HDMS Skjold was an armored coastal defense ship built for the Royal Danish Navy in the 1890s, the only member of her class.

As she was intended to serve as part of the defense of Copenhagen, she was fairly small and had a shallow draft, but was heavily armed and armored for her size.

She took part in many of the routine training exercises in the late 1890s, 1900s, and early 1910s and visited a number of foreign ports in northern Europe during this period.

[1] Skjold was intended to guard the southern approach to Copenhagen, and because she had a shallow draft, she was expected to withdraw through the Kalveboderne between Zealand and Amager in the event of a determined attack.

As a result, the Danish Navy ordered a series of small protected cruisers, including Hekla, Gejser, and Valkyrien.

That year, the navy requested funding for a new armored coastal defense ship of around 3,500 long tons (3,600 t), and the Orlogsværftet shipyard in Copenhagen prepared several proposals.

[2] Skjold had a steel hull that was divided into watertight compartments and had a double bottom in the central portion, below the ammunition magazines and propulsion machinery spaces.

[3] Her superstructure was minimal, consisting of a short upper deck structure and a small conning tower forward for the bridge.

[2] Skjold was the first capital ship of the Danish fleet to use Thornycroft boilers, which had previously been used experimentally in the small cruiser Gejser.

The development of modern smokeless powder allowed the caliber of the gun to be reduced in comparison to earlier vessels while retaining the same ability to penetrate armor.

The thicker portion of belt covered the amidships section, where it protected the magazines and propulsion machinery; it reduced at the bow and stern.

Throughout her early career, Skjold routinely took part in the annual summer training maneuvers in Danish waters with the rest of the active squadron.

Following the end of the 1901 maneuvers, Skjold was decommissioned on 28 September, but she was reactivated just two days later to take part in weapons tests for new high-explosive shells with the old gunboat Møen.

Skjold was also activated for the 1911–1912 winter training squadron, which also included the new coastal defense ship Peder Skram, several torpedo boats, and supporting minesweepers.

She remained in service for the 1912 summer squadron, and over the winter of 1912–1913, she operated in company with the coastal defense ship Olfert Fischer.

[2] At the start of World War I at the end of July 1914, for which Denmark remained neutral, Skjold was initially laid up out of service.

On 1 August, Denmark established the Sikringsstyrken (security force), which initially centered on the three Herluf Trolle-class coastal defense ships.

Skjold was immediately ordered back to active service, and on 5 August she was recommissioned to lead the reserve force, which supported the 1st Squadron.

Over the winter of 1917–1918, Skjold was detached to conduct a training cruise; she necessarily remained in Danish waters and only visited local ports.

[2] In the aftermath of World War I and through the 1920s, the Danish naval budget was significantly reduced, which kept much of the fleet laid up due to a lack of funds.

It was decided in the event of war, Skjold would be moored with her bow to the shore in the Grønsund, which would permit her three 120 mm guns to be used to support the coastal fortifications ashore.