The 2 Battles of Copenhagen (1801 & 1807) | Britain vs Denmark in the Napoleonic Era

The Battles of Copenhagen were two of the most controversial and consequential actions of the Napoleonic Wars, fought in 1801 and 1807. In this video, we break down both British attacks on Copenhagen, explaining why Britain struck a neutral power, how the battles unfolded, and what they meant for European naval dominance.

The First Battle of Copenhagen (1801) saw Admiral Horatio Nelson defy orders and defeat the Danish fleet in a brutal naval engagement that helped secure British control of the seas. Six years later, the Second Battle of Copenhagen (1807) shocked Europe when Britain bombarded the city itself, launching a pre-emptive strike to seize the Danish navy before Napoleon could.

📌 In this episode, special guest & author Gareth Glover discusses:

• Why Britain attacked Copenhagen twice during the Napoleonic Wars

• How Nelson fought — and famously ignored — his orders in 1801

• Why the 1807 bombardment remains one of the most controversial acts in British history

• How the battles reshaped naval strategy and European alliances

From ship-to-ship combat to total war tactics against a capital city, the Battles of Copenhagen reveal the brutal logic of global war at sea during the age of Napoleon.

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X/Twitter: @GloverGareth, @andnapoleon

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