Danish people are entitled to club a Swedish person over the head with a stick if they cross the frozen sea between the two countries.

During the Dano-Swedish War of 1657-58, Sweden invaded Denmark in a most unusual manner. King Charles X Gustav of Sweden planned to cross to the Öresund strait by boat when waters were calm. However, in late January 1658, the Öresund froze solid, and he simply marched his army across. This took the Danes entirely by surprise: they weren’t expecting an attack until spring! Denmark panicked, and signed the Treaty of Roskilde, which yielded disputed territory to Sweden amongst other unfavorable conditions. Ever since it’s been legal for a Dane to club a Swede marching across the frozen Öresund with a stick.

"Unusual Laws in History" is a collection of unique and unconventional laws from various countries and eras. While some of these laws may seem absurd or nonsensical in a modern context, many of them had reasons or meanings that were relevant at the time the law was enacted. This collection provides an intriguing glimpse into the peculiarities and complexities of laws across different cultures and periods. #32

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