The Rest Is History

610. Nelson: The Battle of Copenhagen (Part 3)

October 19, 2025

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  • Nelson's decision to ignore Admiral Parker's signal to 'Discontinue the action' by famously claiming he could not see it, demonstrated his supreme confidence and established his authority over his commander-in-chief in the heat of battle. 
  • The Battle of Copenhagen was exceptionally bloody and intense for the British, with experienced sailors noting the carnage exceeded that of previous major engagements like the Nile, largely due to the close-quarters fighting in the narrow channel. 
  • The successful negotiation following the battle, orchestrated by Nelson's diplomatic note to the Danish Crown Prince, was politically astute, saving Danish lives and securing a crucial strategic advantage for Britain against Napoleon's France, all while Nelson simultaneously obsessed over his personal relationship with Emma Hamilton. 
  • The sudden assassination of Tsar Paul I of Russia led to his successor, Alexander I, immediately making peace with Britain, effectively dooming the League of Armed Neutrality Nelson had fought against. 
  • Despite achieving a diplomatic and military victory at Copenhagen, Nelson immediately succumbed to severe hypochondria and illness while searching for the Swedes, leading to concerns in London that he might die at sea. 
  • Nelson's gamble of disobeying orders at Copenhagen was ultimately vindicated by the Admiralty, who praised his success in upholding national security and demonstrating political skill alongside his warrior prowess, though this success was immediately overshadowed by news of Napoleon raising an invasion force targeting England. 

Segments

Nelson’s Pre-Battle Mood
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(00:03:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Nelson was outwardly optimistic before the battle, sharing a final dinner with captains and wishing them luck, though he spent the night sleeplessly awaiting favorable wind conditions.
  • Summary: Nelson hoped the Danes would surrender quickly to avoid conflict. He maintained high spirits during a final dinner with his captains on the eve of the battle. His primary concern overnight was securing a fair wind to maneuver the fleet into the enemy harbor.
Strategic Crisis and British Response
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(00:04:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Britain faced a mortal strategic crisis in 1801 due to Tsar Paul I’s League of Armed Neutrality, which threatened the sea control necessary to maintain independence against France.
  • Summary: The League of Armed Neutrality was organized against the vital supply monopoly Britain needed for the Royal Navy. This league implicitly aided Napoleon by facilitating French naval growth. The Admiralty responded by sending a squadron, led by Nelson, to break the league by force, targeting Copenhagen first.
Command Structure and Personal Shadows
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(00:06:23)
  • Key Takeaway: The command of the fleet was given to the elderly Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, despite Nelson’s superior reputation, possibly due to the shadow cast over Nelson’s reputation by his affair with Emma Hamilton.
  • Summary: Parker commanded the fleet, while Nelson was second-in-command, a situation noted as paradoxical given Nelson’s achievements. Parker’s personal life, involving a teenage bride, was contrasted with the moral scrutiny faced by Nelson over his relationship with Emma Hamilton. The Danes were considered almost ‘Englishmen’ by Nelson, making their alignment with the anti-British league particularly shocking.
Danish Defenses and Nelson’s Ship Choice
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(00:07:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Copenhagen’s defenses were formidable, featuring citadel batteries, forts, and a floating line of warships, compounded by shallow, icy waters that required specialized vessels.
  • Summary: The Danish defenses included massive forts and a defensive wall made of warships and hulks facing the sea. Nelson transferred his flag to the HMS Elephant because it had a shallower draft, making it better suited to navigate the dangerous shoals. He brought portraits of Emma Hamilton, his ‘guardian angels,’ with him to his new command ship.
Navigating the Strait and Kronborg
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(00:11:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Nelson’s fleet successfully navigated the strait (Urasund) by hugging the Swedish side to avoid the guns of Kronborg Castle (Elsinore), a gamble that paid off as the Swedes did not fire.
  • Summary: The fleet sailed into the Urasund strait, wary of the guns at Kronborg Castle. They moved to the Swedish side of the strait, gambling that the Swedes would not engage them. The Swedes ultimately did not fire, and the British even returned fire on Elsinore, leaving a cannonball lodged in the cathedral roof.
Reconnaissance and Council of War
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(00:12:46)
  • Key Takeaway: Nelson personally participated in dangerous nighttime reconnaissance missions through icy waters to scout the Danish defenses, showcasing his hands-on leadership style.
  • Summary: Scouting parties cut through ice at night using muffled oars to inspect the defenses, a highly dramatic activity Nelson joined despite his command role. This activity contrasted sharply with his private anxieties about Emma Hamilton, suggesting battle focus relieved his personal stress. Nelson held a council of war with captains, many of whom were veterans from the Battle of the Nile, fostering a strong ‘band of brothers’ spirit.
The Attack Plan and Execution
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(00:15:30)
  • Key Takeaway: Nelson’s plan involved looping around the Middle Ground shoal into the narrow King’s Deep channel, relying on close-range fighting where ’every shot cannot miss’ to overwhelm the Danish line.
  • Summary: The plan required navigating past shoals, a risk mitigated by Captain Edward Ryu, who was tasked with marking the channel after the Danes removed the navigational buoys. Nelson instructed his captains to close to extreme range to maximize the effect of their firepower, including the short-range carronades carried by ships like the HMS Glatton under Captain Bly. The slow, stately advance of the ships, painted in black and yellow, created a tense spectacle for the thousands of Danish spectators.
The Battle Commences and Ships Run Aground
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(00:24:44)
  • Key Takeaway: The battle began around (10:15) AM, but chaos ensued when three British ships of the line—the Agamemnon, Bellona, and Russell—ran aground on the shoals, shortening Nelson’s planned line of attack.
  • Summary: The first shots were fired by the Danish ship Pruversteinen at the HMS Edgar, leading to a massive exchange of fire that obscured the harbor in smoke. The grounding of three ships significantly reduced Nelson’s intended force, placing them in a perilous, stationary position under enemy fire. Captain Ryu, acting on his roving commission, moved his squadron of frigates to the head of the line to compensate for the lost ships.
Danish Courage and Officer Sacrifice
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(00:27:01)
  • Key Takeaway: The Danes fought with extraordinary courage defending their capital city in front of their families, inflicting horrific casualties, particularly on officers who were required to stand upright under fire.
  • Summary: The defense was noted as being far better than that of the French or Spanish, as the Danes were fighting a ‘home match’ for their capital. The Monarch suffered 220 casualties, including its captain, who was killed while rallying his men. Nelson himself remained on the quarterdeck under fire, famously stating he would not be anywhere else for thousands, illustrating the required ‘British pluck.’
Defiance of Parker’s Order
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(00:37:25)
  • Key Takeaway: Nelson defied Admiral Parker’s signal to withdraw by ordering his signal acknowledged but not repeated, famously stating, ‘No, damn me if I do,’ cementing his victory against orders.
  • Summary: Parker signaled a retreat just as the Danish line was collapsing, threatening to nullify all British sacrifice. Nelson chose insubordination, relying on his judgment that victory was imminent, a decision that risked his entire career. He reinforced his defiance by theatrically putting a telescope to his blind eye and declaring he did not see the signal.
The Cost of Obedience and Ryu’s Death
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(00:43:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Captain Edward Ryu, the only officer to obey Parker’s order and withdraw his squadron, was killed by Danish fire once his ships stopped engaging, illustrating the danger of breaking formation.
  • Summary: Ryu reluctantly obeyed the signal to retreat, expressing concern over what Nelson would think of him. As his squadron ceased firing and turned, the gun smoke cleared, exposing his ship to concentrated Danish fire. Ryu was tragically severed in two by a shot immediately after exclaiming, ‘Come then, my boys, let us all die together.’
Victory Secured and Nelson’s Diplomacy
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(00:46:38)
  • Key Takeaway: After the Danish flagship surrendered around (2:30) PM, Nelson immediately sent a note via a Danish-speaking officer to the Crown Prince, offering a truce to spare further bloodshed and save grounded British ships.
  • Summary: Nelson’s action was a calculated political move, framed as humanitarianism, to stop the massacre and secure the trapped British vessels, which historians deem a ‘masterpiece of policy.’ Nelson addressed the note to the ‘brothers of Englishmen, the Danes,’ emphasizing a desire for peace over continued fighting. The Crown Prince accepted the truce, ending the battle and saving Copenhagen from bombardment.
Aftermath and Tsar Paul’s Assassination
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(00:58:18)
  • Key Takeaway: The Danish agreement was finalized just as news arrived that Tsar Paul I had been assassinated by his officers, instantly dissolving the League of Armed Neutrality and making the British victory strategically complete.
  • Summary: The Tsar was reportedly beaten with a paperweight and strangled with his own scarf by Russian officers plotting against him. His successor, Alexander I, immediately made peace with Britain, rendering the League of Armed Neutrality defunct. Nelson, despite his triumph, immediately returned to worrying about Emma Hamilton and the Prince of Wales, showcasing his characteristic blend of heroism and personal obsession.
Tsar Paul’s Assassination Aftermath
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(00:58:12)
  • Key Takeaway: Tsar Paul I was brutally murdered by his officers, leading to the collapse of the anti-British League of Armed Neutrality.
  • Summary: Tsar Paul I, described as a disagreeable man obsessed with dress codes, was overthrown by Russian officers who cornered him in his bedroom. They beat him with a paperweight and strangled him with his own scarf. His successor, Alexander I, immediately made peace with Britain, rendering the League of Armed Neutrality defunct.
Nelson’s Post-Battle Ailments
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(00:59:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Nelson suffered from severe self-pity, hypochondria, and physical ailments while searching for the Swedes after the battle.
  • Summary: Nelson immediately fell into self-pity, complaining of headaches and eye issues, even while sailing the Baltic in terrible weather looking for the Swedes. He took command after Admiral Parker was recalled for giving the order Nelson disobeyed. Nelson experienced severe symptoms, including coughing fits and what he called ‘heart strokes,’ worrying officers that he might die.
Nelson’s Famous Coat Refusal
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(01:00:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Nelson famously refused a great coat, claiming his anxiety for his country would keep him warm.
  • Summary: While in a small boat searching for the Swedes, Nelson refused a master’s great coat, stating, ‘My anxiety for my country will keep me warm.’ This statement, framed as ‘zeal for king and country,’ was noted as something believable only because it came from Nelson, despite the risk of illness.
Nelson’s Return and Gifts
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(01:01:26)
  • Key Takeaway: Nelson was recalled to London in July, greeted by crowds, and sent numerous gifts from Copenhagen to Emma Hamilton.
  • Summary: After reports of his severe illness reached London, Earl St. Vincent, initially dismissive, became alarmed, and Nelson was recalled, landing in Yarmouth on July 29th. He brought back porcelain and bottles of Danish wine for Emma Hamilton, an odd choice of souvenir. His father wrote to him regarding Fanny, but Nelson coldly stated his mind was fixed.
Fanny’s Desperate Plea
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(01:03:05)
  • Key Takeaway: Nelson’s estranged wife, Fanny, desperately sought reconciliation, but Nelson was committed to building a life with Emma.
  • Summary: Fanny wrote a congratulatory letter after Copenhagen which Nelson ignored, and she later expressed her misery and desire to obey his every wish if he would only send for her. Nelson told his father he was committed to building his life around a wife more suited to his ‘genius,’ contrasting with Fanny’s perceived boredom.
Admiralty Reaction and Napoleon’s Threat
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(01:05:43)
  • Key Takeaway: The Admiralty fully redeemed Nelson for his Copenhagen success, but his return was immediately overshadowed by intelligence of Napoleon’s invasion preparations.
  • Summary: The Admiralty viewed Nelson as having upheld national security and reaffirmed naval command, offering no criticism for his disobedience. However, upon his arrival, they presented grim news: Napoleon Bonaparte was raising an enormous army aimed directly at the coast of England.