Category Archives: Norwegian Royals

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].

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].

Funeral of Ari Behn, former husband of Princess Märtha Louise of Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2020

Crown Prince Haakon, second from the left, was one of the pallbearers at the funeral of Ari Behn; Credit – http://www.royalcourt.no/

Ari Behn’s funeral was held on January 3, 2020, at the Oslo Cathedral, with services conducted by Kari Veiteberg, Bishop of Oslo. Ari Behn died by suicide on December 25, 2019. He was 47-years-old. His manager Geir Håkonsund made an announcement on behalf of his family: “It is with great sadness in our hearts that we, the closest relatives of Ari Behn, must announce that he took his own life today. We ask for respect for our privacy in the time to come.”

In addition to his former wife Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and their three daughters Maud Angelica Behn, Leah Isadora Behn, and Emma Tallulah Behn, Ari Behn leaves his parents Olav Bjørshol and Marianne Solberg Behn and his two younger siblings Anja Sabrina Bjørshol and Espen Bjørshol.

Behn’s former brother-in-law Crown Prince Haakon was one of the pallbearers. The other pallbearers were his father Olav Bjørshol, his brother Espen Bjørshol, his brother-in-law Christian Udnæs, and his nephews Ask and Isak. During the funeral service, Behn’s parents, his siblings, and his eldest daughter 16-year-old Maud Angelica Behn shared memories of their son, brother, and father.

During her speech, Behn’s daughter addressed those with mental health issues: “I just want to say to everyone who has gone through mental illness, that there is always a way out. Although it doesn’t feel that way. There are people out there who can help. Everyone deserves love and joy. There is never weakness to ask for help but strength. “

Ari Behn was buried at the Cemetery of Our Saviour in Olso, Norway.

An article and photos in English can be seen at the official website of the Royal House of Norway at Royal House of Norway: Ari Behn’s funeral

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.

First Cousins: King Harald V of Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

King Harald V of Norway (born 1937)

(All photos credits – Wikipedia unless otherwise noted)

King Harald V of Norway was born on February 21, 1937, at Skaugum, the residence of the Crown Prince, in Asker, Norway. His parents were Crown Prince Olav of Norway (later King Olav V) and Princess Märtha of Sweden, who died before her husband became king. His paternal grandparents, who were first cousins, were King Haakon VII of Norway (born Prince Carl of Denmark, son of King Frederik VIII of Denmark) and Princess Maud of Wales, daughter of King Edward VII of the United Kingdom and Alexandra of Denmark.

Harald’s mother Princess Märtha of Sweden was the second daughter of Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland, and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. Märtha’s paternal grandparents were King Oscar II of Sweden and Sofia of Nassau. Her maternal grandparents were King Frederick VIII of Denmark and Louise of Sweden. Harald married Sonja Haraldsen and had one son and one daughter.

King Harald is closely related to several European monarchs: Former King Albert II of Belgium is his first cousin, King Philippe of Belgium and Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg are his first cousins once removed, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom and Queen Margrethe II of Denmark are his second cousins, and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden is his second cousin once removed.

King Harald has no paternal first cousins because his father was an only child. He has six maternal first cousins. Harald shares his first cousins with his siblings Princess Ragnhild, Mrs. Lorentzen and Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner.

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Maternal Aunts and Uncles of King Harald V: Children of Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Västergötland and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark

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MATERNAL FIRST COUSINS

Maternal First Cousins: Children of Princess Margarethe of Sweden and Prince Axel of Denmark

Credit – https://www.findagrave.com

Prince George Valdemar of Denmark (1920 – 1986)

Prince George Valdemar was the second husband of Anne Bowes-Lyon, a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. The couple had no children. Because the prince received permission from King Frederik IX of Denmark to marry, he remained in the line of succession. However, he lost his place in the line of succession three years later because the Danish Act of Succession of 1953 restricted the throne to those descended from King Christian X of Denmark.

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Credit – https://www.findagrave.com

Count Flemming Valdemar of Rosenborg (1922 – 2002)

Born His Highness Prince Flemming Valdemar of Denmark, he lost his place in the succession when he married Ruth Nielsen without the permission of King Frederik IX of Denmark. The couple had three sons and one daughter.

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Maternal First Cousins: Children of Princess Astrid of Sweden and Leopold III, King of the Belgians

Embed from Getty Images 

Princess Joséphine-Charlotte of Belgium, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (1927 – 2005)

Princess Joséphine-Charlotte married Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg and had five children including Grand Duke Henri who succeeded his father upon his abdication in 2000. Joséphine-Charlotte worked extensively with organizations focused on children and families as well as the arts. She served as honorary president of the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, and president of the Luxembourg Red Cross, and oversaw the five-year restoration of the Grand Ducal Palace from 1991-1996.

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Baudouin, King of the Belgians (1930 – 1993)

Baudouin, King of the Belgians reigned from July 1951, when his father abdicated, until July 1993, making him the longest-reigning Belgian monarch. He married Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón. Fabiola was from an aristocratic family in Spain and had a close relationship with the Spanish royal family. Despite several pregnancies, the couple never had any children, which greatly affected both of them.

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Albert II, King of the Belgians (born 1934)

Albert was the heir presumptive throughout the long reign of his childless brother King Baudouin. Upon his brother’s death in 1993, he succeeded to the Belgian throne. Albert married Paola Ruffo di Calabria who came from an Italian noble family. The couple had two sons and one daughter. In early July 2013, King Albert announced his intention to abdicate, citing health reasons. On July 21, 2013, Belgium’s National Day, he signed the formal document of abdication and was succeeded by his elder son King Philippe.

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Maternal First Cousins: Children of Prince Carl Bernadotte, born Prince Carl of Sweden, Duke of Östergötland, and Countess Elsa von Rosen

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Countess Madeleine Bernadotte, Mrs. Kogevinas (born 1938)

Madeleine first married Charles Ullens, Count de Schooten-Whetnall. The couple had three daughters and one son before they divorced after 18 years of marriage. Madeleine married again to Nicos Eletherios Kogevinas and they had one daughter.

The Peerage: Madeleine Ingerborg Ella Astra Elsa Bernadotte, Countess Bernadotte

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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

  • Lundy, D. (2019). Main Page. [online] Thepeerage.com. Available at: http://www.thepeerage.com/. (for genealogy information)
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2019). Unofficial Royalty. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com. (for biographical and genealogy information)
  • Wikipedia. (2019) Main Page. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/.  (for biographical and genealogy information)

Norwegian Royal Christenings

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2019

The Palace Chapel in the Royal Palace in Oslo, Norway; Photo – Kjetil Rolseth, The Royal Court

The Royal Chapel located in the Royal Palace in Oslo, Norway is the site of many events of the Norwegian royal family, especially christenings and confirmations.  After their deaths, King Haakon VII and King Olav V lay in state in the Royal Chapel

The members of the Norwegian royal family belong to the Church of Norway, an evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity. Until a constitutional amendment in 2012, the monarch was the supreme governor and protector of the Church of Norway. Since 2012, the Church of Norway has been self-governing but it remains the established state church.

The traditional Norwegian royal christening gown was handmade by Princess Ingeborg of Sweden (the mother of Crown Princess  Märtha of Norway) and has been worn by most descendants of King Olav V and Crown Princess Märtha, who died before her husband became king. The names of all the babies who wear the gown are embroidered on the gown.

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King Haakon VII of Norway, born Prince Carl of Denmark

Carl  (the future Haakon VII) with his mother, 1873 – Royal Court Photo Archive

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Queen Maud of Norway, Princess Maud of Wales

Embed from Getty Images 
Maud with her mother

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King Olav V of Norway, born Prince Alexander of Denmark

Olav,1905 Photo: Juncker Jensen, Royal Court Photo Archive

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Crown Princess Märtha of Norway, born Princess Märtha of Sweden

Märtha 1909 Photo: A. Blomberg, Royal Court Archive

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Princess Ragnhild, Mrs. Lorentzen

Embed from Getty Images
Princess Ragnhild with her parents

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Princess Astrid, Mrs. Ferner

Astrid 1935 Photo: G.T. Sjøwall, Royal Court Photo Archive

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King Harald V of Norway

Harald with his mother; Credit – Wikipedia

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Princess Märtha Louise of Norway

Embed from Getty Images
Märtha Louise with her parents

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Crown Prince Haakon of Norway

Haakon with his parents and sister; Credit – Royal House of Norway

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Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway

Credit – http://www.royalcourt.no

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Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway

Credit – http://www.royalcourt.no, photographer: Tor Richardsen / Scanpix

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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.

Wedding of King Olav V of Norway and Princess Märtha of Sweden

by Scott Mehl © Unofficial Royalty 2018

Credit – Wikipedia

On March 21, 1929, the future King Olav V of Norway married Princess Märtha of Sweden at Oslo Cathedral in Norway. It was the first royal wedding in Norway in 340 years.

Olav’s Early Life

Olav with his parents, 1913. source: Wikipedia

Olav was born Prince Alexander of Denmark on July 2, 1903, at Appleton House on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, England. He was the only child of Prince Carl of Denmark and Princess Maud of Wales. In 1905, his father was elected King of Norway, taking the name Haakon VII. Prince Alexander took the name Olav and became Crown Prince. He attended the Norwegian Military Academy and studied law and economics at Balliol College, Oxford University. Olav also represented Norway in the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam, winning a Gold Medal in sailing. He served in the Norwegian Armed Forces – both the navy and army – attaining the rank of Admiral of the Navy and General of the Army in 1939.

For more information about Olav see:

Märtha’s Early Life

Princess Martha (right) with her mother and sisters, c1910. source: Wikipedia

Princess Märtha was born on March 28, 1901, at the Hereditary Prince’s Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. She was the second child of Prince Carl of Sweden and Princess Ingeborg of Denmark. Her siblings included an elder sister Margaretha (later Princess Axel of Denmark); a younger sister Astrid (later Queen of the Belgians); and a younger brother Carl (later Prince Carl Bernadotte). Interestingly, at birth, she was also a Princess of Norway, as Sweden and Norway were in a personal union under the Swedish sovereigns. This union ended in 1905, just before her future husband’s father was elected as the new King of Norway.

Märtha never became Queen of Norway. She died from cancer before Olav became King of Norway.

For more information about Märtha see:

The Engagement

Official engagement photo. photo: Axel Malström, The Royal Court Photo Archives

As first cousins, Olav and Märtha had known each other since childhood, and in the late 1920s, they began a romantic relationship. They managed to keep the relationship private, with Olav often traveling to Sweden in disguise to see his future bride. While both were in Amsterdam in 1928 for the Summer Olympic Games (in which Olav was competing), they became secretly engaged. The following January, after Olav again traveled to Sweden under an assumed name, the engagement was officially announced on January 14, 1929. The announcement was met with great support and excitement in both Norway and Sweden.

Pre-Wedding Festivities

Princess Märtha being greeted by Crown Prince Olav upon her arrival in Oslo. photo: Brødrene Halvorsen, The Royal Court Photo Archives

In the weeks before the wedding, Olav traveled to Sweden where he and Märtha were guests of honor at several functions. Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf hosted a ball at the Royal Palace, and the city of Stockholm hosted a reception at the Stockholm Town Hall. On the Monday before the wedding, King Gustav V hosted a State Banquet at the palace, after which the couple, along with the bride’s family, left to make their way to Norway. Prince Olav took a separate train so that he could already be in Oslo to welcome Märtha and her parents upon their arrival the following day. After they arrived, the couple traveled by carriage through the streets of Oslo on their way to the Royal Palace, where they appeared on the balcony to greet the crowds of well-wishers who had gathered in the Palace Square. King Haakon VII hosted a ball at the palace that evening, and the following night, a gala performance was held at the National Theatre.

The Wedding Attendants

The Bride and Groom with their bridal party. photo: The Royal Court Photo Archives

The Duke of York (the future King George VI of the United Kingdom), a first cousin of Crown Prince Olav and second cousin of Princess Märtha, served as the groom’s best man. The bride had eight bridesmaids, four from Sweden and four from Norway. They were led by the bride’s first cousin once removed, Princess Ingrid of Sweden, and Miss Irmelin Nansen, the daughter of famed Norwegian explorer and humanitarian, Professor Fridtjof Nansen. The rest were daughters of prominent families associated with the Swedish and Norwegian courts. The bride’s nephews, Prince George and Prince Flemming of Denmark, served as her train bearers.

The Wedding Attire

The official wedding portrait. photo: E. Rude, The Royal Court Photo Archives

The bride wore a gown of white silver lamé, made in Paris, which was a gift from her uncle, King Gustav V of Sweden. The gown had a four-meter train that was embroidered with lilies and embellished with pearls and sequins. Her veil – of Brussels lace – extended nearly the full length of her train. She held her veil in place with a tiara of orange blossoms topped with a wreath of myrtle. She carried a large bouquet of white lilies.

The groom wore a full military uniform, adorned with the Collar and Star of the Norwegian Order of Saint Olav, the Sash and Star of the Swedish Order of the Seraphim, along with numerous medals and other decorations.

The Duke of York wore full uniform adorned with the Collar and Star of the Norwegian Order of Saint Olav, the Sash and Star of the British Order of the Garter, and the Necklet of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem.

The bridesmaids wore white tea-length dresses and carried large bouquets of white flowers.

The Ceremony

photo: The Royal Court Photo Archives

Conducted by the Bishop of Oslo, Johan Lunde, the ceremony took place at 12:00 noon on March 21, 1929, at Olso Cathedral in Oslo, Norway. The 1,600 wedding guests included many government officials, foreign diplomats, and prominent citizens from both Norway and Sweden, along with numerous relatives and friends of the couple. Surprisingly, other than the Swedish and Danish royal families, there was not a large number of foreign royalty in attendance. The most prominent guests were The Duke and Duchess of York, representing King George V of the United Kingdom.

Following the groom’s arrival, the immediate members of the royal families processed into the church to the Norwegian Student Choral Society singing Stenhammar’s “Sverige”. The bride then entered with her father, followed by her bridesmaids. The ceremony was simple and traditional, with the Bishop having stated that the royal couple would have the same marriage service as any other Norwegian citizen. Loudspeakers had been set up outside the cathedral for the crowds gathered there, and there were loud cheers when the couple gave their “I Do’s”. The service ended with Händel’s “Hallelujah Chorus”, and two 21-gun salutes fired from Akershus Fortress. The couple led the carriage process back to the Royal Palace.

The Wedding Banquet and Honeymoon

photo: A.B. Wilse, The Royal Court Photo Archives

Following the ceremony, a luncheon for 200 guests was held at the Royal Palace. That evening, Olav and Märtha left Oslo and made their way to Sassnitz, Rugen Island, Prussia. From there, they made an unaccompanied trip by car through Europe to the French Riviera for the remainder of their honeymoon. Upon their return, they took up residence at the Skaugum Estate which had recently been purchased by Crown Prince Olav. Since then, the property has been the traditional residence of the Norwegian Crown Prince and his family.

Children

Olav and Märtha had three children; Credit – Wikipedia

Olav and Märtha had three children:

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.

King Carl XIII of Sweden/King Karl II of Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

King Carl XIII of Sweden/King Karl II of Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Born the second son of King Adolf Frederik of Sweden and Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, Carl was not destined to be king, but at the age of 60, he became King of Sweden and reigned for nine years. He would be the last Swedish monarch of the House of Holstein-Gottorp. Prince Carl of Sweden was born on October 7, 1748, at the Wrangel Palace on Riddarholmen islet in Gamla Stan, the old town of Stockholm, Sweden. Wrangel Palace was the official Stockholm residence of the Swedish royal family from 1697 until 1754 when the Royal Palace of Stockholm was completed. Carl was the first cousin of Empress Catherine II  of Russia (the Great) and the nephew of King Friedrich II of Prussia (the Great).

Prince Carl in 1758; Credit – Wikipedia

Carl had one older brother and a younger brother and sister:

The three sons of King Adolf Frederik: King Gustav III of Sweden, Prince Frederick Adolf, and King Carl XIII of Sweden by Alexander Roslin, 1771; Credit – Wikipedia

During the twenty-year reign of his father King Adolf Fredrik, the King had no real power. The Riksdag (Swedish Parliament) held the power. Adolf Fredrik tried to change this twice, unsuccessfully. Because Carl was second in line to the throne, he was often used as a political tool for the opposition. In 1771, King Adolf Fredrik died and Carl’s brother succeeded to the throne as King Gustav III. In 1772, Gustav arranged for a coup d’état known as the Revolution of 1772 or Coup of Gustav III. The coup d’état reinstated an absolute monarchy and ended parliamentary rule.  Gustav imprisoned opposition leaders and established a new regime with extensive power for the king. Carl cooperated with his brother during the coup and as a reward was given the title Duke of Södermanland.

In 1766, King Gustav III married Princess Sophia Magdalena of Denmark. At the time of the coup in 1772, the marriage still had not been consummated and Gustav wanted to give the task of providing an heir to his brother. On July 7, 1774, Carl married his 15-year-old first cousin Princess Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp, daughter of Duke Friedrich August I of Holstein-Gottorp and Princess Ulrike Friederike Wilhelmine of Hesse-Kassel.

Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte in 1774; Credit – Wikipedia

In July 1775, there were signs that Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte was pregnant. It was hoped that the succession problem would be solved and prayers were held in the churches. However, there was no pregnancy. The news of the false pregnancy made King Gustav III decide to consummate his marriage and provide an heir to the throne himself and the future King Gustav IV Adolf was born in 1778.

Their marriage was distant and both Carl and his wife had extramarital affairs. Carl and Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte eventually had two children – one stillborn and one who lived only six days.

  • Lovisa Hedvig (stillborn 1797)
  • Carl Adolf, Duke of Värmland (born and died 1798)

In the 1780s, King Gustav III was preoccupied with foreign policy: a growing hatred of Denmark and a desire to conquer Norway. In 1788, he began a war against Russia, the Russo-Swedish War, but had to retreat because of a mutiny in the army. In 1789, he resumed the war with varying success. The war ended in 1790 with the Treaty of Värälä. The war with Russia had destroyed Sweden’s economy, and when Gustav decided to attack France, a conspiracy developed.

Carl’s brother King Gustav III, 1792; Credit – Wikipedia

The Russo-Sweden War and the implementation of the Union and Security Act in 1789, which gave the king more power and abolished many of the privileges of the nobility, contributed to the increasing hatred of King Gustav III, which had existed among the nobility since the 1772 coup. In the winter of 1791-1792, a conspiracy was formed within the nobility to kill the king and reform the government.

On March 16, 1792, King Gustav III was shot by Jacob Johan Anckarström during a masked ball at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm. Thirteen days later, on March 29, 1792, King Gustav III died of his wounds at the Royal Palace of Stockholm at the age of 46. His 13-year-old son succeeded him as King Gustav IV Adolf. Prince Carl, Duke of Södermanland, the young king’s uncle, served as regent until 1796.  Carl was not willing or not capable of managing state affairs and he entrusted the power of government to his confidant Count Gustaf Adolf Reuterholm.

In 1805, King Gustav IV Adolf joined the Third Coalition against Napoleon. His campaign went poorly and the French occupied Swedish Pomerania. In 1807, Russia made peace with France. A year later, Russia invaded Finland, which was ruled by Sweden, attempting to force Gustav Adolf to join Napoleon’s Continental System. In just a few months, almost all of Finland was lost to Russia. In 1809, Sweden surrendered the eastern third of Sweden to Russia, and the autonomous Grand Principality of Finland within the Russian Empire was established.

Carl’s nephew King Gustav IV Adolf, 1809; Credit – Wikipedia

Provoked by the disaster in Finland, a group of noblemen started a coup d’état that deposed King Gustav IV Adolf. On March 13, 1809, a group of conspirators broke into the royal apartments at Gripsholm Castle and imprisoned Gustav Adolf and his family. Prince Carl, Gustav Adolf’s uncle, agreed to form a provisional government, and the Swedish parliament, the Riksdag, approved the coup. Gustav Adolf abdicated on March 29, 1809, thinking if he did so, his son would become king. However, on May 10, 1809, the Riksdag proclaimed that all members of Gustav Adolf’s family had forfeited their rights to the throne. After accepting a new liberal constitution, Prince Carl was proclaimed King Carl XIII of Sweden on June 6, 1809. In December 1809, King Gustav IV Adolf and his family were sent into exile.

Carl was 60 years old and not in good health. In November 1809, he had a stroke and was not able to participate in the government while he recuperated. Since all of King Gustav IV Adolf’s descendants had been declared ineligible to succeed to the Swedish throne and Carl was childless, a new heir had to be found. Prince Carl August of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, the 41-year-old son of Friedrich Christian I, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg and Princess Charlotte of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön, was chosen to be the Crown Prince of Sweden. The new Crown Prince arrived in Sweden in January 1810, but he died from a stroke on May 28, 1810.

The Swedes had the idea to offer the position of Crown Prince to one of Napoleon’s Marshals. Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, appointed Marshal of France in 1804, was well-liked in Sweden, particularly because of his considerate treatment of Swedish prisoners during the recent war with Denmark. In addition, he was related to Napoleon through his wife Désirée Clary, whose sister Julie Clary was married to Napoleon’s brother Joseph Bonaparte. Désirée had previously been engaged to Napoleon. Bernadotte already had a son Oscar, born in 1799, who could continue the succession. On August 21, 1810, the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates elected Bernadotte as Crown Prince. He arrived in Stockholm in November 1810 and was formally adopted by King Carl XIII, taking the name Carl Johan, and converted from Roman Catholicism to Lutheranism.

Jean Baptiste Bernadotte (King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden) as Crown Prince of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

The new Crown Prince quickly took an active role in the Swedish government, particularly in foreign policy. He was actively involved in the events leading up to the Treaty of Kiel in 1814, in which Denmark was forced to cede Norway to Sweden. Norway refused to accept the treaty at first, and the Crown Prince invaded, quickly suppressing the Norwegian forces. Soon, Norway became united with Sweden at the Convention of Moss. Unlike the previous union with Denmark, this was a personal union under a single sovereign, and Norway remained an independent state with its own constitution.  King Carl XIII of Sweden also reigned as King Karl II of Norway.

King Carl III, circa 1816; Credit – Wikipedia

King Carl XIII died on February 5, 1818, at the Royal Palace of Stockholm at the age of 69 and he was buried at Riddarholm Church in Stockholm. Jean Baptiste Bernadotte ascended the throne. His coronation in Sweden took place on May 11, 1818, and he took the name King Carl XIV Johan. In September 1818, he was crowned in Norway, as King Karl III Johan. Thus began the Bernadotte dynasty in Sweden, which continues today.

Tomb of King Carl XIII of Sweden; Photo Credit – www.findagrave.com

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

  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Charles XIII of Sweden. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_XIII_of_Sweden [Accessed 25 Sep. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedwig_Elizabeth_Charlotte_of_Holstein-Gottorp [Accessed 25 Sep. 2017].
  • Fr.wikipedia.org. (2017). Charles XIII. [online] Available at: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_XIII [Accessed 25 Sep. 2017].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. (2017). Karl XIII. [online] Available at: https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_XIII [Accessed 25 Sep. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2017). King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden (Jean Baptiste Bernadotte). [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-carl-xiv-johan-of-sweden-jean-baptiste-bernadotte/ [Accessed 25 Sep. 2017].

Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Queen of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2017

Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, Queen of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on September 4, 1729, Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was the youngest of the six daughters and the eleventh of the thirteen children of Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Antoinette of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Juliana Maria and her siblings were first cousins of Archduchess Maria Theresa of Austria, Queen of Hungary and Bohemia and brothers-in-law/sisters-in-law of King Friedrich (the Great) II of Prussia.

Juliana Maria had twelve siblings:

Juliana Maria’s father died when she was six-years-old, having had only a six-month reign as Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. The House of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was one of the smaller German princely families and Juliana Maria had a simple, strict upbringing.

Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel; Credit – Wikipedia

On December 19, 1751, Louisa of Great Britain, the wife of King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway died while pregnant with her sixth child. Despite having parents with very strict religious beliefs, Frederik V had a very sensual nature and loved wine and women. He spent so much time visiting Copenhagen’s taverns and brothels that his father King Christian VI considered disinheriting him from the throne. When Frederik’s marriage to the youngest daughter of King George II of Great Britain was proposed, the Danish government hoped (incorrectly) that marriage would put a damper on Frederik’s affairs and drunkenness.

However, that strategy did not work as during the early years of his marriage to Louisa, Frederik had an affair with Else Hansen, known as Madame Hansen and they had five children. After Frederik became king in 1746, he took part in the government by attending council meetings, but he was afflicted with alcoholism and most of his reign was dominated by very able ministers such as Count Adam Gottlob Moltke, Count Johann Hartwig Ernst von Bernstorff, and Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann.

King Frederik V of Denmark; Credit – Wikipedia

Count Moltke thought it would be a good idea if Frederik married again as soon as possible in hopes of stabilizing his behavior. Frederik preferred another British wife, but there was no British princess at an appropriate age. Count Moltke drew Frederik’s attention to Juliana Maria. Her portrait was sent to Denmark and it pleased Frederik. 29-year-old Frederik and 22-year-old Juliana Maria were married at Frederiksborg Palace on July 8, 1752. However, many Danish people felt the marriage occurred too quickly after the death of the beloved Queen Louisa.

The couple had one child:

Hereditary Prince Frederik by Vigilius Eriksen, 1777; Credit – Wikipedia

Her marriage to Frederik V also brought Juliana Maria four stepchildren, but she had no influence in their upbringing:

Despite her efforts, Juliana Maria found it difficult to replace Queen Louisa in the hearts of the Danish people. While Louisa had learned Danish and had insisted that her children learn Danish, a rarity in an almost German-language Danish court, Juliana Maria never fully mastered the Danish language but she did try to speak and write it. She appointed Danish tutors for her son so that he could master Danish. King Frederik V continued his affairs and his drinking and as Louisa had done, Juliana Maria pretended not to notice the problems. Juliana Maria led a quiet life and had no influence in government affairs despite the expectation of her brother-in-law King Friedrich II (the Great) of Prussia that she act as his agent.

In 1760, King Frederik V broke his leg in a drunken accident, affecting his health for the rest of his life. Frederik V died on January 14, 1766, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark at the age of 42. He was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in the Frederik V Chapel.

Frederik V was succeeded by his 17-year-old son from his first marriage, King Christian VII. Christian had been only two-years-old when his mother died. He had a nervous disposition and had been poorly educated and terrorized by a brutal governor, Christian Ditlev Reventlow, Count of Reventlow.  A few months after he became king, Christian married his first cousin Princess Caroline Matilda of Wales, the daughter of Frederick, Prince of Wales (who predeceased his father King George II) and the sister of King George III.

It was soon clear that Christian VII was not quite normal. 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. It became clearer and clearer that Christian could not fulfill his role as king. During a trip that had been arranged because it was believed that new environments could change Christian’s behavior, Christian became acquainted with the physician 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.

King Christian VII; Credit – Wikipedia

Because of Christian’s confidence in him, Struensee gained political power. In 1770, Struensee became Master of Requests and Minister of the Royal Cabinet. He also became the lover of the ill-treated Caroline Matilda, whose marriage was less than satisfactory. When Caroline Matilda gave birth to her daughter Louise, no one doubted that Struensee was the father of the princess. Eventually, Queen Dowager Juliana Maria maneuvered a coup that would bring about the fall of Struensee and discredit Caroline Matilda. Juliana Maria arranged for King Christian VII to sign the arrest warrant of Struensee after she had already made the arrest in the name of the king. In 1772, Struensee was executed and Caroline Matilda was exiled.

After the fall of Struensee, Juliana Maria and her son Christian VII’s half-brother Hereditary Prince Frederik took charge of the Council of State. Christian VII was only nominally king from 1772 onward. Between 1772 and 1784, Denmark was ruled by Queen Dowager Juliana Maria, Hereditary Prince Frederik, and Cabinet Secretary Ove Høegh-Guldberg. Juliana Maria was given the responsibility of the upbringing of Christian VII’s eldest son Crown Prince Frederik, the future King Frederik VI. From 1784, Crown Prince Frederik ruled permanently as a prince regent. Crown Prince Frederik had no intention of allowing Juliana Maria and her son Frederik to continue their rule. He somehow managed to get his insane father to sign an order dismissing the supporters of Juliana Maria from the council and declaring that no royal order was legal unless co-signed by the Crown Prince, thereby deposing Queen Dowager Juliana Maria and Hereditary Prince Frederik.

Juliana Maria showing the portrait of her only child Hereditary Prince Frederik by Johann Georg Ziesenis, 1766-1767; Credit – Wikipedia

Juliana Maria lived the rest of her life quietly at court. She survived her husband by 30 years, dying on October 10, 1796, at Fredensborg Palace at the age of 67 and was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in the Frederik V Chapel.

Tomb of Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel – Photo by 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. (2017). Juliane Marie af Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliane_Marie_af_Braunschweig-Wolfenb%C3%BCttel [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juliana_Maria_of_Brunswick-Wolfenb%C3%BCttel [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2017). King Christian VII of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-christian-vii-of-denmark/ [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].
  • Unofficial Royalty. (2017). King Frederik V of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-frederik-v-of-denmark/ [Accessed 7 Aug. 2017].

King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2017

King Frederik V of Denmark and Norway; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik V, King of Denmark and Norway, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein was born at Copenhagen Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark on March 31, 1723. His birthplace was demolished in 1731 to make room for the first Christiansborg Palace.  The present Christiansborg Palace stands on the site and is the seat of the Danish Parliament, the Danish Prime Minister’s Office, and the Supreme Court of Denmark. Frederik was the only son and the eldest of the three children of King Christian VI of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach.

Frederik had two younger sisters, but only one survived infancy:

Frederik as a child; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik’s education was inadequate and he was far from an exemplary student. His teachers complained that he was more interested in hunting and other more pleasurable activities. Frederik was taught the basics of reading, writing, German, French, Latin, and history, but he never wanted to extend his learning. Curiously, Danish was not a subject. Frederik’s teachers were all German except for a Frenchman who taught him French. He was never really proficient in Danish. Ironically, his mother called him “Der Dänische Prinz” (The Danish Prince in German) because he spoke Danish only occasionally.

Frederik’s parents were both adherents to Pietism, a movement in Lutheranism with an emphasis on Biblical doctrine, the Reformed emphasis on individual piety, and living a vigorous Christian life. Pietism considered frugality, humility, restraint, and a sense of duty important virtues. However, Frederik had a very sensual nature and loved wine and women. He spent so much time visiting Copenhagen’s pubs and brothels that his father considered disinheriting him from the throne.

Frederik (on the left) and Louisa (on the right), then Crown Prince and Princess of Denmark, with King Christian VI and Queen Sophie Magdalene sitting, by Marcus Tuscher circa 1744; Credit – Wikipedia

On December 11, 1743, in Altona, Duchy of Holstein, now in Germany, 20-year-old Frederik married 19-year-old Princess Louisa of Great Britain, the fifth daughter and the youngest of the nine children of King George II of Great Britain and Caroline of Ansbach. Frederik’s father, King Christian VI, hoped that this marriage would cause the British government to support his or his son’s claim to the Swedish throne.  Furthermore, the Danish government hoped (incorrectly) that marriage would put a damper on Crown Prince Frederik’s affairs and drunkenness. From 1745 – 1752, Frederik had an affair with Else Hansen, known as Madame Hansen and they had five children. Nevertheless, Frederik and Louisa got along reasonably well and although Frederik continued his affairs, Louisa pretended not to notice them.  Frederik and Louisa had five children:

Louisa was popular with the Danish people and was interested in music, dance, and theater. The Danish people greatly appreciated Louisa’s efforts to learn and speak Danish and her insistence that her children learn Danish, a rarity in an almost German-language Danish court.

On August 6, 1746, King Christian VI died and Frederik became King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. Although Frederik took part in the government by attending council meetings, he was afflicted with alcoholism and most of his reign was dominated by his very able ministers Count Adam Gottlob Moltke, a favorite of King Frederik V, Count Johann Hartwig Ernst von Bernstorff, and Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann.

Queen Louisa by court painter C.G. Pilo, 1751; Credit – Wikipedia

While pregnant with her sixth child, 27-year-old Louisa died on December 19, 1751, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark due to complications from a miscarriage. She was buried in Roskilde Cathedral, the burial place of the kings and queens of Denmark, in Roskilde, Denmark.

Queen Juliana Maria; Credit – Wikipedia

Count Moltke thought it would be a good idea if Frederik married again, as soon as possible, in the hope of stabilizing his behavior. Moltke arranged a marriage with 22-year-old Princess Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, the youngest of the six daughters and the eleventh of the thirteen children of Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel and Antoinette of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Frederik and Juliana Maria were married at Frederiksborg Palace on July 8, 1752.

The couple had one child:

In 1760, Frederik broke his leg in a drunken accident, which affected his health for the rest of his life. King Frederik V died on January 14, 1766, at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, Denmark at the age of 42. He was buried at Roskilde Cathedral in the Frederik V Chapel.

Tomb of King Frederik V – Photo by Susan Flantzer

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

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. (2017). Frederik 5.. [online] Available at: https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederik_5. [Accessed 5 Aug. 2017].
  • En.wikipedia.org. (2017). Frederick V of Denmark. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_V_of_Denmark [Accessed 5 Aug. 2017].