1848 & 1864: SCHLESWIG WARS

Prussian leader Otto von Bismarck's first roll of the iron dice came in a war against two duchies controlled in part by Denmark

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The Schleswig Wars were fought over the destiny of Schleswig and Holstein, the two duchies at the base of the Jutland Peninsula. Both were ruled by the king of Denmark as their duke, but while Schleswig was part of Denmark, Holstein was a member of the German Confederation. The mixed population of Schleswig (Danish in the north and German in the south) also complicated matters. Danish nationalists wanted to separate Schleswig formally into Denmark, while German nationalists wanted to combine the two duchies as one within the German Confederation.

The First Schleswig War of 1848 began with the dilemma over who would succeed the heirless King Frederick VII of Denmark. While it was likely he would be succeeded by Prince Christian of Oldenburg, the two duchies would go to Prince Frederick of Augustenburg. In 1848, Frederick announced a constitution that would rule both Denmark, Schleswig and Holstein under a single system. But the two duchies were appalled and established a provisional government in the port city of Kiel in March. The provisional government, nominally led by Augustenburg, requested membership to the German Confederation, which the Confederate Diet agreed.