burg, granddaughter of the French empress Josephine, Oscar left, besides one daughter, four sons, of whom two, Charles and Oscar, have succeeded him on the throne of Sweden.

Charles XV., 1859-1872.-Charles XV. continued the policy of his father, King Oscar I., and at the diet of 1859-1860 he approved of the measures proposed for giving a more liberal form to the government, and encouraged the extension of the railway system. Differences soon sprang up between the Swedish Riksdag and the Norwegian Storthing, which for a time threatened to cause serious evils, and the Norwegian people showed great jealousy of the subordinate position. which, according to their view, they held in the representation of the national chambers, but the angry excitement subsided nearly as quickly as it had sprung up, and in 1864 the two people celebrated with mutual good-will the fiftieth anniversary of the union of Sweden and Norway.

In 1866 a new form of government was finally agreed upon for the two kingdoms. In accordance with the system then adopted, and which still continues in force, the Swedish diet is to consist of two chambers and to meet annually. The first chamber is composed of members chosen for nine years by the Landsthing of each province and by the civic authorities in some of the larger towns; while the second chamber is filled by members chosen by universal suffrage to decide upon special questions. The king can dissolve the chambers when he likes, and demand a new election.

Charles XV., at his death in 1872, left only one child, the Princess Louisa, wife of the present Crown Prince of Denmark, and he was succeeded by his next brother, who reigns under the title of Oscar II. of Sweden and Norway.

CHAPTER XXVI.

DENMARK SINCE 1839.

Frederick VI., King of Denmark, succeeded by Christian VIII.-Expec tations of the people-Character of the King-Disappointment of the Danes-Christian's merits-His unpopular policy in regard to Holstein and Slesvig-Disputes in regard to use of Danish in the Duchies-Lornsen's measure-The Augustenburg Princes-The King's ill-placed confidence in them-The Prince of Noer's appointment cancelled-The question of the succession-How settled-The calm followed by outbreak of storm-The Germanizing influences at work-Dahlmann's discovery of original draft of Charter-Influence of discovery-Christian's death -Frederick VII.-Troubles-Rebellion in Duchies-False news circulated by Frederick, Prince of Noer-Prussia interferes and keeps up strife War in Holstein - Confederate troops outnumber Danes -Wrangel retaliates on Danes-Prussians recalled-Truce of Malmö War breaks out again-Rye and the other Danish generals-Their conduct-- Frederitz relieved-Another truce-Duchies governed by commissioners-Confederate troops-Peace with Prussia-Denmark puts down rebellion-Willisen commands Holstein troops-Is defeated by Danes at Isted, in Slesvig-Joint Commission governs Holstein-Assembly frame Constitution-Its nature-The Rigsdag-Mode of election-Great liberty of Danes-Question of succession-Choice of Prince Christian of Glücksburg-Ten years to death of the king-Troubles at home-Interference from abroad-Prussia supports the Augustenburg claims-Renunciation of family to all claims in the Duchies--Compact broken-Frederick VII. dies suddenly-Christian IX.- Troubles in Duchies-War renewed-England mediates, but does not help-Denmark fights unaided--Subdued by Prussian arms-Austria cedes rights acquired in the former war to Prussia after her defeat in 1866- Prussia evades conditions-King William of Prussia drops pretensions of the Augustenburg Princes-Is crowned Emperor-Realization of the dream of German unification-Denmark recovers herself-Her prosperity-Her complete freedom.

PART I.

THE LANGUAGE TROUBLE.

Christian VIII., 1839-1848.—As Frederick VI. left no son he was succeeded by his cousin, Christian VIII. The coming

of this prince to the throne was hailed with joy by the entire Danish nation, who believed that in him they would find a ruler of liberal and advanced views. But the great expectations of the people were only partially satisfied, for although King Christian was a man of talent, aptitude for literary research, and of varied scientific information, and was known to be well versed in all the political questions of the day, he showed from the moment of his accession a reluctance to pledge himself to any liberal measure, and a resolute determination to stand by the old prerogatives of the crown, which caused universal disappointment and fear for the future. The relations between the king and the chambers became more and more unfriendly during each year of his reign, and although he effected many improvements in the government, reduced the national debt from 124 to 104 millions rix dollars, encouraged the promotion of learning and extension of schools, and impressed a new and more enlightened spirit into the public institutions of the country, the people remained unsatisfied, and the press, in defiance of restrictions and severe penalties, continued to give circulation to works of decided reactionary character. The most important cause of popular dissatisfaction against the king was his unpatriotic policy in regard to Slesvig and Holstein, where the most flagrant acts of disobedience to the orders of the crown on the part of the provincial authorities-which had not unfrequently proceeded to the length of open treason-were allowed to pass unpunished.

The questions of school-management and of the language which should be used by preachers and teachers in the duchies had become serious causes of dissension between all political parties in the kingdom as early as 1836, when a Slesvig peasant, Nils Lornsen, a member of the Assembly of the States at Slesvig, made a motion that Danish should be established by law as the language for legal and administrative purposes in every part of the duchy, where it was the predominant tongue used in the pulpits and schools. This proposition met with violent opposition from all the great landowners of the duchies, who, through the negligence and indifference of successive Danish governments, had been allowed to bring German

teachers and preachers into the parishes over which they had manorial or other rights. Although Lornsen motion passed by a small majority, it made little difference in the condition of things, and soon the question of a separate independence for Slesvig and Holstein was openly brought forward by the German leaders of the anti-Danish party. The chief movers in this matter were Duke Christian of Augustenburg and his brother, Prince Frederick of Nöer, who, by their personal influence, through anonymous writings, and by other direct as well as indirect means, laboured for the complete severance of the provinces from the mother-land.

Great ill-will and suspicion were therefore excited against the king when he raised the Prince of Nöer, in 1842, to the rank of Stadtholder and commander-in-chief in Slesvig and Holstein, and made him president of the government of the duchies. As the queen, Caroline Amalia, was a sister of the Augustenburg princes, this appointment was thought to be due to her influence, and was looked upon as so injurious to the cause of the Danes in the Slesvig-Holstein provinces, that it drew forth violent and angry remonstrances in every part of the Danish islands. Some of the ministers resigned in consequence, and general discontent prevailed; but the king paid no attention to the dissatisfaction, and, declaring that he had entire confidence in the honour of the Augustenburg princes, he further displeased and surprised his Danish subjects by giving the posts of chancellor and foreign secretary for the duchies to the Counts Joseph and Heinrik Reventlow Criminil, the devoted friends of the duke and his brother, Prince Frederick. This fresh proof of the king's favour gave the greatest satisfaction and encouragement to the Augustenburg party and to all the malcontents, who at the following meeting of the Assembly at Slesvig were emboldened to propose that steps should be taken for the admission of Slesvig into the German Confederation, in anticipation of which the use of the Danish language was to be suppressed in the duchies, and the Danish flag, the Dannebrog, was to be replaced by a special flag for the united state of Slesvig-Holstein. These treasonable propositions called forth the strongest expressions of resentment among the patriotic Danes, and petitions against the outrage

done to the language and flag of the kingdom poured in upon Christian VIII., who in his replies showed a want of interest in the concerns and wishes of his Danish subjects that filled the country with consternation. The ill-will and suspicion generated by these proceedings were somewhat allayed in 1846, when the king deprived Prince Frederick of Nöer of the important posts which had been intrusted to him in 1842. This change of policy, which restored temporary order to the duchies, had been forced upon the king by the pretensions of the Duke of Augustenburg to rights of succession in Slesvig, and by his protests against the open royal letter published in 1846, in which Christian VIII. had set forth the order of succession to the throne of Denmark in accordance with the opinion given by a commission called together to consider the question. In this document Slesvig was declared to be an indivisible and integral part of the Danish monarchy; but the title to certain portions of Holstein was admitted to be open to dispute, and was therefore left for further consideration.

The storm bursts.-The calm that had followed the dismissal of the Prince of Nöer in the duchies was only the lull before the greater storm, which burst forth a few weeks after the death of Christian VIII. in January 1848. The outbreak of open rebellion was probably hastened by the French Revolution of February 1848, which carried the waves of disturbance over almost every part of Continental Europe. In the Danish provinces everything was ripe for a final revolutionary movement against the monarchy. The higher classes, who had been indoctrinated with German ideas by the professors of the University of Kiel, which was the centre of Germanising influences, were eager for a union with what they termed their true Fatherland, whilst the lower orders were roused into temporary excitement against Denmark through the press of Germany, by public appeals, and by every other means at the command of the leaders of the party. Foremost amongst the learned advocates of the independence of the duchies was the great historian, Dahlmann, who, in his researches, had discovered among the archives at Preetz the original draft of the long-forgotten compact between Christian I. and the nobles of Slesvig and of Holstein, drawn up in 1460, in which that king