HDMS Lougen (1805)

HDMS Lougen (1805) was a Danish warship, specifically a brig-sloop, launched in 1805. She was part of the Royal Danish Navy during a turbulent period in Danish history, marked by the Napoleonic Wars and the Gunboat War against Great Britain.

The Lougen was primarily designed for coastal defense and escort duties within Danish waters. Brig-sloops like the Lougen were smaller and more maneuverable than larger ships-of-the-line, making them suitable for operating in the shallow waters around Denmark and Norway. Their armament typically consisted of cannons and carronades, sufficient to engage similar-sized vessels or to provide fire support for land operations.

The Lougen likely saw action during the Gunboat War (1807-1814), a conflict characterized by naval skirmishes between Danish and British forces. The war stemmed from Britain's preemptive attack on Copenhagen in 1807, seizing the Danish fleet to prevent it from falling into Napoleon's hands. This act drove Denmark into an alliance with France and triggered a period of intense naval conflict in the Baltic Sea. While specific details of Lougen's wartime service are scarce without further research, it can be assumed she was involved in patrolling Danish waters, attempting to disrupt British shipping, and defending against British incursions.

Following the conclusion of the Napoleonic Wars and the Congress of Vienna, Denmark was forced to cede Norway to Sweden. The Lougen, like other surviving Danish warships, would have continued to serve in the Danish Navy in a diminished capacity. Her eventual fate, whether she was decommissioned, sold, or lost at sea, requires further historical investigation.