Our Family Tree

History of Denmark

1750 Germany returned the island of Aero, which measures 22 by 6 miles, to Denmark.
1764 Jan 19, Bolle Willum Luxdorph, a Danish diarist, described what is believed to be the first successful parcel bomb.
1768 Johan Friedrich Struensee, a German doctor, was appointed as personal physician to the insane young King Christian VII of Denmark. The doctor became lover to the queen, Caroline Mathilde, the younger sister of George III of England. Struensee was arrested and executed after 2 years.
1770 Nov 19, Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen, sculptor (Dying Lion), was born in Copenhagen, Denmark.
1775 The Danish Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Manufactory began operations.
1777 Aug 14, Hans Christian Oersted, Danish scientist, was born. He discovered electromagnetism.
1790s Denmark became the 1st country to abolish slavery.
1792 May 16, Denmark abolished slave trade.
1799 Nov 5, The Danish ship Oldenborg was wrecked on her outward passage by being beached in the roadstead at Cape Town, South Africa, during a north-westerly gale, thus becoming one of the 127 ships that have been lost on this minuscule portion of the South African coast.
1800 The Althing of Iceland was abolished by the Danish king.
1801 Apr 2, The British navy defeated the Danish at the Battle of Copenhagen.