Category Archives: Danish Royals

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, had ensured that his son was appointed as his successor in each of 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 under guard as a prisoner in the Vadstena Monastery, finally being released in 1503. After her return 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 so they went to war against Denmark in 1510. The Hanseatic League army initially took a heavy toll on Denmark but later Hans won victories that resulted in a peace treaty in April 1512.

In January 1513, King Hans was on his way to Aalborghus Castle when he 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, 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, 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.

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].

Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

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

The first king of the House of Oldenburg, Christian I, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden was born in February 1426 in Oldenburg, County of Oldenburg, now in the German state of Lower Saxony. He was the eldest of the three sons and the second of the four children of Count Dietrich of Oldenburg (circa 1398 – 1440) and his second wife Helvig of Holstein (1398 – 1436).

Christian had three siblings:

  • Adelheid of Oldenburg (1425 – 1475), married (1) Ernst III, Count of Hohenstein, had one son (2) Gerhard VI, Count of Mansfeld, had one son and two daughters
  • Moritz III, Count of Oldenburg (1428 – 1464), married Katharina of Hoya, had one son and two daughters, when his elder brother Christian became King of Denmark, he was given the County of Oldenburg
  • Gerhard VI, Count of Delmenhorst and Count of Oldenburg (1430 – 1500), married Adelheid of Tecklenburg, had four sons and three daughters, when his elder brother Christian became King of Denmark, he was given the County of Delmenhorst and he later inherited the County of Oldenburg

At the death of their father in 1440, Christian and his brothers jointly succeeded as Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst. Christian was raised by his maternal uncle Adolphus VIII, Duke of Schleswig, Count of Holstein. Under his uncle’s tutelage, Christian gained experience in political matters, which would benefit him as King of Denmark.

In January 1448, 31-year-old Christopher III, King of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden suddenly died. His two-year marriage to 19-year-old Dorothea of Brandenburg was childless. This resulted in a succession crisis that broke up the Kalmar Union which had united the Kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. Dorothea was named the interim regent of Denmark until a new monarch could be elected. The Danish throne was first offered to Christian’s uncle Duke Adolphus of Schleswig, the most prominent feudal lord of the lands subject to Danish sovereignty. Adolphus declined and recommended his nephew Christian, Count of Oldenburg.

Dorothea of Brandenburg, Queen 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 King Karl VIII. 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.

Christian I and Dorothea had five children. Their two surviving sons were both Kings of Denmark and their daughter was the Queen Consort of Scotland.

Christian’s rival King Karl VIII; Credit – Wikipedia

Norway was now faced with a union with Denmark or Sweden or electing a separate king, an option quickly discarded. The Norwegian Council of the Realm was divided between Christian and Karl but eventually ruled in favor of Karl. After an armed conflict between Denmark and Norway, a joint Danish-Swedish meeting decided that Karl should renounce Norway in favor of Christian, and that the survivor of the two kings would be recognized as king in all three kingdoms. Karl reluctantly agreed with the decision. Christian was crowned King of Norway on August 2, 1450. Less than four weeks later, Christian’s wife Dorothea gave birth to their first child, named Oluf after Norway’s patron saint. However, little Oluf died less than a year later.

Being the king in both Denmark and Norway gave Christian a distinct advantage, however, the wars fought between Christian and Karl from 1452 were not decisive. In 1457, a rebellion against King Karl VIII took place, led by Archbishop Jöns Bengtsson and Erik Axelsson Tott, a Swedish nobleman. Karl went into exile and the two leaders of the rebellion organized the election of King Christian I of Denmark as King of Sweden. Karl was able to regain the Swedish throne two more times, from 1464–65 and 1467–1470). Sweden would not be reunited with Denmark and Norway until Christian’s son and successor King Hans conquered Sweden in 1497. After the death of his maternal uncle Adolphus VIII, Duke of Schleswig, Count of Holstein in 1459, the representatives of Schleswig confirmed Christian’s succession to the titles Duke of Schleswig and Count of Holstein.

Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer

King Christian I of Denmark died, aged fifty-five, at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark on May 21, 1481. He was buried in the Chapel of the Magi, which he had built as a family burial chapel for the House of Oldenburg, at Roskilde Cathedral, the traditional burial site for the Danish royal family in Roskilde, Denmark. His wife Dorothea survived him by fourteen years, dying on November 25, 1495, and was buried with her husband. 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. Christian 1.. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_1.> [Accessed 19 December 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christian I. (Dänemark, Norwegen Und Schweden). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_I._(D%C3%A4nemark,_Norwegen_und_Schweden)> [Accessed 19 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Adolphus VIII, Count Of Holstein. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolphus_VIII,_Count_of_Holstein> [Accessed 19 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Christian I Of Denmark. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_I_of_Denmark> [Accessed 19 December 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Dietrich, Count Of Oldenburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietrich_of_Oldenburg> [Accessed 19 December 2020].
  • Genealogics.org. 2020. Leo’s Genealogics. [online] Available at: <https://www.genealogics.org/index.php> [Accessed 19 December 2020].

Count Adam Gottlob Moltke, Favorite of Frederik V, King of Denmark

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2021

Favorite: a person treated with special or undue favor by a king, queen, or another royal person

Count Adam Gottlob Moltke; Credit – Wikipedia

The Moltke family is an old German noble family from Mecklenburg, now in Germany. It has a Danish branch, whose members have played major roles in Danish history (link in German).  It was considered more important and more promising for young northern German noblemen to seek positions at the Danish court rather than at the courts of the German counties, duchies, and principalities.

King Frederik V as a child; Credit – Wikipedia

Adam Gottlob Moltke was born on November 10, 1710, in Walkendorf, Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, now in the German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, to Joachim Moltke, who had been a Lieutenant Colonel in the Danish Army, and Magdalene Sophia von Cothmann. One of Adam’s uncles was the stablemaster for Prince Carl of Denmark, the younger brother of Frederik IV, King of Denmark. Caspar Gottlob Moltke, another uncle, was a county official for Møn, an island in south-eastern Denmark. Through the influence of his uncle Caspar, twelve-year-old Adam was employed as a page for Crown Prince Christian of Denmark in 1722. When Christian came to the throne in 1730 as Christian VI, King of Denmark, Adam was appointed chamberlain to Christian VI’s 7-year-old son Crown Prince Frederik (later Frederik V). The close relationship between Adam and Frederik was established and lasted until Frederik’s death.

Sophie Hedvig von Raben, Moltke’s second wife; Credit – Wikipedia

Moltke married twice, first to Christiane Frederikke von Brüggemann (1712 – 1760), and after her death, he married Sophie Hedvig von Raben (1732 – 1802). From his two marriages, Moltke had 22 children, including 15 sons: five who became cabinet ministers, four who became ambassadors, two who became generals, and all went into public service.

Moltke’s most important children:

  • Count Christian Frederik Moltke (1736 – 1771) – Deputy for Finance, Court Marshal, Privy Councilor
  • Catharine Sophie Wilhelmine Caroline Moltke (born 1737) – Lady-in-waiting to Louise of Great Britain, first wife of King Frederik V of Denmark
  • Count Caspar Herman Gottlob Moltke (1738 – 1800) – General of the Cavalry, Chamberlain
  • Ulrikke Augusta Vilhelmine Moltke (1740 – 1763) – Lady-in-waiting to Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, second wife of King Frederik V of Denmark
  • Count Christian Magnus Frederik Moltke (1741 – 1813) – Lieutenant General of the Cavalry, Chamberlain
  • Count Frederik Ludvig Moltke (1745 – 1824) – Ambassador to Oldenburg, Privy Councilor
  • Count Joachim Godske Moltke (1746 – 1818) – Prime Minister, Privy Councilor
  • Count Adam Gottlob Ferdinand Moltke (1748 – 1820) – Vice Admiral, Chamberlain
  • Juliane Maria Frederica Moltke (1751 – 1773) – Lady-in-waiting to Louise of Great Britain, first wife of King Frederik V of Denmark
  • Count Gebhard Moltke https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gebhard_Moltke (1764 – 1851) – Diocesan Governor in Trondheim, Kristiania, and Funen, Privy Councilor
  • Count Otto Joachim Moltke (1770 – 1853) – Prime Minister of Denmark
  • Count Carl Emil Moltke (1773-1858) – Ambassador to Stockholm, The Hague, and London, Privy Councilor

Bregentved House and Park; Credit – By Flemming – DSC_3077, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17112569

In 1746, when King Frederik V became King of Denmark, Moltke was appointed Court Marshal of Denmark and was made a Privy Councilor. IMoltke was also given the Bregentved estate in Haslev on the Danish island of Zealand, still owned by Moltke’s descendants. In 1750, Frederik V created Moltke a Count. Although Frederik V took part in the government by attending council meetings, he suffered from alcoholism, and most of his reign was dominated by his very able ministers led by Moltke and including Count Johann Hartwig Ernst von Bernstorff and Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann.

Christian VII’s Palace, formerly Moltke’s Palace; Credit – By archer10 (Dennis) – https://www.flickr.com/photos/archer10/3990370387/sizes/o/in/photostream/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15057703

Within the first few years of his reign, Frederik V started a project that would result in the Amalienborg, the home of today’s Danish royal family. The Amalienborg would be the centerpiece of Frederiksstaden, a district in Copenhagen built by Frederik V to commemorate the tercentenary of the House of Oldenburg’s ascent to the Danish throne in 1748 and the tercentenary of the coronation of Christian I, King of Denmark in 1749. Heading the project was Adam Gottlob Moltke. Four identical palaces were built on an octagonal square as homes for four distinguished noble families, including Moltke’s family. After Christiansborg Palace, the Danish royal family’s residence in Copenhagen, was destroyed in a fire in 1794, the noblemen who owned the four palaces of the Amalienborg were willing to part with them for promotion and money. Today’s Christian VII Palace was originally known as Moltke’s Palace.

Frederik V, King of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

While pregnant with her sixth child, Frederik V’s 27-year-old wife, Louisa of Great Britain, daughter of King George II of Great Britain and Caroline of Ansbach, died on December 19, 1751, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark due to complications from a miscarriage. Moltke thought it would be a good idea if Frederik V married again, as soon as possible, hoping to stabilize his behavior. Frederik V preferred another British wife, but there was no British princess at an appropriate age. Moltke drew Frederik V’s attention to 22-year-old Princess Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, daughters of Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Antoinette of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, and the couple married in 1752.

In 1760, Frederik V broke his leg in a drunken accident, which affected his health for the rest of his life. Frederik V died in the arms of Moltke on January 14, 1766, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark at the age of 42. After the death of Frederik V, his mentally unstable son succeeded to the throne as Christian VII, King of Denmark. Christian VII did not like Moltke, and in July 1766, Moltke was dismissed from all his positions and retired to his estate Bregentved.

Count Adam Gottlob Moltke, aged, 81, died at his estate Bregentved on September 25, 1792. He was buried at the Karise Kirke (link in Danish) in the Moltke family burial chapel in Fax, Denmark, near his estate Bregentved.

Karise Kirke, the burial site of Moltke; Credit – Af Claus B. Storgaard – Eget arbejde, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8304299

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. 2020. Adam Gottlob Moltke. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Gottlob_Moltke> [Accessed 15 November 2020].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Adam Gottlob Von Moltke. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Gottlob_von_Moltke> [Accessed 15 November 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Adam Gottlob Moltke. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Gottlob_Moltke> [Accessed 15 November 2020].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Amalienborg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amalienborg> [Accessed 15 November 2020].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2017. King Frederik V Of Denmark And Norway. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-frederik-v-of-denmark/> [Accessed 15 November 2020].

Johann Friedrich Struensee, Favorite of King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway and Lover of his wife Queen Caroline Matilda

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Johann Friedrich Struensee, Credit – Wikipedia

The scandalous story of King Christian VII, Queen Caroline Matilda, and Johann Friedrich Struensee has been told in several novels including Norah Loft’s The Lost Queen (1969) and Per Olov Enquist’s The Visit of the Royal Physician (1999) and also in the Danish film A Royal Affair (2012) which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and starred Academy Award-winning supporting actress (for The Danish Girl) Alicia Vikander as Queen Caroline Matilda.

Johann Friedrich Struensee was born on August 5, 1737, in Halle, Kingdom of Prussia, now in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. He was the third of the seven children and the second of the four sons of Adam Struensee (link in German) and Maria Dorothea Carl.

Struensee had six siblings:

  • Sophie Elisabeth Struensee (1733 – 1768), married her cousin Samuel Struensee
  • Carl August Struensee (link in German) (1735 – 1804), Prussian Minister of Finance, married Karoline Elisabeth Müller, had three daughters
  • Samuel Adam Struensee (born 1739), died young
  • Maria Dorothea Struensee (1744 – 1820), married Wilhelm Alexander Schwollmann
  • Johanna Henrietta Struensee (born 1745), died young
  • Gotthilf Christoph Struensee (link in German) (1746 – 1829), married unknown wife

Struensee’s mother Maria Dorothea Carl was the daughter of Johann Samuel Carl, (link in German) the personal physician of Ludwig Ferdinand, Count of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg. In 1736, Carl became the personal physician of King Christian VI of Denmark and Norway and also served as personal physician to Christian VI’s son and successor King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway. Struensee’s father Adam Struensee was a Lutheran minister who adhered to Pietism, a movement that originated in the Lutheran Church in the 17th century in Germany that stressed personal piety over religious formality and orthodoxy. Adam Struensee was a pastor in Halle and a professor of theology at the University of Halle. In 1758, he accepted the position as pastor of Trinity Church in Altona, now in Germany, but then under the administration of the Danish monarchy. In 1760 Adam Struensee became superintendent-general (similar to a bishop) of the Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein, then part of Denmark.

In 1752, at the age of fifteen, Johann Friedrich Struensee entered the University of Halle and graduated as a Doctor in Medicine on December 12, 1757. He moved with his parents to Altona in 1758 and took a low-paying position as a public physician. In Altona, Struensee fought the spread of epidemics by improving hygiene and introducing the smallpox vaccination. In 1760, he was appointed physician of the County of Rantzau and in that position, he also treated bourgeois and noble patients. Struensee began to publish articles in medical journals. In his articles, he wrote about the links between lack of education, poor hygiene, and diseases in poor neighborhoods and recommended reforms. He believed that the government had a duty to ensure the health and education of its citizens. Struensee also believed that this care should apply to unmarried mothers and the mentally ill. Over time, Struensee earned a good reputation with the Schleswig-Holstein nobility. In 1768, because he was known for a new kind of therapy for mental illness, Struensee was called to treat 18-year-old King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway while he was staying in Altona.

King Christian VII of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

When King Christian VII was not quite two years old, his mother Queen Louisa, daughter of King George II of Great Britain, died at age 27 due to complications from a miscarriage. The next year, his father King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway made a second marriage to Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. By all reports, Christian seemed to be an intelligent child and was taught in Danish, German, and French. However, he had a nervous disposition and was poorly educated and terrorized by a brutal governor, Christian Ditlev Reventlow, Count of Reventlow.

Queen Caroline Matilda; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1766, Christian VII succeeded to the Danish and Norwegian thrones after the early death of his father at age 42. Since there was a connection between the British and Danish royal families and both families were Protestant, it was natural that a British bride should be sought for Christian. The choice fell upon fifteen-year-old Princess Caroline Matilda, his first cousin, the daughter of Christian’s deceased maternal uncle Frederick, Prince of Wales. On October 1, 1766, a proxy marriage was held at St. James’s Palace in London, with Caroline Matilda’s brother King George III standing in for King Christian VII. Caroline Matilda arrived in Copenhagen on November 8, 1766, and married Christian in person later that day in the Christiansborg Palace Chapel in Copenhagen, Denmark.

A copperplate engraving depicting the first dance of King Christian VII and Queen Caroline Mathilde of Denmark at their wedding at Christiansborg Palace; Credit – Wikipedia

It was soon clear that Christian VII was not quite normal. It is unknown if Christian’s mental illness was caused by the brutal treatment of the Count of Reventlow, possible porphyria inherited from his Hanover mother, or schizophrenia. Christian’s behavior wandered into excesses, especially sexual promiscuity. He publicly declared that he could not love Caroline Matilda because it was “unfashionable to love one’s wife”. His symptoms included paranoia, self-mutilation, and hallucinations. Christian wandered the streets of Copenhagen visiting the city’s taverns and brothels with his favorite Count Frederik Vilhelm Conrad Holck. It was becoming clearer and clearer that Christian could not fulfill his role as king.

In May of 1768, Christian VII took a long tour of Europe, including stays in Altona, Paris, and London. The trip had been arranged because it was believed that new environments could change Christian’s behavior. It was on this journey that he became acquainted with Johann Friedrich Struensee. Struensee was the first person who understood that Christian was seriously ill. When Christian came home from the trip, Struensee accompanied him and was employed as Christian’s personal physician. Struensee could handle Christian’s instability, which was a great relief to the king’s advisers, and Christian developed confidence in him.

Princess Louise Auguste of Denmark, probably the child of Queen Caroline Matilda and Johann Friedrich Stuensee; Credit – Wikipedia

Because of Christian VII’s confidence in him, Struensee gained political power. In 1770, Struensee became Master of Requests and Minister of the Royal Cabinet. Within a short time, Struensee tried to reform the Danish state in the spirit of the Enlightenment. He also became the lover of the ill-treated Caroline Matilda, whose marriage was less than satisfactory. In 1771, when Caroline Matilda gave birth to her daughter Louise Auguste, no one doubted that Struensee was the father of the princess, who was given the unflattering nickname la petite Struensee, although Christian VII officially acknowledged her as his daughter. Eventually, Queen Dowager Juliana Maria maneuvered a coup that would bring about the fall of Struensee and discredit Caroline Matilda.

Contemporary woodcarving of the arrest of Struensee; Credit – Wikipedia

Early on the morning of January 17, 1772, following a ball at the court theater at Christiansborg Palace, Christian VII was awakened and forced to sign orders for the arrest of Struensee, his friend Count Enevold Brandt, and Caroline Matilda. Caroline Matilda was immediately taken to Kronberg Castle in Helsingør, Denmark, immortalized as Elsinore in William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, to await her fate. She was allowed to keep her daughter with her, but the four-year-old Crown Prince Frederik stayed with his father. Upon hearing of Caroline Matilda’s arrest, Struensee confessed to his relationship with her, and eventually, Caroline Matilda also confessed. 34-year-old Struensee and his friend Brandt were condemned to death and both suffered a brutal execution on April 28, 1772. In the presence of thousands of people, their right hands were severed first, then their bodies were broken on the wheel, and finally, they were beheaded. Struensee’s parents were both still alive when he was executed.

Johann Friedrich Struensee and his friend Count Enevold Brandt are beheaded; Credit – Wikipedia

The bodies of Stuensee and Brandt were put on public display at the execution site for two years until only their bones were left. Exactly what happened to their remains is unknown. By tradition, it is said that Struensee and Brandt’s remains were buried at the Vestre Cemetery in Copenhagen and that in the 1920s, their coffins were placed in the burial chapel under the German-speaking St. Peter’s Church in Copenhagen However, according to St. Peter’s Church, Struensee and Brandt are not in the burial chapel, but are buried in the churchyard. There has never been an investigation to determine if Struensee and Brandt are buried at St. Peter’s Church.

Queen Caroline Matilda was also punished. Her marriage was dissolved on April 6, 1772. She lost her title of Queen and was forcibly separated from her children whom she never saw again. Caroline Matilda was not quite 20-years-old. Originally, it was decided that Caroline Matilda was to be held in custody for life at Aalborghus Castle in Aalborg, Denmark, but her brother King George III intervened. King George III sent Sir Robert Murray Keith, a British diplomat, to negotiate her release from Danish imprisonment. On May 28, 1772, Caroline Matilda was sent to Celle in her brother’s Kingdom of Hanover and lived the rest of her life at Celle Castle. Her imprisonment was not to last long. Caroline Matilda died of “a putrid fever and sore throat,” probably scarlet fever, on May 10, 1775, at the age of 23. She was buried at the Stadtkirche St. Marien (link in German) in Celle next to her great-grandmother Sophia Dorothea of Celle, Electoral Princess of Hanover, wife of the future King George I of Great Britain, who suffered a similar fate.

After the fall of Struensee, Christian VII’s stepmother Dowager Queen Juliana Marie and her son, Christian’s half-brother Hereditary Prince Frederik, reinstated the Council of State. Christian was only nominally king from 1772 onward. Between 1772 and 1784, Denmark was ruled by Queen Dowager Juliana Marie, Hereditary Prince Frederik, and Cabinet Secretary Ove Høegh-Guldberg. From 1784, Christian’s son, the future King Frederik VI, ruled permanently as a prince regent.

The former King Christian VII lived in isolation with a caretaker. When he was behaving too violently, he was locked up in his room or tied to his chair. His only involvement with the government was when he had to sign “Christian Rex” on formal papers. On March 13, 1808, in Rendsburg, Schleswig (then in Denmark, now in Germany) King Christian VII died from a stroke at the age 59. He was buried in Frederik V’s Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark.

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