The duchies of Schleswig and Holstein were largely settled by Germans and were part of the German Confederation, though they had been ruled since the Middle Ages by the King of Denmark as duke. When he tried to annex the two duchies and turn them into a part of Denmark, Bismarck saw his first chance to act. He provoked Austria to declare war on the militarily weak Denmark and to take control of the two territories. After a short war fought with a combined Prussian and Austrian army, Prussia occupied Schleswig and Austria took over Holstein.