Notes for Mary of JUTLAND


Jutland (/ˈdʒʌtlənd/; Danish: Jylland [ˈjyˌlænˀ]; German: Jütland
[ˈjyːtlant]; Old English: Ēota land [ˈeːotɑlɑnd]), known anciently as
the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula (Latin: Cimbricus Chersonesus; Danish: Den
Kimbriske Halvø, Den Jyske Halvø; German: Kimbrische Halbinsel), is a
peninsula of Northern Europe that forms the continental portion of Denmark and
part of northern Germany. The names are derived from the Jutes and the Cimbri,
respectively.

As with the rest of Denmark, Jutland's terrain is flat, with a slightly
elevated ridge down the central parts and relatively hilly terrains in the
east. West Jutland is characterised by open lands, heaths, plains and peat
bogs, while East Jutland is more fertile with lakes and lush forests.
Southwest Jutland is characterised by the Wadden Sea, a large unique
international coastal region stretching through Denmark, Germany and the
Netherlands.

Jutland is a peninsula bounded by the North Sea to the west, the Skagerrak to
the north, the Kattegat and Baltic Sea to the east, and Germany to the south.
Geographically and historically, Jutland comprises the regions of South
Jutland (historically also Slesvig), West Jutland, East Jutland (including
Djursland) and North Jutland (including Himmerland, Vendsyssel, Hanherred and
Thy). Since the mid-20th century, it has also become common to designate an
area called Central Jutland (Midtjylland), but its definition varies. There
are several historical subdivisions and regional names, and some are
encountered today. They include Nørrejyllland (a historical name for the
whole area north of South Jutland, and not identical with Nordjylland),
Sydvestjylland, Sydjylland (the southernmost stretch of Nørrejylland, as
opposed to the more southern Sønderjylland), Nordvestjylland, Kronjylland,
and others. Politically, Jutland currently comprises the three contemporary
Danish Administrative Regions of North Jutland Region, Central Denmark Region
and the Region of Southern Denmark, along with portions of the German state of
Schleswig-Holstein.[1]

The northernmost part of Jutland is separated from the mainland by the
Limfjord, a narrow stretch of water bisecting the peninsula from coast to
coast. The Limfjord was formerly a long brackish water inlet, but a breaching
North Sea flood in 1825 created a coast to coast connection.[2] This area is
called the North Jutlandic Island, Vendsyssel-Thy (after its districts) or
simply Jutland north of the Limfjord; it is only partly coterminous with the
North Jutland Region.

The islands of Læsø, Anholt and Samsø in Kattegat and Als at the rim of the
Baltic Sea are administratively and historically tied to Jutland, although the
latter two are also regarded as traditional districts of their own.
Inhabitants of Als, known as Alsinger, would agree to be South Jutlanders, but
not necessarily Jutlanders.[citation needed]

The Danish Wadden Sea Islands and the German North Frisian Islands stretch
along the southwest coast of Jutland in the German Bight.

The southern third of the peninsula is made up of the German Bundesland of
Schleswig-Holstein. The German parts are usually not seen as Jutland proper,
but often described more abstract as part of the Jutlandic Peninsula, Cimbrian
Peninsula or Jutland-Schleswig-Holstein.

Schleswig-Holstein has two historical parts: the former duchies of Schleswig
(a Danish fief) and Holstein (a German fief), both of which have passed back
and forth between Danish and German rulers. The last adjustment of the
Danish-German border followed the Schleswig Plebiscites in 1920 and resulted
in Denmark regaining Northern Schleswig (Danish: Nordslesvig or more commonly
today: Sønderjylland).

The historic southern border of Jutland was the river Eider, which forms the
border between the former duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, as well as the
border between the Danish and German realms from c. 850 to 1864. Although most
of Schleswig-Holstein is geographically part of the peninsula, most German
residents there would not identify themselves with Jutland or even as
Jutlanders, but rather with Schleswig-Holstein.

The medieval law Code of Jutland applied to Schleswig until 1900, when it was
replaced by the Prussian Civil Code. Some rarely used clauses of the Jutlandic
Code still apply north of the Eider.[citation needed]
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