[Footnote 782: Holstein and Lauenburg were German
in population and were members of the German
Confederation. Southern Schleswig also was
inhabited by German-speaking people, though the
duchy did not belong to the Confederation.
Schleswig and Holstein had been joined with Denmark
under a precarious form of union since the Middle
Ages. Lauenburg was acquired, with the assent of
the Allies, in 1814-1815 in partial compensation
for the loss of Norway.]

*612. The Constitutions of 1848-1849.*--Within eight days the
constitution was promulgated by the new sovereign, Frederick VII.
Under its provisions there was established a parliament representative
of all of the Danish dominions. Neither the Danes nor the inhabitants
of the duchies, however, were satisfied, and in Holstein there broke
out open rebellion. Prussia intervened in behalf of the disaffected
duchies, and Great Britain and Russia in behalf of the Danish
Government. The result was the triumph of the Government; but in the
meantime the rescript by which the common constitution had been
promulgated was withdrawn. In its place was published a decree which
provided for the establishment of a bicameral national assembly
(Rigsdag), of whose 152 members 38, nominated by the crown, were to
form a Landsthing, or upper chamber, and the remaining 114, elected by
the people, were to comprise a Folkething, or house of representatives.
In the early summer of 1849 a constitution embodying these
arrangements was drawn up; and June 5, after having been adopted by
the new Rigsdag, the instrument was approved by the crown. For the
moment the question of the duchies seemed insoluble, and this second
constitution was extended to Jutland and the Islands only, i.e., to
Denmark proper. Its adoption, however, is a landmark in Danish
constitutional history. Under its terms the autocracy of the
_Kongelov_ was formally abandoned and in its place was substituted a
limited monarchy in which legislative powers were to be shared by the
crown with an elective diet and the executive authority was to be
exercised by ministers responsible to the legislative body. As will
appear, it was this constitution of June 5, 1849, that, with revision,
became permanently the fundamental law of the kingdom.[783]