Jørgen Jørgensen's Revolution

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Since the Age of Enlightenment, revolutionary ideas and reformism spread first to America and France, but soon also to the rest of the world, including the twin realms of Denmark–Norway.{{Cite journal |last=Barton |first=Arnold |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03585522.1988.10408105 |title=The Danish agrarian reforms, 1784–1814, and the historians |journal=Scandinavian Economic History Review |year=2011|volume=36 |pages=46–61 |doi=10.1080/03585522.1988.10408105 }}

{{Further|Enlightened absolutism}}{{See also|Stavnsbånd|Johann Friedrich Struensee#In control of the government|label 1=stanvsbåndet|label 2=Johann Friedrich Struensee}}

{{Quote box

| title = Wollstonecraft on Norwegian liberty

| quote = "You will be surprised to hear me talk of liberty; yet the Norwegians appear to me to be the most free community I have ever observed."

| source = Mary Wollstonecraft, letter VII

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}}Denmark-Norway was during the 18th century an ideal enlightened absolutist state.Henry Steele Commager, "Struensee and the Enlightenment," in Commager, The search for a usable past, and other essays in historiography (1967) pp 349–623. And turned the revolutionary ideas down by reforming the country, under the leadership of privy councillor, Johann Friedrich Struensee, and the young prince regent and later king, Frederick.{{Cite book |url=https://unipress.dk/media/17717/stavnsbaandet_smagsproeve.pdf |title=Frederik 6. og stavnsbåndet |language=Danish |trans-title=Frederick VI and Stavnsbåndet}} During his earlier reign, Frederick abolished Serfdom in 1788, hanging as a capital punishment in 1789 and transatlantic slave trade in 1803.

In Norway revolutionary ideas were bigger, yet still small in contrast to the French. Norges Skaal, was banned by Dano-Norwegian officials in 1772,{{Cite web |title=Norway (to 1820) |url=https://nationalanthems.info/no-20.htm |website=Nationalanthems.info}} and was labelled "the Norwegian Marseillaise".{{Cite book |last=Munk |first=Kaj |url=https://vbn.aau.dk/ws/portalfiles/portal/621646954/Kaj_Munk_Antologi_OA.pdf |title=An Introduction to a Controversial Danish Priest, Playwright, and Debater in the Inter-Bellum |publisher=Aalborg University |year=2023 |pages=155}} On the other hand, according to Mary Wollstonecraft Norway appeared to enjoy all aspects of freedom.{{Cite web |last=Morley |first=Henry |title=Letters written during a short residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/3529/3529-h/3529-h.htm |website=The Project Gutenberg}}

The melting pot of Danish and Norwegian revolutionary and reformative ideas lay Copenhagen, where Jørgensen was born on 29 March 1790.Hundedageskongen – beretningen om Jørgen Jürgensen, Preben Dich{{Cite book |last=Jørgensen |first=Jørgen |title=En deportert konge, eller beretningen om Jørgen Jürgensen, konge af Island |pages=40 |language=Danish |trans-title=A deported king, or the account of Jørgen Jürgensen, king of Iceland}} On his return from a global expedition, Jørgenson witnessed his home city of Copenhagen being embroiled in the Napoleonic Wars.{{Cite web |title=Jørgen Jørgensen: the King of Iceland |url=https://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/blog/j%C3%B8rgen-j%C3%B8rgensen-king-iceland |website=Reading Museum}}

{{Further|Action of 2 March 1808|Admiral Juel}}{{See also|Battle of Copenhagen (1807)}}In response to the Battle of Copenhagen, Denmark declared war on the United Kingdom.{{Cite web |title=Jørgen Jørgensen: the King of Iceland |url=https://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/blog/j%C3%B8rgen-j%C3%B8rgensen-king-iceland |website=Reading Museum}} Jørgensen enlisted in the Danish navy and was made captain of the privateer brig, the Admiral Juel (English: Admiral Jawl)The English Dane, Sarah Bakewell Jorgensen's seafaring background quickly paid off, and in a couple of months he had captured three prizes. However, he was intercepted off the coast of Scarborough and was brought to London.

{{Further|Danish trade monopoly in Iceland|Laki#1783 eruption|label2=1783 eruption of Laki}}{{multiple image

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In England, Jørgensen learned about the impact of the war in Iceland from Icelandic merchants. Since the loss of the Danish fleet, Norway, Iceland and Greenland couldn't receive their needed supplies from Denmark.Iceland's 1100 Years: History of a Marginal Society, by Gunnar Karlsson This, including the recently ended Danish trade monopoly over Iceland, and a volcanic eruption in 1783 where over nine thousand Icelanders died,{{cite news |last=Rincon |first=Paul |date=25 May 2004 |title=Volcano 'drove up UK death toll' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/3745749.stm |access-date=13 November 2022 |work=BBC News}} led to a weak Iceland which Jørgensen saw to exploit.

{{Quote box

| title = Jørgen Jørgensen's description of his take over

| quote = "I laid out my plan without saying a word to anyone preferably, and as the following day was a Sunday, I went in land with 12 of my sailors as soon as I had seen that the whole town had gone into the church. I went straight there to the governor's house, split my little troop into two groups and posted six in front and six behind the building with orders to fire on anyone who tried to interrupt me. Then I opened the door and entered in armed with a couple of pistols. His Grace, there rested on a sofa, was somewhat surprised my sudden appearance. He was alone in the house except for the cook, who was busy making prepare the dinner, a couple of servants and a Danish Lady." En deportert konge, eller beretningen om Jørgen Jürgensen, konge af Island p40, Selfbiography

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On 29 December 1808, at Liverpool harbour, Jørgensen accompanied and financed by James Savignac and Samuel Phelps, with the additional help of Sir Joseph Banks, embarked for Iceland with supplies for the starving population.

Their vessel Clarence met hostile resistance from the Danish government at Reykjavík, since it displayed the Union Jack Nevertheless, Jørgensen forced an agreement to bring the humanitarian aid ashore. Though, Jørgensen, Phelps, and Banks' humanitarian efforts faced challenges in Reykjavik, as the city's population of around 300 residents were predominantly linked to the colonial Danish government and enjoyed privileged status. This population did not represent the rural Icelanders in need of assistance that the three sought to reach.

In an attempt to recoup some of the merchants' losses from the first expedition, Jørgensen made a second expedition on the ship Margaret and Ann. Local governor, Frederich Christopher Trampe, Count of Trampe had been absent from the island, when the trade agreement with Jørgensen had been made and immediately scrapped the agreement. When Jørgen found out, he made a secret plan to overthrow the local government. He besieged the governor's house and imprisoned him while the rest of the city were in church.

{{Quote box

| title = Jørgen Jørgensen recalling his takeover

| quote = "Unless some more bookish historian can cite an example, I don't know of one revolution in the annals of any nation which has passed more supple, more peaceful, or more resolute than this. The whole government of the island was changed in an instant. I was quite aware of the mood of the population before I made my plan, and knew that I was on safe grounds"En deportert konge, eller beretningen om Jørgen Jürgensen, konge af Island p40, Selfbiography

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File:Flag of Jørgen Jørgensen (1809).svg

Jørgensen envisioned an Iceland characterized by social democracy and liberty, drawing inspiration from the revolutionary movements in America and France. He also attempted to restore the ancient Althing. Jørgensen disrupted the exploitative practices and monopolies of the Danish colonists, including Count Trampe, by selling grain at significantly reduced prices. He conveyed his intentions through a series of proclamations, gradually adopting a more regal tone. He adopted the title Protector of Iceland. Jergensen's two-month-rule was harsh against the previous Danish rule and commanded that all guns, swords and ammunition should be handed over to Jørgensen and his crew and all representatives of Denmark should stay inside.{{Cite web |last=Giesler |first=Jens |title=Hundedagskongen Jørgen Jürgensen |url=https://milhist.dk/hundedagskongen-joergen-jurgensen/ |website=Dansk Militærhistorie|date=8 October 2023 }} If these commands were not followed, there would be capital punishment. Despite his brutal anti-Danish laws, the Icelanders were supportive of the revolution and enlisted in Jergenson's army. A defensive fort, called Fort Phelps was established.Lemurin Landztidini, Rester af Jörunds fæstning, Arnarhóll i 1911, Helga H. Gudmunsson

Jørgensen's successful revolution would not last long though, and on 22 August 1809, the British corvette Talbot, under the command of captain Alexander Jones arrived at the island. Not as an act to support Denmark, but rather because Jørgen had broken his promise, as a Prisoner of war, not to leave the British Isles. Thus Jørgen Jørgensen was imprisoned, and the Danish government was re-established on the island.

With a short Icelandic independence from Denmark proved the big changes in the 19th century for the multinational Danish Realm, Five years later, Norway would too revolt against the provisions at Kiel. And forty years later, the national revolutions spread to Schleswig and Holstein. Jørgen Jørgensen was sat before the English courtThe London Gazette, 6 September 1814 and would later settle in Tasmania, participating in the Black War.

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Category:Age of Revolution

Category:19th-century revolutions

Category:1809 in Europe

Category:19th century in Iceland

Category:1809 in Iceland