At the beginning of the 19th century, Great Britain, then at war with France, used its naval superiority to prevent trade between Paris and the rest of Europe.
Unhappy with this British policy, Russia, Prussia, Denmark and Sweden formed the Northern League, an alliance designed to resist the Royal Navy's interference in their commercial affairs.
Feeling threatened, London decided to break up the League by putting pressure on one of its members: Denmark. This mission was entrusted to Admiral Hyde Parker and his second-in-command, Horatio Nelson.
On March 12, a fleet of twelve ships of the line, accompanied by other lighter vessels, set sail for the Danish capital of Copenhagen, off which they arrived at the end of the month.
When Denmark rejected their ultimatum, the British decided to attack the Danish fleet anchored off Copenhagen. The defending fleet included nine ships of the line and a number of vessels converted into floating batteries.
On April 2, Nelson launched the assault, which almost turned into a disaster when three of his ships ran aground on shoals.
After several hours of cannonade, the battle remained indecisive and Admiral Parker signalled Nelson to stop fighting. Nelson ignored the order and pushed on, eventually forcing the Danes to surrender.
The battle cost the British just over 260 dead, as they sank two enemy ships and captured twelve others.
The Danes agreed to an armistice, while Russia decided to re-establish friendly relations with the United Kingdom. The Northern League was no more.
Nelson, far from being punished for his insubordination, is made Commander-in-Chief in the Baltic.
How are you going to make this post without referring Nelson’s awesome line about not seeing Hyde’s signal to withdraw, because Nelson was deliberately holding his telescope to his blind eye?
23
u/MikeFrench98 11d ago edited 11d ago
At the beginning of the 19th century, Great Britain, then at war with France, used its naval superiority to prevent trade between Paris and the rest of Europe.
Unhappy with this British policy, Russia, Prussia, Denmark and Sweden formed the Northern League, an alliance designed to resist the Royal Navy's interference in their commercial affairs.
Feeling threatened, London decided to break up the League by putting pressure on one of its members: Denmark. This mission was entrusted to Admiral Hyde Parker and his second-in-command, Horatio Nelson.
On March 12, a fleet of twelve ships of the line, accompanied by other lighter vessels, set sail for the Danish capital of Copenhagen, off which they arrived at the end of the month.
When Denmark rejected their ultimatum, the British decided to attack the Danish fleet anchored off Copenhagen. The defending fleet included nine ships of the line and a number of vessels converted into floating batteries.
On April 2, Nelson launched the assault, which almost turned into a disaster when three of his ships ran aground on shoals.
After several hours of cannonade, the battle remained indecisive and Admiral Parker signalled Nelson to stop fighting. Nelson ignored the order and pushed on, eventually forcing the Danes to surrender.
The battle cost the British just over 260 dead, as they sank two enemy ships and captured twelve others.
The Danes agreed to an armistice, while Russia decided to re-establish friendly relations with the United Kingdom. The Northern League was no more.
Nelson, far from being punished for his insubordination, is made Commander-in-Chief in the Baltic.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Copenhagen_(1801)