Danish royal line and smaller houses within the Empire, Austria would think twice before making any aggressive overtures
towards the North.

Christian, however, was not content with merely controlling the North. The Hanseatic League, long known for their iron grip
on trade within the region, would have to be contained, and the Duchy of Holstein, which was by ancient lineage a sovereign
territory of Denmark, would need reclaiming.

Rights or no, any actions taken against Holstein or the Hansa would provoke the powerful Holy Roman Empire, and even with
the combined armies of the North, the entire might of Germany could not be held back should it come in force. Careful
preparations would have to be made.

Hanseatic Trade League

[Coffee Warlord]

Feb 7, 1461 - Danish Reconquest of Holstein

To the Duchy of Holstein

Whereas the Duchy of Holstein resides in lands within the legal borders of Danish Influence,

Whereas, by royal rights of succession, sallic law dictates the Danish Royal Line has true and proper rights of inheritance
on the Duchy of Holstein,

Whereas, the Lands of the North refuse to acknowledge false claims of Lordship over sovereign Danish Territory,

His Grace, King Christian I of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, henceforth declares the province and Duchal Titles of Holstein to
belong to the Greater Kingdom of Denmark.

And thus, war broke out. Needless to say, the sitting Holy Roman Emperor, an Austrian Habsburg, did not take kindly to the
Danish Declaration, swearing to defend the rights of Holstein. This was to be expected, and not highly feared: Denmark's
strategic location limited Austria's points of incursion. This, and the necessity of Austria to march any army across most
of Europe, kept their real influence low.

It was the unexpected intervention of Castile that would be problematic - they had the naval power to make life rather
unpleasant for Denmark, and while the combined Nordic Fleet was no pushover, Castile could very likely land troops on
otherwise defended territories.

Alas, it was only a paper tiger. While Castile made overtures and threats against what was perceived as a Danish act of
aggression, their forced remained firmly in the south, freeing up Christian's Combined Armies to continue as planned: march
into Holstein and dictate peace from the edge of a blade. With Austria unable to move men in time, the Duchy fell to a
combined Danish and Swedish assault. The sitting Duke surrendered the Duchy, aknowledging sovereign Danish rule over the
entire province.

Formal war lasted several more months, with only token engagements from small Austrian detachments who made the trek north.
With Holstein no longer contested at this point, the Danish Army was easily able to turn back the invaders. In mid 1462, a
ceasefire was agreed to with Castile and Austria, where Holstein would be rightfully acknowledged as the sovereign ruler of
Holstein. A small price of war reparations was paid to Spain in return for this peace, a bargain considered well worth it -
our main objective was taken, and prolonged war with two major powers was not desired.

[Coffee Warlord]

May 12, 1465 - Danish/Hanseatic War

With the Duchy of Holstein firmly under Danish control, Christian began to look further within the Hansa, to both establish
a buffer between the Empire and Denmark proper, as well as reap the benefits of the disgustingly weathly Hanseatic
Provinces. In his sights: The Imperial City of Lubeck, a focal point of trade in the Baltic, as well as its sister city to
the west, Hamburg. Both were exceptionally wealthy states, and, using Holstein as a staging area for invasions, were
vulnerable for a fast, aggressive invasion.

The hold up, as usual, was the ever present Austrian overlord. Shamed at being unable to protect Holstein, the Emperor sent
a missive to Denmark, warning them that further incursions into Germanic states would be met with severe resistance.

Of course, even the mighty Austria had rivals, and it was to them Christian looked. At Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, the
Archbishop of Lothian oversaw the wedding between Christian's firstborn son, Hans, and the lovely Scottish princess Mary.
Their alliance cemented by royal marriage, and after careful consultation with the aging Scottish King, plans for war
against the Holy Roman Empire were finalized.

On a calm day in 1465, the peaceful cities of Hamburg and Lubeck awoke to the sounds of their coasts being bombarded by
Danish warships. After 2 weeks of bombardment, a combined force of Danes, Swedes, and Norweigens broke through the token
resistance, laying siege to both cities. With the the waters protected by combined Danish and Scottish ships, things looked
grim for any hope of resistance to the Danish incursion.

Austria, embroiled in wars with the Ottomans and Venetians, could manage very little resistance. Disgusted at the lack of
aid from their supposed 'Emperor' the Archbishop of Trier delcared war on Denmark, raising a moderate force to lift the
siege of Hamburg. Fierce fighting in both Hamburg and Holstein broke out, with the day saved by timely reinforcements in
the form of the Scottish Royal Army. Small engagement would occur over the coming months, but the sieges held, and a year
and a half after the first shots were fired, Hamburg and Lubeck surrended, accepting full annexation of their territories
into the Danish Kingdom.


While formal war remained with Trier and Austria for months to follow, victory had again been achieved for Denmark. In
1467, the Archbishop of Trier signed a formal peace treaty with Denmark, agreeing to a ceasefire without terms. Control of
Lubeck and her massively wealthy center of trade was now squarely under control of the North.

Christian's success would be short lived, however, as on April 19th, 1469, barely a year after peace was concluded, the
Great King fell ill, and would not recover. Two weeks later, on May 1st, he would take his last breath, and, in ancient
Viking custom, was sent to sea aboard the Frigate Grayswandir, which was then consumed in fire. All was not lost
however, as his death paved the way for Danish dominance in the north.

With his death, rule over the North passed to his firstborn son Hans. As he was still but a youth at 14, the Council
of Nobles declared a regency over the kingship, with a rapid appointment of Danish, Swedish, and Norweigan nobles holding
the throne until Hans became of age.



Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Duke of Holstein, Prince of Hamburg and Lubeck, Count of Oldenburg.

[Coffee Warlord]

February 12, 1472 - Danish Conquest of Mecklemburg

The Duchy of Mecklemburg, situated just east of Lubeck, remained as a strategic territory in preventing intereference by the
Holy Roman Empire with the growing Danish Kingdom. With Scotland firmly under Hans's influence, and the 4 nations of the
Grand Union at full strength, Hans gathered his forces and declared war upon the Duchy of Mecklemburg, demanding the
surrender and annexation of the province.

The world was forced to act. With Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and now Scotland forming what history would refer to as the
Grand Union, Denmark was positioned to make a serious run at controlling Northern Europe. With an impotent Emperor on the
Germanic throne, it was Brandenburg, an old ally of Denmark, who declared war in the defence of Mecklemburg. A force in its
own right, some 25,000 troops stood ready to launch a counterstrike on the Combined Army.

It would, however, not be enough. The advanced and vast Danish Navy, supported by Scotland and Norway, controlled the
Baltic reaches, allowing almost uninterrupted transport of men and materials into the conflict area. Brandenburg's army,
while winning several battles and forcing massive losses on the Danish side, simply could not hold out long enough against
the oncoming tides of supplies landing in the Baltic region.

In 1474, after nearly two years of siege, Mecklemburg surrendered control to Denmark, with Hans adding the title of Duke of
Mecklemburg to his growing list of titles. Brandenburg, seeing a lost cause, and faced with sieges of their own territory
by the Scottish Royal Army, sued for peace by the end of the year. Denmark now had a firm hold in the Northern reaches of
the Empire, and a secure border.

[Coffee Warlord]

For my zero readers... the game is in the 1530's or so, so I'm recapping the above from memory, hence it may be missing some details here and there. Hoping to get caught up to present day soon, so I can post relevant screenshots and such.

[kobe360x]

I'm following

[Coffee Warlord]

Jan 10 1477 - Norske Union Act of 1477


--Copenhagen - Capital of Denmark, Seat of Power for the Grand Union
--Archbishop Ludwig von Jylland speaks...

Our great father, Hans I, has fallen. God has decided to take him into His waiting arms, welcoming the great King into the
supreme Kingdom.

But this is not a day for mourning. This is a day for celebration across all of the Holy Realm of the North. The nobility
of our Swedish and Norweigan brothers have spoken, and with the blessings of Holy God, a true and lasting Union shall be
finally recognized across all of Scandanavia. No longer shall there be three crowns for one King, there shall be one crown
for one land. The banner of the Holy Kingdom of Denmark flies in Copenhagen. It shall also fly in Oslo and Stockholm. The
Kingdoms of Norway and Sweden are no longer. There is only one Denmark, as there is only one God.

With the early and unexpected death of Hans I, who contracted and fell to illness in only his 20's, Hans's brother,
Christian, was set to inherit the throne. With the royal estates of Norway, Sweden, and Scotland gathering, it was Oluf von
Hinterpommen, a prominent Swedish Count, who made the following earth shattering statement to the Assembly:

Glory and peace in the north required bending knee to the Danes. We accepted it, and flourished. Glory and immortality
in the eyes of all Creation will require another sacrifice - fly the banner of Denmark across all of Sweden, and let their
royal line be our royal line for all eternity.

Centuries of feuds and aborted attempts at union were shattered at this very Assembly, the avalanche begun by this simple
declaration by a Swedish nobleman.

Days later, with all of Scandanavia standing witness, the Second Treaty of Kalmar was formally disbanded. In its place, the
Norske Union Act was formalized, declaring the Danish von Oldenburg line the rightful inheritors of Norway and Sweden for
all eternity. They would be united not as three nations, but as one - Denmark.

And thusly, on Jan 10, 1477, Christian was annointed by the Archbishop as King Christian II, King of Denmark and Scotland,
Duke of Finland and Mecklemburg, Prince of Lubeck and Hamburg, Count of Oldenburg. No longer would the titles King of
Norway and Sweden be used, as they were no longer seperate thrones, but fully a part of the Danish Crown. The title of Duke
of Finland was added, however, symbolizing the further extension of Danish power outside of "formal" Scandanavia, despite
Finland's long status as a Swedish territory.



Hans I, King of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Scotland, Duke of Holstein and Mecklemburg, Prince of Hamburg and Lubeck, Count
of Oldenburg.

[chesapeake]

Originally Posted by kobe360x

I'm following

+1

The King of Scotland died with no male issue, I take it?

[Coffee Warlord]

Gah, I forgot to mention how that played out.

The King of Scotland was old and indeed had no male issue. And we, in the spirit of Longshanks, claimed his throne. It worked out perfectly, as he died within the year, giving us the Personal Union. Amazingly, it held, despite them being rather upset at us for pulling off the throne claim.

I was amazed at the Norway/Sweden inherit though. Was amusing. I loaded up the game, hit start, BAM. Hans has died, and by the way, you now own Norway and Sweden.

I think I've got the lonnnnng reign of Christian II to run through, one other unimpressive monarch, and then we're up to present day.

[DataKing]

Originally Posted by Coffee Warlord

For my zero readers... the game is in the 1530's or so, so I'm recapping the above from memory, hence it may be missing some details here and there. Hoping to get caught up to present day soon, so I can post relevant screenshots and such.

I'm following along as well, and look for forward to screenies when you get caught up. Maps and such always help me to visualize in these sorts of reports.

[Coffee Warlord]

United Scandanavia - The Early Reign of Christian II

While formally inheriting all of Scandanavia was a great event, it left the new King with several problems - first and
foremost, he was now responsible for fully supporting the entire Northern Army. No longer could he rely on military support
from two fairly sizable states. They were a part of Denmark now, and its borders and armies, aside from Scotland, were his
to control. Add to that the sheer infastructure that would be needed within his new realm, and there was a definite need
for peace.

Sensing a need to dissuade any would be attackers to his new realm, an emmissary was dispatched to the growing nation of
Muscowy. After days of negotiations, a formal military alliance was sealed, and Christian announced that Muscowy and
Denmark now held a military alliance. This kept the mercantile power of Novogorod at bay, and kept Christian's eastern
front safe for the time being.

In Europe, much of the Holy Roman Empire, save for several smaller counties on the Danish border, despised Christian and his
expansionist policies. He would have to look outside it for tactical support, and found it in the Kingdom of Portugal.
Wedding the quite lovely Iberian Princess Sancha, Portugal and Denmark sealed a defense treaty known as the Halland Accords,
named after the Danish province where the treaty was signed.

It was right before the turn of the century when Christian anounced his boldest proposal yet: An ardent student of ancient
Norse History, Christian declared that Denmark would be financing an expedition west, to re-discover the old lands of
Vinland, lost to history since the time of the Vikings. Already word had come to Denmark of great discoveries made by
Portugal and Spain, and Christian decided it was time to join these powers in discovery, and, in his mind, reclaiming what
was lost.

These expeditions proved highly fruitful. Greenland and ancient Vinland were indeed found, along with the ancient
settlements once founded by Danish forefathers. People from across Denmark flocked to form these new settlements, seeking
wealth, and, in some cases, a fresh beginning. By 1500, colonies in Greenland were established, and Danish sailors were
charting places in modern-day Canada for settlements.

As the world moved into the 16th century, there was a general peace and prosperity throughout Europe. It was, as usual, not
to last. This time, however, it was not the Danes who initiated conflict. Muscowy, desiring to expand its borders,
announced the Ultimatum of 1501, demanding the immediate surrender of Novgorod.

Needless to say, they refused, and war was declared. Christian, eager to prove himself to the world and to his new allies,
joined the fray, and Portugal soon followed, providing naval support, and eventually landing several thousand troops into
Novogorodian territory.

Of course, it would prove to be a strange ending to the war. As Danish forces laid siege to the province of Kola (a
province on their Finnish border), news from Moscow came: The Russian Revolution.

In 1503, the Tsardom of Russia declared itself lord and master of all Russian states, and even Novogorod bowed to this new
power, immediately folding itself into the new Russian state. However, this new power would not forgot the aid that came
from their Danish allies, nor would Christian allow it. As such, the Kola Treaty was announced, with Russia signing over
control of the province to Denmark.

In the New World, colonization was moving according to plan, though it was a plan forged blood. With settlements starting
to form in modern-day Canada, the throne issued the Norskamerikaner Edict of 1510.

Let it be known that the savage tribes inhabiting rightful Danish territory, discovered and claimed by our ancestors,
hold no rights or title to the combined North American territories. As such, any native tribe or encampment found on in the
Americas are to be considered hostile invaders. They are to be removed by whatever means deemed fit by Danish colonial
governors.

Several thousand armed troops landed ahead of Danish pioneers, sweeping away tribal natives wherever they found them. It
was felt by Christian that these lands were originally discovered and claimed by his Viking ancestors, and these "natives"
were merely usurpers to be removed.

Thousand of natives died in the purges, paving the way for Danish colonization.

[Coffee Warlord]

Early Colonial Expansion, Kingdom of Denmark

[Coffee Warlord]

Teaching the Holy Roman Empire Another Lesson

With colonial expansion well in hand, and Austrian Habsburgs, still in control of the Holy Roman Empire, but weakened by
internal conflict and in general not widely regarded even within the Empire, Christian decided it was finally time to
connect the ancient County of Oldenburg with the rest of the Kingdom. In its way was the flourishing old Hanseatic Port of
Bremen, jointly ruled by a council of Bishops, along with an elected magistrate. With Imperial influence at an all time
low, and war breaking out between Austria and the Polish, it was time to act.

War was declared with Bremen, with the combined fleets of Portugal, Scotland, the Greater Denmark all commencing bombardment
on the powerful city. Led by his favored general and 2nd cousin, Sven Hvide, the siege commenced. Bremen responded with
only meager resistance, and even England, who had issued a guarantee on the independance of Bremen, could not intervene -
any attempt by England to move troops would have resulted in Scotland invading Northern England, and even the widely
regarded British Navy could not mount a serious offensive against the navies of both Denmark and Portugal.

Within months, Bremen surrendered, and the Treaty of Oldenburg gave complete control of Bremen and its people to the Danish
Throne. The reputation of the Empire plummeted even further, and it was clear Danish influence was far superior to their
southern rivals. The last bastion of the Hansa was firmly under Danish control.

[Cap Ologist]

Excellent read so far, gonna have to fire EU3 later today.

[Coffee Warlord]

The Kingdom of Denmark at the turn of the century.

[Coffee Warlord]

Rise of Christian III, aka Christian the Viking Prince

On August 17th, 1510, Christian II passed into the next realm, leaving behind a grand kingdom, worthy of history. Christian
III would take this a step further. Upon his rise to the throne, Scotland, following in the footsteps of Norway and Sweden,
declared their royal inheritance to be passed to the von Oldenburg line, granting the Danes full claim and control over
Scotland.

The Kingdom of Denmark now had a foothold in the British Isles. Christian III, much like his father, was a great student
of history. He knew the acheivments of the Norse Vikings of old, and he knew of the old Danelaw, which controlled much of
England. With Scotland in his grasp, perhaps it was time to return England to Danish Rule.

At his Coronation, he uttered the following line:

Let all Danes rejoice as we enter this new era. For too long has the Danelaw been forgotten. For too long has the
provinces of Brittania been left to their own devices. We are here, and we will free our people from the shackles of false
rule.

As history tells it, the Viking Prince ordered his troops to England before the crown even sat upon his head. War was
declared not a full day after Christian III's coronation, and the War of the British Isles commenced.

The first engagements included Denmark and Portugal, facing the combined armies of Hungary and England. In truth, Hungary
honored their alliance in name only, sending no troops to the front, and had no navy to speak of. England stood alone against
the Danish Invasion.

With the southern seas blockaded by Portugese ships, and the Irish channel controlled by Danish ships (sealing off some 14,000
British troops from returning to Britan), the war went relatively smoothly for Denmark, though it was certainly not without
bloodshed. With muskets growing ever more accurate, and armies growing in size, thousands of troops perished on either side.
Indeed, in the decisive Battle of Yorkshire, 17,000 Danes stood against 23,000 British soldiers. The eventual Danish victory
proved devasating for British morale, and Northern England fell to the Danish Advance.

In 1512, a ceasefire was declared, with the Danes claiming dominion over Cumbria and Northumberland. It would prove to only
be a brief peace, as hostilities broke out again after 10 years, with the Danes pushing ever forward. In all, bloodshed
continued on and off for the majority of Christian's reign, but in the end, Northern England and Wales were left firmly in
Danish hands.

Of course, there was one other massive event during the Viking Prince's reign. Within the borders of the HRE, a new faith
sprange forward, pitting Christian against Christian, with Christian (the third!) in the middle. These Protestants wished to
escape the grasp of the corrupted Catholic faith, and turned away from the Pope. Spreading like wildfire throughout central
and northern Europe, nations both embraced and reviled this new faith.

The Danish King, swayed by the arguments of the Protestants, and, truth be told, eager to remove his nation from Papal
influence, took the first step: He declared the Holy Church of Denmark, a church outside of the Pope's reach, and dedicated
to the reformation of the Christian faith. Of course, the fury of the Pope was swift and expected: The entire von Oldenburg
line was declared heretic and excommunicated. Alas, it was far too late. Inspired by the bold actions of the Danes,
countless provinces within the Holy Roman Empire declared themselves for the Protestants, including the rather potent
Electors Bohemia and Brandenburg. Spain, Portugal, France, and Austria remained loyal to the Pope, but the Protestants had a
firm hold.

Of course, that war was only just beginning, and its repurcussions would not be fully seen in Christian's lifetime, as he
fell to illness on September 30, 1531, leaving behind a vast swath of land, and a quickly reforming state.

[Coffee Warlord]

The Kingdom of Denmark is No More

Which leads us right into our "current" ruler: Fredrik I, who would make his own stamp on history at his coronation.

As the first leader of Denmark to ascend to the throne outside of the Pope's influence, Fredrik knew this was an opportunity
for grand change. Siezing the ancient crown of Danish Kings, he stood upon the balcony in his palace in Copenhagen,
addressing the people below:

People of Denmark. This crown symbolizes a Catholic Kingdom, deemed legitimate by a man thousands of miles away. No
more. Our people are dedicated to restoring Christianity to a peaceful, righteous path, free of corruption and Papal
madness. We must cast off our old trappings, and embrace this changed not only in spirit, but in symbol.

With that, Fredrik siezed the crown in both hands, snapping the golden, jeweled symbol in half.

People of Denmark! Do not greet me as your King! Greet me as the leader of the new Danish Empire!

The thundering cheers could be heard all the way to Austria, as Emperor Fredrik I declared himself lord and master of the
first Danish Empire.

Reaction across the world was, as expected, mixed. But, embroiled by Protestant and Catholic wars, and impressed by the
rapidly expanding size of Denmark, none but Castile would dare to argue against the title, and international recognition of
Emperor Fredrik was acheived.

Glory to the Danish Empire!

[Coffee Warlord]

The borders of Scandanavia remain the same, but at the time of Fredrik's declaration, the expanse of the Empire...

[Coffee Warlord]

The Great War of 1540

Fredrik, carrying on in the tradition of his father, had no qualms about continuing the English conflict. While close to 12
years of peace with England was now on the books, the social and political upheaval from the declaration of the Danish
Empire was calming down, and the dream of Danish Hegemony in Scandnavia and Britain was drawing ever closer.

Alas, there was a major hangup, in the form of the Russian Bear. Having military pacts with both England and Denmark put
them squarely in the middle of a conflict that had spanned nearly 50 years now. Fredrik dispatched his diplomats to Russia,
asking them to simply stay out of the conflict entirely. Honoring a military treaty that had lasted decades would be nice,
but coming in on the side of England would be considered a grave insult.

Unfortunately, one can never trust the Russians. With war breaking out in Brittiania, word reached the Emperor of Russian
troops massing on the Finnish border, and shots were exchanged not long after. Russia had declared their support for
England, and a two front war was now facing Denmark. England was little trouble, but Russia had the largest land army ever
assembled, and long standing peace with their Russian neighbors saw the Danish borders under-defended.

Contingents from across Scandanavia rushed towards the Russian Front, with Fredrik's British regiments quickly making work
of lower England.

Denmark's problems would quickly mount. Despite being embroiled in 2 seperate wars, Brandenburg saw signs of weakness
within the Danish Empire. 3 months after the first shots rang, they declared war on Denmark, and now Fredrik was faced with
conflicts to the east, south, and in the west.

[Coffee Warlord]

The English Front

30,000 men landed in the British Isles, with but a simple mission: Conquest. Crippled by previous wars, and embroiled in
war with mainland Europle (as the Netherlands was attempting rebellion, drawing England into a multi-nation war), the Danish
advanced into London with only token resistance, and much of the Isle was under Danish occupation in short order.

The Russian Front

Remember the saying, never get involved in a land war in Asia? Well, it still holds true. The front firmly situated in the
eastern reaches of Finland, thousands perished on either side. Russian forces continued to push west, while the Danes took
defensive posture and turned back wave after wave of Russian troops. The Danes were better trained and better equipped, but
there was just a never-ending storm of Russian troops.

The German Front

While the original plan involved a Danish occupation of Berlin, forcing terms, the situation in Russia was too dire to fight
on this front as well. Luckily, Brandenburg was involved with a wide variety of wars within the Holy Roman Empire, and
could mount very little resistance. With only a token concession of defeat, Brandenburg agreed to a peace treaty with
Denmark, freeing both sides to persue other wars.

Back to the Meat Grinder

This was the first real war Denmark could not win. Even with the situation in England calming, and the war in Germany over,
transporting troops to the Russian front would only delay a full scale invasion by Russia: Denmark simply did not have the
troops to do more than stall an invasion. A minor sum of war reperations were paid to Russia as part of the Treaty of
Finland, and Denmark acknowledged their first true defeat in recent history. Never again.

No side gained much of anything in this brutal conflict. With well over 50,000 men lost in total, the only territorial
gains were for the Danes, who pushed their claims further into Southern England. Aside from that, the staggering loss of
life amounted to little more than a precursor to further wars.

[Coffee Warlord]

Europe, 1547