Denmark Dates and Calendars
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Online Resources
- Denmark Feast Day Calendars
- Calender for Aarene fra 601 til 2200 efter Christi Fødsel by R. W. Bauer FS Library book 948.9 H3b, also available online (See Bauers Calender for a guide on how to use the book)
Background
Pre-10th Century
- Runic Calendars: Early Danes used runic calendars, likely based on lunar cycles and agricultural seasons. These calendars were primarily used for religious rituals and festivals.[1]
- Influence from Abroad: Contact with Roman and Christian Europe brought the Julian calendar, a solar calendar with 12 months. However, its adoption wasn't widespread initially.[2]
Christianization and the Julian Calendar (10th-17th Centuries)
- Christian Conversion (10th Century): With the arrival of Christianity, the Julian calendar gained prominence, used for both religious and secular purposes.[3]
- Feast Day Calendars: The church year, with its fixed and movable feast days, became another important timekeeping system. These calendars were regularly used in church records, and some church events (especially baptisms/christenings) were often recorded using feast days, such as "3 søndag før Påske" (the 3rd Sunday before Easter).
- Julian Calendar Discrepancy: Over time, the Julian calendar's slight inaccuracy caused dates to drift from the actual seasons. This discrepancy led to the need for reform.[4] The Julian Calendar was used until 17 February 1700.
Embracing the Gregorian Calendar (18th Century)
- Adoption of the Gregorian Calendar (1700): Recognizing the need for a more accurate calendar, Denmark officially adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1700. To adjust, 10 days were simply omitted from February, and the Gregorian Calendar began in Denmark on 1 March 1700.
- Challenges and Transition: Some more rural areas continued using the Julian calendar longer than others. However, the Gregorian calendar eventually became the standard for all of Denmark.[5] Over the centuries, the calendar continued to evolve, with holidays and observances being added or removed. Today, Denmark uses a standardized version of the Gregorian calendar, similar to most of the world.
References
- ↑ Roesdahl, Else. The Viking Age: A History of Scandinavia. Viking Penguin, 2012.
- ↑ Pettegree, Andrew, ed. The Oxford Companion to Early Modern Europe. Oxford University Press, 2004.
- ↑ Scocozza, Benito. A History of Denmark. Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.
- ↑ Aubin, David, and Denis Savoie. The Gregorian Calendar. Springer, 2005.
- ↑ Dohrn-van Rossum, Gerhard. A History of Timekeeping. Springer, 2011.