Memoirs of Denmark, containing the life and reign of the late K. of Denmark, Norway, &c., Christian V together with an exact account of the rise and progress of those differences now on foot betwixt the two houses of Denmark and Holstein Gottorp ... taken from authentick letters and records / by J.C., Med. D., Fellow of the Royal Society, and a Member of the College of Physicians.

CHAP. VII. The true State of the Difference arisen be∣twixt CHRISTIAN V. King of Den∣mark, and Christian Albert Duke of Holstein Gottorp, after the Treaty of Rensburgh, till the Treaty of Fountain-Bleau, and Altena.

AFter the Conclusion of the Treaty at Rens∣burgh, the Duke of Holstein Gottorp, did not remain long in the same Sentiment; the be∣ginning was made with certain Pamphlets, in which the Transaction of Rensburgh, were Paint∣ed in the blackest Colours imaginable; at which the King of Denmark being extreamly Surpris∣ed, writ in very Obliging Terms to the Duke, to know whether those Things had been done with his Consent, and, if not, to shew his Re∣sentment both against those Pamphlets and the Authors of them. The Duke answering in very ambiguous terms; the King sent him word, that since he deny'd him so reasonable a Satis∣faction, he could not take it amiss, if he did,

so much Justice both to his Person and Himself, as to secure those, who were the Authors and fomenters of those Divisions and Mischiefs, which he protested he was constrained to by an absolute Necessity to prevent a further Rupture betwixt the two Houses, and as a Testimony of his sincere Inclinations towards the Duke, or∣dered the Garrison, which he kept in Sleswick, to be removed from thence, offering to give him all further Security he could desire.

The Duke was so alarm'd at this Proposal,* 1.1 that, being then at Eutin with his Brother the Bishop of Lubeck, instead of returning to Got∣torp, his ordinary Residence, he went to Ham∣borough, where he was no sooner arriv'd, but he began to call in question the Legality of the Treaty of Rensburgh, and within a Year and a Half after, declared it null and void; He offered however, to receive the Investiture of the Dukedom of Sleswick, provided the King would give him Satisfaction concerning certain Points, which being contrary to the said Trea∣ty, the King would not hearken to, or at least, not before he had received the said Investiture.

Things continued for some time in this Po∣sture, whilst the Queen Dowager of Denmark employed all her Authority and good Offices with her Son-in-Law the Duke, to perswade him to a Compliance with his Majesty's Desires, pursuant to the Treaty of Rensburgh; but the Duke persisting in his former Resolution, the King of Denmark made a Sequestration of the Ducal Share of the Dukedom of Sleswick, al∣ledging for his Justification, to be entitled to it, by the Duke's being from his Vassal, become his Enemy. This Sequestration continued till

the beforementioned Peace, made at Fountain-Bleau, in which there being inserted an Article, in Favour of the Duke of Holstein Gottorp, this gave birth to new Troubles. For, the Duke's Ministers interpreted those Words in the said Article, That whatever has been done and trans∣acted since, shall not be drawn into Consequence in Opposition to those Treaties, (to wit: of Roshilt and Copenhagen) as if thereby all what had been transacted and agreed upon in the Year 1675, at Rensburgh, was actually annull'd and made void, without any Exception; Whereas the Danes say, That these Words of this Article are plainly intended no further than of what had been concluded there in opposition to the Treaties of Roshilt and Copenhagen. Now says they, it is manifest that these Articles of the Treaty of Rensburgh, which divest the Duke of Holstein Gottorp of his Soveraignty, are absolutely con∣trary to the said Treaties of Roshilt and Copen∣hagen; for which Reason also the King of Den∣mark has restor'd the Duke to his Soveraignty, and performed every thing else, that was done before, contrary to the said Treaties; But as to what relates to the Imposing and Collecting of Taxes, and the common Defence of the Dukedoms, those Articles of the Treaty of Rensburgh, says they, as they are not opposite to the Treaties of Roshilt and Copenhagen, but have been introduced since contrary to the Union and antient Custom observed betwixt those two Houses, so they have not been abolish'd by this Article of the Peace of Fountain-Bleau.* 1.2

There being at that time some Differences on foot betwixt his Danish Majesty and his Allies, by reason of the Conclusion of the late Peace

at Nimeguen, and Denmark being extreamly weakned by the vast Charges it had been at in prosecuting the War against Sweden, this was look'd upon by the Duke and his Ministers as a favourable Juncture for them, to push the point to the utmost, in order to obtain their End, which was supposed to be to dissolve by degrees the whole Union betwixt those two Houses, the better to link themselves with the Crown of Sweden. The Court of Denmark are very po∣sitive in this Point, that they have authentick and undeniable Proofs, in their hands, by which it appears, that the Duke at that very time entred into new Alliances for that purpose, pro∣mising considerable Subsidies (such as were be∣yond his Power to pay) to some Princes, not well affected to the Crown of Denmark, in case they would send some Forces into the Duke∣doms to back his Pretensions. Whereupon the King of Denmark made a second Sequestration of the Dukedom of Sleswick, as far as it belong'd to the Duke's Jurisdiction, and at the same time made his Application to the Imperial Court, to desire that some reasonable Satisfaction might be given him, in reference to the Duke's Share in the Dukedom of Holstein.

Things remained thus without any considera∣ble Alteration till the Year 1689, when most of the Princes of Europe being engag'd in a War against France (the two Northern Crowns and Portugal excepted) the Swedes did lay hold of this Opportunity, to endeavour the Restaura∣tion of the Duke of Holstein Gottorp. For which purpose they set out a good Fleet, as did like∣wise the Danes to oppose them, in case they should go about to second their Threats by

Blows; The Allies seeing that this was likely to kindle a War in the North, which must of ne∣cessity bereave them of all the Hopes they had conceived of a powerful Succour from thence, against their common Enemy, used all their En∣deavours for a Reconciliation; to accomplish which, the Emperour, and the two Electors of Saxony and Brandenburgh, offered their Mediati∣on, which being accepted of on both sides, a Treaty was set on foot at a place call'd Altena, under the Jurisdiction of his Danish Majesty, as Duke of Holstein, not above an English Mile di∣stant from Hamborough. Great application was likewise made to his Majesty of Great Britain, and the Dutch, as Guarantees of the Northern Peace; the last of which sent Monsieur Heems∣kerk, who in conjunction with the Envoy Ex∣traordinary from England, had a great hand in bringing the Matter to a Conclusion; But above all, the pressing Instances of his Electoral High∣ness of Brandenburgh, who was willing to take away from the Swedes all Pretensions of trans∣porting an Army over the Baltick; and the In∣tercessions of his Royal Highness Prince George of Denmark, had so powerful an Influence upon the Danish Court, that on the 20th of June old Stile,* 1.3 a Peace was concluded betwixt the King of Denmark and the Duke of Holstein Gottorp, by vertue of which, the Duke was restored to all his Possessions and Rights (yet without the least Reparations of Damages) upon the same foot, as he was possess'd of them by the Trea∣ties of Roshilt and Copenhagen; tho' the Holstein Gottorp's Ministers have since endeavoured to ex∣tend it to a much larger Compass, of which we shall have occasion to speak more at large anon.

I will only say, that the Conclusion of this Treaty produced this good Effect for the Allies, that the Swedish Forces continued in the Dutch Service, and, by vertue of a Treaty betwixt England and the King of Denmark, the last sent seven thousand Souldiers to our Assistance, which did us considerable Service, both in Ireland and Flanders, to the very end of the War.

And upon this occasion I cannot pass by in Silence the Generous Concurrence of His Royal Highness George Prince of Denmark, in bringing the said Treaty to a happy Issue. It is to be observed, that Pursuant to the last Will and Te∣stament of King Frederick III. his youngest Son Prince George, was (besides certain Allotments in Lands) to have the Summ of three hundred thousand Crowns for his Share, which Summ, according to a Liquidation made betwixt his Brother King Christian V. and Christian Alben the late Duke of Holstein Gottorp,* 1.4 was to be paid to the said Prince, by the last; who for his better Security Mortgaged to him the Isle of Fehmeren, besides two or three other Ballia∣ges, till the said Summ should be paid. Now, pursuant to the late Peace of Altena, the Duke of Holstein Gottorp, being to be restored to all his Dominions, in the same manner as he was possess'd of them, by vertue of the Treaties of Roshilt and Copenhagen, and he plead∣ing his unability to satisfy so considerable a Debt, after having been deprived of the Bene∣fit of his Revenues, for near thirteen Years last past, His Royal Highness Prince George, not to ob∣struct the Execution of the Peace, and to con∣tribute all what in him lay towards the remo∣ving

all occasions of further Differences, did by an unparallel'd Act of Generosity,* 1.5 freely re∣sign the beforementioned Mortgaged Island and Balliages into the Duke's Hands, His Present Majesty of Great Britain, the Dutch and Elector of Brandenburgh, having Engaged their Word to satisfy the said Debt to His Royal Highness; pursuant to which Agreement, His Britainick Majesty recommended the said Debt at the o∣pening of this Session of Parliament, to their Consideration, with such Success, that the En∣glish Share of it is Assign'd to be paid out of the present Aid of two Shilling per Pound.

So, that the Duke of Holstein Gottorp owed this Obligation to his Brother-in-Law Prince George, to see himself once more restored to his Dominions, without the least Incumbrance, the consequence of which was, that the said Duke ever after this last Reconciliation, lived in a perfect good understanding with King Chri∣stitan V. notwithstanding some of his Councel∣lours endeavoured to sow afresh the Seeds of Dis∣cord betwixt them; but in vain, he continuing in the same Sentiment to the very last; of which good Correspondence, one undeniable Instance was the Fortifications of Rensburgh and Tonnin∣gen, made by the Mutual Consent of both Hou∣ses, the first by the King, the last by the Duke, looking upon those places as the Bulwarks of the two Dukedoms for their Mutual Defence; But this good Harmony ceasing with the said Duke's Life, occasioned those Divisions, which for these four or five Years past have been, and still are on Foot, betwixt the Crown of Den∣mark and the young Duke of Holstein Gottorp.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Duke slies to Ham∣burgh.
• * 1.2

  New dif∣ferences be∣twixt Den∣mark and the Duke of Hol∣stein.
• * 1.3

  Peace made at Altena,
• * 1.4

  From whence arises the debt due to the Prince of Den∣mark from England.
• * 1.5

  His Gene∣rosity.