Why did Denmark refuse to withdraw its November 1863 constitution?

Denmark’s refusal to withdraw the November 1863 constitution was driven by the rising influence of the Eider-Dane nationalist movement, which sought to formally incorporate the Duchy of Schleswig into the Danish state.12

By 1863, the Danish government, led by a moderate National Liberal administration, believed that favorable international conditions would allow them to pursue this goal despite previous international agreements. Specifically, the Danish leadership operated under the following assumptions:1

• Prussian Preoccupation: They believed Prussia was too distracted by an internal constitutional struggle and a Polish rebellion against Russia to intervene effectively.12
• External Support: There was an expectation of support from Sweden and a reliance on the perceived protection of the European balance of power, bolstered by statements from British leadership suggesting that Denmark would not have to face potential aggressors alone.12

Ultimately, the Danish government prioritized these nationalist aspirations over the 1851 and 1852 agreements, which had previously compelled Denmark to avoid tying Schleswig more closely to itself than to Holstein. This decision effectively annexed Schleswig to Denmark, directly triggering the German-Danish War in 1864.123