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| 1784, April |
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| Christian's son, Frederik, convinced his father to grant him legal control of the state. | 1 |
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| 1784 |
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| Count Andreas Peter Bernstorff came to power. He began by regulating relations between the landlords and their peasant tenants. The council also made significant reforms in tariffs and introduced a system of poor relief and other social reforms between 1784 and 1797 (Bernstorff's death). | 2 |
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| 1786 |
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| Bernstorff and the council created the Great Land Commission. Tenants received the right to gain compensation for improvements and landlords forbidden to use degrading punishments against their tenants. The stavnsbånd abolished (completed in stages between 1788 and 1800), leaving the peasants free but still obligated to labor services. The stavnsbånd had tied peasants to their parish, unless permitted by their landlord to leave. | 3 |
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| 1789 |
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| Universal free education proposed. | 4 |
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| 1792 |
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| A measure assured the end of Dutch slave trade by 1803. | 5 |
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| 1798 |
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| Jews granted the right to marry Christians and enter secondary school. | 6 |
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| 1800 |
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| A League of Armed Neutrality signed with Russia, Prussia, and Sweden in response to British naval activity. | 7 |
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| 1807, Aug. 16 |
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| Denmark declared war against the British, who landed north of Copenhagen and attacked, burning large portions of the city and forcing Frederik to surrender. Frederik's decision to join France proved disastrous. The Danish economy suffered from the continental system (See Nov. 21) and British blockades. Taxes increased, as did inflation. | 8 |
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| 1814 |
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| The School Law established compulsory education for children between 7 and 14, the age of confirmation. | 9 |
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| 1813 |
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| Danish banks replaced by a single state bank capable of issuing notes. | 10 |
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| 1814, Jan |
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| Treaty of Kiel. Denmark gave Sweden Norway in exchange for Swedish Pomerania but retained Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroes. | 11 |
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