An Anglo-Danish war?

As you might know I have restarted my timeline and I was thinking about including some interesting butterflies. In my timeline Britain controls most of the lesser Antilles as they decided to keep the French colonies after the Napoleonic wars and gained some of the Dutch Antilles (St Maarten, Saba and St Eustatius) in a deal with the Netherlands. They only lack the Danish virgin islands and swedish Saint Barthélemy (and the Leeward antilles including the other Dutch islands). So I was thinking about how Britain might get the Danish Virgin Islands. Of course Denmark can sell it to Britain, but not only is it boring, but I doubt it would happen. People usualy don't sell their land to the main power in the region, but to a smaller power hoping to counterbalance the main power (which was why the USA was able to buy so much land as a counterbalance to Britain, at least that is my opinion).

So i was thinking about a nice war between Britain and Denmark. A war has the added advantage (for Britain at least) that they also might be able to gain Greenland for Canada and the Danish outposts in India and Ghana*. So did any tensions arose between Britain and Denmark in the 19th century I can exploit into making it a full blown war? Are there any other ways to start a war between these two nations? This war of course does not have to be limited between Denmark and Britain, other nations could get involved. And what would be a reasonable peace assuming Brittain wins (which seems the most obvious outcome if both countries go to war)? Danish Virgin Island, Danish Ghana and Danish India to Britain seems likely. Is Denmark handing Greenland over to the British reasonable or is that going to far? Any other ideas about the war, the peace or the countries involved?
 
As you might know I have restarted my timeline and I was thinking about including some interesting butterflies. In my timeline Britain controls most of the lesser Antilles as they decided to keep the French colonies after the Napoleonic wars and gained some of the Dutch Antilles (St Maarten, Saba and St Eustatius) in a deal with the Netherlands. They only lack the Danish virgin islands and swedish Saint Barthélemy (and the Leeward antilles including the other Dutch islands). So I was thinking about how Britain might get the Danish Virgin Islands. Of course Denmark can sell it to Britain, but not only is it boring, but I doubt it would happen. People usualy don't sell their land to the main power in the region, but to a smaller power hoping to counterbalance the main power (which was why the USA was able to buy so much land as a counterbalance to Britain, at least that is my opinion).

So i was thinking about a nice war between Britain and Denmark. A war has the added advantage (for Britain at least) that they also might be able to gain Greenland for Canada and the Danish outposts in India and Ghana*. So did any tensions arose between Britain and Denmark in the 19th century I can exploit into making it a full blown war? Are there any other ways to start a war between these two nations? This war of course does not have to be limited between Denmark and Britain, other nations could get involved. And what would be a reasonable peace assuming Brittain wins (which seems the most obvious outcome if both countries go to war)? Danish Virgin Island, Danish Ghana and Danish India to Britain seems likely. Is Denmark handing Greenland over to the British reasonable or is that going to far? Any other ideas about the war, the peace or the countries involved?

Thing is, when you're exiting a region, you no longer really care about the regional BoP. Denmark would sell to the highest bidder, and Britain would certainly not go to war over such trivial prizes. Depending on the timeframe, any such question would be overshadowed by the S-H question (there was a strong pro-Danish element in Britain with regard to that).
 
I dunno. They went to war over a man's ear once. Other countries in the same time frame and even long after went to war for equally dick reasons.

Actually, They don't have to go to war over the Virgin Islands. I just need a good reason for Denmark and Britain to go to war. The Virgin Islands are just the most likely territory to switch from Denmark to Britain in a peace treaty (ok, probably after Danish India). I am seeking for any tension that arose between Britain and Denmark in the 19th century.
 
I dunno. They went to war over a man's ear once. Other countries in the same time frame and even long after went to war for equally dick reasons.

That "ear" was, though fabricated and then blown out of proportion, a reason of sorts: people were under the impression that a British ship had been illegally boarded and the crew brutalised, whereas here there's no reason. And of course the balance of power is usually the fundamental reason. In the WJE, Britain had pragmatic reasons to fight Spain, whereas here Britain would get nothing much and possible undermine its own position over S-H. And of course trust was a big issue. Nobody made an unprovoked attack on a country perceived as "European" throughout the 19th century.
 
Actually, They don't have to go to war over the Virgin Islands. I just need a good reason for Denmark and Britain to go to war. The Virgin Islands are just the most likely territory to switch from Denmark to Britain in a peace treaty (ok, probably after Danish India). I am seeking for any tension that arose between Britain and Denmark in the 19th century.

None that I'm aware of, and as I said if Schleswig is still up in the air we might well err towards leniance.
 
Perhaps a bit of gunboat diplomacy gone wrong, a little in the style of Jenkins' Ear? Some business goes on with a British ship in Danish colonial waters, maybe a merchantman gets impounded for some disputed crime or other. The British send a ship to regain the ship by threat of force, not intending anything to happen but the Danish fire a shot across their bows, telling them to leave. Unfortunately, the shot by chance hits the ship causing casualties and obliging the British to fire back. The incident ends soon afterwards, but escalates again when Europe hears of it, both governments sue each other for damages. At the point when the whole issue is about to be resolved, the two sets of diplomats get into another argument and the Danish delegation storms out. The Danish, having cosied up to someone like France attempt to call the British bluff by declaring war, expecting it to turn into another England v France slogging match, and presuming that the English won't want another war with France. The French refuse to join, and the English decide that the only thing for it is to teach the Danish a lesson.


Just an idea. It depends on a series of coincidences, really, but then history is full of weird stories like this determining the very existence of nations...
 
None that I'm aware of, and as I said if Schleswig is still up in the air we might well err towards leniance.

Hmmm, if I want Britain to have the Virgin Islands I could always let Britain buy them, boring as it is and that will probably mean no Canadian Greenland as I don't think Denmark would be willing to sell it. Another option could of course be a larger war which includes Denmark on an oposing site of Britain. That would get the same result.

About Schleswi, i am uncertain what to do with it yet. I am thinking of letting Denmark keep it some way (Holstein will become German/Prussian). I have a friend who is very proud to be German and his family is originally from Schleswi. I always try to convince him he is actually Danish and if I can make him Danish in my timeline I will (ignoring of course that everybody alive today will be butterflied away in any timeline with a POD in the early nineteenth century).
 

Valdemar II

Banned
I have decided to bump this once to see if I get a bit more reactions.

I must admit that with a your POD I can't find a realistic casus belli or even a reason for a Anglo-Danish War, none of them stand to gain anything, the Danish colonies is almost worthless*, and Denmatrk lack a reason to start a war with Britain. It's a lot more likely that Denmark will just sell it Britain, they couldn't care less about whom would have the dominating position inthe Caribien when they wasn't there more. Beside Denmark tried to sell the Islands several times in the late 19th century.

*Danish West India turnmed into a loss with the ending of Slavery in 1849, and the intrudoction of the sugar beet.
 
Hmmm, if I want Britain to have the Virgin Islands I could always let Britain buy them, boring as it is and that will probably mean no Canadian Greenland as I don't think Denmark would be willing to sell it. Another option could of course be a larger war which includes Denmark on an oposing site of Britain. That would get the same result.

About Schleswi, i am uncertain what to do with it yet. I am thinking of letting Denmark keep it some way (Holstein will become German/Prussian). I have a friend who is very proud to be German and his family is originally from Schleswi. I always try to convince him he is actually Danish and if I can make him Danish in my timeline I will (ignoring of course that everybody alive today will be butterflied away in any timeline with a POD in the early nineteenth century).

What Valdemar said, but anyway I must objetc to you trying to convince anybody that they're anything. Nationalism is 100% pure sentiment and genetically speaking we're all mixed up anyway. I probably have descent from Norwegian colonists on Orkney and from Brythons or even pre-celts, which doesn't change my being an Anglo-Saxon speaking Briton True and proud of it.
 

Valdemar II

Banned
What Valdemar said, but anyway I must objetc to you trying to convince anybody that they're anything. Nationalism is 100% pure sentiment and genetically speaking we're all mixed up anyway. I probably have descent from Norwegian colonists on Orkney and from Brythons or even pre-celts, which doesn't change my being an Anglo-Saxon speaking Briton True and proud of it.

Well yes the Schleswigians may be mostly descendent of Danes, but that doesn't make them Danish, hell many of them still speak Danish, but that still doesn't make the Danes, what make them Danish is if they say, they're Danish, many of the Danish mionority in Schleswig, speak lousy Danish, some of them doesn't even have Danish ancestory (the leader* of SSW**), National identity in Schleswig both north and south of the border is based on identification nothing more or less, and that's part of the agrement between the Danish and German government.

*She's the daughter of Dutch immigrants, her father was a janitor on a Danish school (in Schleswig), so his children ended up in it.

**the Danish (and Frisian) minority party
 
Well yes the Schleswigians may be mostly descendent of Danes, but that doesn't make them Danish, hell many of them still speak Danish, but that still doesn't make the Danes, what make them Danish is if they say, they're Danish, many of the Danish mionority in Schleswig, speak lousy Danish, some of them doesn't even have Danish ancestory (the leader* of SSW**), National identity in Schleswig both north and south of the border is based on identification nothing more or less, and that's part of the agrement between the Danish and German government.

*She's the daughter of Dutch immigrants, her father was a janitor on a Danish school (in Schleswig), so his children ended up in it.

**the Danish (and Frisian) minority party

Of course, people in Schleswig would be much less genetically muddles than people on a place so well-trampled by invading tribes as Britain, but as you say it's still all about sentiment.
 
What Valdemar said, but anyway I must objetc to you trying to convince anybody that they're anything. Nationalism is 100% pure sentiment and genetically speaking we're all mixed up anyway. I probably have descent from Norwegian colonists on Orkney and from Brythons or even pre-celts, which doesn't change my being an Anglo-Saxon speaking Briton True and proud of it.
I know, I know. It is just a joke between me and that friend, more or less a reaction to him claiming to be a German. Of course he actually is German, as his grandfather came to the netherlands before WWII and because of that he still has the German nationality (next to the Dutch nationality). He is very proud of being a German (with good reasons, Germans have a lot to be proud of, ignoring the 1930's and 1940's), but as a reaction to that I tried to convince him, unsuccesfuly, that he is actualy Danish when I found out his grandfather came from Schleswig. Just as a joke between friends.

Anyway war between Britain and Denmark is unlikely in the 19th century as Denmark is just to smart to go to war against a superpower and Britain has no good reason to go to war with Denmark. Too bad. Ok, the only reason for them to go to war is in some variant of the world wars in which Denmark is allied to a country opposing Britain. Maybe I'll use that or maybe I'll just let Denmark sell their Virgin islands, Goldcoast* and India to Britain. I assume Denmark would not wish to sell Greenland to Britain (or possibly the USA)?



* or perhaps to the Netherlands. I am not sure what I will do with the Dutch goldcoast. Maybe I'll let them keep it as a Dutch prestige colony in Africa.
 
I know, I know. It is just a joke between me and that friend, more or less a reaction to him claiming to be a German. Of course he actually is German, as his grandfather came to the netherlands before WWII and because of that he still has the German nationality (next to the Dutch nationality). He is very proud of being a German (with good reasons, Germans have a lot to be proud of, ignoring the 1930's and 1940's), but as a reaction to that I tried to convince him, unsuccesfuly, that he is actualy Danish when I found out his grandfather came from Schleswig. Just as a joke between friends.
...

Having German ancesters from Pomerania (German ancestors, not Polish ancestors;)) I empathize with your friend.:D
 
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