Thursday, June 29, 2017

Neo Westphalian Europe Part 40: Kingdom of Denmark


The Kingdom of Denmark is one of the few regions that looks like it may grow in size, as the shifts around it occur. Most of the large centralised states look set to radically decrease in territorial size, as the devolve their power structures away from heavily federalised cores. However Denmark is already a tiny state that has numerous land claims on neighbouring states.

As the larger nations that currently hold these territories disintegrate, it seems the sensible thing to do will be to cede these territories back to Denmark. The Danes will of course be relinquishing their claims to far flung territories, which exist in places far from its capital Copenhagen. Nothing in this projected model, for future Geopolitical organisation of the world, would indicate these old style imperial or quasi imperial states, with far flung colonies that remain hard to care for far from the centre of power, will continue to exist. However contiguous territories for the Danes are most certainly to seek a restoration of union with this state.

Most of these regions historically spoke Danish or indeed still speak Danish today. These claims are based on the states of nearby Sweden and Germany. In Germany the traditional border between these nations was the Eider River, so a restoration of Danish lands to here is expected. The long debate between Denmark and Sweden for the final returning of the Skaneland, on the Scandinavian peninsula, is likely to be finally resolved in Denmark’s favour in the future world order.

As with many of the Monarchies in the region it is likely that, for now, a new bout of Republicanism in all corners of Europe is likely to be tempered by many readjusting to the idea of returning to ideas of National Sovereignty, as a first start point. These remnant Monarchies will thus continue to survive.

The changes in the region will therefore leave an expanded Danish nation made up of the Nordjylland, Midtjylland, Syddanmark, Sjaelland and Hovedstaden Regions, currently a part of Denmark. Added to this will be the Schleswig-Flensburg District and the Flensburg Urban District, currently part of the Schleswig-Holstein State in Germany. Everything north of the Eider River, in the Rendsburg-Eckernforde District and the Kiel Urban District, of the Schleswig-Holstein State in Germany, would also join this nation. Finally the Skaneland territory of Halland, Skane and Blekinge Provinces, currently in Sweden, will be returned to this nation.

The flag of Denmark is one of the Nordic Cross family of flags. Indeed it is the original such flag, on which all the others base themselves. It is one of the oldest national flags currently still in use. Before the modern concept of nation states it was primarily used as a maritime and war banner. It is possibly based on the war banner of the Holy Roman Empire.


The cross was shifted towards the hoist in 1748. It is possible this was done to help differentiate Danish ships from Knights of Malta ships, which flew a similar flag. All the other Nordic Flags have since copied this model. The flag was officially adopted as the flag for the modern nation state in 1854.


Go To Part 41

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