Danish state bankruptcy of 1813

Danish state bankruptcy of 1813
Frederik VI, King of Denmark, 1809
Date5 January 1813
Coordinates56°15′50″N 9°30′06″E / 56.2639°N 9.5018°E / 56.2639; 9.5018
TypeState bankruptcy
Cause
  • Napoleonic Wars-induced great wartime expenditure
  • Loyalty to Napoleon and France
  • British blockade on Norwegian sea lanes
  • Overissue of banknotes
  • Devaluation of silver
Outcome

The Danish state bankruptcy of 1813 was a domestic economic crisis that began in January 1813 and had consequential effects until 1818.[1] As Denmark–Norway struggled with the financial burden that the Napoleonic Wars had on the economy, the devaluation of the currency had negative effects on merchants, citizens and businesses alike.[2]

As Denmark-Norway allied with France in 1807 in the aftermath of British attacks on Copenhagen, it incurred costs of rearmament as machinery, equipment and supplies were required for wartime efforts.[3] As a result, when the economic burden placed on the state began to take its toll, the collapse of the currency became imminent.[4] The loyalty shown to Napoleon and France by Frederik VI and Denmark-Norway was eventually cause for great loss. The Treaty of Kiel, signed in January 1814, saw Denmark lose considerable power in Europe. Frederik VI had to renounce the Kingdom of Norway to Charles XII, the king of Sweden. This event put even further pressure on export and import trading, as well as an already weak economy.[5]

Due to consequences of the Napoleonic Wars, Denmark-Norway was forced to declare bankruptcy on 5 January 1813.[6] The government through monetary and economic policy had two main objectives; stabilise the economy and create a unified state-wide monetary system.[7] The Rigsbank was the first governmental institution tasked with stabilising the economy by re-structuring the currency. In 1818, the Nationalbank, a privately operated institution was formed to extend credit benefits from citizens to businesses, and aid the revival of the Danish economy.[6] The objective was to reinstate silver as the overarching currency in the Danish economy and restore confidence in a central banking system.[7]

  1. ^ Talvio, Tuukka; von Heijne, Cecilia; Märcher, Michael (2010). Monetary boundaries in transition: a North European economic history and the Finnish War 1808–1809. The Museum of National Antiquities. ISBN 978-91-89176-41-6. OCLC 761549810.
  2. ^ Glenthøj, Rasmus; Ottosen, Morten Nordhagen (2014). Experiences of War and Nationality in Denmark and Norway, 1807–1815. doi:10.1057/9781137313898. ISBN 978-1-349-33786-6.
  3. ^ Feldbæk, Ole (2001). "Denmark in the Napoleonic Wars: A Foreign Policy Survey". Scandinavian Journal of History. 26 (2): 89–101. doi:10.1080/034687501750211127. ISSN 0346-8755. S2CID 143718697.
  4. ^ Abildgren, Kim (2010). "Consumer prices in Denmark 1502–2007". Scandinavian Economic History Review. 58 (1): 2–24. doi:10.1080/03585520903298184. ISSN 0358-5522. S2CID 154566198.
  5. ^ Glenthøj, Rasmus; Ottosen, Morten Nordhagen (2014). Experiences of War and Nationality in Denmark and Norway, 1807–1815. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK. doi:10.1057/9781137313898. ISBN 978-1-349-33786-6.
  6. ^ a b Abildgren, K (2014). "Danmarks Nationalbank 1818-2018" (PDF).
  7. ^ a b Marcher, M (24 February 2012). "Economic Policy Reforms 2012 (Summary in Danish)". Economic Policy Reforms. doi:10.1787/growth-2012-sum-da. ISBN 9789264168251. ISSN 1813-2723.

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