Start 1861: I Just Inherited the Dutch Throne

When it began to get colder and colder from November 2, 1861, the situation in Schleswig became further tense.

Danish Prime Minister Monrad declared that the Prussian-Austrian army was likely to capture the entire Schleswig within a week, and might even attack Denmark itself.

Some Danish officials said that more than 100,000 Prussian and Austro-Prussian troops have gathered in Schleswig, Denmark. These troops are in an offensive state and pose a huge threat to Denmark.

On November 5, after the Prussian-Austrian coalition added firepower outside Schleswig, the Austrian army launched another attack that day.

Prussia also chose to follow in the west.

Behind the Danish army is Flensburg, which is the northernmost city in Schleswig. To the north it enters the Danish mainland, so this battle can be called a "last stand".

The Danish army is aware of this and has a mentality of protecting the country. This made them fight more resolutely and resist the invasion of the Austro-Prussian coalition.

However, it seemed to be in vain.

Because the Austro-Prussian coalition was too strong, with the coordination of the two countries, they first used their heavy artillery to attack the city, causing heavy losses to the Danish army.

Schleswig fell at a cost of 5,000 Prussian casualties and about 8,000 Austrian casualties. Denmark lost more than 15,000 troops and more than 40,000 civilian casualties.

With the fall of the city of Schleswig, among the Danish-controlled cities of Schleswig, only Flensburg in the north near Denmark and the small town of Nybil in the west were left in Schleswig.

To the west, off the coast, the Austrian Navy and the Danish Navy began a naval battle.

As the only main force of the Austrian Navy, the Austrian Mediterranean Fleet began to move north from the Mediterranean at the beginning of the war. However, the defeat in the previous naval battle caused Austria to suffer heavy losses.

But Austria will naturally not give up the role of its navy at sea.

So after the defeat, the Austrian Ministry of Defense dispatched another navy to the North Sea. This navy included a fleet of 8 sailing battleships including a first-class sailing battleship and two second-class sailing battleships.

Arriving at Cuxhaven in the Kingdom of Hanover in the Deutsche Bay on November 4th.

After completing the correction on the 6th, they headed north to confront the Danish navy assembled there among the islands in the sea west of Schleswig. Regardless of the land war at that time, neither country actually wanted to have a direct conflict with the war.

Austria did not want its navy, which did not have an advantage in terms of armaments, to suffer heavy losses from facing the Danish mainland alone. After all, the Prussian navy was still trapped in the Baltic Sea.

This fleet is almost half the strength of the Austrian Navy. If it is damaged, it will be a nightmare for the Austrian maritime power.

Especially when Prussia looked like an ally but was actually a competitor, Prime Minister Reina had repeatedly warned the navy to preserve its strength before coming.

Denmark does not want the Danish navy to lose this advantage when facing the Austro-Prussian coalition because of this battle, so it is very cautious. But then again, if it can ensure that the result of sending troops will be beneficial to itself. , then of course both of them are willing to launch an attack.

However, the rationality of the two navies was no longer maintained with the fall of Schleswig.

On November 10, after the Austrian navy raided the South Island beach under Denmark's jurisdiction that day, they copied the model and captured Pelvom Island.

The Danish navy reacted naturally and was unwilling to have its territory robbed.

So the Danish Navy's Atlantic Southern Navy went south and engaged in a naval artillery battle with Austria off Pelvom Island.

But Denmark was reckless this time. It turned out that after the Austrian Navy captured the South Island Beach and Pelvom Island, it quickly deployed heavy artillery, thereby luring the Danish Navy into the range of the land artillery, so Denmark In the bursts of sudden cannon fire, after losing two 5, 6 and sailing battleships, they fell out of the range of the cannonballs.

Austria naturally took advantage of the victory and pursued it, but they were not willing to let the tiger go back to the mountain.

But what the Austrian navy did not expect was that the Danish sailing battleships were so rich in combat effectiveness. They were able to quickly stabilize the situation under the circumstances. When facing the Austrian attack, they began to maintain their formation and faced Austria. navy.

The process of the Deutsche Bight therefore did not develop according to the Austrian plan. Fortunately, the Danish army did not launch a war to snatch it.

It seemed to be a tacit agreement that the Austrian navy had taken South Island Beach and Pelvom Island.

However, Denmark has strengthened its shore defense and fleet patrols on the North Island Beach, Amrum Island and the large northern island of Fur Island that it occupies.

With the city of Schleswig occupied, Denmark knew that it would be disadvantageous to fight again. King Christie of Denmark was at the center of the crisis of the Schleswig War and was also the excuse for the German Confederation to enter Holstein and Schleswig. An IX, with the Austro-Prussian coalition forces entering the city of Schleswig, no longer had the superficial confidence he had earlier.

He gave a newspaper speech in the early morning of November 12. He published a personal speech in newspapers across Europe, making an emotional appeal to the people of the German Confederation, asking them to help avoid the outbreak of a further war, because, Christian IX claimed It was dangerous to realize that Opp seemed to be interested in Denmark itself.

At the same time, he appealed to Danes in Schleswig to remain calm: "There is no reason for you to lose sleep over this, we are on our own land, we are not afraid of anyone or anything, and we give nothing to anyone."

Including the original words of the content of "European Times":

"Behind me you can see the Danish and internationally recognized borders, which remain unchanged despite a series of declarations and reflections by the German Confederation as long as we remain confident and calm.

During this period of war, the support of the people is very important, and for this, I thank you all.

Our citizens have proven once again that Denmark is smart, sensible and united.

After everything happened, our Chinese people remained calm and responded calmly and thoughtfully in an adult manner.

There is no reason for you to lose sleep over this. We held a meeting of the Danish National Security and Defense Council. Denmark believes that the latest actions of the German Confederation are an offense to our Danish sovereignty and territorial integrity.

All responsibility and consequences of this decision are related to the decision made by the top political leaders of the German Confederation. They recognized that Schleswig and Holstein both belonged to Denmark, but now they intended to deprive Denmark of its rights. The war was launched for the puppets they supported to come to power and become their power.

This means that they have already intentionally withdrawn from the London Protocol and ignored this framework.

It's just that Denmark was forced to reach that critical point in advance to seize moral carelessness. I know this. I know Prime Minister Bismarck and Archduke Rainer Ferdinand very well, and I have a clear understanding of William I and Joseph I. "

The decision of the German Confederation headed by the two countries to invade Holstein and Schleswig undermined peace efforts, caused heavy losses to all parties, and undermined previous negotiation forms and solutions. "

Later, everyone saw that after Christian IX strongly criticized the entire German Confederation, his tone changed to calling on the people under the members of the German Confederation to remember the exchanges and cultural exchanges between Denmark and the German Confederation over the years to avoid another war.

He said that he had tried to send an invitation to William I and Joseph I to hold a meeting between the three kings directly in Copenhagen, and even sent several telegrams for this purpose, but they all came to nothing. All the results he got were silence and no response. A direct appeal was thus made to the Germans.

Christian IX said that newspapers in various German countries may have been tightly controlled, so his words may not have been read, but he emphasized that Denmark and the German Confederation were in fact except Schleswig and Holstein. Besides, there was no resentment and Denmark had no intention of being a member of the German Confederation.

Christian IX also made an emotional appeal to the German people: "Many of you have been to Denmark, many of you have traveled to Copenhagen or have relatives in South Denmark, and some of you are still studying in Denmark. You know Denmark. "

"Listen to your own voices, listen to the voice of reason," he appealed.

Faced with the fact that the Austro-Prussian two countries had just captured the city of Schleswig, Christian IX said that Denmark and the Danes would not back down in self-defense. He said: "We do not need a war, we will not attack, but Self-defense, you will see our faces, not our backs, yes, our frontal faces.”

The words of Christian IX are eye-catching. This middle-aged king who inherited the Danish throne is currently facing a situation that has made many people in various countries sweat for him.

Especially now that they are under pressure from their opponents in Schleswig, the Austrian Empire and Prussia, which is the strongest in the kingdom.

Many people were confused about what Christian IX said in his letter to the world, but with the subsequent series of actions, people realized that it had a profound meaning.

At a time when people from all over the world are pondering the words of Christian IX.

On November 18, the Danish government held a press conference on the same day. Prime Minister Monrad announced that Tsarist Russia and Denmark will have a marriage between Princess Dagma, the second daughter of His Majesty Christian IX, and Nicholas, the Crown Prince of Tsarist Russia. Grand Duke Alexandrovich.

Monrad also announced that Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark will marry Princess Louise of King Carl XV of Sweden. Since Princess Louise is only 14 years old now, the engagement The ceremony will take place in 1868, when Princess Louise comes of age.

At the same time, Monrad, the Danish Prime Minister, also announced that Prince George, the second son of King Christian IX, will be engaged before Christmas this year. The identity of his marriage partner is surprising. this

People finally feel that this time, Austria and Prussia should stop attacking, because she is