The Black Death reached Denmark between 1348 and 1350, though its exact timeline remains uncertain due to sparse documentation. Before the plague, Denmark was the smallest of the Nordic countries in land area but had the largest population, estimated between 750,000 and one million people.
Traditionally, it was believed that the plague arrived in Denmark via a Norwegian ship that had sailed from England and stranded on Vendsyssel in Northern Jutland after its crew died. However, modern research casts doubt on this narrative. Contemporary sources, such as the Chronicle of the Archbishop of Lund and the Annales Scanici from Scania, date the arrival of the Black Death to 1350, suggesting that the plague likely spread more quickly than the legend implies.
1346–1353 spread of the Black Death in Europe map. @ Flappiefh
While there are no direct witness accounts, the spread of the plague through Denmark can be traced indirectly through wills, donations, and death records. The Black Death is known to have reached Ribe in July–October 1350, Roskilde in September–October, Copenhagen in August–September, and Scania from July to December of that year.
The plague's impact was catastrophic. Although the exact death toll is unknown, Denmark experienced a severe demographic collapse from which it took centuries to recover. The king's 1354 decision to pardon many from the death penalty, citing population loss from the plague, underscored the demographic devastation.
The Black Death indirectly aided Valdemar IV’s efforts to reclaim and consolidate power. As the plague ravaged the country, it caused a significant demographic collapse, weakening resistance and leaving many regions depopulated and economically distressed. This devastation enabled Valdemar to advance his campaign to recover lost territories more effectively, as the nobility and other opposing forces were less capable of mounting strong resistance.