034 



DENMAR K. 



h'.ockade 



Copen 



ftag^n. 



History. hi with the united Danish and Dutch squadrons ; the 

 '*~~Y* mm ' action commenced and was continued with great ob- 

 stinacy, but the Dutch deserted their allies ; in conse- 

 quence of this, the Danes gained only a doubtful and 

 indecisive victory. The reputation, talents, and suc- 

 cess of the king of Sweden, alarmed the United States, 

 and several other of the powers of Europe ; they were 

 therefore disposed to assist Frederic against him ; and 

 Charles, sensible of this, determined to attack Den- 

 mark in its most vital part, and with all Iris force, be- 

 fore it was assisted. Accordingly, early in February, 

 he crossed the Little Belt on the ice. entered the isle of 

 Funen, defeated a considerable body of Danes, took 

 Odensee, the capital of the island, and then resolved 

 to march across the ice to Zealand. This bold and da- 

 ring enterprize he accomplished, and inarched imme- 

 TheSwedes diately against Copenhagen. To defend the city, there 

 were not more than 4000 men, consisting of 2000 horse, 

 and 800 regular infantry ; the remainder were made 

 up of gentlemen, peasant;, and sailors. General Krem- 

 pen, who commanded this force, offered to set fire to 

 the suburbs, attack the king of Sweden, who was at 

 Keuck, and reduce that place to ashes. Frederic ap- 

 proved of the scheme, but it was rejected by the se- 

 nate. The situation of Frederic in Copenhagen was 

 extremely critical : the walls of the city were in a most 

 ruinous condition ; the supply of provisions, ammuni- 

 tion, and stores, was small ; it was crowded with pea- 

 sants, who had fled thither on the landing of the Swe- 

 dish army, from all parts of Zealand ; and the nobility 

 were clamorous and disoontented. Under the pressure 

 of all these unpropitious circumstances, Frederic re- 

 tained his firmness and presence of mind : his talents 

 rose in proportion as they were required. In this 

 emergency, he was greatly assisted by the prudent ad- 

 vice, and encouraged by the resolution and constancy, 

 of his queen Sophia Amelia, princess of Brunswic-Lune- 

 burg. For nearly two years Copenhagen was block- 

 aded by a powerful and victorious army ; at length fa- 

 mine threatening the inhabitants, Frederic was indu- 

 ced to send a person to Torstrick, where Meadows, 

 Crom well's envoy, was endeavouring to negociate a 

 peace. On the 28th of February 1651, peace was con- 

 cluded, Frederic yielding up to the Swedes, Halland, 

 Schonen, Blekingen, the island of Bornholm, the citadel 

 and fief of Bohus, and the bishoprick of Drontheim. 

 As the Swedish army was still in Zealand, Frederic 

 was advised to refuse the cession of Schonen, till it 

 was evacuated. 1'his refusal irritated Charles, and he 

 immediately sent part of his army to invest Copenha- 

 gen. Hostilities would have undoubtedly recommen- 

 ced, had not the mediators interfered, and given the 

 Swedish monarch such strong assurances of Frederic's 

 sincerity, that an interview took place between the 

 raonarchs, on the most unsuspicious and friendly foot- 

 ing- 



The greatest part of the Swedish army still remain- 

 ed in Zealand ; and it was soon apparent, that the 

 friendship of Charles was not to be depended upon, 

 and that he was diligently in search of some plausible 

 pretext for the renewal of hostilities. He complained, 

 that Frederic had not complied with the treaty in some 

 trifling points ; and to enforce, or expedite compliance, 

 as he alleged, he entered Holstein with his army. His 

 ultimate object was for some time not suspected, till 

 he persuaded the duke of Holstein to apply to the go- 

 TheSwedes vemor of Rendsbergh to put that fortress into his pos- 

 invade session; on the governor's indignantly refusing to ac- 

 cede to this application, Charles lauded his army in 

 5 



Peace con> 

 eluded, 

 A, D. ZG51 



Zealand. 



Zealand, and, with the forces already there, proceeded. Btstsrjj 

 to block up all the roads leading to Copenhagen. A s — -y-*-»' 

 fleet at the same time blocked up the harbour ; and on . 

 the 10th of September 1658, the rising grounds in the 

 immediate vicinity of the city were occupied by a di- 

 vision of the Swedish cavalry and infantry. Frederic 

 remonstrated against this gross and unprovoked infrac- 

 tion of the treaty ; but Charles would scarcely admit 

 the ambassadors sent on this occasion into his presence. 

 This behaviour of the Swedish monarch made the no- 

 bility determined to lay aside their animosities, and to 

 defend their monarch to the last extremity. It was also 

 resolved to grant the burghers of Copenhagen certain 

 important privileges, to induce them to support their 

 sovereign, and cheerfully to endure the rigours of a 

 siege. Their adherence to their sovereign was render- 

 ed still closer and firmer, by the condition to which the 

 provinces lately ceded to Sweden were reduced ; they 

 were loaded with taxes, and the inhabitants were most 

 grievously oppressed, both by the Swedish king and 

 nobility. Frederic on this, as on the former occa- 

 sion, was animated by the intrepidity, and assisted by 

 the prudence of his queen ; and he was so clearly con- 

 vinced of the justice of his cause, and of his ultimate 

 success, that he absolutely refused to comply with the 

 advice of his council, and retire into Holland. 



Charles was fully persuaded that Copenhagen must Sie°-e of 

 soon fall into his power ; and this confidence rendered Open- 

 him dilatory and unguarded. Frederic, on the other hagen. 

 hand, was extremely vigilant; and he profited by the de- 

 lay and oversight of his opponent, to prepare every 

 thing necessary for a long and vigorous defence. The 

 Swedes made their first attack on Cronenberg; and 

 this place requiring a large force, and several weeks to 

 reduce it, the siege of Copenhagen, in the mean time, 

 was carried on with little alacrity or advantage. As 

 soon as this fortress was reduced, Charles pushed the 

 siege with great vigour : but he soon perceived that the 

 defence would be both long and obstinate. He next 

 turned his plans towards the reduction of the cky by 

 famine; but while part of his fleet was cruizing for the 

 Dutch squadron, supplies of provisions were introdu- 

 ced into Copenhagen. Part of this city is built upon 

 the isle of Amak, which is peopled by the descen- 

 dants of a colony from East Friesland, to whom the 

 island was given by Christian II. at the request of his 

 queen, the sister of Charles V. for the purpose of sup- 

 plying her with vegetables, cheese, and butter. It is 

 entirely laid out in gardens and pastures, and the pro- 

 duce brought to the market of Copenhagen. This 

 island Charles resolved to get possession of if he pos- 

 sibly could, and he accordingly made a sudden descent 

 upon it at the head of large body of forces ; he was 

 opposed by Frederic, who sallied out of Copenhagen, 

 broke through the Swedish lines, threw them into con- 

 fusion, and obliged Charles to throw himself into a 

 boat, and regain his fleet. The next day the Dutch 

 fleet that had been sent to the assistance of their allies Naval 

 entered the Sound : Charles immediately ordered his batile be- 

 fleet to oppose their advance to Copenhagen, and a twe <-'n the 

 most dreadful battle was the consequence, which ter- s ^.^ s aricl 

 minated in the Swedes drawing off, under the protec- 

 tion of the cannon of Lanskroon, and in the Dutch ad- 

 miral succeeding in his purpose of landing a large sup- 

 ply of provisions and ammunition, as well as a consi- 

 derable reinforcement of men at Copenhagen. The 

 Swedish monarch, disappointed at the issue cf this 

 battle, was soon afterwards alarmed by the advance of 

 the elector of Brandenburg and the other allies of 



