The ''Dannebroge'' was a
Dano-Norwegian
Dano-Norwegian ( Danish and no, dansk-norsk) was a koiné/mixed language that evolved among the urban elite in Norwegian cities during the later years of the union between the Kingdoms of Denmark and Norway (1536/1537–1814). It is from thi ...
ship-of-the-line that exploded and sank on
4 October 1710, during the
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swed ...
. Almost all of its crew of 600 were killed - one third of the victims were
Norwegians
Norwegians ( no, nordmenn) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nation native to Norway, where they form the vast majority of the population. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegians are descended from the N ...
. Admiral
Iver Huitfeldt was among the casualties.
Construction
''Dannebroge'' was built in 1692 and she was the largest ship-of-the-line in the
Dano-Norwegian
Dano-Norwegian ( Danish and no, dansk-norsk) was a koiné/mixed language that evolved among the urban elite in Norwegian cities during the later years of the union between the Kingdoms of Denmark and Norway (1536/1537–1814). It is from thi ...
navy at that time with her 84 cannons placed on two decks and a crew of 600 men.
She was also the first ship in Denmark that was built according to a plan drawing.
Career
The final battle
In 1710 Denmark–Norway was at war with
Sweden. The Norwegian-born commander,
Ivar Huitfeldt
Iver Huitfeldt (5 December 1665 – 4 October 1710) was a Dano-Norwegian naval officer who was killed in action, when he commanded the ship '' Dannebroge'' during Great Northern War 1700–1721.
Biography
Iver Huitfeldt was born in the Norwegian ...
, was in charge of ''Dannebroge'' on October 4, 1710. Along with a Dano-Norwegian fleet of 44 other ships he had set sail for
Liepāja
Liepāja (; liv, Līepõ; see other names) is a state city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea. It is the largest-city in the Kurzeme Region and the third-largest city in the country after Riga and Daugavpils. It is an important ice-f ...
(in modern
Latvia). The mission was to escort 6,000 Russian troops to the Danish capital of
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
, so they could support Denmark–Norway during the
Great Northern War
The Great Northern War (1700–1721) was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swed ...
against the Swedes.
However, the fleet was intercepted by a Swedish fleet in the
Battle of Køge Bay. According to the commander in chief of the Dano-Norwegian navy,
Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve, the fire on ''Dannebroge'' was probably ignited by her own cannons. Gyldenløve mentions this in his letter to the king.
Gyldenløve followed the battle from his ship ''
Elephanten'' and wrote the letter at about 9 o'clock in the morning of October 5. It is unclear how many of the 600 men survived the explosion: some sources say three and others say nine.
Wreck and commemoration
Today ''Dannebroge'' is the only wreck within Danish sea territory, where it is forbidden to dive. The official Danish institution of cultural heritage, ''Kulturarvsstyrelsen'', considers it to be a cemetery.
Some cannons were salvaged in 1714; others were salvaged in 1875 by the company Svitzer, which also searched for other objects that could be sold at an auction.
Some of the cannon were later used by Danish architect
Vilhelm Dahlerup
Jens Vilhelm Dahlerup (4 August 1836 – 24 January 1907) was a Danish architect who specialized in the Historicist style. One of the most productive and noted Danish architects of the 19th century, he is behind many of the most known buildings ...
in his design of the
Ivar Huitfeldt Monument at
Langelinie
Langelinie (English: Long Line) is a pier, promenade and park in central Copenhagen, Denmark, and home of '' The Little Mermaid'' statue. The area has for centuries been a popular destination for excursions and strolls in Copenhagen. Most cruise ...
in Copenhagen.
A 1:40 scale model of the ship was built by Orlogsmuseets Modelbyggerlaug ("The guild of model builders at the Naval Museum") in 2010. It was donated to the Royal Danish Navy in October 2010 as part of the celebrations of its 500 year Jubilee.
References
Citations
Royal Danish Naval Museum- Record cards
*Royal Danish Naval Museum
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dannebroge (1692)
1690s ships
Ships of the line of the Royal Dano-Norwegian Navy
Great Northern War
Shipwrecks of Denmark