Category Archives: Danish Royals

Sophie of Pomerania, Queen of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Sophie of Pomerania, Queen of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Sophie of Pomerania, Queen of Denmark and Norway was born circa 1498 in Stettin, Duchy of Pomerania, now Szczecin, Poland. Stettin was also the birthplace of Catherine II (the Great) of Russia who was born there as Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst while her father, a general in the Prussian Army, was serving as Governor of Stettin. Sophie of Pomerania was the fourth of the eight children and the second of the three daughters of Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania and his second wife Princess Anna Jagiellon of Poland, daughter of King Casimir IV of Poland and Archduchess Elisabeth of Austria. The first marriage of Sophie’s father to Margarete of Brandenburg was childless.

Sophie had seven siblings:

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

On October 9, 1518, in Kiel, Duchy of Holstein, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, twenty-year-old Sophie became the second wife of forty-seven-year-old Frederik of Denmark, the youngest of the four sons but the second surviving son of Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden and Dorothea of Brandenburg. Frederik was co-Duke of Schleswig and Holstein with his elder brother King Hans of Denmark and Norway. Frederik’s first wife Anna of Brandenburg had died from tuberculosis in 1514 at the age of 26.

Sophie became the stepmother of Frederik and Anna’s two children:

Sophie and Frederik had six children:

Frederik’s nephew Christian II, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden had reigned since the death of his father King Hans in 1513. However, Christian II was deposed in Sweden in 1521 and replaced by Gustav Vasa, the first monarch of the Swedish House of Vasa. By 1523, the Danes also had enough of Christian II and a rebellion started. Christian was forced to abdicate by the Danish nobles and his paternal uncle Frederik, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein was offered the crown on January 20, 1523. Frederik’s army gained control over most of Denmark during the spring, and in April 1523, Christian II and his family left Denmark to live in exile. In 1531, Christian unsuccessfully attempted to reclaim Norway and was imprisoned by his uncle Frederik in castles, albeit in comfortable circumstances, for the last twenty-seven years of his life.

Frederik and Sophie as King and Queen of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik and Sophie were crowned King and Queen of Denmark on August 13, 1525, at the Cathedral of Our Lady in Copenhagen. Although Frederik was also King of Norway, he and Sophie never visited the country and were never crowned King and Queen of Norway. Frederik occasionally visited Denmark but his main residence was Gottorp Castle in the Duchy of Schleswig. After her coronation, Sophie was granted the Danish islands Lolland and Falster, Kiel Castle and Plön Castle, and several villages in the Duchy of Holstein to provide a means for her income.

After a reign of ten years, Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway died on April 10, 1533, aged 61, at Gottrop Castle in Gottorp, Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Frederik was buried in Schleswig Cathedral in Schleswig, Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.

Sophie’s stepson King Christian III; Credit – Wikipedia

After her husband’s death, when the Danish Council of State was discussing whether the Danish throne should go to her Lutheran stepson the future Christian III, or her Catholic twelve-year-old eldest son Johann, Sophie remained with her children at Gottorp Castle. In 1534, Christian was proclaimed King of Denmark at an assembly of Lutheran nobles in Jutland. However, the Danish Council of State, consisting of mostly Catholic bishops and nobles, refused to accept Christian III as king. Sophie’s son Johann was deemed too young, and the council was more amenable to restoring the deposed King Christian II to the throne because he had supported both the Catholics and Protestant Reformers at various times.

Christopher, Count of Oldenburg, the grandson of a brother of King Christian I of Denmark and the second cousin of both Christian II and Christian III, led the military alliance to restore King Christian II to the throne. A two-year civil war resulted, known as the Count’s Feud, from 1534 – 1536, between Protestant and Catholic forces, that led to King Frederik I’s son from his first marriage ascending the Danish throne as King Christian III.

Sophie had a long dispute with her stepson King Christian III and then his son and successor King Frederik II about her property. First, Christian III claimed Gottorp Castle for himself and forced Sophia to retire to Kiel Castle. Sophie considered the lands her husband had bestowed upon her as her private property. She also had conflicts with Christian III and his son and successor Frederik II over revenue management and the appointment of civil servants.

Schleswig Cathedral; Credit – Von Georg Denda, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39310151

Sophie survived her husband King Frederik I by thirty-five years, dying at Kiel Castle on May 13, 1568, at about the age of 70. She was buried with Frederik at Schleswig Cathedral.

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

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Count’s Feud. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count%27s_Feud> [Accessed 28 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Sophie Of Pomerania. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_of_Pomerania> [Accessed 28 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2021. Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway. [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/frederik-i-king-of-denmark-and-norway/> [Accessed 27 December 2020].
  • Nl.wikipedia.org. 2020. Sophia Van Pommeren (1498-1568). [online] Available at: <https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophia_van_Pommeren_(1498-1568)> [Accessed 28 December 2020].
  • Pl.wikipedia.org. 2020. Zofia Pomorska (1501–1568). [online] Available at: <https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zofia_pomorska_(1501%E2%80%931568)> [Accessed 28 December 2020].

Anna of Brandenburg, Duchess of Schleswig and Holstein, first wife of Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Anna of Brandenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Anna of Brandenburg was the first wife of Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway. She died before her husband became King of Denmark and Norway but she was the mother of his heir. Anna was born on August 27, 1487, in Berlin, Margraviate of Brandenburg, now in the German state of Brandenburg. She was the fourth of the six children and the second of the three daughters of Johann II, Elector of Brandenburg and Margaret of Thuringia.

Anna had five siblings but a brother and a sister died in infancy:

In 1495, Johann II, Elector of Brandenburg started marriage negotiations with the Jagiellonian family of Poland for his elder surviving son Joachim Nestor and Anna, his elder surviving daughter, but the marriage negotiations were unsuccessful. After Johann II, Elector of Brandenburg died in 1499, his half-brother Friedrich V, Margrave of Ansbach-Bayreuth, successfully negotiated with the Danish royal family for marriages for Joachim Nestor and Anna. Joachim Nestor was to marry Elisabeth of Denmark, daughter of King Hans of Denmark and Norway and Anna was to marry King Hans’ much younger brother Frederik of Denmark, who was co-Duke of Schleswig and Holstein with his elder brother King Hans. The wedding was scheduled for Anna’s 14th birthday but the death of Anna’s mother on July 13, 1501, delayed the marriage. On April 10, 1502, in Stendal, Margraviate of Brandenburg, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, fifteen-year-old Anna married thirty-one-year-old Frederik. Their marriage was a double ceremony as Anna’s brother Joachim Nestor married Elisabeth of Denmark at the same time.

The double wedding in Stendal in 1502; Credit – Wikipedia

Anna and Frederik had two children:

Anna and Frederik lived at Gottorp Castle in the Duchy of Schleswig, now in Schleswig in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Anna often accompanied her husband on his travels and she was very popular with the people of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. Apparently having two children during her teenage years weakened Anna’s health. She contracted tuberculosis and died on May 3, 1514, aged 26, while six months pregnant. Anna was buried in the  Bordesholm Monastery Church (link in German) in the Duchy of Schleswig. After Anna’s death, Frederik ordered a magnificent tomb with bronze effigies of Anna and himself which still stands in Bordesholm Monastery Church. Frederik planned to be buried there but he was buried instead at Schleswig Cathedral.

Anna’s tomb at the Bordesholm Monastery Church; Credit – By Photo: Andreas Praefcke – Self-photographed, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=37913487

Frederik hired Hans Brüggemann to carve an altar for Bordesholm Monastery Church in memory of Anna. From 1514 to 1520 Brüggemann worked on the altar, known as the Brüggemann or Bordesholm Altar. The altar has over 400 carved figures and depicts biblical stories including Adam and Eve, the Passion, the Ascension, Pentecost, and the Last Judgment. In 1666, the altar was moved to Schleswig Cathedral where it remains.

Brüggemann Altar; Credit – Von Arnoldius – Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77065794

Frederik married again in 1518 to Sophie of Pomerania and they had six children. He became King of Denmark and Norway in 1523 and after a reign of ten years, he died on April 10, 1533, aged 61. Instead of being buried with his first wife Anna at the Bordesholm Monastery Church where a tomb was awaiting him, Frederik was buried at Schleswig Cathedral in Schleswig, Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Frederik’s second wife Sophie was buried with him upon her death in 1568.

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. 2020. Anna Af Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_af_Brandenburg> [Accessed 27 December 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Anna Von Brandenburg (1487–1514). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_von_Brandenburg_(1487%E2%80%931514)> [Accessed 27 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Anna Of Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_of_Brandenburg> [Accessed 27 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. John Cicero, Elector Of Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Cicero,_Elector_of_Brandenburg> [Accessed 27 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2020. Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway. [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/frederik-i-king-of-denmark-and-norway/> [Accessed 27 December 2020].

Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

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

Born on October 7, 1471, in Hadersleben, Duchy of Schleswig, now Haderslev, Denmark, Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway was the youngest of the four sons and the youngest of the five children of Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden and Dorothea of Brandenburg.

Frederik had four elder siblings but his eldest two siblings died young. He was fifteen years younger than his closest sibling Margaret.

Frederik’s father Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, and also Duke of Schleswig and Holstein, died in 1481 when Frederik was ten years old. During King Christian I’s life, his wife Queen Dorothea asked her husband to leave the Duchy of Schleswig and the Duchy of  Holstein to Frederik. However, upon the death of King Christian I, his son and successor King Hans I instead insisted on German inheritance law, which meant both brothers would be co-rulers of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein.

Until Frederik reached his majority in 1490, his mother Queen Dorothea was co-ruler as regent of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein with her son King Hans. Frederik grew up at Gottorp Castle in the Duchy of Schleswig, now in Schleswig in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. He was educated at Bordesholm Monastery (link in German) in the Duchy of Schleswig. Although the duchies could not be divided, Queen Dorothea arranged for the income from both duchies to be divided equally between the two brothers, who both held the title Duke of Schleswig and Holstein.

The double wedding in Stendal in 1502; Credit – Wikipedia

On April 10, 1502, in Stendal, Electorate of Brandenburg, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt, thirty-one-year-old Frederik married fifteen-year-old Anna of Brandenburg, daughter of Johann II, Elector of Brandenburg and Margaret of Thuringia. Their marriage was a double ceremony as Anna’s brother Joachim I Nestor, Elector of Brandenburg and Frederik’s niece Elisabeth of Denmark, daughter of King Hans of Denmark, were also married.

Frederik and his first wife Anna of Brandenburg; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik and Anna had two children:

Having two children during her teenage years weakened Anna’s health. She contracted tuberculosis and died on May 3, 1514, aged 26, while six months pregnant. Anna was buried in the Bordesholm Monastery Church in the Duchy of Schleswig. After Anna’s death, Frederik I ordered a magnificent tomb with bronze effigies of Anna and himself which still stands in Bordesholm Monastery Church. Frederik planned to be buried there but he was buried elsewhere.

Sophie of Pomerania, Frederik’s second wife; Credit – Wikipedia

Four years after Anna’s death, forty-seven-year-old Frederik married twenty-year-old Sophie of Pomerania on October 9, 1518, in Kiel, Duchy of Holstein, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Sophia was the daughter of Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania and Princess Anna Jagiellon of Poland.

Sophie and Frederik had six children:

Frederik’s nephew King Christian II; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik’s nephew Christian II, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden had been deposed in Sweden in 1521 and replaced by Gustav Vasa, the first monarch of the Swedish House of Vasa. By 1523, the Danes had enough of Christian II and a rebellion started. Christian II was forced to abdicate by the Danish nobles and his paternal uncle Frederik, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein was offered the crown on January 20, 1523. Frederik’s army gained control over most of Denmark during the spring, and in April 1523, Christian II and his family left Denmark to live in exile. In November 1531, Christian II attempted to reclaim Norway but was unsuccessful. He accepted a promise of safe-conduct from his uncle Frederik I but Frederik had enough of his nephew Christian. He did not keep his promise, and instead, Christian was imprisoned in castles, albeit in comfortable circumstances, for the last twenty-seven years of his life.

Although Frederik was King of Norway, he never visited the country and was never crowned King of Norway. He did visit Denmark but he kept his main residence at Gottorp Castle in the Duchy of Schleswig. It is not certain if Frederik ever learned to speak Danish. Frederik was 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  Lutherans and Roman Catholics to share the same churches and encouraged the first publication of the Bible in the Danish language. When Lutheran reformer Hans Tausen was threatened with arrest and trial for heresy, Frederick appointed him his personal chaplain to give him immunity. Frederik’s attitude toward religion postponed the all-out warfare between Protestants and Roman Catholics that occurred during the reign of his son King Christian III, ultimately turning Denmark into a Protestant nation.

After a reign of ten years, King Frederik I died on April 10, 1533, aged 61, at Gottrop Castle in Gottorp, Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Instead of being buried with his first wife Anna at the Bordesholm Monastery Church where a tomb was awaiting him, Frederik was buried in Schleswig Cathedral in Schleswig, Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. His second wife Sophie survived him by thirty-five years, dying on May 13, 1568, at about the age of 70. Sophie was buried with Frederik at Schleswig Cathedral.

Tomb of Frederik I; 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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2020. Frederik 1. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederik_1.> [Accessed 26 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Frederick I Of Denmark. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_I_of_Denmark> [Accessed 26 December 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Friedrich I. (Dänemark Und Norwegen). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_I._(D%C3%A4nemark_und_Norwegen)> [Accessed 26 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2020. Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.  [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/christian-i-king-of-denmark-norway-and-sweden/> [Accessed 26 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2020. Christian II, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/christian-ii-king-of-denmark-norway-and-sweden/> [Accessed 26 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2020. Hans, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/hans-king-of-denmark-norway-and-sweden/> [Accessed 26 December 2020].

Isabella, Archduchess of Austria, Infanta of Castile and Aragon, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Isabella of Austria, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Isabella of Austria was the wife of Christian II, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. She was born an Archduchess of Austria and an Infanta of Castile and Aragon, on July 18, 1501, in Brussels, Spanish Netherlands, now in Belgium. Isabella was the second of the four daughters and the third of the six children of Philip, Duke of Burgundy and Juana I, Queen of Castile and Aragon. Isabella’s maternal grandparents were King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile. Her paternal grandparents were Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor and Mary, Duchess of Burgundy in her own right. Isabella’s brother was the powerful Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor who was also King of Spain. Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of King Henry VIII of England, was her maternal aunt, and Catherine and Henry VIII’s only surviving child, Queen Mary I of England was her first cousin.

Isabella on the right with her sister Eleanor and her brother Charles; Credit – Wikipedia

Isabella had five siblings:

Isabella’s father died in 1506 when she was five years old. In 1507, her paternal aunt Margaret of Austria became the guardian of Isabella and her siblings Eleanor, Charles, and Mary. Isabella’s mother Queen Juana I of Castile and Aragon was nicknamed “La Loca” due to a mental disability alleged by her father King Ferdinand II of Aragon and then her son Charles. In 1509, her father confined her in the Royal Palace in Tordesillas, Castile, now in Spain, until she died in 1555. Whether Juana suffered from a mental disability or whether she was the victim of a conspiracy plotted by her father and then by her son is still debated by historians.

Isabella, circa 1515; Credit – Wikipedia

On July 11, 1514, one week short of her 13th birthday, Isabella was married by proxy to 23-year-old Christian II, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden with Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, Isabella’s grandfather, standing in for Christian. Isabella remained in the Spanish Netherlands until the summer of 1515 when Erik Axelsson Valkendorf, Archbishop of Nidaros (in Norway) was sent to escort her to Copenhagen where Christian and Isabella were married in person on August 12, 1515. Around 1508, while on a visit to Norway, Christian II fell in love with Dyveke Sigbritsdatter and she became his mistress. Christian’s brother-in-law, the future Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, demanded that Dyveke Sigbritsdatter be sent away, but only to get a refusal from Christian. This created tension between Christian and Charles. Dyveke Sigbritsdatter remained Christian’s mistress until she died in 1517.

Christian II, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit- Wikipedia

Christian II and Isabella had five children but only three survived infancy and only their two daughters reached adulthood:

Three children of Christian II and Isabella: Dorothea, Hans, and Christina; Credit – Wikipedia

When Christian II’s mistress Dyveke Sigbritsdatter died in 1517, Christian believed she had been poisoned by Danish nobleman Torben Oxe. Torben Oxe was tried and acquitted by the Danish State Council. However, Christian did not accept the verdict and had Oxe indicted by a lower justice-of-the-peace court. The verdict, as directed by King Christian II, was guilty and Torben Oxe was executed. Members of the Danish State Council strongly disapproved of what Christian had done. This act precipitated the division between the king and aristocracy that ultimately led to Christian being deposed.

In Sweden, with Christian’s permission, 82 people were either hanged or beheaded for heresy from November 9 – 10, 1520, in an incident called the Stockholm Bloodbath. Instead of cementing Christian’s control of the Swedish throne, the Stockholm Bloodbath led to him losing the Swedish throne. The remaining Swedish nobility, disgusted by the bloodbath, rose against Christian. On August 23, 1521, Christian was deposed as King of Sweden with the election of Gustav Vasa as Regent of Sweden. On June 6, 1523, Gustav Vasa was elected King of Sweden, the first monarch of the Swedish House of Vasa.

By 1523, the Danes also had enough of Christian II and a rebellion started. Christian was forced to abdicate by the Danish nobles and his paternal uncle Frederik, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein became King Frederik I of Denmark and Norway. Christian would have to go into exile but King Frederik I offered Isabella a dowager queen’s pension and an offer to stay in Denmark under his protection. Isabella wrote back to Frederik in Latin, saying “ubi rex meus, ibi regnum meum” – “where my king is, there is my kingdom”. On April 13, 1523, Christian, his wife Isabella, and their children left Denmark for the Spanish Netherlands, the territory of Isabella’s brother Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.

Christian, Isabella, and their children leaving Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

In the following years, Isabella and Christian tried, without success, to gain the support of their royal relatives to help recover their lost kingdom. Isabella and Christian stayed for a long time in Wittenberg with Christian’s maternal uncle Friedrich III, Elector of Saxony. Friedrich was an early defender of Martin Luther. He successfully protected Luther from the Holy Roman Emperor, the Pope, and other hostile figures. Friedrich did this not because of religious conviction but because he believed in a fair trial for any of his subjects and the rule of law. Both Christian and Isabella were interested in the teachings of Martin Luther. Isabella never converted but it appears Christian did convert for a while before reverting to Catholicism.

At the end of 1524, Isabella, Christian, and their children settled in Lier, Spanish Netherlands, now in Belgium. Isabella’s aunt Margaret of Austria provided them with a home and financial support. Even with the support, they had a difficult time, with many worries, and a lack of money. In the spring of 1525, Isabella became seriously ill. Isabella traveled with her husband to Zwijnaarde Castle outside Ghent, Spanish Netherlands, now in Belgium, in late 1525. Isabella died there on January 19, 1526, at the age of 24.

Isabella was originally buried in St. Peter’s Abbey in Ghent. In 1883, thanks to the efforts of the Danish government, Isabella’s remains and those of her son Hans, who died when he was fourteen-years-old, were transferred to St. Canute’s Cathedral in Odense, Denmark where they were reburied next to the remains of King Christian II.

Grave of Isabella of Austria; 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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2020. Elisabeth Af Habsburg. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_af_Habsburg> [Accessed 24 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Isabella Of Austria. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_of_Austria> [Accessed 24 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Joanna Of Castile. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joanna_of_Castile> [Accessed 24 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2020. Christian II, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/christian-ii-king-of-denmark-norway-and-sweden/> [Accessed 24 December 2020].

Christian II, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Christian II, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Nicknamed Christian the Tyrant, Christian II was King of Denmark and Norway from 1513 until 1523 and also King of Sweden from 1520 until 1521. From 1513 to 1523, he was the joint ruler of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein with his paternal uncle Frederik, the future King Frederik I of Denmark and Norway. In 1523, Christian II was forced to abdicate and was exiled. After trying to reclaim the throne in 1531, Christian was imprisoned for the last twenty-seven years of his life.

Born in Nyborg Castle in Denmark on July 1, 1481, Christian was the third but the eldest surviving of the five sons and the third of the six children of Hans, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden and Christina of Saxony.

Christian had four brothers and one sister:

As a sixteen-year-old, Christian took part in his father’s conquest of Sweden in 1497, and four years later, he took part in attempting to quell an uprising in Sweden that caused his father to lose the Swedish throne. After his father lost the Swedish throne in 1501, a succession of regents ruled in Sweden. In 1508, a rebellion in Norway was crushed by Christian who ruled Norway as viceroy. At this time, the monarchies of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden elected their kings. Upon his father’s death in 1513, Denmark and Norway quickly confirmed Christian as their king and Sweden remained under the rule of regents.

Christian and his mistress Dyveke Sigbritsdatter; Credit – Wikipedia

Around 1508, while visiting Norway, Christian fell in love with Dyveke Sigbritsdatter. She remained his mistress until she died in 1517. Christian needed to marry to provide for the succession and the choice of a wife fell upon Isabella of Austria, Archduchess of Austria, Infanta of Castile and Aragon from the House of Habsburg. Isabella was the daughter of Queen Juana I of Castile and Aragon and Philip, Duke of Burgundy. Isabella’s maternal grandparents were King Ferdinand II of Aragon and Queen Isabella I of Castile. Her paternal grandparents were Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor and Mary, Duchess of Burgundy in her own right. Isabella’s brother was the powerful Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor who was also King of Spain.

Isabella of Austria, circa 1515; Credit- Wikipedia

On July 11, 1514, one week short of her 13th birthday, Isabella was married by proxy to 23-year-old Christian II with Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I, Isabella’s grandfather, standing in for Christian. Isabella remained in the Spanish Netherlands until the summer of 1515 when Erik Axelsson Valkendorf, Archbishop of Nidaros (in Norway) was sent to escort her to Copenhagen where Christian and Isabella were married in person on August 12, 1515. Christian refused to end his relationship with his mistress Dyveke Sigbritsdatter. This created tension between Christian and his brother-in-law, the future Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who demanded that Dyveke Sigbritsdatter be sent away, only to get a refusal from Christian.

Three children of Christian II, Dorothea, Hans, and Christina; Credit – Wikipedia

Christian II and Isabella had five children but only three survived infancy and then only two daughters reached adulthood:

Christian II signing the death warrant of Torben Oxe; Credit – Wikipedia

When Christian II’s mistress Dyveke Sigbritsdatter died in 1517, Christian believed she had been poisoned by Torben Oxe, a Danish nobleman. Torben Oxe was tried and acquitted by the Danish State Council. However, Christian did not accept the verdict and had Oxe indicted by a lower justice-of-the-peace court. The verdict, as directed by King Christian II, was guilty and Torben Oxe was executed. Members of the Danish State Council strongly disapproved of what Christian had done. This act precipitated the division between the king and aristocracy that ultimately led to Christian being deposed.

King Christian II reviewing accounts with Sigbrit Willoms; Credit – Wikipedia

To make matters worse for Christian II and his relationship with the aristocracy, his chief advisor was Dyveke Sigbritsdatter’s mother Sigbrit Willoms who was his de facto minister of finance. Sigbrit was from the middle class and wanted to extend the influence of the working classes. She formed her own council that competed with the Danish State Council for power. Her influence was resented by the aristocracy who blamed her for Christian favoring the working classes.

Christian II still wanted to regain the Swedish crown. In Sweden, the Regent of Sweden Sten Sture the Younger headed the anti-Danish faction, and Archbishop Gustav Trolle led the pro-Danish party. After two unsuccessful attempts in 1517 and 1518 resulting in military victories for Sweden, Christian II’s army with forces of French, German, and Scottish mercenaries was successful in 1520. On November 4, 1520, Christian was crowned King of Sweden in Storkyrkan Cathedral in Stockholm.

The Stockholm Bloodbath; Credit – Wikipedia

Three days after the coronation, Archbishop Trolle accused the followers of Sten Sture of heresy for their part in the rising against him and King Christian II. What followed is known as the Stockholm Bloodbath. It is estimated that from November 9 – 10, 1520, 82 people were either hanged or beheaded in the square outside Stockholm Palace. Instead of cementing Christian’s control of the Swedish throne, the Stockholm Bloodbath led to him losing the Swedish throne. The remaining Swedish nobility, disgusted by the bloodbath, rose against Christian. On August 23, 1521, Christian was deposed with Gustav Vasa‘s election as Regent of Sweden. On June 6, 1523, Gustav Vasa was elected King of Sweden, the first monarch of the Swedish House of Vasa.

Christian leaving Copenhagen, Denmark in 1523 with his wife Isabella and their children Hans, Dorothea, and Christina; Credit – Wikipedia

By 1523, the Danes also had enough of Christian II and a rebellion started. Christian was forced to abdicate by the Danish nobles and his paternal uncle Frederik, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein was offered the crown on January 20, 1523. Frederik’s army gained control over most of Denmark during the spring. On  April 13, 1523, Christian, his wife Isabella, and their children left Denmark to live in the Spanish Netherlands, a territory of Isabella’s brother Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Both Christian and Isabella were interested in the teachings of Martin Luther. Isabella never converted but it appears that Christian did convert for a while. On January 19, 1526, Isabella died after a long illness at the age of 24.

Eventually, Christian reverted to Catholicism and reconciled with Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. In November 1531, Christian took a fleet of ships to try to reclaim Norway but was unsuccessful. He accepted a promise of safe conduct from his uncle Fredrick I, King of Denmark and Norway. However, Frederik did not keep his promise. Instead, Christian was imprisoned for the last twenty-seven years of his life, first in Sønderborg Castle and then at Kalundborg Castle (link Danish). While in captivity, Christian was treated like a nobleman. He was allowed to host parties, go hunting, and wander freely as long as he did not go beyond the town boundaries.

The former Christian II, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden died at Kalundborg Castle on January 25, 1559, aged 77. Christian’s first cousin, King Christian III who had succeeded his father King Frederik I, had died earlier in January. The new king, Frederik II, Christian III’s son, ordered the former king to be buried with royal honors. Christian II was buried with his parents in the Gråbrødre Church of the Franciscan monastery in Odense, Denmark. In 1807, the former Franciscan church was demolished, and the remains of King Christian II and his parents were transferred to St. Canute’s Cathedral, also in Odense, Denmark.  Christian’s wife Isabella was originally buried in St. Peter’s Abbey in Ghent, Spanish Netherlands, now in Belgium. In 1883, thanks to the efforts of the Danish government, Isabella’s remains and those of her son Hans were transferred to St. Canute’s Cathedral.

Grave of Christian II; 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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christian 2.. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_2.> [Accessed 21 December 2020].
  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2020. Elisabeth Af Habsburg. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_af_Habsburg> [Accessed 21 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christian II Of Denmark. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_II_of_Denmark> [Accessed 21 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Isabella Of Austria. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabella_of_Austria> [Accessed 21 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Stockholm Bloodbath. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stockholm_Bloodbath> [Accessed 21 December 2020].

Christina of Saxony, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Christina of Saxony, Queen of Denmark, Norway, &  Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

The wife of Hans, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, Christina of Saxony was born in Torgau, Electorate of Saxony, now in the German state of Saxony on December 25, 1461. She was the eldest of the seven children and the eldest of the two daughters of Ernst, Elector of Saxony and Elisabeth of Bavaria.

Christina had six younger siblings:

King Hans of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

When she was sixteen-years-old, Christina was betrothed to Hans, the future King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. In 1478, Christina left her home in Torgau and traveled to the port of Rostock on the Baltic Sea. She was met by a large Danish entourage and traveled by ship to Copenhagen, Denmark. On September 6, 1478, at Copenhagen Castle, Christina and Hans were married. The wedding was a sumptuous occasion with Christina wearing a gold dress with red embroidery and traveling in a golden carriage.

Christina and Hans had six children:

Wall sculpture at St. Canute’s Cathedral depicting King Hans, Queen Christina, and their son Prince Frans who died from the plague; Credit – Wikipedia

Hans’ father King Christian I died in 1481. At that time, the monarchies of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden elected their kings. Only Hans’ succession to the Danish throne went smoothly. In Norway, after some negotiations, Hans was recognized as King of Norway in 1483. In Sweden, a power-play game occurred with Hans for six years. Eventually, Hans saw an opportunity to strike, and after his forces defeated Swedish forces in 1497, he was finally crowned King of Sweden. However, in 1501, an uprising in Sweden caused Hans to lose the Swedish crown.

Hans and Christina were visiting Sweden in 1501 before the uprising. During that visit, Hans began a long-term affair with Edel Jernskjæg, one of Christina’s ladies-in-waiting. The affair caused a scandal and a de facto termination of their marriage. From that time on, the marriage of Hans and Christina was one in name only.

During the Swedish uprising, Hans fled Stockholm, Sweden, and left Christina at Stockholm Palace. She bravely defended the palace for eight months. However, she was forced to surrender after 1,000-man army was reduced by deaths to only 70. Christina spent more than a year under guard as a prisoner in the Vadstena Monastery, finally being released in 1503.

After Christina returned to Denmark, she lived with her youngest son Frans, separately from King Hans, on her dower lands at Næsbyhoved Castle (link in Danish) and in Odense. Christina was a devout Catholic (the Reformation had not yet occurred in Denmark) and after her return to Denmark, she founded convents for the nuns of the Poor Clares in Copenhagen and Odense. Christina made various pilgrimages in Denmark and often visited her daughter Elisabeth and her sister Margarete. Sadly, her youngest son thirteen-year-old Frans died of the plague in 1511.

In January 1513, King Hans, on his way to Aalborghus Castle (link in Danish), was thrown by his horse. He became increasingly weaker and on February 20, 1513, at his birthplace Aalborghus Castle, King Hans died from his injuries at the age of 58. He was buried in the Gråbrødre Church of the Franciscan monastery in Odense, Denmark which Queen Christina had chosen as the burial site for her husband and herself. Queen Christina commissioned the famous German sculptor Claus Berg to create a burial chapel in the church of the Franciscan monastery for her and her husband. Berg’s intricately carved and gilded altarpiece is a Danish national treasure. The altarpiece depicts the passion and the crucifixion of Jesus, and the crowning of the Virgin Mary. The base shows members of the royal family including  King Hans, Queen Christina, and their son King Christian II.

Claus Berg’s altarpiece; Credit – Wikipedia

Queen Christina survived her husband by eight years, dying on December 8, 1521, aged 59, in Odense, Denmark. She was buried wearing the habit of a Poor Clares nun with her husband. Their son King Christian II was also interred in the burial chapel in the church of the Franciscan monastery. In 1807, the former Franciscan church was demolished, and Berg’s magnificent altarpiece and the remains of King Hans, his wife Christina, and their son King Christian II were transferred to St. Canute’s Cathedral, also in Odense, Denmark. Christian’s wife Isabella was originally buried in St. Peter’s Abbey in Ghent, Spanish Netherlands, now in Belgium. In 1883, thanks to the efforts of the Danish government, Isabella’s remains and those of her son Hans were transferred to St. Canute’s Cathedral.

Queen Christina’s grave in St. Canute’s Cathedral; 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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christine Af Sachsen. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_af_Sachsen> [Accessed 21 December 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christina Von Sachsen (1461–1521). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_von_Sachsen_(1461%E2%80%931521)> [Accessed 21 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christina Of Saxony. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_of_Saxony> [Accessed 21 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2020. Hans, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/hans-king-of-denmark-norway-and-sweden/> [Accessed 21 December 2020].

Hans, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

King Hans of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

King Hans held four royal titles: King of Denmark (1481 – 1513), King of Norway (1483 – 1513), King of Sweden (1497 – 1501), and Duke of Holstein and Schleswig (1482–1513 jointly with his younger brother, the future King Frederik I). Born February 2, 1455, at Aalborghus Castle (link in Danish) in Aalborg, Denmark, he was the third but the eldest surviving of the four sons and the third of the five children of Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden and Dorothea of Brandenburg.

Hans had four siblings:

Christina of Saxony; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1477, Hans was betrothed to Christina of Saxony, daughter of Ernst, Elector of Saxony and Elisabeth of Bavaria. The couple was married on September 6, 1478, at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Hans and Christina had six children:

Wall sculpture at St. Canute’s Cathedral depicting King Hans, Queen Christina, and their son Prince Frans who died from the plague; Credit – Wikipedia

At this time, the monarchies of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden elected their kings. King Christian I, Hans’ father ensured that his son was appointed his successor in the three kingdoms. However, upon King Christian I’s death in 1481, only Hans’ succession to the Danish throne went smoothly. In Norway, after some negotiations, Hans was recognized as King of Norway in 1483. In Sweden, a power-play game with Hans lasted for six years. Eventually, Hans saw an opportunity to strike, and after his forces defeated Swedish forces in 1497, he was finally crowned King of Sweden. However, in 1501, an uprising in Sweden caused Hans to lose the Swedish crown.

Hans and Christina were visiting Sweden in 1501 before the uprising. During that visit, Hans began a long-term affair with Edel Jernskjæg, one of Christina’s ladies-in-waiting. The affair caused a scandal and a de facto termination of their marriage. From that time on, the marriage of Hans and Christina was one in name only.

During the Swedish uprising, Hans fled Stockholm and left Christina at Stockholm Palace. She bravely defended the palace for eight months but was forced to surrender in May 1502 after her 1,000-man army defending the palace was reduced by deaths to only 70. Christina spent a year as a prisoner in the Vadstena Monastery, finally being released in 1503. After returning to Denmark, Christina lived with her youngest son Frans, separately from King Hans, on her dower lands at Næsbyhoved Castle and in Odense.

Hans tried to enter into negotiations with Sweden but was unsuccessful and so in 1507, he started a war once again, devastating the Swedish coast. Despite this, Hans did not succeed in regaining control of Sweden for the rest of his reign. In 1508, a rebellion in Norway was crushed by Hans’ son, the future King Christian II, who ruled Norway as viceroy. The Hanseatic League, a commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and market towns in northwestern and central Europe, saw their trade with Sweden severely affected by Denmark’s war and went to war against Denmark in 1510. The Hanseatic League army initially took a heavy toll on Denmark but later Hans won victories resulting in a peace treaty in April 1512.

In January 1513, while traveling to Aalborghus Castle, King Hans was thrown by his horse. He became increasingly weaker and on February 20, 1513, at his birthplace Aalborghus Castle, King Hans died from his injuries at the age of 58. He was buried in the Gråbrødre Church of the Franciscan monastery in Odense, Denmark which Queen Christina had chosen as the burial site for her husband and herself. Queen Christina commissioned the famous German sculptor Claus Berg to create a burial chapel in the Franciscan monastery’s church. Berg’s intricately carved and gilded altarpiece is a Danish national treasure. The altarpiece depicts the passion and the crucifixion of Jesus, and the crowning of the Virgin Mary. The base shows members of the royal family including King Hans, Queen Christina, and their son King Christian II.

Claus Berg’s altarpiece; Credit – Wikipedia

Queen Christina survived her husband by eight years, dying on December 8, 1521, aged 59, and was buried with her husband. Their son King Christian II was also interred in the burial chapel in the church of the Franciscan monastery. In 1807, the former Franciscan church was demolished. Berg’s magnificent altarpiece and the remains of King Hans, his wife Christina, and their son King Christian II were transferred to St. Canute’s Cathedral, also in Odense, Denmark. Christian’s wife Isabella was originally buried in St. Peter’s Abbey in Ghent, Spanish Netherlands, now in Belgium. In 1883, thanks to the efforts of the Danish government, Isabella’s remains and those of her son Hans were transferred to St. Canute’s Cathedral.

Grave of King Hans at St. Canute’s Cathedral; 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.

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2020. Hans Af Danmark. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_af_Danmark> [Accessed 20 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Claus Berg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claus_Berg> [Accessed 20 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. John, King Of Denmark. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John,_King_of_Denmark> [Accessed 20 December 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Johann I. (Dänemark, Norwegen Und Schweden). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_I._(D%C3%A4nemark,_Norwegen_und_Schweden)> [Accessed 20 December 2020].

Ancestors of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark

compiled by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Credit – The Danish Monarchy, photographer: Jacob Jørgensen

The royal pedigree of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark includes monarchs of Denmark, the German Empire, Prussia, Russia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom along with rulers of German grand duchies and duchies. She is the first monarch of Denmark to be a descendant of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Her maternal grandmother Princess Margaret of Connaught was the daughter of Queen Victoria’s son Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught.

Parents, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Great-Great-Grandparents, and Great-Great-Great-Grandparents of Queen Margrethe II of Denmark (born April 16, 1940)

The links below are from Unofficial Royalty,  Wikipedia, Leo’s Genealogics Website, or The Peerage.

Parents

Margrethe II’s parents; Credit – Wikipedia

Grandparents

King Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden and Princess Margaret of Connaught, maternal grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Grandparents

Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia, great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Grandparents

Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, great-great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Great-Grandparents

Wilhelm I, German Emperor, King of Prussia and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach, great-great-great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Sources:

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.

Ancestors of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

compiled by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Credit – Wikipedia

Although the initial articles in the ancestors series dealt with current European monarchs (ancestor articles for European heirs have since been added, all the articles can be seen at Unofficial Royalty: Royal Relationships), Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, was included. The initial articles were published in 2021, the year of Prince Philip’s 100th birthday. Sady, Prince Philip died on April 9, 2021, just two months short of his 100th birthday. At that time, he was the only consort of a currently reigning European monarch to have been born royal – and it is quite likely that he may be the last.

Born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark via his patrilineal descent from his grandfather King George I of Greece (formerly Prince Vilhelm of Denmark) and his great-grandfather King Christian IX of Denmark, Philip has an impressive royal pedigree that includes British, Danish, Greek, Prussian, and Russian monarchs, in addition to rulers from German principalities, duchies, and grand duchies. Through his mother Princess Alice of Battenberg, Philip is a descendant of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Indeed, his royal pedigree is more royal than the royal pedigree of his wife Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. (See Unofficial Royalty: Ancestors of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom.) The only major blip in his pedigree is the morganatic or unequal marriage of his great-grandfather Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine to Countess Julia von Hauke.

The marriage of Prince Alexander of Hesse and by Rhine to Countess Julia von Hauke deprived their children of their paternal royal titles, status, and inheritance. Julia was created Countess of Battenberg, with the style Illustrious Highness by her brother-in-law Grand Duke Ludwig III of Hesse and by Rhine. Her children took their titles from her, becoming Count/Countess of Battenberg. In 1858, the Grand Duke elevated Julia and her children to the rank of Prince/Princess, with the style Serene Highness. However, they remained ineligible for the Grand Ducal throne of Hesse and by Rhine.

The status of the Battenberg family was raised considerably by two marriages. In 1884, Alexander and Julia’s son Prince Louis of Battenberg married Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, the daughter of Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom and therefore, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom. Louis of Battenberg and Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine are Prince Philip’s maternal grandparents. The following year Queen Victoria’s youngest child Princess Beatrice married Prince Louis of Battenberg’s brother Prince Henry of Battenberg, and they are the ancestors of the Spanish royal family.

In 1917, due to anti-German sentiments during World War I, King George V of the United Kingdom decreed that all his relatives who had Germanic names and titles and were British subjects should exchange their old names and titles for new English-sounding ones. The Battenberg surname was anglicized to Mountbatten – berg being the German word for mountain – and Philip’s grandfather Prince Louis of Battenberg, who had become a British subject, became the Marquess of Milford Haven in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.

Prince Philip is:

A descendant of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom through his mother
Queen Victoria → Princess Alice of the United Kingdom → Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine → Princess Alice of Battenberg → Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark

A descendant of King Christian IX of Denmark through his father
King Christian IX of Denmark → King George I of Greece (born Prince Vilhelm of Denmark) → Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark → Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark

A descendant of Peter the Great of Russia and Catherine the Great of Russia through his father
Emperor Peter I (the Great) → Grand Duchess Anna Petrovna → Emperor Peter III of Russia married Empress Catherine II (the Great) (born Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst) → Emperor Paul → Emperor Nicholas I → Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia → Grand Duchess Olga Konstantinovna of Russia → Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark → Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark

Parents, Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Great-Great-Grandparents, and Great-Great-Great-Grandparents of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921 – 2021)

The links below are from Unofficial Royalty,  Wikipedia, Leo’s Genealogics Website, or The Peerage.

Parents

Prince Philip’s parents; Credit – Wikipedia

Grandparents

Prince Louis of Battenberg and Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, maternal grandparents Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Grandparents

Ludwig IV, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine and Princess Alice of the United Kingdom, great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Grandparents

Nicholas I, Emperor of All Russia and Charlotte of Prussia, great-great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Great-Great-Great-Grandparents

Friedrich Wilhelm III, King of Prussia and Duchess Louise of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, great-great-great-grandparents; Credit – Wikipedia

Sources:

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.

Dorothea of Brandenburg, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Dorothea of Brandenburg, Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Dorothea of Brandenburg has the distinction of being married to two kings: Christopher III, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden and his successor Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, the first monarch of the House of Oldenburg that reigned in Denmark until 1863. Dorothea was born in 1430 or 1431 in the Margraviate of Brandenburg-Kulmbach, now in the German state of Bavaria. She was the youngest of the three daughters and the youngest of the four children of Johann IV, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmburg (1406 – 1464) and Barbara of Saxe-Wittenberg (1405–1465).

Dorothea had three elder siblings:

Dorothea’s first husband Christopher III, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

On September 12, 1445, 15-year-old Dorothea married 29-year-old Christopher III, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Two days later, Dorothea was crowned Queen of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. The marriage lasted less than three years. In January 1448, 31-year-old King Christopher suddenly died without an heir. Dorothea was proclaimed the regent of Denmark until a new monarch could be elected.

Dorothea’s second husband Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

In June 1448, Karl Knutsson, Lord High Constable of Sweden, was elected King of Sweden and reigned as Karl VIII. He was elected King of Norway the following year. In September 1448, Christian of Oldenburg was elected King of Denmark and reigned as King Christian I. The Danish Council of State made it a condition that Christian should marry Dorothea of Brandenburg, his predecessor’s widow. Christian and Dorothea were married on October 26, 1449, and two days later, their coronation was held. Eventually, Christian I also became King of Norway and King of Sweden. In 1460, upon the death of his maternal uncle, Christian I inherited the Duchy of Holstein and Duchy of Schleswig.

Christian I and Dorothea had five children. Their two surviving sons and both became kings and their only daughter became a queen consort.

Dorothea had a great influence on her husband and was the regent of his kingdoms when he was away. Her careful frugality helped to pay the debts that Christian had accrued. In gratitude, Christian handed over the Duchy of Holstein and Duchy of Schleswig to her fiefdom.

At this time, before the Reformation, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden were still Roman Catholic and Dorothea was a great patron of the church. She supported the Franciscan Observants and built a monastery for them in Køge, Denmark. Dorothea oversaw the construction of the Chapel of the Magi, also known as Christian I’s Chapel, at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark where Christian I and Dorothea were interred. In 1474 – 1475, Christian I and Dorothea made a pilgrimage to Rome where they were received by Pope Sixtus IV. As a widow, Dorothea made another pilgrimage to Rome in 1488.

King Christian I of Denmark died, aged 55, at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark on May 21, 1481. He was buried in the Chapel of the Magi at Roskilde Cathedral. After Christian’s death, Dorothea preferred to live at Kalundborg Castle (link in Danish) which is now in ruins.

Christian I was succeeded by his elder son Hans. Until her death, Dorothea remained politically active during Hans’ reign. She granted the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein to her younger son Frederik but it caused a conflict with her elder son, culminating in the two sons jointly reigning the duchies.

Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

On November 10, 1495, Queen Dorothea died at Kalundborg Castle in Kalundborg, Denmark, aged 65. She was buried with her husband King Christian I in the Chapel of the Magi at Roskilde Cathedral, the traditional burial site of the Danish royal family, in Roskilde, Denmark. While the tombs of King Christian III, King Frederik II, and their queen consorts are in the Chapel of the Magi, the graves of King Christian I and Queen Dorothea are marked with simple stones because the chapel itself was to be considered their memorial monument.

Grave of King Christian I and Queen Dorothea – 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. 2020. Dorothea Af Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothea_af_Brandenburg> [Accessed 20 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Dorothea Of Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothea_of_Brandenburg> [Accessed 20 December 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2020. Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.  [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/christian-i-king-of-denmark-norway-and-sweden/> [Accessed 20 December 2020]
  • Ru.wikipedia.org. 2020. Доротея Бранденбургская. [online] Available at: <https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%94%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%8F_%D0%91%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%B1%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B3%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F> [Accessed 20 December 2020].