Q&A · 2:37:51-2:40:00

Did Denmark learn from 1801 before 1807?

A viewer asks whether Denmark learned from 1801 before the second British attack on Copenhagen in 1807.

Question

Did Denmark learn from the 1801 attack before the British returned in 1807?

Short answer

Not enough. The 1807 defences still showed inadequate preparation and organization.

Notes

The answer is blunt: Denmark was not adequately prepared in 1807 either. Effective defence required fortifications, trained reserves, and a clear plan for manning ships. Military engineers should have prepared the capital's works, while a registered reserve would have identified the sailors needed to crew warships. The second attack shows that Denmark-Norway had failed to turn the painful lessons of 1801 into a resilient defence system.