HMS Dannebrog wreck found in Copenhagen: source of phrase 'turn a blind eye'. Dannebrog was the Danish flagship sunk during the Battle of Copenhagen on 2 April 1801 Ship was sunk by Horatio Nelson during the Napoleonic Wars Battle spawned the phrase 'to turn a blind eye' when Nelson ignored Admiral Hyde Parker's retreat order
Dannebrog, the Danish flagship sunk during the Battle of Copenhagen on April 2, 1801, was found buried under 1.5 to 2.5 meters of sediment in Copenhagen harbor. Excavation led by Otto Odum from the Viking Ship Museum recovered ship timbers, ceramics, shoes, buttons, and 24-pound Danish cannons including a previously unknown regimental mark. The vessel famously inspired the phrase 'turn a blind eye' when Nelson ignored his admiral's retreat order. Two cannons will undergo 8-9 years of conservation before display.
Key Facts
- Dannebrog was the Danish flagship sunk during the Battle of Copenhagen on 2 April 1801
- Ship was sunk by Horatio Nelson during the Napoleonic Wars
- Battle spawned the phrase 'to turn a blind eye' when Nelson ignored Admiral Hyde Parker's retreat order
- Excavation led by Otto Odum from the Viking Ship Museum in Denmark
- Site covered by 1.5 to 2.5 meters of soft black sediment from centuries of Copenhagen sewage
- Excavation found ballast mound, ship timbers, ceramics, shoes, buttons, and Danish 24-pound cannons
- A previously unknown regimental mark of the Zealandic grenadiers was recovered
- Two cannons will be conserved for 8-9 years before display at the Viking Museum
- Wreck will be reburied due to construction of new artificial island over the site
Related site: Nuraghe Nullu — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: Latest #Archaeology Discoveries: April 2026 by Inside Archaeology