Treaty of Copenhagen
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Copenhagen was signed on 27 May 1660, and marked the conclusion of the Second Northern War
between Sweden
and the alliance of Denmark-Norway and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
. This treaty was a smaller follow-up treaty to that of the Treaty of Roskilde
, which this then declared the official boundaries of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway; boundaries which are almost exactly the same to this day.
county, in exchange for the return of Trøndelag
and Bornholm
to Denmark-Norway; Frederick III of Denmark
on the other hand refused to abide by the terms of the Treaty of Roskilde
, instead wanting to revert to the conditions of the Second Treaty of Brömsebro (1645). Both kings were stubborn, and had to depend on the mediating powers, France
and England
on the Swedish side, and Holland on the Danish side, to bring about a treaty.
Frederick argued to his Dutch allies that Swedish control of Scania would present an eternal lingering threat to Copenhagen, and proposed a Danish-Dutch alliance to retake Scania. Frederick had the support of Brandenburg
and Austria
, but Holland had already agreed with England that preventing the western and eastern shore of Øresund from being controlled by the same country would in turn prevent future raises of the Øresund toll, which would cause disruption in the Dutch and English Baltic
trade. In addition, Cardinal Mazarin threatened a French invasion of Holland if it were to assist Denmark against Sweden.
When learning of Charles' death in February 1660, Frederick immediately proclaimed the Treaty of Roskilde null and void. This caused great alarm to the Swedish mediators, but their French and English counterparts assured them that if Sweden were to yield their claim to Trøndelag but otherwise stick by the terms of Roskilde, France and England would assure a treaty under those conditions. Denmark insisted on the return of the Scanian lands, with the support of Brandenburg, Austria and Poland, but this time Holland did not agree with Denmark. On March 8, 1660, admiral Michiel de Ruyter
and his Dutch fleet were ordered to leave the harbour of Landskrona
, where he had bottled up the Swedish fleet. Frederick yielded, and the negotiations began in earnest on 24 March.
. The people of Bornholm had risen against their Swedish occupants, and killed the Swedish commander, Johan Printzensköld
. They now feared retribution, were the island to remain in Swedish hands. Frederick had given his word of honour to protect his faithful subjects to the utmost; he kept his promise by demanding the return of Bornholm to Denmark despite the threats of Sweden and the negotiating powers. It was then suggested that Denmark would provide compensation by ceding several estates held by Danish noble families in Scania to the crown of Sweden.
At this point, however, the negotiations started to derail as the mediating countries' representatives became involved in intrigues that weren't in the interests of their client states. Exasperated by the slow progress of the negotiations, Hannibal Sehested
suggested that negotiations should proceed directly between Denmark and Sweden. The suggestion was accepted by the Swedes, and in a few days the conditions of the treaty were agreed upon.
On 27 May, the treaty was signed in the tents that had been erected halfway between Copenhagen and the fortified Swedish camp of Carlstad
. Four days later the remnants of the Swedish army in Zealand, now numbering 3,000, finally began leaving the outskirts of Copenhagen.
The terms of the treaty were as follows:
Second Northern War
The Second Northern War was fought between Sweden and its adversaries the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth , Russia , Brandenburg-Prussia , the Habsburg Monarchy and Denmark–Norway...
between Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and the alliance of Denmark-Norway and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was a dualistic state of Poland and Lithuania ruled by a common monarch. It was the largest and one of the most populous countries of 16th- and 17th‑century Europe with some and a multi-ethnic population of 11 million at its peak in the early 17th century...
. This treaty was a smaller follow-up treaty to that of the Treaty of Roskilde
Treaty of Roskilde
The Treaty of Roskilde was concluded on 26 February or 8 March 1658 during the Second Northern War between Frederick III of Denmark–Norway and Charles X Gustav of Sweden in the Danish city of Roskilde...
, which this then declared the official boundaries of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway; boundaries which are almost exactly the same to this day.
Opening positions
Charles X of Sweden would not accept any other outcome than Sweden's receipt of AkershusAkershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
county, in exchange for the return of Trøndelag
Trøndelag
Trøndelag is the name of a geographical region in the central part of Norway, consisting of the two counties Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag. The region is, together with Møre og Romsdal, part of a larger...
and Bornholm
Bornholm
Bornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea located to the east of the rest of Denmark, the south of Sweden, and the north of Poland. The main industries on the island include fishing, arts and crafts like glass making and pottery using locally worked clay, and dairy farming. Tourism is...
to Denmark-Norway; Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
on the other hand refused to abide by the terms of the Treaty of Roskilde
Treaty of Roskilde
The Treaty of Roskilde was concluded on 26 February or 8 March 1658 during the Second Northern War between Frederick III of Denmark–Norway and Charles X Gustav of Sweden in the Danish city of Roskilde...
, instead wanting to revert to the conditions of the Second Treaty of Brömsebro (1645). Both kings were stubborn, and had to depend on the mediating powers, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
on the Swedish side, and Holland on the Danish side, to bring about a treaty.
Frederick argued to his Dutch allies that Swedish control of Scania would present an eternal lingering threat to Copenhagen, and proposed a Danish-Dutch alliance to retake Scania. Frederick had the support of Brandenburg
Brandenburg
Brandenburg is one of the sixteen federal-states of Germany. It lies in the east of the country and is one of the new federal states that were re-created in 1990 upon the reunification of the former West Germany and East Germany. The capital is Potsdam...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, but Holland had already agreed with England that preventing the western and eastern shore of Øresund from being controlled by the same country would in turn prevent future raises of the Øresund toll, which would cause disruption in the Dutch and English Baltic
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
trade. In addition, Cardinal Mazarin threatened a French invasion of Holland if it were to assist Denmark against Sweden.
When learning of Charles' death in February 1660, Frederick immediately proclaimed the Treaty of Roskilde null and void. This caused great alarm to the Swedish mediators, but their French and English counterparts assured them that if Sweden were to yield their claim to Trøndelag but otherwise stick by the terms of Roskilde, France and England would assure a treaty under those conditions. Denmark insisted on the return of the Scanian lands, with the support of Brandenburg, Austria and Poland, but this time Holland did not agree with Denmark. On March 8, 1660, admiral Michiel de Ruyter
Michiel de Ruyter
Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter is the most famous and one of the most skilled admirals in Dutch history. De Ruyter is most famous for his role in the Anglo-Dutch Wars of the 17th century. He fought the English and French and scored several major victories against them, the best known probably...
and his Dutch fleet were ordered to leave the harbour of Landskrona
Landskrona
Landskrona is a locality and the seat of Landskrona Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 28,670 inhabitants in 2005.-History:The city of Landskrona was founded at the location of Scania's best natural harbour, as a means of King Eric of Pomerania's anti-Hanseatic policy, intended to compete...
, where he had bottled up the Swedish fleet. Frederick yielded, and the negotiations began in earnest on 24 March.
Negotiations
The most contentious point was regarding the control of the island of BornholmBornholm
Bornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea located to the east of the rest of Denmark, the south of Sweden, and the north of Poland. The main industries on the island include fishing, arts and crafts like glass making and pottery using locally worked clay, and dairy farming. Tourism is...
. The people of Bornholm had risen against their Swedish occupants, and killed the Swedish commander, Johan Printzensköld
Johan Printzensköld
Johan Printzensköld was a Swedish army officer. As lieutenant colonel he was the commendant of Bornholm between March and December of 1658. A revolt broke out on the island against the Swedish occupation, and Printzensköld was killed in Rønne, the capital of Bornholm, on December 8,...
. They now feared retribution, were the island to remain in Swedish hands. Frederick had given his word of honour to protect his faithful subjects to the utmost; he kept his promise by demanding the return of Bornholm to Denmark despite the threats of Sweden and the negotiating powers. It was then suggested that Denmark would provide compensation by ceding several estates held by Danish noble families in Scania to the crown of Sweden.
At this point, however, the negotiations started to derail as the mediating countries' representatives became involved in intrigues that weren't in the interests of their client states. Exasperated by the slow progress of the negotiations, Hannibal Sehested
Hannibal Sehested (governor)
Hannibal Sehested was a Danish statesman and Governor of Norway.He was born at Arensborg Castle on Øsel, Son of Claus Maltesen Sehested. After being educated abroad, he returned to Denmark in 1632 and was attached to the court of King Christian IV...
suggested that negotiations should proceed directly between Denmark and Sweden. The suggestion was accepted by the Swedes, and in a few days the conditions of the treaty were agreed upon.
Terms
Carlstad
Carlstad was a short lived fortified town in Denmark built by the forces of King Charles X Gustav of Sweden during his siege of the Danish capital, Copenhagen, 1658 - 1660 AD. Carlstad's size rivalled the besieged Danish capital, reaching a peak of approx. 30,000 inhabitants. The modern Copenhagen...
. Four days later the remnants of the Swedish army in Zealand, now numbering 3,000, finally began leaving the outskirts of Copenhagen.
The terms of the treaty were as follows:
- Sweden kept the territories east ofSkånelandSkåneland or Skånelandene are terms used in historical contexts in Scandinavia to describe the area on the southern and south-western part of the Scandinavian peninsula, which under the Treaty of Roskilde was transferred from Denmark to Sweden. It corresponds to the provinces of Blekinge,...
the Sound, including the island of Ven, ScaniaScaniaScania is the southernmost of the 25 traditional non-administrative provinces of Sweden, constituting a peninsula on the southern tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, and some adjacent islands. The modern administrative subdivision Skåne County is almost, but not totally, congruent with the...
, HallandHalland' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , on the western coast of Sweden. It borders Västergötland, Småland, Scania and the sea of Kattegat.-Administration:...
, BlekingeBlekinge' is one of the traditional provinces of Sweden , situated in the south of the country. It borders Småland, Scania and the Baltic Sea.The name "Blekinge" comes from the adjective bleke, which corresponds to the nautical term for "dead calm"....
, BohuslänBohuslän' is a Swedish traditional province, or landskap, situated in Götaland on the northernmost part of the country's west coast. It is bordered by Dalsland to the northeast, Västergötland to the southeast, the Skagerrak arm of the North Sea to the west, and the county of Østfold in Norway to the north...
. - Sweden was exempted from the Sound DuesSound DuesThe Sound Dues were a toll on the use of the Sound which constituted up to two thirds of Denmark's state income in the 16th and 17th centuries...
. - TrøndelagTrøndelagTrøndelag is the name of a geographical region in the central part of Norway, consisting of the two counties Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag. The region is, together with Møre og Romsdal, part of a larger...
, then including NordmøreNordmøreNordmøre is a traditional district in the Norwegian county of Møre og Romsdal. The area comprises the northern third of the county including the municipalities of Kristiansund, Averøy, Tingvoll, Surnadal, Rindal, Aure, Halsa, Eide, Sunndal, Gjemnes, and Smøla...
and RomsdalRomsdalRomsdal is the name of a traditional district in the Norwegian county Møre og Romsdal, located between Nordmøre and Sunnmøre. The district of Romsdal comprises Aukra, Fræna, Midsund, Molde, Nesset, Rauma, Sandøy, and Vestnes. It is named for the valley of Romsdalen, which covers part of Rauma.The...
, was returned to NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and BornholmBornholmBornholm is a Danish island in the Baltic Sea located to the east of the rest of Denmark, the south of Sweden, and the north of Poland. The main industries on the island include fishing, arts and crafts like glass making and pottery using locally worked clay, and dairy farming. Tourism is...
to DenmarkDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. - All Danish and Norwegian fortifications captured by Sweden, excepting fortifications in provinces ceded to Sweden, were to be evacuated within a fortnight after the ratificationRatificationRatification is a principal's approval of an act of its agent where the agent lacked authority to legally bind the principal. The term applies to private contract law, international treaties, and constitutionals in federations such as the United States and Canada.- Private law :In contract law, the...
s of the treaty had been exchanged. - The Crown of Sweden was to receive an indemnity in the form of several nobles' estates in Scania in return for the returning of Bornholm to Denmark. The Danish Crown would later reinburse the nobles with estates in Denmark.
- Denmark was to pay an annual 3,500 riksdaler to maintain the beaconBeaconA beacon is an intentionally conspicuous device designed to attract attention to a specific location.Beacons can also be combined with semaphoric or other indicators to provide important information, such as the status of an airport, by the colour and rotational pattern of its airport beacon, or of...
s between SkagenSkagenSkagen is a projection of land and a town, with a population of 8,515 , in Region Nordjylland on the northernmost tip of Vendsyssel-Thy, a part of the Jutland peninsula in northern Denmark...
on the Danish side and FalsterboFalsterboFalsterbo is a town located at the south-western tip of Sweden in Vellinge Municipality in Skåne County. Falsterbo is situated in the southern part of the Falsterbo peninsula. It is part of Skanör med Falsterbo, one of Sweden's historical cities.-History:...
on the Swedish side. - All prisoners of war on both sides were to be released.
- All previous treaties between Denmark and Sweden were reaffirmed.