by JIMMY FYFE
One of the most famous depictions of the events of June 15, 1219 is this Christian August Lortentzen painting from 1809, which currently hangs in the National Gallery
Said to be the oldest national flag in the world still in use today, the Danish flag, or Danebrog, is more than 700 years old and legend has it that it fell from heaven at a time when Denmark needed it most.
Although shrouded in fable and myth, the story of the Danebrog starts in 1219 when the ambitious King Valdemar II ruled over Denmark.
Harbouring dreams of reigning over a Danish empire that would embrace both the North and Baltic seas, Valdemar saw the German advance into the Baltic countries at the eastern end of the seas – where an important trading base was situated – as a direct threat to Denmark’s interests. Sending out a call to all Danish villages to provide their quota of ships, the Danish naval fleet set sail eastwards on a mission to secure a presence in the region by invading Estonia. By obtaining the Pope’s blessing, the expedition was recognised as a genuine crusade against the pagans of Estonia.
After landing in Lyndanisse, the Danes were met by Estonian leaders who came bearing gifts and feigning surrender to the invading army. However on 15 June 1219, thousands of Estonians launched a surprise attack on the Danish camp.
The ill-prepared Danes suffered huge losses and were on the verge of losing the battle. As legend has it, that was when the Danish archbishop, Anders Suneson, fell to his knees to pray for a sign of victory.
CP for more