inst her,
bombarded Copenhagen, and compelled the government to give up its
entire fleet, which was sent to England. This ended the armed
neutrality. At the final treaty of peace, in 1814, Norway was ceded to
Sweden, which, in return, gave to Denmark Pomerania, and the Island of
Ruegen; but the next year Pomerania was passed over to Prussia, in
exchange for the Duchy of Lauenburg.

"Frederick VI. reigned till 1839, when he was followed by Christian
VIII. The two Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein were still subjects of
dispute. The king claimed them, but the people of Holstein were German
in sentiment, and objected to the incorporation of their country in
the Kingdom of Denmark, to which the continued efforts of the latter
were directed. The Danish language was required to be used to the
exclusion of the German. In 1848, Frederick VII. came to the throne,
and was more energetic in pushing his claims to the duchies than some
of his predecessors had been. The people of Holstein, which was a
member of the German Confederation, were in a state of insurrection,
when the King of Denmark virtually annexed both duchies to his
kingdom. War ensued, and continued for three years. The interference
of some of the great powers restored peace, but left the question in
dispute unsettled."

"What was the question in dispute?" asked Captain Lincoln.

"I will explain it, though there are so many complications to it, that
only a general view of the subject can be given. For four hundred
years the line of Oldenburg has occupied the throne of Denmark.
Schleswig and Holstein were governed by the same rulers, though each
country was separately organized. But the law of succession was
different. In Denmark a female could rule, while in the duchies the
line was limited to males. Frederick VII. had no children, and it was
seen that the direct line of the house of Oldenburg would be extinct
at his death. A treaty made by the several powers interested gave the
succession to Prince Christian, whose wife was entitled to the throne
by right of her descent from Christian III., who died in 1559; but she
yielded her right to her husband, who ascended the throne in 1863, as
Christian IX., and is the present king. At the death of Frederick
VII., the Duke of Augustenburg claimed the duchies. Germany desired to
separate Schleswig-Holstein from Denmark. The German troops entered
Holstein, which was a member of the Confederation, and entitled to its
protect