HDMS Herluf Trolle (1899)

HDMS Herluf Trolle was a Danish coastal defence ship launched in 1899. She was named after Herluf Trolle, a 16th-century Danish admiral. Herluf Trolle, along with her sister ship Olfert Fischer, represented a significant step in Danish naval design.

The ship displaced approximately 3,500 tons and was armed with a main battery of two 240mm (9.4 inch) guns in two single turrets. Secondary armament typically included several smaller caliber guns for defense against torpedo boats. She was also equipped with torpedo tubes.

Herluf Trolle served in the Royal Danish Navy for several decades, participating in various naval exercises and patrols. A key moment in her service occurred during the German invasion of Denmark in April 1940. During the invasion, Herluf Trolle was stationed in Copenhagen harbour. The ship engaged the invading German forces, providing vital resistance. While the resistance was ultimately unsuccessful, Herluf Trolle's participation is remembered as a symbol of Danish defiance.

Following the German occupation, Herluf Trolle was seized and used by the Kriegsmarine. She was eventually returned to Denmark after the end of World War II and served for a time as a training ship before being decommissioned and scrapped.