The German-Danish War of 1864 had a long history within the context of the rising nationalities conflict and the complicated issue of dynastic inheritance rights in the Elbe duchies. In 1460, the Treaty of Ripen stipulated that Schleswig and Holstein should remain undivided and united in personal union with the Danish crown. The London Protocol of 1852 guaranteed the territorial integrity of Denmark but specified that Schleswig should not be constitutionally bound to Denmark any more closely than Holstein. When Denmark no longer wanted to adhere to this treaty, war broke out. The German-Danish War of 1864 is a prime example of a classic cabinet war largely conducted independently of external influences, in the style of the secret diplomacy of the 18th and 19th centuries. The military confrontations ultimately led to the defeat.