Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 4.djvu/809

 DENMARK

727

DENMARK

more general. As early as in the fourth century B. c. vessels were built of wood, like those which are in use nowadays.

It seems that the Germanic North began hostilities with the civilized nations of Europe at a compara- tively late date. A serious conflict arose for the first time when Charlemagne, after the overthrow of the Saxons, set his face against the Danes who, as allies of the Saxons, had uiflictcd great damage on him ^see t'n.\HLEMAGNE). After their warlike king Gottfried had been assassinated, the war was ended (811). It was ilecided that in future the Eider River should be the boimdary between the two kingdoms. Quarrels shortly arose in the interior; one of the pretenders (Harold) sought the protection of Louis the Pious and was baptized. At his re(iuest, Ansgar, a monk of Corbie (q. v.), preached for the first time, though with .small success, the Christian Faith aiiumg tlir heathen nations of the North. Even befi>n> liis arrival, some of them had begun the so-called vikiiii,' cxi editions, predatory incursions untier their chiefs, which were directed as well against the Slavic kingdoms in the East as against the German and Roman peoples in the West and South. The Danish freebooters infested especially the coasts of England and of France. In time they gained a footing in both countries and founded new States which gradually coalesced with the native, civilized population into one powerful whole. This cut off the possibility of predatorj' ex- peditions for their fellow-tribesmen who had re- mained at home.

Meanwhile the German Empire had acquired new strength, and King Henry I endeavoured, no le.s.s from conviction than from political prudence, to pcrMiadi' his northern neighbour tn embrace the Christian rdii;- ion. Gorm the Old, under whom the famous Hana werk was built as a protection against the C!cniia:i. was the last pagan King of Denmark. Under his -iir crssors, Christianity became firmly established and outwardly well organized (see above). After the treacherous murder of Canute Lavard, son of King Erik Ejgod (1131), bloody civil wars broke out, which ravaged the country for more than twenty-eight years and greatly weakened its strength. It was not until Waldemar the Great ascended the throne (1157) that better times dawned, especially through the co-opera- tion of Archbishop Absalon of Lund (q. v.), who was equally prominent as prince of the Church, statesman, and warrior. The fleets of Wendish sea-robbers were destroyed, the Wends themselves were attacked in their own land, and the island of Rugen subdued. At the same time, the power of the ecclesiastical digni- taries and nobles increased, a fact which on the one hand ensured better order, but on the other also pro- voked the hatred of the oppressed classes. Walde- mar's son, Canute VI, added to his possessions Pomerania and Mecklenburg, and assumed the title of King of the Slavs. This childless prince was succeeded by his brother, Waldemar II (1202), who extended his sway along the Baltic especially by means of a crusade against Esthonia, for which feat he became known as Sejr (Conqueror). This apparently splendid power was, however, of short duration. One of the German vassals, Count Henry of Schwerin, raised the standard of revolt and made prisoner his Danish lord (1223), where- upon the subjugated nations cast off the yoke. Later on Waldemar sought revenge, but lost the battle of Bomhoved in Holstein (1227). Most of his con- quests eventually melted away, and the Eider became once more the southern boundary. This noble king. who deserves great praise for his improvement of the laws of Denmark, died in 1241. His sons Erik. Abel, and Christopher waged war with one another, and all died a violent death. Murder and arson were of daily occurrence, and the land groaned under the wicked- ness of its rulers, who brought it to the brink of ruin.

Erik Glipping, Christopher's successor, died at the hands of an assassin (1286). His heir apparent, Erik Menved, succeeded in restoring order for a time. Meanwhile important parts of the kingdom were pledged to German nobles, whose power was steadily on the increase. His brotlier, Christopher II, was com- pelled to swear to a capitulation, at his election, and, since he did not abide l)y it, w;is expelled hy the mag- nates under Count Gert of Holstein. who olitained the election of his sister's son, Duke Waldemar, as the third king of that name. The legitimate prince in- deed soon recovered his dominions, but held only the shadow of sovereignty. The real power lay . in the hands of the nobles. New civil wars ended with the victory of the Danish element, which chose again, in Christopher's youngest son, Waldemar IV, a national ruler. By diplomacy and force he regained the ])ledged distri<'ts and added dotaland to his kingdiim: thereby, however, he became involved in a war wilh the Hanseatic League, Sweden, and the Count cif Hol- stein. Hard conditions were imposed on him in the


 * Myate«i«« aaBi»'

Treaty of Stralsund (1370). Waldemar IV died in 1375."

Meanwhile Danish affairs had undergone a great change. King Hakon of Norway and Sweden had mar- ried (1362) Walderaar's daughlcr, Margaret, a child of eleven, and thus the three .Scandinavian kingdoms had become united. In 13,S9 this able woman caused her relative, Duke Erik of Pomerania. who was only seven years old, to be acknowledged as King of Nor- way. Seven years later the Swedes and Danes also paid him homage. At Calmar (1397) representatives of the three kingdoms swore allegiance to him. But Margaret's attempt to perpetuate the Union of Cal- mar proved unsuccessful. She succeeded, however, by reclaiming fiefs, in .strengthening the power of the Crown, and in compelling the adhesion of both eccle- siastical and secular magnates. Erik's imprudence thwarted her plans and sapped the promising struc- ture. As early as 1410 new conflicts arose with the Counts of Holstein, which, after Margaret's death (1412), led to a sanguinary war. la.sting twenty-five years; at its clo.se the (\)unts of Holstein retained their Schleswig possessions, and the Hanseatic cities their ancient privileges While Erik's rule was thus unfortimate abroad, his avarice and harshne-ss alien- ated the hearts of his subjects. The Swedes were the first to fall away; then an insurrection broke out in Norivay, and the D.anes themselves a.ssumetl such a threatening attitude that he thought it be.st to leave the kingdom. Abjuring their allegiance, the vassals now besought his sister's son, Duke Christopher of Bavaria (of the house of Wittelsbach") to take up the reins of government. The .Swedish crown also fell to his lot, but under conditions that greatly limited his power. With the help of the nobility he checked the uprising in Jutland. It was Christopher, also, who