Battle of Copenhagen 1801 – Dannebroge Ship Discovery and Horatio Nelson

Marine archaeologists recently located and began excavating the Dannebroge, a flagship warship sunk during the Battle of Copenhagen (1801). Which British naval commander is most closely associated with the tactical victory at this battle?

Correct Answer: Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson

Marine archaeologists recently located and began excavating the Dannebroge, a 19th-century Danish flagship sunk by the British fleet during the Battle of Copenhagen (1801). The tactical genius behind the British victory was Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, who led the assault as the second-in-command despite Admiral Hyde Parker holding overall British command.

Key Facts About the Battle of Copenhagen (1801)

• Context: Triggered by the formation of the League of Armed Neutrality (Russia, Denmark-Norway, Sweden, and Prussia), which Britain perceived as a French-aligned threat to its Baltic Sea trade routes and naval resources.
• Famous Act: Nelson famously ignored a signal to withdraw by placing his telescope to his blind eye — the origin of the phrase 'to turn a blind eye.'
• Immediate Outcome: A decisive British victory that forced an armistice and led to Denmark's temporary withdrawal from the neutral league.
• Strategic Collapse: The subsequent assassination of Tsar Paul I of Russia and the accession of Alexander I led to the total collapse of the League of Armed Neutrality, securing British maritime dominance.

About the Dannebroge

• It was the Danish flagship during the Battle of Copenhagen.
• Marine archaeologists recently successfully located it and began excavations.

Why Other Options Are Wrong

• Admiral Hyde Parker — Held overall command but gave the signal to withdraw, which Nelson famously ignored.
• Collingwood — A colleague of Nelson, more associated with the Battle of Trafalgar (1805), not Copenhagen.
• John Jervis — Associated with the Battle of Cape St Vincent (1797), not the Battle of Copenhagen.