Danish overseas colonies

Danish overseas colonies Danish: Danske kolonier
1536–1953 (Denmark) 1536–1814 (Norway)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Ske Herrens vilje "The Lord's will be done"
Anthem: Der er et yndigt land (English: "There is a lovely country") (1835–1953) King
• 1535–1559	Christian III (first)
• 1947–1952	Frederik IX (last)
Prime Minister
• 1848–1852	Adam Wilhelm Moltke (first)
• 1950–1953	Erik Eriksen (last)
Legislature	Rigsdagen
• Upper house	Landstinget
• Lower house	Folketing
History
• Established	1536
• Disestablished	1953
Currency	Rigsdaler
Preceded by Succeeded by Old Kingdom of Norway Kalmar Union Kingdom of Denmark

Danish overseas colonies and Dano-Norwegian colonies (Danish: De danske kolonier) were the colonies that Denmark–Norway (Denmark after 1814) possessed from 1536 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 of Danes and Norwegians in the Kalmar Union. Danes and Norwegians during this time increasingly saw themselves as citizens of the same "State Fatherland" (Statsfædrelandet), the realm of the Oldenburg monarchs.

In the 17th century, following territorial losses on the

Today, the only remaining vestiges are two originally Norwegian dependencies that are currently within the Danish Realm, the Faroe Islands and Greenland; 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 with home rule, in a relationship referred to as the "Unity of the Realm".

Overview

Africa

Denmark maintained several trading stations and four forts along the Gold Coast in West Africa, especially around modern day Ghana. Three trading stations were built:^[3] Fort Frederiksborg, Kpompo; Fort Christiansborg near Accra in 1661, which was purchased from Sweden; and Frederiksberg. The forts were Fort Fredensborg (1734), Fort Kongenstein (1783), Fort Prinzenstein (1784), and Fort Augustaborg (1787), several of which exist as ruins today. Of these, only two are still in existence, the Osu Castle, and the Christiansborg Castle, the latter of 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 the Ashanti, which led to the abandonment of all trading stations. Denmark sold its forts to the United Kingdom in 1850.

List

• Fort Fredensborg (Ningo: 1734 – March 1850)
• Fort Christiansborg (Accra/Osu: 1658 – April 1659, 1661 – Dec 1680, February 1683 – 1693, 1694–1850)
• Fort Augustaborg (Teshie: 1787 – March 1850)
• Fort Prinzenstein (Keta: 1780 – 12 March 1850)
• Fort Kongenstein (Ada: 1784 – March 1850)
• Fort Carlsborg (February 1658 – 16 April 1659, 22 April 1663 – 3 May 1664)
• Fort Frederiksborg (Amanful or Amanfro: 1659 – 16 April 1685)
• Fort William (Ghana) in Anomabu (1657–1659)
• Small base near Ningo from 1784 to 1850

Asia

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.

Tranquebar (1620–1845)

The colony at Trankebar (modern day: Tharangambadi) was kept for over 200 years, with a few interruptions, until it was sold to the British in 1845.

Serampore (1755–1845)

In 1755, Denmark acquired the Frederiksnagore (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.

Nicobar Islands (1756–1848/1868)

There were also colonization attempts of the Nicobar Islands, called Frederiksøerne ("Frederik Islands") or Ny Danmark ("New Denmark") by the Danes between 1754 and 1868.

Europe

Iceland (1536/1814–1944)

As with Greenland and the Faroe Islands, Norwegian claims to Iceland 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", in personal union with Denmark.

During

Faroe Islands (1536/1814–present)

As with Greenland, Denmark–Norway inherited the medieval Norwegian claims to the Faroe 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.

North America

Danish West Indies (1666–1917)

Denmark–Norway acquired the island of St. Thomas in 1671^[3] and St. Jan (now St. John) in 1718, and bought St. Croix from France in 1733. All of the islands' economies were based primarily on sugar. These islands were known as the Danish West Indies and were eventually sold to the United 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 the United States Virgin Islands.

Greenland (1721/1814–present)

Greenland was settled by immigrants from

Greenland and the Faroe Islands were the last vestiges of the colonial empire. Greenland's colonial status ceased in 1953, becoming an integral part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It gained home rule in 1979 and further autonomy, including self-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.

References

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