Danish Army Records Background
Only since King Christian IV's Kalmar War (1611-1613) has Denmark had a peace time army. Prior to this, the King relied upon the nobility to furnish from the peasantry the necessary troops for the various wars. In 1614, from his own royal estates, Christian IV raised the first permanent troops, from which some of the present Danish Army Regiments trace their beginnings.
In the following century, the Danish kings raised additional regiments on on a recruited as well as a levied basis. These units often were released or consolidated after relatively short existence. The king more commonly commissioned various experienced men to raise additional regiments for the major wars of this period: The Thirty Years War (Danish periods 1618-1629 and 1643-1645), the Scania War (1657-1660), The Spanish Succession (1678-1679), the Disputes with the Dukes of Holstein (1689 and 1699-1700), and the Great Northern War (1709-1720).
King Frederick III formed a standing army of recruited regiments in 1660. Shortly thereafter, he raised additional levied regiments of infantry and cavalry. The levied infantry militia saw periods of activity, as well as times when they did not exist as organized units. The army reduction and reorganization in the early 1720s again resulted in the retention of the old tried units. Most of the Units that existed after this period have some of their records existing today.
Both Kings Christian VI and Frederick V had peaceful reigns. Only the threat of war with Russia (which did not materialize) in the period 1756-1763 gave cause to any great change. This occurred in the so-called "Saint Germain" period (1761-1767), when all the levied units were disbanded and each recruited regiment received a definite levying district. Several older units were released and a smaller number of newer units were formed to replace them.
Under Kings Christian VII and Frederick VI (the latter both as Crown Prince Regent and King), there was a long period in which the country maintained a status of armed neutrality (essentially 1780-1806) except when at war (1788, 1801, 1806-1814). During this period a number of changes of interest were made, besides the raising and releasing of units.
- The "Annexed" Battallion from the Regimental Levying District was totally incorporated into the regiment in 1784. Instead of the previous three regular and one "annexed" battalions, the regiment was now to become comprised of two regular battalions only.
- The cessation of active recruiting of foreigners began in 1774, and culminated in 1803 when each regiment was to drawn henceforth upon national levied men.
- The reduction of the national militia in 1808 (raised first in 1801) was compensated by newly formed third and fourth "annexed" battalions of reservists for each regiment.
- The "Annexed" Battallion from the Regimental Levying District was totally incorporated into the regiment in 1784. Instead of the previous three regular and one "annexed" battalions, the regiment was now to become comprised of two regular battalions only.
Following the end of the Napoleonic Wars, a major army reorganization was made in 1817. Again, the old tried units were retained and most of the new war units were released.
Under Christian VIII, the army reorganized again in 1842. The old named units were abolished, with the infantry becoming numbered battalions, and the cavalry numbered dragoon regiments. Only the guard units avoided drastic alteration of designation.
Kings Frederick VII and Christian IX each saw a bitter war with the duchies - the Slesvig-Holstein Wars. While the first was won (1848-1850), the second was lost (1864) as well as the duchies. Various reserve units were raised during these wars, and some after.
The number of the various army units (infantry and cavalry being the most important) varied at different times as the following table will show:
| 1720 | 1750 | 1768 | 1785 | 1817 | 1842 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infantry - (abt). | 21 | 20 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 23 |
| Cavalry | 20 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 7 |
Levied Units in Denmark have existed in the following periods:
| Infantry: | 1632-1660 | 1663-1679 | 1701-1730 | 1733-1762 | abt 1767 to present |
| Cavalry: | 1646-1657 | 1670-1760 | abt 1767 to present |
For additional details, and further information see the historical suplement on "The Danish Army's Development" in the 1923 "Haandbog for Haeren" (FHL call no. 948.9 M23k).
Copenhagen in Denmark and Rendsborg in Holstein have long been the two main garrison towns of the Danish Army, but not exclusively so. The infantry, except the levied units, have always been garrisoned in the cities, as too many recruited soldiers found opportunities to desert otherwise. The city magistrates were early charged with making the rules for placing the soldiers with various families. In 1694 the king changed this to a uniform code. These rulings, in eithe rcase, usually left the poorest people with the greatest burden of harboring the soldiers. Fortunately, in Copenhagen in the 1700s, several barracks were built by the troops, and others purchased by the crown. In the other major garrison cities this policy was also carried out. This helped considerably in improving the relationship of the army with the citizens.
The levied infantry units were, of course, militia soldiers who served only a relatively short time with their units. For all practical purposes, most soldiers mentioned in rural parish registers are found to be local militia, or discharged solciers, while soldiers mentioned in city registers will be active militia and the recruited soldiers of the then existing regiments. One should note also that both the officers and the non-commissioned officers of the levied militia units were required to reside in their levying districts.
The cavalry was mostly national militia in the earliest period, with only a few recruited units probably stationed in the cities.
These militia cavalry soldiers lived on farms or in cottages belonging to the crown, and were organized into the various royal cavalry districts until 1718. The active cavalry companies were garrisoned upon various royal manors in more restricted cavalry districts which were formed at this time. Among these manors, the following were included:
- On Sjaeland: Esrom; Jaegersborg; Gjorlev; Ringsted Closter; Vordingborg Slot Ladegaard.
- On Lolland-Falster: Skorringe; Nykobing Slot Ladegaard
- On Fyen: St Hans Closter (in Odense City)
- On Jutland: Koldinghus Slot; Skanderborg; Sobygaard; Silkeborg Slot Ladegaard; Marriager.
There were others. In 1740 this practice was dropped, and the cavalry regiments were assembled in garrisons in the cities. The artillery and the engineers have been mainly connected with Copenhagen and Rendsborg.
For additional details, and specific locations of units, see the annexes covering the specific units as well as the historical supplement on "Garrisons" in the 1925 "Haandbog for Haeren" (FHL call no. 948.9 M23k).