Category Archives: Danish Royals

Frederiksborg Castle Church in Hillerød, Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Frederiksborg Castle; Credit – By Casper Moller from London, United Kingdom – Frederiksborg Castle – home of the Danish National History Museum; this file from Commons, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29657236

Frederiksborg Castle Church, located in Frederiksborg Castle, is a church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark, sometimes called The Church of Denmark, the established, state-supported church in Denmark. Frederiksborg Castle is located in Hillerød, Denmark on the island of Zealand 18 miles/30 km north of Copenhagen, Denmark. It was built as a royal residence for King Christian IV of Denmark and Norway in the early 17th century, replacing an older castle acquired by his father King Frederik II. Christian IV had been born at the castle and became quite attached to his birthplace. However, he decided to have it completely rebuilt in the Flemish and Dutch Renaissance styles. The old castle was demolished in 1599 and the Flemish architect Hans van Steenwinckel the Elder designed the new castle.

The Castle Fire of 1859, painting by Ferdinand Richardt; Credit – Wikipedia

The castle ceased to be used as a royal residence by the end of the 18th century and was used to house the royal collection of portraits. In the mid-19th century, King Frederik VII and his morganatic third wife Louise Rasmussen, Countess Danner began to use Frederiksborg Castle as a residence. On the evening of December 16, 1859, King Frederik VII was examining his historic artifacts in a room on the third floor. The night was cold and so Frederik VII asked for a fire to be lit. However, the chimney was under repair and a fire broke out. The fire spread quickly, causing major damage to most of the castle but the castle chapel, the audience chamber, and the privy passage survived the fire.

The Danish royal family decided that they would no longer use the castle as a residence and so a discussion began regarding the future purpose of the castle. J. C. Jacobsen, the founder of Carlsberg Brewery, proposed the establishment of a museum of national history at Frederiksborg Castle and he offered to pay for both the reconstruction of Frederiksborg Castle and the museum’s future expenses. Jacobsen created the Carlsberg Foundation and allocated some of his shares in the Carlsberg Brewery to fund and operate the Danish Museum of National History at Frederiksborg Palace and the Carlsberg Research Laboratory in Copenhagen, Denmark. The Danish Museum of National History opened in 1882 and has since been an independent department of the Carlsberg Foundation.

The church wing; Credit – By Bjoertvedt – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=23828113

The current castle church, built when Christian IV rebuilt Frederiksborg Castle, was consecrated in 1617. It escaped being damaged in the 1859 fire. The church is located in the west wing of the three-winged castle. The castle church extends along the entire length of the west wing with a long nave and a two-story gallery. The six-vaulted stucco ceiling is supported by pillars rising from the galleries. The pillars are decorated with frescos of Biblical figures, painted in the 1690s. The altarpiece and pulpit were made by German silversmith Jacob Mores.

The interior of the Fredriksborg Palace Church; Credit – By Marshallhenrie – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42323005

The altarpiece and pulpit; Credit – Wikipedia

During the period of absolute monarchy (1660 – 1848) the Kings of Denmark and their Queens Consort were anointed in the Frederiksborg Castle Church except for King Christian VII and his wife Caroline Matilda of Wales whose anointing took place at held in the Christiansborg Palace Chapel in Copenhagen. The new king would arrive at the Frederiksborg Castle Church already wearing the crown, where he was then anointed.

Since 1693, the castle church has been the chapel of the two Royal Orders of Chivalry in Denmark: the Order of the Elephant and the Order of Dannebrog.

Royal Events at Frederiksborg Castle Church

Anointing of King Christian V and Queen Charlotte Amalie at Frederiksborg Castle Church in 1671; Credit – Wikipedia

Anointing of King Frederik VI at Frederiksborg Castle Church in 1815; Credit – Wikipedia

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Frederiksborg Slot – Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederiksborg_Slot> [Accessed 29 August 2021].
  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Frederiksborg Slotskirke – Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederiksborg_Slotskirke> [Accessed 29 August 2021].
  • Danish National History Museum. 2021. Frederiksborg Castle – Frederiksborg. [online] Available at: <https://dnm.dk/en/frederiksborg-castle/> [Accessed 29 August 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Coronation of the Danish monarch – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronation_of_the_Danish_monarch> [Accessed 29 August 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Frederiksborg Castle – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederiksborg_Castle> [Accessed 29 August 2021].

Fredensborg Palace Church in Fredensborg, Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Fredensborg Palace Church (in the middle); Credit – Af Pugilist – Eget arbejde, CC BY-SA 4.0,

Fredensborg Palace Church, located in Fredensborg Palace, is a church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark, sometimes called The Church of Denmark, the established, state-supported church in Denmark. Fredensborg Palace, located on Lake Esrum in Fredensborg on the island of Zealand in Denmark, is the spring and autumn residence of the Danish Royal Family. It was originally built as a hunting lodge for King Frederik IV between 1719 – 1722 on the site of a farm that he owned. Originally, no church was built at Fredensborg Palace because it was intended as a summer residence. When King Frederik IV was in residence the court clergy conducted services and the palace staff attended the parish church in Asminderød.

Fredensborg Palace

When King Frederik IV began to use Fredensborg Palace on a more permanent basis, the original architect Johan Cornelius Krieger began to expand the palace. His plans included a palace church in Dutch Baroque style which was consecrated in 1726. The palace church is in the wing that branches off the eastern side of the palace (‘B’ in the photo above). It is connected to the main palace by the original Orangery.

The altarpiece, baptismal font, and pulpit were made by Danish sculptor Johan Frederik Ehbisch. Hendrik Krock, a court painter during the reigns of Frederik IV and Christian VI, did the painting The Last Judgment that hangs over the altar. Today’s church interior appears much the same as it did in 1726.

Fredensborg Palace Church by Adolf Heinrich-Hansen, circa 1877 – 1925; Credit – Wikipedia

As a part of Fredensborg Palace, Fredensborg Church is at the disposal of the Danish monarchy. Since the reign of King Christian IX, the Asminderød-Grønholt parishes have used Fredensborg Church as a parish church and services, christenings, and weddings are often held there. The palace church has been the site of weddings, christenings, and confirmations for members of the Danish Royal Family, beginning with the 1761 confirmation of Princess Sophia Magdalena, daughter of King Frederik V, later Queen Consort of Sweden. Most recently christenings and confirmations of Queen Margrethe II’s grandchildren have been held there.

Royal Events at the Fredensborg Palace Church

Wedding of Princess Benedikte and Richard, 6th Prince of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg

Christening of Princess Isabella in 2007

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Fredensborg Slotskirke – Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredensborg_Slotskirke> [Accessed 26 August 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Fredensborg Palace – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredensborg_Palace> [Accessed 26 August 2021].
  • Mehl, Scott, 2015. Fredensborg Palace. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/fredensborg-palace/> [Accessed 26 August 2021].
  • No.wikipedia.org. 2021. Fredensborg slottskirke – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredensborg_slottskirke> [Accessed 26 August 2021].
  • The Danish Monarchy. 2021. Fredensborg Palace Church. [online] Available at: <https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/news/fredensborg-palace-church> [Accessed 26 August 2021].

Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen; Credit – By Lars Mongs, Arxfoto – https://arxfoto.se/, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=107615060

Once a Roman Catholic church, the Church of Our Lady (Vor Fruen Kirke in Danish) is a church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark, sometimes called The Church of Denmark, the established, state-supported church in Denmark. The original name of the church was St. Mary’s Church but during the Protestant Reformation, the name was changed to the Church of Our Lady, keeping the reference to the Virgin Mary without using “Saint”. There has been a church on the site since the 12th century, however, the church has been destroyed by fire three times and rebuilt three times. The present church was built in the early 19th century in the neoclassical style. The Church of Our Lady received cathedral status in 1922 and was designated as Denmark’s national cathedral in 1924.

Drawing from a contemporary engraving showing how the second Church of Our Lady looked in 1520; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1314, the first church was destroyed in a fire and subsequently, a new church was built of brick. Around 1416, Copenhagen became the capital of the Kingdom of Denmark when Eric of Pomerania (Eric III, King of Norway, Eric VII as King of Denmark, Eric XIII, King of Sweden), moved his seat of power in Denmark to Copenhagen Castle, and the Church of Our Lady, then still called St. Mary’ Church, became the main church of the Kings of Denmark. When the University of Copenhagen was established in 1479, the church’s dean became rector of the university, the church’s canons were the university’s teaching staff, and the court school was the first premises for the university. Today, the campus of the University of Copenhagen is adjacent to the Church of Our Lady.

The second church suffered from the consequences of the Protestant Reformation. The great majority of the citizens of Copenhagen opted to follow the teachings of Martin Luther. However, the Roman Catholic clergy at St. Mary’s Church attempted to keep the church as a center of Catholic resistance. The king at that time was Frederik I, the last Roman Catholic Danish monarch. All subsequent Danish monarchs have been Lutheran. Although Frederik remained Catholic, he was somewhat tolerant of the new Protestant Lutheran religion. He ordered that Lutherans and Roman Catholics share the same churches. This decree incensed the majority Lutheran segment of Copenhagen’s population. On December 27, 1530 hundreds of citizens stormed the St. Mary’s Church, destroying every statue and dismantling the choir stalls. The seventeen altars were stripped of jewels and gold and destroyed, as were reliquaries, vestments, and other church furnishings. In 1531, the name of the church was changed from St. Mary’s Church to the Church of Our Lady and officially started to use the Lutheran order of worship.

The third church built between 1728 – 1738; Credit – Wikipedia

The devastating four-day-long fire that started on October 20, 1728, destroyed a third of Copenhagen including the second church. When the church tower fell, the roof and all the furnishings in the church were demolished. Even the coffins in the crypt were smashed. By 1738, the third church was completed. The tower was 395 feet/120 meters high and was visible miles away from Copenhagen. By contrast, the current tower is only 193 feet/60 meters high.

The Church of Our Lady on fire in 1807, by Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg; Credit – Wikipedia

In September 1807, the third church was destroyed during the bombardment of Copenhagen by the British Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars. The British demanded the surrender of the city of Copenhagen and the Danish-Norwegian fleet. Kings at this time were Kings of both Denmark and Norway. The Danes refused and for three days the British royal navy bombarded the city. Royal Navy gunners used the tower of the church for target practice, setting it on fire, resulting in the church being burned to the ground, along with nearby sections of Copenhagen. Copenhagen surrendered and the Danish-Norwegian fleet was turned over to the British.

The interior of the fourth church. Bertel Thorvaldsen’s statues of the apostles can be seen along the sides; Credit – Wikipedia

The fourth and current version of the Church of Our Lady was designed by the architect Christian Frederik Hansen in the neoclassical style and was completed in 1829.  The fourth church has a tower although the neoclassical style did not include towers. The citizens of Copenhagen demanded a tower and one was built modeled on the older medieval tower.

The altar with Bertel Thorvaldsen’ statue of Jesus Christ and his baptismal font; Credit – By Matthias Schalk – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31280252

Sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen was commissioned to decorate the interior with statues of Jesus Christ and the apostles. Thorvaldsen also carved and donated the baptismal font as a personal gift. Other artists also contributed sculptures and paintings

Royal Events at the Church of Our Lady

Wedding of King Frederik X and Mary Donalson in 2004

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Vor Frue Kirke (København) – Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vor_Frue_Kirke_(K%C3%B8benhavn)#F%C3%B8rste_kirkebygning> [Accessed 23 August 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Church of Our Lady, Copenhagen – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Our_Lady,_Copenhagen> [Accessed 23 August 2021].
  • Vor Frue Kirke – Københavns Domkirke. 2021. Vor Frue Kirke (Church of Our Lady) In English. [online] Available at: <https://koebenhavnsdomkirke.dk/english> [Accessed 23 August 2021].

Christiansborg Palace Chapel in Copenhagen, Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

The Three Christiansborg Palaces

Christiansborg Palace – The dome of the Palace Chapel can be seen on the left; Credit – Af Julian Herzog (Website) – Eget arbejde, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36694087

Christiansborg Palace Chapel, part of Christiansborg Palace, belongs to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark, sometimes called The Church of Denmark, the established, state-supported church in Denmark. Christiansborg Palace, located on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark, was once a royal residence but now it is a government building. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Danish Prime Minister’s Office, and the Supreme Court of Denmark. Several parts of Christiansborg Palace are still used by the Danish monarch and the royal family, including the Royal Reception Rooms, the Palace Chapel, and the Royal Stables.

Copenhagen Castle in 1698; Credit – Wikipedia

Prior to the three Christiansborg Palaces that have been on the site, there were two other castles. Absalon’s Castle was built in 1167 by Absalon, a Roman Catholic archbishop and statesman. The castle was demolished in 1370 when King Valdemar IV was defeated in a conflict with the Hanseatic League, who ordered the castle to be demolished. After the demolition of Absalon’s Castle, Copenhagen Castle was built and completed in the late 14th century. Originally Copenhagen Castle was the property of the Bishop of Roskilde until King Eric VII took over the rights to the castle in 1417. Copenhagen Castle then became the principal residence of the Danish kings and the center of government. In 1731, Copenhagen Castle was demolished to make room for the first Christiansborg Palace.

The first Christiansborg Palace; Credit – Wikipedia

The first Christiansborg Palace was commissioned by King Christian VI in 1733. Most of the palace complex was completed in 1745 and it was the largest palace in northern Europe at the time. The palace and chapel were destroyed by a fire in 1794.

The second Christiansborg Palace; Credit – Wikipedia

After the 1794 fire, the Danish royal family lived at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen. The second Christiansborg Palace was started in 1803. By the time the palace was finished in 1828, King Frederik VI decided he did not want to live there and he only used the palace for entertainment. King Frederik VII was the only monarch to live there, between 1852 – 1863. The second Christiansborg Palace burned down in 1884, however, the riding school, the court theatre, and the palace chapel were saved. The ruins remained for twenty-three years due to political fighting over the plans for a third Christiansborg Palace.

The third Christiansborg Palace under construction in 1914; Credit – Wikipedia

The third Christiansborg Palace was built from 1907 – 1928, with premises for the Parliament and the Supreme Court and royal reception rooms for the Danish royal family to be used for official functions of the monarch such as banquets, state dinners, the New Year’s levée, diplomatic accreditations, audiences, and meetings of the council of state.

Christiansborg Palace Chapel

Today’s Christiansborg Palace Chapel; Credit – Wikipedia

The history of the Christiansborg Palace Chapel goes back to the first palace. The palace chapel was not in the palace itself but rather in a separate building connected to the palace by a walkway. Architect Nicolai Eigtved designed the interior of the chapel in the Rococo style. The new palace chapel was consecrated on Sunday, November 27, 1740, and was then used for the regular services for the palace’s many residents and for the large services that accompanied anniversaries and events of the royal family.

The 1794 Christiansborg Palace Fire; Credit – Wikipedia

On February 26, 1794, a fire broke out in a chimney in the Crown Prince’s rooms in the main wing. The fire spread over the next few hours, and a large crowd attempted to save the castle and its valuable contents and also the surrounding neighborhoods. The palace and the palace chapel were destroyed and 70-80 people were killed.

Embed from Getty Images 
The interior of the Christiansborg Palace Chapel

Originally the entire palace chapel was to be razed, however, it was decided to rebuild the palace chapel on the site of the previous palace chapel using a large portion of the original exterior walls and partitions. Architect Christian Frederik Hansen was responsible for the reconstruction and transformed what remained of the first palace chapel into a neoclassical building with a dome. The work began in 1813 and was completed in 1826. The new palace chapel was consecrated at a service on May 14, 1826, as part of the 1000th anniversary of the introduction of Christianity in Denmark.

The second fire at Christiansborg Palace occurred on October 3, 1884. Although the second Christiansborg Palace had firewalls, iron doors, and firefighting equipment installed, the building had many spaces through which the fire could spread. The fire spread along the main wing and the east wing, and after a while, the firefighters gave up trying to save the palace and instead concentrated their efforts on saving the palace chapel and the riding arena complex. Both the palace chapel and the riding arena complex were saved.

Interior of the Christiansborg Palace Chapel showing the domed ceiling; Credit – By seier+seier – c.f.hansen, christiansborg palace church, copenhagen, 1810-1826Uploaded by Anne-Sophie_Ofrim, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12086401

On June 7, 1992, the palace chapel roof caught fire from fireworks set off during the Whitsun carnival. The roof burned, the dome collapsed, and a substantial part of the interior was destroyed. There were no architectural drawings for the dome and roof construction, but systematic building archeological work using the charred building parts made it possible to recreate the dome and roof construction. Historically correct construction methods were used throughout the reconstruction process. After the restoration, the Christiansborg Palace Church was rededicated on January 15, 1997, in connection with Queen Margrethe II‘s Silver Jubilee.

Royal Events at Christiansborg Palace Chapel

The christening of Crown Prince Christian, son of King Frederik X, grandson of Queen Margrethe II in 2006

The funeral of Prince Henrik, husband of Queen Margrethe II in 2018; Credit – Keld Navntoft, Kongehuset

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Christiansborg – Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiansborg> [Accessed 20 August 2021].
  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Christiansborgs brand 1884 – Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiansborgs_brand_1884> [Accessed 20 August 2021].
  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Christiansborg Slotskirke – Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiansborg_Slotskirke> [Accessed 20 August 2021].
  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Kongelige bryllupper – Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kongelige_bryllupper#Danmark> [Accessed 20 August 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Christiansborg Palace – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christiansborg_Palace> [Accessed 20 August 2021].
  • The Danish Monarchy. 2021. Christiansborg Palace. [online] Available at: <https://www.kongehuset.dk/en/palaces/christiansborg-palace> [Accessed 20 August 2021].
  • The Danish Parliament. 2021. The History of Christiansborg. [online] Available at: <https://www.thedanishparliament.dk/en/christiansborg-palace/the-history-of-christiansborg-palace> [Accessed 20 August 2021].

Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Queen of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg was born on March 24, 1628, at Herzberg Castle, in Herzberg am Harz, Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, now in the German state of Lower Saxony. She was the second but the only surviving of the four daughters and the fifth of the eight children of Georg, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1582 – 1641) and Anne Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt (1601 – 1659), daughter of  Ludwig V, Landgrave of Hesse-Darmstadt and Magdalene of Brandenburg.

Sophie Amalie’s parents are ancestors of the British royal family and other European royal families through their sons Ernst August and Georg Wilhelm – the fathers of King George I of Great Britain and his wife Sophia Dorothea of Celle. Sophia Amalie’s youngest brother Ernst August married Sophia of the Palatinate, daughter of Elizabeth Stuart, eldest daughter of King James I of England, and Friedrich V, Elector of the Palatinate. Sophia of the Palatinate was a granddaughter of King James I of England and first cousin of King Charles II of England and King James II of England. I

n 1692, Ernst August was appointed Prince-Elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg (which eventually became the Electorate of Hanover). Over in Great Britain, due to the lack of heirs in the House of Stuart, and not wanting the throne to go to a Roman Catholic, Parliament passed the 1701 Act of Settlement, giving the British throne to Sophia of the Palatinate, Electress of Hanover and her Protestant descendants. Sophia of the Palatinate died on June 8, 1714. Her son George was now the heir to the British throne. Queen Anne of Great Britain died on August 1, 1714, which was only 54 days after Sophia died. Sophie Amalie’s nephew, King George I of Great Britain, was only 56th in line to the throne according to primogeniture, but the nearest Protestant according to the 1701 Act of Settlement.

Sophie Amalie had four brothers and three sisters. Her sisters all died young.

Frederik III and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg, circa 1643; Credit – Wikipedia

Sophie Amalie’s family lived at her birthplace Herzberg Castle until 1636 when her father moved his residence to Hanover. There he built the Leineschloss, a palace situated by the Leine River, that became the residence of the Hanoverian dukes, electors, and kings. In March 1640, 12-year-old Sophia Amalie was betrothed to 31-year-old Prince Frederik of Denmark, the third but the second surviving of the four sons of Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway and his first wife Anna Katharina of Brandenburg. Frederik had an elder brother Christian, Prince-Elect of Denmark who had been elected heir apparent in 1608 (Denmark was an elected monarchy at that time) and was expected to succeed their father. Because of the bride’s young age, the marriage was delayed for three years. On October 1, 1643, at Glücksborg Castle in Glücksborg, Duchy of Schleswig, then a Danish possession, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, Frederik and Sophie Amalie were married.

Sophie Amalie’s five eldest children: left to right: Wilhelmina Ernestina, Anna Sophia, Frederika Amalia holding Frederik, and Christian; Credit – Wikipedia

Sophie Amalie and Frederik had eight children including Jørgen who married Queen Anne of Great Britain and had his name anglicized to George and Ulrika Eleonora married King Karl XI of Sweden.:

Before Frederik’s marriage, his father King Christian IV sought to provide him with a pathway to his future and also to use Frederik to gain influence in the northern German areas of the Holy Roman Empire. Despite being christened a Protestant, Frederik became the administrator of the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen and the Prince-Bishopric of Verden. In 1647, Friedrich was appointed governor of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. Sophie Amalie and Frederik lived in the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen and the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein until a sudden event changed their lives. On June 2, 1647, Frederik’s 44-year-old childless elder brother Christian, Prince-Elect of Denmark and heir apparent to the Norwegian throne, died and his death opened up the possibility for Frederik to be elected heir apparent to the Danish throne. However, when King Christian IV died less than nine months later, on February 28, 1648, Frederik had not yet been elected heir apparent to the Danish throne. After long deliberations between the Danish Estates and the Rigsraadet (royal council), he was finally elected King of Denmark. King Frederik III and Queen Sophie Amalie were crowned on November 23, 1648, at the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Sophie Amalie as Queen of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

As Queen of Denmark, Sophie Amalie became the center of court life. She replaced the old medieval court entertainments with opera and ballet. She enjoyed fashion, parties, theatre, and masquerades, and made the French taste fashionable in Denmark. Sophie Amalie was ambitious, participated in state affairs, with her husband’s blessing of her husband, and influenced policy as his adviser.

From the start of King Frederik III’s reign, Sophie Amalie was involved in the power struggle between the crown and the Danish nobility, symbolized by the Sons-In-Law Party composed of the Danish nobles who married Frederik III’s half-sisters, the daughters of King Christian IV and his morganatic second wife Kirsten Munk. Count Corfitz Ulfeldt, married to Frederik’s half-sister Leonora Christina, Countess of Schleswig-Holstein, was the leading member. There were rumors that Count Corfitz Ulfeldt was associated with a plot to poison Frederik III and Ulfeldt and his wife left Denmark and settled in Sweden. The plot was proven to be false but Ulfeldt agreed to accept the offer of King Karl X Gustav of Sweden to enter his service because he wanted to humiliate King Frederik III. Ulfeldt participated in the Swedish invasion of Denmark in the Danish-Swedish War of 1657 – 1658  and is considered the most notorious traitor in Danish history. He was tried in absentia for high treason, his property was confiscated, and his children were banished. Ulfeldt, who was seriously ill, died in 1664 while on the run. Because of her alleged involvement in the intrigues of her husband Count Corfitz Ulfeldt, Leonora Christina was imprisoned for 22 years as a political prisoner. Only after the death of Sophie Amalie did Leonora Christina gain her freedom.

Sophie Amalie, circa 1670; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway died at the age of 60, after three days of a painful illness, on February 9, 1670, at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark. During the reign of her son King Christian V, Sophie Amalie remained a player in state affairs despite her son’s dislike of her interference. Sophie Amalie’s relationship with her daughter-in-law Charlotte Amalie was not positive. She refused to give up her position as queen and her precedence as the first lady of the court to her daughter-in-law. King Christian V frequently resorted to moving to another palace with his wife so that Queen Charlotte Amalie and Queen Dowager Sophie Amalie would not be present in the same palace at the same time.

The Death of Queen Sophie Amalie by Kristian Zahrtmann; Credit – Wikipedia

Sophie Amalie survived her husband King Frederik II by fifteen years, dying on February 20, 1685, aged 56. They were interred with Frederik’s parents in the crypt of Roskilde Cathedral, the traditional burial site of the Danish royal family in Roskilde, Denmark. In 1613, a year after the death of his first wife and Frederik’s mother Anna Katharina of Brandenburg, King Christian IV ordered the construction of a new burial chapel because the space inside Roskilde Cathedral for burials was running out. However, the interior of the Christian IV Chapel was not completed until 1866. At that time, the caskets of Christian IV (died 1648), his first wife Anna Katharina of Brandenburg (died 1612), his eldest son and heir apparent Christian who predeceased him (died 1647), his second son who succeeded him as King Frederik III (died 1670); and Frederik III’s wife Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneberg (died 1685) were placed in the completed Christian IV Chapel.

Christian IV Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral: Caskets front row left to right: Anna Katharina, Christian IV,  Christian, Prince-Elect; back row left to right: Sophie Amalie, Frederik III; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Sophie Amalie af Braunschweig-Lüneburg. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Amalie_af_Braunschweig-L%C3%BCneburg> [Accessed 13 March 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Georg (Braunschweig-Calenberg). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_(Braunschweig-Calenberg)> [Accessed 13 March 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Sophie Amalie von Braunschweig-Calenberg. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Amalie_von_Braunschweig-Calenberg> [Accessed 13 March 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Calenberg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_Amalie_of_Brunswick-Calenberg> [Accessed 13 March 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. Unofficial Royalty. Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway. [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/frederik-iii-king-of-denmark-and-norway/> [Accessed 13 March 2021].

Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway was born on March 18, 1609, at Haderslevhus Castle in Haderslev, Denmark. He was the third but the second surviving of the four sons and the fifth but the fourth surviving of the six children of Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway and his first wife Anna Katharina of Brandenburg. Frederik had an elder brother who had been elected heir apparent in 1608 (Denmark was an elected monarchy at that time) and was expected to succeed their father.

Frederik has five siblings:

Frederik III as a child; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik III was raised by Beate Huitfeldt, the royal governess of the household of the royal princes, previously maid of honor to Frederik’s grandmother Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and principal lady-in-waiting to queen Anna Katharina of Brandenburg, Frederik’s mother. He was then educated from 1624 – 1626 at Sorø Academy in Sorø, Denmark, founded by his father, and then studied in France and the Netherlands from 1629 – 1630.

Frederik III’s mother Anna Katharina died on April 8, 1612, when Frederik was only three-years-old. His father King Christian IV had several mistresses and several illegitimate children who were Frederik’s half-siblings.

With Kirsten Madsdatter, the chambermaid of Christian IV’s first wife Anna Katharina:

With Karen Andersdatter, mistress from 1613-1616:

  • Dorothea Elisabeth Gyldenløve (1613–1615), died in childhood
  • Hans Ulrik Gyldenløve (link in Danish) (1615–1645), married Regitze Grubbe, no children

With Vibeke Kruse, the chambermaid of Christian IV’s second wife Kirsten Munk and Chrisitan IV’s official mistress from 1629 until his death in 1648:

In 1615, when Frederik was six-years-old, his father Christian IV married 18-year-old Kirsten Munk, from a wealthy, untitled noble Danish family. Their marriage would be morganatic, but legal, Kirsten would receive properties in her name and would be assured of a widow’s pension. Kirsten was not the Queen due to the morganatic marriage and was given the title Countess of Schleswig-Holstein. Christian IV and Kirsten’s ten children married into the Danish nobility, were styled Count and Countess of Schleswig-Holstein, and did not have succession rights.

Frederik III had ten half-siblings from his father’s second marriage to Kirsten Munk:

Because Frederik III had an elder brother who was the heir to the throne, his father King Christian IV sought to provide him with a pathway to his future and also to use Frederik to gain influence in the northern German areas of the Holy Roman Empire. Despite being christened a Protestant, Frederik became the administrator of the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen and the Prince-Bishopric of Verden. In 1647, Friedrich was appointed governor of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. He gained considerable experience as an administrator through these positions.

Before his marriage, Frederik III had one illegitimate son with his mistress Margrethe Pape, who later married county administrator and state councilor Daniel Hausmann and had three children. In 1683, Frederik III’s son Christian V granted Margrethe Pape the title Baroness of Løvendal. Frederik and Margrethe’s son Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve was Governor-General of Norway (1664 – 1699) and was the commanding general in Norway during the Scanian War (1675 – 1679). The surname Gyldenløve (Golden Love) was used by illegitimate children of Danish kings.

  • Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve, Count of Laurvig (1638 – 1704), married (1) Sophie Urne, had two sons, divorced (2) Marie Grubbe, no children, divorced (3) Countess Antoinette Augusta von Aldenburg, had three daughters and one son

Frederik III and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg, circa 1643; Credit – Wikipedia

In the 1630s, there had been unsuccessful negotiations for a marriage between Frederik III and Queen Christina of Sweden. Finally, in March 1640, 31-year-old Frederik was betrothed 12-year-old Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg, daughter of Georg, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Anna Eleonore of Hesse-Darmstadt. Because of the young age of the bride, the marriage was delayed. On October 1, 1643, at Glücksborg Castle in Glücksborg, Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, Frederik III and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg were married.

Frederik III’s five eldest children: left to right: Wilhelmina Ernestina, Anna Sophia, Frederika Amalia holding Frederik, and Christian; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik III and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg had eight children:

Frederik III and Sophie Amalie lived in the Prince-Archbishopric of Bremen and the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein until a sudden event changed their lives. On June 2, 1647, Frederik’s 44-year-old childless elder brother Christian, Prince-Elect of Denmark and heir apparent to the Norwegian throne, died and his death opened up the possibility for Frederik to be elected heir apparent to the Danish throne. However, when King Christian IV died less than nine months later, on February 28, 1648, Frederik had not yet been elected heir apparent to the Danish throne. After long deliberations between the Danish Estates and the Rigsraadet (royal council), he was finally elected King of Denmark. King Frederik III and Queen Sophie Amalie were crowned on November 23, 1648.

Five of Frederik III’s half-sisters, the daughters of Christian IV and Kirsten Munk, had married powerful Danish noblemen, collectively called the Party of the Sons-in-Law, and played important roles in the Danish government from 1648 – 1651. Frederik had a particular problem with his brother-in-law Count Corfitz Ulfeldt, husband of his half-sister Countess Leonora Christina of Schleswig-Holstein. There were rumors that Count Corfitz Ulfeldt was associated with a plot to poison Frederik III and Ulfeldt and his wife left Denmark and settled in Sweden. The plot was proven to be false but Ulfeldt agreed to accept the offer of King Karl X Gustav of Sweden to enter his service because he wanted to humiliate King Frederik III, his wife’s half-brother. Ulfeldt participated in the Swedish invasion of Denmark in the Danish-Swedish War of 1657 – 1658. Kirsten allegedly financially supported the invasion of Denmark by King Karl X Gustav of Sweden. Because of this, the Danish government withdrew the title of Count/Countess of Schleswig-Holstein from Kirsten Munk and her children. Frederik III’s brother-in-law Count Corfitz Ulfeldt is considered the most notorious traitor in Danish history. He was tried in absentia for high treason, his property was confiscated, and his children were banished. Ulfeldt, who was seriously ill, died in 1664 while on the run. Because of her alleged involvement in intrigues of her husband Count Corfitz Ulfeldt, Frederik III’s half-sister Leonora Christina was imprisoned for 22 years as a political prisoner. Only after the death of Frederik III’s wife Queen Sophie Amalie did Leonora Christina gain her freedom.

Homage to King Frederik III in front of Copenhagen Castle on October 18, 1660, after being declared an absolute monarch; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1660, Frederik III used his popularity to end the elective monarchy in favor of a hereditary, absolute monarchy in which the legislature was dissolved and the monarch ruled by decree. This lasted until 1849 when Denmark-Norway became a hereditary, constitutional monarchy. Frederik maintained a life-long interest in interest in theology, the natural sciences, and Scandinavian history. He was an enthusiastic collector of books and his collection became the foundation for the Royal Library in Copenhagen which he founded in 1648.

Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway died at the age of 60, after three days of a painful illness, on February 9, 1670, at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark. His wife Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneberg survived him by fifteen years, dying on February 20, 1685, aged 56. They were interred with Frederik’s parents in the crypt of Roskilde Cathedral, the traditional burial site of the Danish royal family in Roskilde, Denmark. In 1613, a year after the death of his first wife and Frederik’s mother Anna Katharina of Brandenburg, Christian IV ordered the construction of a new burial chapel because the space inside Roskilde Cathedral for burials was running out. However, the interior of the Christian IV Chapel was not completed until 1866. At that time, the caskets of Christian IV (died 1648), his first wife Anna Katharina of Brandenburg (died 1612), his eldest son and heir apparent Christian who predeceased him (died 1647), his second son who succeeded him as King Frederik III (died 1670); and Frederik III’s wife Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneberg (died 1685) were placed in the completed Christian IV Chapel.

Christian IV Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral: Caskets front row left to right: Anna Katharina, Christian IV,  Christian, Prince-Elect; back row left to right: Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneberg, Frederik III; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Frederik 3.. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederik_3.> [Accessed 11 March 2021].
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  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Frederick III of Denmark. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_III_of_Denmark> [Accessed 11 March 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2021. Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/christian-iv-king-of-denmark-and-norway/> [Accessed 11 March 2021].

Kirsten Munk, Countess of Schleswig-Holstein, second wife of Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Kirsten Munk; Credit – Wikipedia

Kirsten Munk was the morganatic, second wife of Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway. A morganatic marriage is a marriage between people of unequal rank in which inherited titles and privileges cannot be passed on to the spouse or children of the marriage.

Kirsten Munk was born on July 6, 1598, at Nørlund Castle (link in Danish) in Nørager, Denmark. She was the only child of Ludvig Munk (1537 – 1602) and Ellen Marsvin (1572 – 1649). Her father had married late in life, at the age of 52, to the 17-year-old Ellen Marsvin. The family was untitled Danish nobility and Kirsten’s father served as Governor-General of Norway (1577 – 1583) and District Governor and feudal overlord of Hedmark (1587), Lister (1588 – 1589) and Trøndelag (1589 – 1599). Ellen Marsvin’s father Jørgen Marsvin was also of untitled Danish nobility who had served at the Danish royal court and as a District Governor.

Kirsten’s father died in 1602 when she was only four-years-old. In 1607, her mother Ellen married Knud Rud but he died in 1611. With the inheritances from her father and her two husbands, along with her natural business sense, Ellen increased her wealth and became the richest landowner in Denmark.

Kirsten Munk and Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1612, Anna Katharina of Brandenburg, wife of Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway, died. Christian IV had affairs during his marriage and continued having affairs that resulted in several illegitimate children. In 1616, 39-year-old Christian IV became attracted to 18-year-old Kirsten. Kirsten’s astute mother did not want her daughter to become Christian’s mistress and instead negotiated a morganatic marriage between Christian and her daughter due to Kirsten’s status as a noble. Kirsten received properties in her name and was assured of a widow’s pension. Christian and Kirsten were married on December 31, 1615, and Kirsten was not the Queen due to the morganatic marriage and was given the title Countess of Schleswig-Holstein. Despite Christian IV having affairs, he had a close relationship with Kristen, who was described as intelligent and independent, and accompanied the king on his travels.

Kirsten and her four eldest children in 1623; Credit – Wikipedia

Christian IV and Kirsten’s children were styled Count and Countess of Schleswig-Holstein and did not have succession rights. Their maternal grandmother Ellen was made their guardian along with their father Christian IV. Ellen was also the trustee for her grandchildren’s allowances and was made responsible for their finances. The children of Christian IV and Kirsten married into the Danish nobility. Through their daughter Leonora Christine, Christian IV and Kirsten are the ancestors of Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein and Princess Michael of Kent (born Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz) and past monarchs King Simeon II of the Bulgarians, King Michael of Romania, King Peter II of Yugoslavia, King Manuel II of Portugal, Emperor Karl I of Austria-Hungary, King Friedrich August III of Saxony.

In 1627 or 1628, Kirsten, who often accompanied her husband on military campaigns during the Thirty Years War, began a relationship with Count Otto Ludwig von Salm-Kyrburg-Mörchingen, one of King Christian IV’s military leaders. The relationship between Kirsten and Christian IV grew further apart and in November 1628, Kirsten denied Christian IV access to her bedroom. When Kirsten gave birth to her daughter Dorothea Elisabeth ten months later, Christian IV refused to recognize the child as his daughter. In 1630, Christian IV divorced Kirsten. He never remarried but Vibeke Kruse, who had been Kirsten’s chambermaid and then joined the household of Kirsten’s mother after Kirsten’s exile from the court, became his official mistress until he died in 1648.

For the rest of Christian IV’s reign, Kirsten lived under house arrest on her Jutland estates Boller Castle (link in Danish) and Rosenvold (link in Danish). During the last years of Christian IV’s life, Kirsten’s repeated requests to him for mercy were rejected. Finally, when Christian IV was on his deathbed in 1648, he sent for Kirsten but she arrived in Copenhagen after his death.

Five of Christian IV and Kirsten’s daughters had married powerful Danish noblemen, collectively called the Party of the Sons-in-Law, and played important roles in the Danish government from 1648 – 1651. Shortly after Christian IV’s death, the status of Kirsten’s marriage to the late king and the birth of all of her children, including the youngest, were declared legitimate. Vibeke Kruse, whom Kirsten’s children and sons-in-law had long opposed, was immediately removed from the court and died two months after Christian IV. An unnatural death cannot be ruled out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kirsten’s daughter Leonora Christina and her husband Count Corfitz Ulfeldt; Credit – Wikipedia

After the fall of Kirsten’s son-in-law Count Corfitz Ulfeldt, husband of her daughter Leonora Christina, due to rumors that he was associated with a plot to poison King Frederik III of Denmark and Norway, the couple left Denmark and settled in Sweden. The plot was proven to be false but Ulfeldt agreed to accept the offer of King Karl X Gustav of Sweden to enter his service because he wanted to humiliate King Frederik III, who was his wife’s half-brother. Ulfeldt participated in the Swedish invasion of Denmark in the Danish-Swedish War of 1657 – 1658. Kirsten allegedly financially supported the invasion of Denmark by King Karl X Gustav of Sweden. Because of this, the Danish government withdrew the title of Count/Countess of Schleswig-Holstein from Kirsten and her children. Count Corfitz Ulfeldt is considered the most notorious traitor in Danish history.

When Kirsten became ill in early 1658, her daughter Leonora Christina Ulfeldt, the wife of the traitor, was not allowed to visit her. On April 19, 1658, Kirsten died, aged 60, at Boller Castle, her estate near Horsens on Jutland in Denmark  Her remains were brought to the city of Odense, now in Denmark but then occupied by Kirsten’s son-in-law Count Corfitz Ulfeldt and the Swedish army. There Kirsten was given a splendid funeral at St. Canute’s Cathedral where she was also buried.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Kirsten Munk. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirsten_Munk> [Accessed 8 March 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Kirsten Munk. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirsten_Munk> [Accessed 8 March 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Ellen Marsvin. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_Marsvin> [Accessed 8 March 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Kirsten Munk. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirsten_Munk> [Accessed 8 March 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2021. Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway. [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/christian-iv-king-of-denmark-and-norway/> [Accessed 8 March 2021].

Anna Katharina of Brandenburg, Queen of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Anna Katharina of Brandenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

The first wife of Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway, Anna Katharina of Brandenburg was born on June 26, 1575, in Halle, Archbishopric of Magdeburg, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. She was the second of the nine children and the eldest of the two daughters of Joachim Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg and his first wife Katharina of Brandenburg-Küstrin.

Anna Katharina had eight siblings:

Anna Katharina had one much younger half-sister from her father’s second marriage to Princess Eleonore of Prussia:

Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

In the autumn of 1595, eighteen-year-old Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway made a trip through some of the German monarchies. He met twenty-year-old Anna Katharina and decided to marry her. After a life-threatening crossing over the Baltic Sea to Denmark, Anna Katharina and her parents attended Christian’s coronation in Copenhagen in 1596. Christian and Anna Katharina met again in January 1597 and later that year, the marriage contract was signed. The wedding took place on November 27, 1597, at Haderslevhus Castle in Denmark. Anna Katharina was crowned Queen of Denmark on June 11, 1598, at the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Anna Katharina with her eldest son Christian who predeceased his father; Credit – Wikipedia

Christian IV and Anna Katharina had six children:

Beate Huitfeldt, a Danish noble who had served as maid of honor to Christian IV’s mother, was appointed as principal lady-in-waiting to Anna Katharina and remained in that position until Anna Katharina’s death. After Anna Katharina died in 1612, Beate Huitfeldt then served as the royal governess of the household of Anna Katharina’s sons. Anna Katharina was praised for her modesty and piety. She often accompanied Christian IV on his trips but had no influence on the politics of Denmark. Christian IV had affairs during his marriage and Anna Katharina was certainly aware of them. Her maid of honor Kirsten Madsdatter gave birth to Christian’s son the day after Anna Katharina gave birth to her last child.

A little more than a year after the birth of her last child, Anna Katharina died on April 8, 1612, at the age of 36, and was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark. After the Christian IV Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral, was completed, Anna Katharina’s casket was moved to the chapel along with the caskets of her husband King Christian IV (died 1648, the silver-plated casket in the photo below), her eldest son Christian (died 1647) who predeceased his father, her second son who succeeded his father as King Frederik III (died 1670) and Frederik III’s wife Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneberg (died 1685).

Sarcophagus of Anna Katharina of Brandenburg in the foreground – Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Anna Cathrine af Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Cathrine_af_Brandenburg> [Accessed 26 February 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Anna Katharina von Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Katharina_von_Brandenburg> [Accessed 26 February 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Anne Catherine of Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Catherine_of_Brandenburg> [Accessed 26 February 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Joachim Frederick, Elector of Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joachim_Frederick,_Elector_of_Brandenburg> [Accessed 26 February 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2021. Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway. [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/christian-iv-king-of-denmark-and-norway/> [Accessed 26 February 2021].

Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Having reigned for 59 years, Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark and one of the most beloved. Born on April 12, 1577, at Frederiksborg Castle in Denmark, he was the third child and the eldest son of Frederik II, King of Denmark and Norway and Sophie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, daughter of Ulrich III, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and Princess Elizabeth of Denmark, a daughter of Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway and his second wife Sophie of Pomerania.

Christian IV had six siblings:

Coronation of King Christian IV; Credit – Wikipedia

At the time, Denmark was still an elective monarchy, and so despite being the eldest son, Christian was not automatically the heir to the throne. However, in 1580, King Frederik II had his three-year-old son Christian elected heir to the throne. Frederik II, King of Denmark and Norway died, aged 53, on April 4, 1588, and eleven-year-old Christian became King of Denmark and Norway. Christian’s thirty-year-old mother Sophie wanted to play a role in the government but was given no role in the regency council set up for her son. In 1596, Christian IV became of age and was crowned on August 29, 1596, at the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Christian IV of Denmark and his first wife Anna Cathrine of Brandenburg, 1612; Credit – Wikipedia

In the autumn of 1595, during a trip through some of the German monarchies, Christian IV first met Anna Katharina of Brandenburg, daughter of Joachim Friedrich, Margrave of Brandenburg and his first wife Katharina of Brandenburg-Küstrin, and decided to marry her. Anna Katharina and her parents attended Christian’s coronation in 1596. Christian and Anna Katharina met again in January 1597 and later that year, the marriage contract was signed. The wedding took place on November 27, 1597, at Haderslevhus Castle in Denmark.

Christian IV and Anna Katharina of Brandenburg had six children:

Christian IV had affairs during his marriage and Anna Katharina was certainly aware of them. Her maid of honor Kirsten Madsdatter gave birth to a son the day after Anna Katharina gave birth to her last child. A little more than a year after the birth of her last child, Anna Katharina died on April 8, 1612, at the age of 36, and was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark.

The surname Gyldenløve, which means Golden Love was given to the illegitimate children of Christian IV, his son Frederick III, and his grandson Christian V. Christian IV had the following illegitimate children:

With Kirsten Madsdatter, the chambermaid of Christian’s first wife Anna Cathrine:

With Karen Andersdatter, mistress from 1613-1616:

  • Dorothea Elisabeth Gyldenløve (1613–1615), died in childhood
  • Hans Ulrik Gyldenløve (link in Danish) (1615–1645), married Regitze Grubbe, no children

With Vibeke Kruse: the chambermaid of Christian’s second wife Kirsten Munk and Chrisitan’s official mistress from 1629 until he died in 1648:

In 1616, 39-year-old Christian IV became attracted to 18-year-old Kirsten Munk, from a wealthy, untitled noble Danish family. Kirsten’s astute mother did not want her daughter to become Christian’s mistress and instead negotiated a morganatic marriage between Christian and her daughter due to Kirsten’s status as a noble. Kirsten received properties in her name and was assured of a widow’s pension. Christian and Kirsten were married on December 31, 1615, and Kirsten was not the Queen due to the morganatic marriage and was given the title Countess of Schleswig-Holstein. Christian and Kirsten’s stormy marriage ended in divorce in 1630, amid mutual allegations of infidelity and much bitterness, and Kirsten retired to her estates in Jutland.

Kirsten Munk with her eldest four children, 1623; Credit – Wikipedia

Christian IV and Kirsten’s ten children married into the Danish nobility, were styled Count and Countess of Schleswig-Holstein and did not have succession rights. Through their daughter Leonora Christine, Christian and Kirsten are the ancestors of Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein and Princess Michael of Kent (born Baroness Marie Christine von Reibnitz) and past monarchs King Simeon II of the Bulgarians, King Michael of Romania, King Peter II of Yugoslavia, King Manuel II of Portugal, Emperor Karl I of Austria-Hungary, King Friedrich August III of Saxony.

The cipher of King Christian IV at the entrance gate of Rosenborg Castle; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

During his long reign, Christian IV, repeatedly and unsuccessfully attempted by military means to make the Kingdom of Denmark and Norway into a great power, especially during the Thirty Years War. However, his legacy would be his building projects and this writer frequently noticed his cipher C 4 (see above photo) on many buildings during a trip to Denmark. Christian converted Frederiksborg Castle into a Renaissance palace and completely rebuilt Kronborg Castle into a fortress. It is through his building that he became a beloved and admired king.

Christian IV is responsible for founding the following cities:

  • Christianopel: founded in 1599 as a garrison town in the then Danish territory of Blekinge  near the then Danish-Swedish border, now Kristianopel, Sweden
  • Christianstad: founded in 1614 in the then Danish territory of Skåne, now Kristianstad, Sweden
  • Glückstadt: founded in 1617 as a rival to Hamburg in the then Danish territory of Holstein,  now in Germany
  • Christianshavn: founded in 1619 as a fortification/garrison town, now part of Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Konningsberg: founded in 1624 as an industrial town after the discovery of silver ore, now Kongsberg, Norway
  • Christiania: after a devastating fire in 1624, Christian IV ordered the old city of Oslo to be moved closer to the fortification of Akershus Fortress and also renamed it Christiania. The city name went back to Oslo in 1924
  • Christiansand: founded in 1641 to promote trade in southern Norway, now Kristiansand, Norway
  • Røros: founded as an industrial town after the discovery of copper ore, now in Norway

Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

In Copenhagen, Christian IV is responsible for the construction of:

  • Børsbygningen (Stock Exchange)
  • Holmen Church: converted into a naval church, the burial site of naval heroes
  • Kongens Bryghus (King’s Brewhouse): originally built as a bastion that was part of Copenhagen’s defense system, in 1618 a brewery was set up in the former bastion, where beer was brewed for the military
  • Nyboder: row house district of Royal Danish Navy barracks
  • Proviantgården: part of Christian IV’s Arsenal Dock, a naval harbor, used for storing cannons, sails, ropes, food, and other supplies for the navy
  • Rosenborg Castle
  • Regensen Collegium Domus Regiæ (Royal House’s College)
  • Rundetårn (Round Tower): built as an astronomical observatory
  • Tøjhus (Arsenal): originally an arsenal in the Arsenal Dock, a naval harbor, it is now the Danish War Museum (Krigsmuseet)
  • Trinitatis Church: originally served the students of Copenhagen University

Christian IV on his deathbed; Credit – By Berent Hilwaertz – Own work, Sven Rosborn, 18 June 2011, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19385295

Sensing he did not have a long time to live, Christian IV requested to be brought to his beloved Copenhagen. On February 21, 1648, he was carried in a litter from Frederiksborg Palace to Copenhagen. He died a week later, on February 28, 1648, at Rosenborg Castle, at the age of 70. Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway was interred at Roskilde Cathedral, the traditional burial site of the Danish royal family in Roskilde, Denmark.

Christian IV Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral: Caskets front row left to right: Anna Katharina, Christian IV,  Christian, Prince-Elect; back row left to right: Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneberg, Frederik III; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

In 1613, a year after the death of his first wife Anna Katharina, Christian IV ordered the construction of a new burial chapel (Christian IV Chapel) because the space inside Roskilde Cathedral for burials was very limited. Two older chapels were demolished to make space for the new burial chapel. The exterior of the new chapel was completed by 1641. However, when Christian IV died in 1648, the interior had not been completed and his coffin was placed in the crypt below. The interior of the chapel was not completed until 1866. Two large paintings illustrating important scenes from Christian IV’s life are on the walls and a statue of Christian IV watches over the chapel. King Christian IV’s silver-plated casket now stands in the middle of the chapel in addition to the caskets of his first wife Anna Katharina of Brandenburg (died 1612), his eldest son and heir apparent Christian who predeceased him (died 1647); his second son who succeeded him as King Frederik III (died 1670); and Frederik III’s wife Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneberg (died 1685).

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, Queen of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, Queen of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

The wife of Frederik II, King of Denmark and Norway, Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow was born on September 4, 1557, in Wismar, Duchy of Mecklenburg, now in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. She was the only child of Ulrich III, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow and his first wife Elizabeth of Denmark, daughter of Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway and his second wife Sophie of Pomerania. Sophie’s mother Elizabeth died in 1586 while returning from visiting her daughter in Denmark. After the death of his first wife, Sophie’s father Ulrich III married Anna of Pomerania but their marriage was childless.

Sophie’s husband Frederik II, King of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

In Denmark, marriage negotiations had been unsuccessfully conducted for Frederik II, King of Denmark and Norway during the end of his father’s reign and during the first thirteen years of Frederik’s reign. The negotiations were difficult because Frederik insisted on meeting the prospective bride before committing to her. In 1572, Frederik’s aunt Elizabeth of Denmark and her husband Ulrich III, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow (Sophie’s parents), arranged for Frederik to meet a prospective bride Margaret of Pomerania at Nykøbing Castle in Denmark. Elizabeth and her husband brought along 14-year-old Sophie. Frederik II and Sophie were half-first cousins through their grandfather Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway, Frederik through his first wife Anna of Brandenburg, and Sophie through his second wife Sophie of Pomerania. Instead of being interested in Margaret of Pomerania, Frederik II was interested in Sophie. On July 20, 1572, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Frederik II and Sophie were married.

Frederik II and Sophie had seven children. Through their daughter Anna, who married James VI, King of Scots, later also James I, King of England, they are ancestors of the British Royal Family.

Frederik II and Sophie; Credit – Wikipedia

Despite a 23-year age difference, Frederik II and Sophie had a happy marriage. Sophie is consistently mentioned in Frederik’s handwritten diary as “mynt Soffye“, meaning “my Sophie”. She never interfered in government matters, always accompanied him on his travels, participated in his hunts, and nursed him when he was ill. Sophie was interested in books, visited the Danish pioneering astronomer Tycho Brahe, collected folk songs, and encouraged historian Anders Sørensen Vedel to publish his Hundredvisebogen, a collection of a hundred Danish folk songs he had gathered that became the foundation of Danish literary tradition.

Frederik II, King of Denmark and Norway died, aged 53, on April 4, 1588. When her husband died, Sophie was a thirty-year-old widow with seven children ranging in age from five-years-old to fifteen-years-old. Her eldest son who succeeded his father as Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway was only eleven-years-old. Sophie wanted to play a role in the government but was given no role in her son’s regency council. From 1590, she did act as regent of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein for Christian as was the custom in the duchies. Sophie arranged the marriages and dowries for her daughters including a marriage for her daughter Anna (Anne) with the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, James VI, King of Scots who also became King of England upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Nykøbing Castle; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1593, when Christian IV was declared of age, Sophie engaged in a power struggle with the regency council and the Danish Council of State. According to custom, she wanted the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein to be divided between her two younger sons but was unsuccessful. In 1594, Sophie was forced to retire to her dower property Nykøbing Castle on the island of Falster in Denmark.

Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, Queen of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Sophie managed her estates on the Danish islands of Falster and Lolland so well that her son King Christian IV borrowed money from her on several occasions for his wars. She also engaged in trade and money-lending with Danish nobles. Sophie had a great love of knowledge and studied chemistry, astronomy, and other sciences. She often visited her homeland Mecklenburg and when her daughter Hedwig married Christian II, Elector of Saxony in 1602, she attended the wedding in Dresden, Saxony.

Tomb of Frederik II and Sophie – Photo by Susan Flantzer

Sophie survived her husband by forty-three years, dying on October 14, 1631, at the age of 74, at Nykøbing Castle on the island of Falster in Denmark and was buried with her husband Frederik II in the Chapel of the Magi at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark. At the time of her death, she was the richest woman in Northern Europe.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Sophie Af Mecklenburg. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_af_Mecklenburg> [Accessed 18 January 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Sophie Von Mecklenburg (1557–1631). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_von_Mecklenburg_(1557%E2%80%931631)> [Accessed 18 January 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Sophie Of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_of_Mecklenburg-G%C3%BCstrow> [Accessed 18 January 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2021. Frederik II, King of Denmark and Norway.  [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/frederik-ii-king-of-denmark-and-norway/> [Accessed 18 January 2021].