During the Napoleonic Wars the conglomerate kingdom of Denmark and Norway with their North Atlantic possessions, the duchies of Schleswig-Holstein and valuable overseas colonies were whirled into the global conflict of France and England, despite the efforts of being neutral. Lying down was not enough to keep Denmark out of the war.

After Napoleon’s victory over Russia in summer 1807, France got free hands to force Denmark into the continental system. The plan was to use the Danish fleet to invade England. An English ultimatum regarding the big Danish fleet was presented to Denmark: either to enter into an alliance with England and make the Danish fleet to England’s disposal or surrender the navy for the rest of the war to England as a pledge of Danish neutrality. On the other side Napoleonic troops were waiting at the South borders of Denmark, prepared to invade Schleswig-Holstein and Swedish troops were waiting to invade Norway.

The Danish government was taken by surprise as England landed troops North of Copenhagen in August 1807. The commander of Copenhagen denied handing over the fleet to the English. The result was three nights of bombardment of the civilians of Copenhagen by English troops, starting the night between September 2nd and 3rd. As a successful experiment the British were as the first in modern military history using fire rockets, which proved to have a dramatic effect by setting a big part of the town on fire. After a third bloody night and Copenhagen burning, the Danish commander was forced to accept a capitulation and surrender the entire Danish fleet as British property. Naval ships under construction were destroyed.

This dramatic event was a turning point for Denmark. Denmark was forced into the alliance with Napoleon and was at the end of the war in 1814 at the loosing side. Norway with all the important natural resources was incorporated in Sweden and Danish possessions in Northern Germany were diminished. In 1813 the Danish state went bankrupt. This was followed by poverty and the loss of Danish political influence in the North of Europe. The dramatic events during the British bombardment of Copenhagen were reproduced in many contemporary pictures and paintings. Four of these are presented here in this web presentation.