Danish Auxiliary Corps in Habsburg service 1701–1709 facts for kids
After being forced to make peace with Sweden in 1700, Denmark had a very large army. This army was too expensive for the country to keep. So, the Danish king decided to send almost half of his soldiers to help other countries. These soldiers fought in the War of the Spanish Succession. About ten thousand Danish soldiers joined the Habsburg monarchy's army. They fought under Prince Eugene of Savoy in northern Italy. They were part of battles like Cremona and Luzzara. Later, they helped stop a rebellion in Hungary called the Hungarian insurgency.
Why Denmark Sent Soldiers Abroad
In 1700, Sweden attacked Zealand, a part of Denmark. This forced Denmark to leave a war called the Great Nordic War. Denmark had to sign a peace treaty called the peace of Travendal. This treaty made Denmark give back Holstein-Gottorp to its duke, who was a friend of Sweden. Denmark also had to leave the group of countries fighting Sweden.
Denmark had a very big army ready for a major war. But now there was no war, and this army was very expensive to keep. The king didn't want to make the army smaller. He hoped to fight Sweden again later to get back lands lost in 1658. Also, in those days, unemployed soldiers often became robbers.
So, the Danish king decided to lend more than half of his 35,000 soldiers to other countries. Two-thirds of these soldiers were from Germany. They would help the Allied powers in the War of the Spanish Succession. This way, Denmark would gain friends in Europe. These friends could be useful if Denmark ever fought Sweden again.
About eight thousand soldiers were sent to the Habsburg monarchy. This was part of a defense agreement between Denmark and the Holy Roman Empire. In 1701, these troops were in Saxony. They protected the lands of August the Strong. He was the king of Poland and was fighting Sweden. But his home country, Saxony, was officially neutral. After the peace treaty, these soldiers could be used for other tasks.
In 1703, another 2,000 soldiers were hired in Germany. A battalion from Mecklenburg that was working for Denmark also joined the Habsburg army. In return, Denmark was supposed to get money. The Habsburg emperor owed Denmark a million rixdollars from 1674. Denmark would get this money within six years. If a Habsburg prince became king of Spain, Denmark would get another million.
Fighting in Italy
The Danish soldiers sent to Italy were called the Danish corps. It had two groups of dragoons (soldiers who rode horses but fought on foot). It also had seven groups of infantry (foot soldiers). The corps was led by Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve. Ditlev Reventlow was his second in command.
The soldiers marched from Saxony in September 1701. They went through Germany and Tyrol to Piacenza in northern Italy. They arrived on New Year's Eve of 1701. There, they joined a Habsburg army of about thirty thousand men. This army, led by Eugen of Savoy, was trying to capture the city of Cremona.
Soon after, Eugen decided to try a surprise attack on Cremona. The city had French soldiers guarding it. Five hundred Austrian soldiers secretly entered the city with help from citizens who supported the Habsburgs. At the same time, five hundred Danish soldiers crept into the city through its sewers. This happened during the night of February 1, 1702.
At dawn, the Austrian and Danish soldiers inside the city opened its gates. This allowed the main Habsburg army to enter. But more soldiers did not arrive in time. The French army managed to push the Habsburg forces out of the city.
Later that year, the Danish corps helped try to capture Mantua. Eugen had to stop this attack when a larger French army arrived. Then, the Danish corps fought in the very bloody battle of Luzzara. The Danish soldiers lost many men in this battle. By the end of the year, only half of the original force was able to fight.
In the winter of 1703, the Danish corps was reorganized. It became one dragoon regiment and three infantry regiments. In the spring, the corps marched through Tyrol to Linz. More soldiers arrived there from Denmark to join them.
Fighting in Hungary
After the new soldiers arrived in 1703, the Danish corps had one cavalry regiment, one dragoon regiment, and four infantry regiments. They stayed in Linz until the spring of 1704. Then, they marched to Hungary. There, they helped stop a Hungarian rebellion led by Rákóczy.
The winter of 1704-1705 was spent in Bavaria, a hostile area. The soldiers lived off the land, meaning they took supplies from the local area. This way, the Habsburg government didn't have to pay to support them. In 1705, the corps returned to Hungary. They fought in many more heavy battles.
The next year, in 1706, the corps became less effective. The Habsburg emperor could no longer afford to pay them. So, the king of Denmark started talking to get his troops back home. After long and difficult talks, this was finally agreed. But the Danish corps did not leave Hungary until the summer of 1709.
The Danish king was planning to start fighting Sweden again. He offered good money to new soldiers joining the corps. So, by the time the corps returned to Denmark, it almost had its full number of soldiers again. Most of these soldiers were now from Germany and Hungary.
See also
- Danish Auxiliary Corps in Anglo-Dutch service 1701-1714
- Danish Auxiliary Corps in the Williamite War in Ireland
