Denmark: Grand Campaign (1492-1600)
At the end of the 15th century, Denmark is a land full of promise, but its long term outlook is quite tenuous. The Kingdom of Denmark is comprised of 8 provinces plus three minor settlements in Iceland and northern Norway. The economy is primarily agrarian, and its only two export goods are fish and grain. Approximately one quarter of Denmark's income derives from its vassal Sweden, where the local elite is hostile and restless. Denmark's annual income is about 270 ducats, in comparison with 400 per year in England and 850 per year in Spain. Denmark does boast a relatively large military compared with its neighbors, however: 45,000 soldiers and 30 warships.
The diplomatic situation in Europe is quite fluid initially. England and Spain have assembled a coalition of Italian and German states in their anti-French alliance, while France has allied Scotland and Poland. The anti-French coalition falls apart, however, when France succeeds in annexing Milan in 1498. Spain bitterly complains that England did not pull its weight in the conflict and the two states go their separate ways. France seizes the opportunity and forces England to surrender Calais in 1500.
My initial strategy is devoted to building up infrastructure and fortifications while making preparations for a move on the Hansa. Russia makes several attempts to form an alliance, but I decide instead that England would be more useful in protecting my long shorelines. My plans to attack my southern neighbor are temporarily thwarted when England invites the Hansa and Portugal to join our alliance in 1507. I am left supporting over 80,000 soldiers, and the maintenance costs are eating up a quarter of my income.
From 1508 through 1520, Spain suffers a series of setbacks in the lowlands that have a significant impact on the balance of power with France. France seizes Artois in 1508, and within two years, all of the Spanish lowlands is in the hands of rebels. In 1511, the Papal States with French support gain Luxembourg and Cologne in a war with Spain. In 1714, Flanders declares itself independent and swears alliance to Burgundy. This costs the Spanish crown 150,000 subjects and northern Europe's wealthiest center of trade. France had borrowed heavily to finance its victories, though, and in 1515 the French crown is forced to declare bankruptcy. This buys Spain enough time to suppress the revolts. Nonetheless, the French recover quickly and are able to annex two more Spanish provinces in the region in 1521.
Meanwhile, two powers are emerging in central Europe. Austria and its Hungarian vassals complete their anschluss of Bohemia in 1513. But the real surprise is Saxony, which adds Brandenburg's three provinces to its own three wealthy territories in 1509.
In 1517, the Hansa becomes diplomatically isolated, and I immediately declare war. The Danish army suffers a shocking defeat against inferior forces in the early stages of the campaign, but King Christian II takes direct command of his army and soon annexes four provinces. The center of trade for much of Scandinavia and northern Germany is now in Danish hands. Unfortunately, the early setback encouraged Saxony to attack the Hansa as well, and the Saxons succeed in annexing Eastern Pommerania before I can get to it.
These successes have increased my revenues by over 50% in 30 years, but unfortunately this progress had been partly debt-financed. By 1520, Denmark is paying about 30% of its income to its creditors as the inflation rate rises to 20%. Spending on new administrative infrastructure in my new provinces as well as debt management will occupy me for some time.
In 1523, Poland declares war on Saxony to arrest the meteoric growth of its aggressive new neighbor. In a stunning campaign, the Germans thrash the Poles. The victory is so overwhelming that Poland is forced to surrender three provinces including its trade center at Danzig! Saxony now has ten provinces and continues to make preparations to expand further. Danish relations with the Saxons are extremely poor, and I am forced to divert significant funds to my army as a precaution. Three German states form the League of the Rhine under Hessen's banner to resist the Saxons, but they are also quite resentful of my treatment of the Hansa and cannot be drawn into the Anglo-Danish alliance.
Despite their seething animosity toward the Danish crown, the Swedes had been obediently forking over their tribute every year for nearly thirty years. In 1528, however, the Reformation takes root in Stockholm and Sweden declares full independence from the Danish crown. The Swedish army had been carefully built up over the years to the degree that I deemed it unwise to risk an expensive war. Instead, King Christian II opts to join the Protestant movement. This step brings in a one-off boost to the treasury of about 300 ducats in confiscated church property (the equivalent of 60% of my annual income). It also causes serious internal turmoil, though the few open rebellions in Norway are easily put down. The situation has fully stabilized within four years.
In 1537, the Saxons resume their bid for dominance in Germany by successfully annexing Baden. This finally triggers the Austro-Hungarian alliance to declare war a year later, and Poland immediately joins in. This proves too much for Saxony, which loses two provinces to the Austrians and returns Danzig to the Poles. This comes as a great relief in Copenhagen, as events are evolving elsewhere that bode ill for Denmark.
In 1536, France turns on its former allies the Papal States and annexes their two territories west of the Rhine. The Dutch declare their independence in 1538, which drives Spain entirely from the lowlands. This eventually leads to a Dutch-Swedish alliance in 1546 that finally ends Sweden's diplomatic isolation. The emergence of the Netherlands also coincides with a major blow to French dominance in its rivalry with Spain. Spain encourages the League of the Rhine to attack France's German-speaking enclave, and this initial distraction allows Spain to launch a massive invasion into France. Spain captures two provinces and inflicts crippling losses on the French army.
I exploit another Austrian declaration of war against Saxony in 1549 by sending my own army into Brandenburg. Despite active English support, my losses are catastrophic. I am forced to settle for the wealthy textile-producing province of Madgeburg, while the Austrians agree to a white peace. But Saxony is clearly finished as a rising power. The Poles are able to recover two more former provinces in 1556 and Eastern Pommerania in 1565. In fact, Poland expands robustly in the middle of the century by annexing Prussia and Kurland, gaining one province from Russia and seizing a Turkish port on the Black Sea.
Russia has been inactive in the west, focussing instead on expansion to the southeast. By 1550, Astrakhan, Kazan and the Golden Horde have been assimilated in a series of successful campaigns. But Russia's eastern orientation has allowed a new German power to rise. The Teutonic Order launches a devastating assault on Russia's undermanned western frontier, and in 1552 Moscow is forced to surrender its center of trade in Novgorod to the Germans. The Teutonic Order enjoys similar success against Poland, gaining two more provinces in 1568. The Order now controls 8 of the most valuable territories in the Baltic region.
This Swedish-Dutch alliance and the rise of the Order leave me extremely vulnerable, since there is no clear counterweight on Sweden's eastern flank. This requires me to maintain large garrisons in Norway in addition to the army in Germany that is intended to keep the still potent Saxons in check. All of this is expensive to maintain, and my finances are deteriorating rapidly. By 1560, interest costs have risen to 50% of my income and inflation is raging at 51%. Thanks to the development of a banking consortium in Copenhagen, I am able to borrow no less than 500 ducats at a clip, which is a double-edged sword with respect to keeping my debt under control. I decide that I have to act decisively if I want to escape this spiral toward bankruptcy.
In 1560 I invade Saxony, hoping that a burst of military spending will give me enough of an edge to annex the rest of Saxony in one go. It is, in truth, an act of desperation. So it comes as a devastating blow when my plan fails. Although I eventually gain the province of Brandenburg, the fighting is extremely bloody and the conscription of tens of thousands of reinforcements crushes the treasury. By 1565, interest payments are taking up 90% of my income and the treasury is bleeding 30 ducats per month even with no spending on research. A country goes bankrupt when it is forced to borrow more than five loans to cover its costs. Denmark is like a man who suddenly realizes that he has drunk too much vodka and that the only way to feel better is to vomit. So I default on 1900 ducats worth of loans in 1568.
This plunges the country into chaos. Sweden chooses precisely this moment to declare war along with its Dutch allies, and Danish forces in Norway are quickly overrun. Astonishingly, the Swedes let me off rather lightly by settling for Skane and a 250 ducat indemnity.
Meanwhile, my only ally England has bigger problems on its hands. In 1564, Scotland fields an army that against all odds is able to seize two English provinces. Fortunately, Russia stages a recovery in the 1570s by regaining Novgorod and taking two provinces from Poland. I leave the English to their own devices and form an alliance with Moscow.
Russia declares war on Sweden in 1580 and I join in without having much hope for territorial gain. Once again, the Danish army performs wretchedly, but the Russians initially give the Swedes a run for their money and I am able to squeeze a 250 ducat indemnity out of Stockholm. My dropping out of the war allows Sweden to focus on Russia, which eventually has to surrender one province for peace.
The resulting peace treaty gives me time to rebuild my army. In fact, my finances are in remarkably good shape now that I am free of debt. Saxony's downfall has allowed the German states to return to their normal pastime of bickering among themselves, so the League of the Rhine falls apart. This leaves Hanover without any allies. I decide to put my northern German army to work and annex the state's two provinces in 1587. This adds another wealthy textile-producing territory to my holdings, but it gives me a common border with the Dutch. Franco-Dutch relations had deteriorated so badly that war appeared inevitable, so I was fairly confident that I would not have to confront a Dutch land army alone.
In 1594, Danish spies manage to procure a set of Portuguese maps. I then reach an agreement with England to exchange geographical data. This is a huge breakthrough for my long-term strategy, as I had almost no previous knowledge of the world outside Europe. I begin to place trading posts in Africa, looking forward to a more global expansion strategy. Meanwhile, I intend to maintain enough military strength to hold onto what I have in Europe.
But my optimism is premature. Russia declares war on Sweden in 1597. I was quite confident in my northern German army until the Dutch showed up with nearly 100,000 soldiers with heavy cavalry and artillery support. The Dutch army quickly occupies all of my German territories as the remainder of my shattered army holes up in Copenhagen. It is truly a race against time. Russian forces are gaining ground against the Swedes, so I am praying that they will sign a peace before the Dutch take Copenhagen. Just as the Dutch launch their assault on my capital, the Russians sue for peace. The marauding Dutchmen return home empty handed. There is a God, and He is a Dane.
France and Spain have been at each other's throats throughout the century, and Spain is gradually gaining the upper hand. France successfully captures independent Flanders, but it is consistently losing wars fought on its territory. In 1600, Paris surrenders two more provinces to Spain. More worrying is the fact that France has virtually no colonies or trading posts (France once had a strong presence in India until the Moghuls invaded and torched all their settlements). Meanwhile, Spain has annexed all of Portugal's European provinces except for the capital. It has the strongest colonial position by far, though the Incan empire is still intact.
Meanwhile, England is a mess. In 1594, the English lose two more provinces to the unstoppable Scots! They have a spotty presence in North America and some territory in India, but the English are definitely 'behind schedule.'
Austria has not yet merged the crown with Hungary, but it enters the 17th century a clear superpower in the making. The Austrian army is one of Europe's largest and by far its most technologically advanced. Russia is also emerging as a solid power in the east after annexing Siberia and two more territories from the Teutonic Order. Turkey has struggled against its neighbors, but no state has gained the upper hand in the Near East.
As for the rotten state of Denmark, I have essentially become dependent on other powers to rescue me by cutting the Swedes and Dutch down to size. But I do have something to show for the turbulent 16th century. I have nearly tripled my population, maximized my infrastructure throughout the kingdom and acquired a lucrative textile industry in Germany. I am taking in 600 ducats in annual income, which is enough to conscript 17,000 soldiers or build 7 warships per year after I cover my other costs. Given enough time to recover, Denmark can become competitive again.
At the end of the 15th century, Denmark is a land full of promise, but its long term outlook is quite tenuous. The Kingdom of Denmark is comprised of 8 provinces plus three minor settlements in Iceland and northern Norway. The economy is primarily agrarian, and its only two export goods are fish and grain. Approximately one quarter of Denmark's income derives from its vassal Sweden, where the local elite is hostile and restless. Denmark's annual income is about 270 ducats, in comparison with 400 per year in England and 850 per year in Spain. Denmark does boast a relatively large military compared with its neighbors, however: 45,000 soldiers and 30 warships.
The diplomatic situation in Europe is quite fluid initially. England and Spain have assembled a coalition of Italian and German states in their anti-French alliance, while France has allied Scotland and Poland. The anti-French coalition falls apart, however, when France succeeds in annexing Milan in 1498. Spain bitterly complains that England did not pull its weight in the conflict and the two states go their separate ways. France seizes the opportunity and forces England to surrender Calais in 1500.
My initial strategy is devoted to building up infrastructure and fortifications while making preparations for a move on the Hansa. Russia makes several attempts to form an alliance, but I decide instead that England would be more useful in protecting my long shorelines. My plans to attack my southern neighbor are temporarily thwarted when England invites the Hansa and Portugal to join our alliance in 1507. I am left supporting over 80,000 soldiers, and the maintenance costs are eating up a quarter of my income.
From 1508 through 1520, Spain suffers a series of setbacks in the lowlands that have a significant impact on the balance of power with France. France seizes Artois in 1508, and within two years, all of the Spanish lowlands is in the hands of rebels. In 1511, the Papal States with French support gain Luxembourg and Cologne in a war with Spain. In 1714, Flanders declares itself independent and swears alliance to Burgundy. This costs the Spanish crown 150,000 subjects and northern Europe's wealthiest center of trade. France had borrowed heavily to finance its victories, though, and in 1515 the French crown is forced to declare bankruptcy. This buys Spain enough time to suppress the revolts. Nonetheless, the French recover quickly and are able to annex two more Spanish provinces in the region in 1521.
Meanwhile, two powers are emerging in central Europe. Austria and its Hungarian vassals complete their anschluss of Bohemia in 1513. But the real surprise is Saxony, which adds Brandenburg's three provinces to its own three wealthy territories in 1509.
In 1517, the Hansa becomes diplomatically isolated, and I immediately declare war. The Danish army suffers a shocking defeat against inferior forces in the early stages of the campaign, but King Christian II takes direct command of his army and soon annexes four provinces. The center of trade for much of Scandinavia and northern Germany is now in Danish hands. Unfortunately, the early setback encouraged Saxony to attack the Hansa as well, and the Saxons succeed in annexing Eastern Pommerania before I can get to it.
These successes have increased my revenues by over 50% in 30 years, but unfortunately this progress had been partly debt-financed. By 1520, Denmark is paying about 30% of its income to its creditors as the inflation rate rises to 20%. Spending on new administrative infrastructure in my new provinces as well as debt management will occupy me for some time.
In 1523, Poland declares war on Saxony to arrest the meteoric growth of its aggressive new neighbor. In a stunning campaign, the Germans thrash the Poles. The victory is so overwhelming that Poland is forced to surrender three provinces including its trade center at Danzig! Saxony now has ten provinces and continues to make preparations to expand further. Danish relations with the Saxons are extremely poor, and I am forced to divert significant funds to my army as a precaution. Three German states form the League of the Rhine under Hessen's banner to resist the Saxons, but they are also quite resentful of my treatment of the Hansa and cannot be drawn into the Anglo-Danish alliance.
Despite their seething animosity toward the Danish crown, the Swedes had been obediently forking over their tribute every year for nearly thirty years. In 1528, however, the Reformation takes root in Stockholm and Sweden declares full independence from the Danish crown. The Swedish army had been carefully built up over the years to the degree that I deemed it unwise to risk an expensive war. Instead, King Christian II opts to join the Protestant movement. This step brings in a one-off boost to the treasury of about 300 ducats in confiscated church property (the equivalent of 60% of my annual income). It also causes serious internal turmoil, though the few open rebellions in Norway are easily put down. The situation has fully stabilized within four years.
In 1537, the Saxons resume their bid for dominance in Germany by successfully annexing Baden. This finally triggers the Austro-Hungarian alliance to declare war a year later, and Poland immediately joins in. This proves too much for Saxony, which loses two provinces to the Austrians and returns Danzig to the Poles. This comes as a great relief in Copenhagen, as events are evolving elsewhere that bode ill for Denmark.
In 1536, France turns on its former allies the Papal States and annexes their two territories west of the Rhine. The Dutch declare their independence in 1538, which drives Spain entirely from the lowlands. This eventually leads to a Dutch-Swedish alliance in 1546 that finally ends Sweden's diplomatic isolation. The emergence of the Netherlands also coincides with a major blow to French dominance in its rivalry with Spain. Spain encourages the League of the Rhine to attack France's German-speaking enclave, and this initial distraction allows Spain to launch a massive invasion into France. Spain captures two provinces and inflicts crippling losses on the French army.
I exploit another Austrian declaration of war against Saxony in 1549 by sending my own army into Brandenburg. Despite active English support, my losses are catastrophic. I am forced to settle for the wealthy textile-producing province of Madgeburg, while the Austrians agree to a white peace. But Saxony is clearly finished as a rising power. The Poles are able to recover two more former provinces in 1556 and Eastern Pommerania in 1565. In fact, Poland expands robustly in the middle of the century by annexing Prussia and Kurland, gaining one province from Russia and seizing a Turkish port on the Black Sea.
Russia has been inactive in the west, focussing instead on expansion to the southeast. By 1550, Astrakhan, Kazan and the Golden Horde have been assimilated in a series of successful campaigns. But Russia's eastern orientation has allowed a new German power to rise. The Teutonic Order launches a devastating assault on Russia's undermanned western frontier, and in 1552 Moscow is forced to surrender its center of trade in Novgorod to the Germans. The Teutonic Order enjoys similar success against Poland, gaining two more provinces in 1568. The Order now controls 8 of the most valuable territories in the Baltic region.
This Swedish-Dutch alliance and the rise of the Order leave me extremely vulnerable, since there is no clear counterweight on Sweden's eastern flank. This requires me to maintain large garrisons in Norway in addition to the army in Germany that is intended to keep the still potent Saxons in check. All of this is expensive to maintain, and my finances are deteriorating rapidly. By 1560, interest costs have risen to 50% of my income and inflation is raging at 51%. Thanks to the development of a banking consortium in Copenhagen, I am able to borrow no less than 500 ducats at a clip, which is a double-edged sword with respect to keeping my debt under control. I decide that I have to act decisively if I want to escape this spiral toward bankruptcy.
In 1560 I invade Saxony, hoping that a burst of military spending will give me enough of an edge to annex the rest of Saxony in one go. It is, in truth, an act of desperation. So it comes as a devastating blow when my plan fails. Although I eventually gain the province of Brandenburg, the fighting is extremely bloody and the conscription of tens of thousands of reinforcements crushes the treasury. By 1565, interest payments are taking up 90% of my income and the treasury is bleeding 30 ducats per month even with no spending on research. A country goes bankrupt when it is forced to borrow more than five loans to cover its costs. Denmark is like a man who suddenly realizes that he has drunk too much vodka and that the only way to feel better is to vomit. So I default on 1900 ducats worth of loans in 1568.
This plunges the country into chaos. Sweden chooses precisely this moment to declare war along with its Dutch allies, and Danish forces in Norway are quickly overrun. Astonishingly, the Swedes let me off rather lightly by settling for Skane and a 250 ducat indemnity.
Meanwhile, my only ally England has bigger problems on its hands. In 1564, Scotland fields an army that against all odds is able to seize two English provinces. Fortunately, Russia stages a recovery in the 1570s by regaining Novgorod and taking two provinces from Poland. I leave the English to their own devices and form an alliance with Moscow.
Russia declares war on Sweden in 1580 and I join in without having much hope for territorial gain. Once again, the Danish army performs wretchedly, but the Russians initially give the Swedes a run for their money and I am able to squeeze a 250 ducat indemnity out of Stockholm. My dropping out of the war allows Sweden to focus on Russia, which eventually has to surrender one province for peace.
The resulting peace treaty gives me time to rebuild my army. In fact, my finances are in remarkably good shape now that I am free of debt. Saxony's downfall has allowed the German states to return to their normal pastime of bickering among themselves, so the League of the Rhine falls apart. This leaves Hanover without any allies. I decide to put my northern German army to work and annex the state's two provinces in 1587. This adds another wealthy textile-producing territory to my holdings, but it gives me a common border with the Dutch. Franco-Dutch relations had deteriorated so badly that war appeared inevitable, so I was fairly confident that I would not have to confront a Dutch land army alone.
In 1594, Danish spies manage to procure a set of Portuguese maps. I then reach an agreement with England to exchange geographical data. This is a huge breakthrough for my long-term strategy, as I had almost no previous knowledge of the world outside Europe. I begin to place trading posts in Africa, looking forward to a more global expansion strategy. Meanwhile, I intend to maintain enough military strength to hold onto what I have in Europe.
But my optimism is premature. Russia declares war on Sweden in 1597. I was quite confident in my northern German army until the Dutch showed up with nearly 100,000 soldiers with heavy cavalry and artillery support. The Dutch army quickly occupies all of my German territories as the remainder of my shattered army holes up in Copenhagen. It is truly a race against time. Russian forces are gaining ground against the Swedes, so I am praying that they will sign a peace before the Dutch take Copenhagen. Just as the Dutch launch their assault on my capital, the Russians sue for peace. The marauding Dutchmen return home empty handed. There is a God, and He is a Dane.
France and Spain have been at each other's throats throughout the century, and Spain is gradually gaining the upper hand. France successfully captures independent Flanders, but it is consistently losing wars fought on its territory. In 1600, Paris surrenders two more provinces to Spain. More worrying is the fact that France has virtually no colonies or trading posts (France once had a strong presence in India until the Moghuls invaded and torched all their settlements). Meanwhile, Spain has annexed all of Portugal's European provinces except for the capital. It has the strongest colonial position by far, though the Incan empire is still intact.
Meanwhile, England is a mess. In 1594, the English lose two more provinces to the unstoppable Scots! They have a spotty presence in North America and some territory in India, but the English are definitely 'behind schedule.'
Austria has not yet merged the crown with Hungary, but it enters the 17th century a clear superpower in the making. The Austrian army is one of Europe's largest and by far its most technologically advanced. Russia is also emerging as a solid power in the east after annexing Siberia and two more territories from the Teutonic Order. Turkey has struggled against its neighbors, but no state has gained the upper hand in the Near East.
As for the rotten state of Denmark, I have essentially become dependent on other powers to rescue me by cutting the Swedes and Dutch down to size. But I do have something to show for the turbulent 16th century. I have nearly tripled my population, maximized my infrastructure throughout the kingdom and acquired a lucrative textile industry in Germany. I am taking in 600 ducats in annual income, which is enough to conscript 17,000 soldiers or build 7 warships per year after I cover my other costs. Given enough time to recover, Denmark can become competitive again.
