It is charged with overall planning, development, and strategic guidance of the entire area of responsibility of the Minister of Defence, including the Danish Armed Forces and the emergency management sector.

The Minister of Defence had already been created in 1905 as the head of both ministries, though still with branch (Army and Navy) chiefs as administrators.

A similar command had previously been created for the Navy, the Admiralty (Admiralitetet) of 1655.

The War collegium changed name to Krigskancelliet in 1679 and later to Generalitets- og Kommisariatskollegiet.

The day after the de facto end to absolute monarchy in Denmark, March 21, 1848, Anton Frederik Tscherning became the first War minister of Denmark, with the Generalitets- og Kommisariatskollegiet changing name into the Ministry of War on March 25, 1848.