Peter Willemoes (11 May 1783 – 22 March 1808) was a

Danish Danish may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark People * A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark * Culture of Denmark * Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...

naval officer. He fell in the

Battle of Zealand Point The Battle of Zealand Point was a naval battle of the English Wars and the Gunboat War. Ships of the Danish and British navies fought off Zealand Point on 22 March 1808; the battle was a British victory. Peter Willemoes was among the Danish ca ...

. He is commemorated by a statue on the harbourfront in his native town of Assens.

Early life and education

Willemoes was born on 11 May 1783 in Assens on the island of

Funen Funen ( da, Fyn, ), with an area of , is the third-largest island of Denmark, after Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy. It is the 165th-largest island in the world. It is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 469,947 as of ...

, where his father was a public servant. At the age of twelve he was sent to the Naval Academy in

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 ...

, where he was a mediocre student who chafed under and rebelled against the harsh discipline. He became a cadet in 1795 and ''sekondløjtnant'' (second lieutenant) in 1800.

Career

The Battle of Copenhagen 1801 by Christian Mølsted

At seventeen he commanded a floating battery, "Flaadebatteri Nr. 1", during the Battle of Copenhagen on 2 April 1801. After the battle, Willemoes became a member of the

Danish Order of Freemasons The Danish Order of Freemasons ( da, Den Danske Frimurerorden, abbr.: ''DDFO''), in English also known as the Grand Lodge of Denmark, is a governing body of some Masonic Lodges in Denmark. The Danish Order of Freemasons was founded on 16 November ...

before setting off to the

Mediterranean Sea The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...

aboard the frigate ''Rota''. After his return to Denmark, he began to study law but discontinued his studies in 1807 to briefly go into

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

n service. Peter Willemoes dør 22

After the Bombardment of Copenhagen and the British confiscation of the Danish fleet, he returned to Denmark, where he enrolled on '' Prinds Christian Frederik'', the only remaining Danish ship-of-the-line. On 22 March 1808, in the

, the ship was driven onto the sandbar by a British. Willemoes was among the 69 Danish casualties, hit by a bullet to his head, and was afterwards buried at Odden Cemetery.

Reputation and commemoration

His indomitable good cheer, courage and good looks combined to make Willemoes an instant celebrity in Northern Europe. Locks of his curly hair became a fashion item among ladies in Copenhagen and he was praised in verse by poet and politician

N. F. S. Grundtvig Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig (; 8 September 1783 – 2 September 1872), most often referred to as N. F. S. Grundtvig, was a Danish pastor, author, poet, philosopher, historian, teacher and politician. He was one of the most influential pe ...

. The street Willemoesgade in the

Østerbro Østerbro () (literally, "Eastern Bridge") is one of the 10 official districts of Copenhagen, Denmark. It is located just north of the city centre, outside the old city gate Østerport which, after it was moved around 1700, used to be located clos ...

district of Copenhagen was named for him in the 1880s. A statue of him by C. C. Peters was erected on the harbourfront in his native town of Assens in 1902. A/S Dampskibsselskabet Fiona's fraight ships ''S/S Peter Willemoes'' was named for Peter Willemoee in 1902 (built 1888, former name ''S/S Lundby''). A frigate in the Royal Danish Navy is named for him.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Willemoes, Peter 19th-century Danish naval officers Danish sailors Danish military personnel of the Napoleonic Wars Military personnel killed in the Napoleonic Wars People from Assens Municipality 1783 births 1808 deaths

Early life and education

Career

Reputation and commemoration

References

Further reading

External links