German Awards - German States - Schleswig and Holstein - Duchy

In 1474, Emperor Frederick III, during a visit by the Danish king, elevated Holstein to the duchy of the German Empire. Schleswig was a duchy under Danish rule. Since 1773, with the exchange of territories under the Tsarskoye Selo Treaty, the entire territory of Schleswig and Holstein was in the possession of the Danes. After the Congress of Vienna, the duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg became members of the German Union. In 1848, Denmark made efforts to annex Schleswig. After that, an interim government was formed, which sought to accept Schleswig into the German Union. In the subsequent struggle against Denmark, the troops of Schleswig and Holstein were supported by the troops of the states and Prussia. In 1848, the Malmö truce was concluded, restoring the status quo. A new Danish attempt to annex Schleswig led to the German-Danish War of 1864. As a result, the defeat of Denmark Schleswig and Holstein were ruled by Austria and Prussia. After the defeat of Austria in the German-German War in 1866, the duchies became part of the Prussian state and remained so until 1918.