Category Archives: Current Monarchies

Karl XII, King of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Karl XII, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl XII became King of Sweden at the age of fifteen and reigned for twenty-one years. After losing a decisive battle during the Great Nothern War in which he was wounded and lost one-third of his forces, Karl fled to the Ottoman Empire and remained there for five years. Upon his return to Sweden, he started an offensive military campaign and ultimately lost his life in battle. Karl XII, King of Sweden was the second of the seven children and the eldest and the only surviving son of the five sons of Karl XI, King of Sweden and Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark. He was born on June 17, 1682, at Tre Kronor Castle which was on the site of the current Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. His paternal grandparents were Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden and Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp. Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg were his maternal grandparents.

Karl, on the right, with his sister Hedwig Sophia; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl had six siblings but only his two sisters survived childhood:

Karl’s mother Ulrika Eleonora was a very visible parent and active in raising her children. His father Karl XI gave orders that Karl was to receive a comprehensive education that would prepare him to be King of Sweden. Karl received instruction in riding, hunting, and fencing from his father. At the age of four, Karl’s mother began his academic instruction. He later received lessons in military science, foreign languages, math, geography, history, literature, and legal matters from specially selected tutors.

The fifteen-year-old Karl XII, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

When Karl was only eleven years old his mother Ulrika Eleonora died. Four years later, on April 6, 1697, his father died and the fifteen-year-old succeeded to the throne as Karl XII, King of Sweden. His paternal grandmother Hedwig Eleonora, who had been the Regent of Sweden for her son Karl XI, who became King of Sweden at the age of four, was also the Regent of Sweden for her grandson Karl XII. However, seven months later, on December 14, 1697, Karl XII proclaimed himself king and refused to continue with a regency. The Swedish Riksdag declared him to be of legal age. Karl XII’s grandmother Hedwig Eleonora was quite formidable and was the Dowager Queen of Sweden for 55 years. She remained visible in Swedish politics and society until her death and her grandson Karl XII had great respect for her. After the regency, Hedwig Eleonora continued with the upbringing of her three surviving grandchildren. Because of this Karl had strong ties to his grandmother and his two sisters.

For almost all of his reign, Karl XII led Sweden in the Great Northern War (1700 – 1721). He acted as the general of the army and achieved significant success for several years. However, a failed campaign in Russia in 1708 – 1709, drastically changed the situation. At the Battle of Poltava in July 1709, Karl XII was wounded and unable to lead the Swedish forces. One-third of the Swedish army was killed and the Swedish supply train was destroyed. The Swedish army was inferior to the larger and more modern army of Peter I (the Great) of Russia.  After losing the battle, Karl XII fled south to the Ottoman Empire with a force of 1,000. The remainder of the Swedish army surrendered and most of them spent the rest of their lives in Russian captivity. The Swedish defeat at the Battle of Poltava marked the downfall of the Swedish Empire and the rise of the Russian Empire.

The injured Karl XII after the Battle of Poltava by Gustaf Cederström; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl XII remained in the Ottoman Empire for five years. The main reason for his long stay in the Ottoman Empire was that Karl hoped to persuade the Turks to open a second front against Russia in southern Europe, easing the military pressure on Sweden. The Turks initially welcomed Karl’s presence but after five years, they wanted him gone. During his five-year stay in the Ottoman Empire, Karl corresponded with his sister Ulrika Eleonora who was now his heir as his elder sister Hedwig Sophia died from smallpox in 1708. Over the years, Karl ruled his kingdom from the Ottoman Empire. Meanwhile, the Swedish Council of State and Riksdag tried to keep Sweden organized and independent. However, in the autumn of 1714, Karl received a letter warning him that unless he returned to Sweden, the Council of State and the Riksdag would independently conclude a peace treaty with Russia, Poland, and Denmark. Karl rushed back to Sweden on horseback making the journey in fifteen days.

When Karl returned home, he found Sweden at war with Russia, Saxony, Hanover, Great Britain, and Denmark. Karl planned to attack Norway which was ruled jointly with Denmark. He hoped that if he cut Denmark’s Norwegian supply lines the Danish forces would be withdrawn from Swedish territory. Karl invaded Norway in 1716, occupied the capital of Christiania (today’s Oslo), and laid siege to the Akershus Fortress but he was unsuccessful and was forced to withdraw.

Bringing Home the Body of King Karl XII of Sweden by Gustaf Cederström; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1718, Karl once again invaded Norway, laying siege to Fredriksten Fortress. On December 11, 1718, while in the trenches close to the perimeter of Fredriksten Fortress, 36-year-old Karl was hit in the head by a projectile that entered the left side of his skull and exited on the right side of his skull, instantly killing him. The invasion was abandoned and Karl’s body was returned to Sweden where he was buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm.

Tomb of Karl XII, King of Sweden at Riddarholmen Church; Credit – Wikipedia

The exact circumstances of Karl’s death remain unclear. His body has been exhumed three times, in 1746, 1859, and 1917, in attempts to determine the exact cause of death. Despite multiple investigations of the battlefield, Karl’s skull, and his clothes, it is still uncertain how he was hit or whether the shot came from the enemy or his own forces.

Photo from the 1917 postmortem exam; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl XII never married. He had been encouraged to find a suitable wife to secure the succession but he avoided the subject of sex and marriage. After his death, his only surviving sibling Ulrika Eleonora claimed the throne. Her deceased older sister Hedwig Sophia had a son Karl Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, who had the better claim by primogeniture. However, Ulrika Eleonora asserted that she was the closest surviving relative of her brother and was recognized as his successor by the Riksdag. After a reign of two years, she abdicated in 1720 in favor of her husband Friedrich V, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel who reigned as Fredrik I, King of Sweden.

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

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Karl XII. (Schweden) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_XII._(Schweden)> [Accessed 11 September 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Charles XII of Sweden – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_XII_of_Sweden> [Accessed 11 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, S., 2021. Karl XI, King of Sweden. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-xi-king-of-sweden/> [Accessed 11 September 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Karl XII – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_XII> [Accessed 11 September 2021].

Vaduz Cathedral (Cathedral of St. Florin) in Vaduz, Liechtenstein

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Vaduz Cathedral (Cathedral of St. Florin); Credit – By Dennis Jarvis – https://www.flickr.com/photos/archer10/19466233250, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41624144

The neo-gothic Vaduz Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral of St. Florin, is a Roman Catholic church located in Vaduz, the capital of the Principality of Liechtenstein. The patron saint of the cathedral is St. Florin who was a priest in Remüs or Ramosch, now a small village in Switzerland. Miracles were attributed to him during his life, including the turning of water into wine. After his death in 856, numerous miracles were said to have taken place at his tomb in the parish church of Remüs. St. Florin is often depicted with a wine cup as can be seen below in a bust of him at the Vaduz Cathedral.

Bust of St. Florin at Vaduz Cathedral; Credit- By Dennis Jarvis – https://www.flickr.com/photos/archer10/19658735861, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=41623841

There had been a chapel in Vaduz dedicated to St. Florin since the Middle Ages that served the needs of the Counts of Vaduz. The Liechtenstein family purchased the County of Vaduz in 1712 from the Hohenems family. In 1719, Karl VI, Holy Roman Emperor elevated the territories of the Liechtenstein family to a Fürstentum (Principality) with the name the Principality of Liechtenstein.

The nave and the choir of Vaduz Cathedral; Credit – Von Cats’ photos – Eigenes Werk, Gemeinfrei, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50950021

By 1868, St. Florin Chapel could no longer meet the demands of the Principality of Liechtenstein, and a decision was made to build a new church. The area south of St. Florin Chapel was chosen as the site of the new church. German architect Friedrich von Schmidt, who completed Cologne Cathedral and designed and built the Vienna City Hall designed the church and it was built under the direction of Liechtenstein architect Ignaz von Banko. The foundation stone was laid on August 17, 1869, and the church was consecrated in October 1873. The church was built during the reign of Prince Johann II who paid three-quarters of the construction cost. From 1965 – 1966, the church was renovated and a baptistery was added. In 1997, the church was raised to the status of a cathedral.

Christenings

The christening of Prince Nikolaus in 2000

There is limited information about the christenings of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein. However, the four children of Hereditary Prince Alois were christened at Vaduz Cathedral.

  • Prince Joseph Wenzel: born May 24, 1995, christened July 3, 1995
  • Princess Marie-Caroline: born October 17, 1996, christened December 16, 1996
  • Prince Georg: born April 21, 1999, christened May 13, 1999
  • Prince Nikolaus: born December 6, 2000, christened January 13, 200

Weddings

The wedding of Princess Tatjana and Baron Philipp von Lattorff in 1999

This may not be a complete list.

Royal Burials

The Princely Crypt, Vaduz Cathedral; Credit – Wikipedia

During the reign of Karl I, the first Prince of Liechtenstein, his brother Maximilian founded the Paulan monastery in Vranov, then in territory owned by the Liechtenstein family in Moravia, later in Czechoslovakia, now in the Czech Republic. Burial crypts were built there for members of the House of Liechtenstein. In 1945, the land owned by the House of Liechtenstein in Czechoslovakia was appropriated by the Czech Communist government. This necessitated the building of a new burial place at Vaduz Cathedral. The Princely Crypt, located next to the cathedral, was designed by the Liechtenstein architect Hans Rheinberger (link in German)  and completed in 1960.

The interior of the Princely Crypt; Credit – Wikipedia

Below are the members of the Princely Family of Liechtenstein buried in the Princely Crypt. Those who died before the completion of the Princely Crypt in 1960 were originally buried elsewhere.

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

  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Kathedrale St. Florin (Vaduz) – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathedrale_St._Florin_(Vaduz)> [Accessed 25 October 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Vaduz Cathedral – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaduz_Cathedral> [Accessed 25 October 2021].
  • Ics.li. 2021. Pfarrei Vaduz – Die Kirchen. [online] Available at: <https://www.ics.li/pfarreivaduz/CFDOCS/cms/cmsout/index.cfm?GroupID=110&MandID=1&meID=3&Lang=1> [Accessed 25 October 2021].
  • Luxarazzi.com. 2021. Luxarazzi 101: Kathedrale St. Florin. [online] Available at: <http://www.luxarazzi.com/2015/08/luxarazzi-101-kathedrale-st-florin.html> [Accessed 25 October 2021].

Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, Queen of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, Queen of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, the wife of Karl XI, King of Sweden, was noted for her extraordinary charitable activities and an eerie legend associated with her death. Born in Copenhagen, Denmark on September 11, 1656, she was the sixth of the eight children and fourth of the five daughters of Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. Her paternal grandparents were Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway and Anna Katharina of Brandenburg. Her maternal grandparents were Georg, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Anna Eleonora of Hesse-Darmstadt. Ulrika Eleonora was the sister of Christian V, King of Denmark and Prince Jørgen of Denmark, better known as Prince George, Duke of Cumberland, the husband of Queen Anne of Great Britain.

Ulrika Eleonora had seven siblings:

Ulrika Eleonora’s husband Karl XI, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1675, Ulrika Eleonora became betrothed to Karl XI, King of Sweden. Ulrika Eleonora’s brother King Christian V was not in favor of the match but he left the final decision up to his mother who favored the match because her daughter would be a queen. However, the Scanian War between Denmark and Sweden from 1675 – 1679 postponed the wedding. King Christian V broke off the engagement but his sister still considered herself betrothed to Karl XI. In the peace negotiations between Sweden and Denmark in 1679, a marriage between Ulrika Eleonora and Karl XI, King of Sweden was on the agenda, and a marriage was agreed upon. Ulrika Eleonora and Karl XI were married on May 6, 1680, in Skottorp Castle in Skummeslöv, Halland, Sweden. The new Queen of Sweden was crowned on November 25, 1680, at Storkyrkan (Great Church) in Stockholm, Sweden.

Ulrika Eleonora with her four sons who died in infancy; Credit – Nationalmuseum

Ulrika Eleonora and Karl XI had seven children but only three survived childhood:

Ulrika Eleonora’s family left to right: her mother-in-law Hedwig Eleonora; her husband King Karl XI; her son the future Karl XII; Queen Ulrika Eleonora; her daughter Ulrika Eleonora; her son-in-law Friedrich IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp; the mother of Friedrich IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp Fredrika Amalia of Denmark, Dowager Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp; and her daughter Hedwig Sophia; Credit – Wikipedia

Ulrika Eleonora’s husband had become King of Sweden when he was only four years old. His mother Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, who was Dowager Queen for 55 years and would survive both her son and her daughter-in-law, was the Regent of Sweden until Karl XI reached his majority. Ulrika Eleonora had no political influence as her husband preferred to discuss politics with his mother. Hedwig Eleonora remained the first lady of the court. Karl XI always referred to Ulrika Eleonora as “My Wife” and his mother as “The Queen”. Foreign ambassadors always paid their respects to Hedwig Eleonora first, and then to Ulrika Eleonora. The hostility between Hedwig Eleonora’s homeland Holstein-Gottorp and Ulrika Eleonora’s homeland Denmark made the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law even more tense.

Ulrika Eleonora was very active in charity. She founded a large number of charitable institutions that were administered by her chamberlain Sophia Amalia Marschalk and her principal lady-in-waiting and mistress of the robes Maria Elisabeth Stenbock. It is estimated that 7/8 of Ulrika Eleonora’s income went to her charities and she even sold her possessions to finance her charitable projects. Her best-known projects were a tapestry school at Karlberg Palace where orphan girls were educated in tapestry manufacturing, the Queen’s House, a home for poor widows in Stockholm, and a poor house at Kungsholmen. Ulrika Eleonora arranged for food to be distributed to areas suffering from failed crops and starvation and paid the medical bills for a large number of people in Stockholm. She commissioned doctors and midwives to develop scientific-based obstetrics and an orderly birth system in Sweden. Ulrika Eleonora supported a large number of needy people with regular allowances from her income. In 1693, the year of her death, 17,000 people were supported by her.

After the birth of her seventh and last child in 1688, Ulrika Eleonora’s health continually weakened, so much so that she seldom participated in court events. A trip to see her family in Denmark in 1688 had to be canceled. In 1690, Ulrika Eleonora developed a fatal non-diagnosed illness. Her doctors recommended a trip to the hot springs and funds were set aside for the trip but Ulrika Eleonora refused to go and instead used the funds for charity.

Ulrika Eleonora’s funeral; Credit – British Museum

Ulrika Eleonora died at Karlberg Palace in Solna Municipality, Sweden, outside Stockholm, on July 26, 1693, aged 36, after having spent 1692 -1693 in bed. Her husband Karl XI mourned her greatly and remarked upon her death, “Here I leave half of my heart.” She had requested a simple funeral and that her husband give most of the funds set aside for her funeral to charity. Karl XI did not respect her wish for a simple funeral but he did contribute the cost of her funeral to the poor. Ulrika Eleonora was buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden. Karl XI survived his wife by less than four years, dying on April 5, 1697, at Tre Kronor Castle in Stockholm, Sweden, aged 41. He had suffered from abdominal pains for three years. An autopsy revealed that he had developed cancer that had spread throughout the abdominal cavity. Karl was buried with his wife at Riddarholmen Church.

Ulrika Eleonora’s coffin )on the left) in Riddarholmen Church; Credit – Wikipedia

There is an eerie legend associated with the death of Ulrika Eleonora. After the death of Ulrika Eleonora, she was laid out at Karlberg Palace before her funeral. One night, a carriage arrived from Stockholm carrying Maria Elisabeth Stenbock, Ulrika Eleonora’s principal lady-in-waiting and mistress of the robes. Maria Elisabeth, who was carrying her little dog Camillo, was escorted to Ulrika Eleonora’s room by the officer in charge Captain Stormcrantz. When he thought she was taking too long, he looked through the keyhole and saw Maria Elisabeth and Ulrika Eleonora standing by the window talking to each other. Captain Stormcrantz was so shocked by the sight that he started coughing up blood. Maria Elisabeth, as well as her carriage, were gone the next moment. When the matter was investigated, it was discovered that Maria Elisabeth had been in bed, gravely ill, and had not left her home. King Karl XI gave orders that the incident was not to be mentioned again. Whatever the explanation, Captain Stormcrantz died soon after, reportedly from shock after what he thought he had witnessed, and Maria Elisabeth Stenbock died of her illness on October 9, 1693.

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. 2021. Ulrika Eleonora, Queen of Sweden – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrika_Eleonora,_Queen_of_Sweden> [Accessed 6 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2021. Frederik III, King of Denmark and Norway. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/frederik-iii-king-of-denmark-and-norway/> [Accessed 6 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2021. Karl XI, King of Sweden. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-xi-king-of-sweden/> [Accessed 6 September 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Ulrika Eleonora – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrika_Eleonora> [Accessed 6 September 2021].

Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Af CucombreLibre from New York, NY, USA – Roskilde Cathedral, Denmark, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=53832603

Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark, which this writer has visited, located 19miles/30 km west of Copenhagen on the island of Zealand, is a church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark, sometimes called The Church of Denmark, the established, state-supported church in Denmark. It has been the main site for Danish royal burials since the 15th century and most monarchs and their consorts from the House of Oldenburg (1448 – 1863) and the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1863 – present) are buried there. The cathedral was also used for non-royal burials and the floor is covered with hundreds of grave markers with additional graves in the crypts.

Grave markers; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

King Harald Bluetooth named Roskilde the capital of Denmark in 960 and a small wooden church dedicated to the Holy Trinity was built on the location of the current cathedral. The first stone cathedral, in the Romanesque style, was completed in 1080 and a monastery was completed soon afterward.

Main Aisle of Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

In 1200, an expansion of the cathedral began and was completed in 1280, resulting in the Brick Gothic cathedral we see today The magnificent red brick building consists of about 2.5 million bricks and is twice as high as the old cathedral. A fire in 1443 damaged the cathedral, requiring renovations. During the Protestant Reformation, in 1538, Roskilde Cathedral ceased being a place of Catholic worship and became a house of Protestant worship.

Royal Burials

Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

To accommodate the many royal burials, chapels were added to the 13th century Brick Gothic cathedral, each built in the architectural style of its time. There are also burials of other members of the Danish royal family in the crypts. The years below are birth and death years.

Holy Trinity Church

Harald Bluetooth, who introduced Christianity to Denmark, was buried at the Holy Trinity Church, the wooden first church on the site. His son Sweyn Forkbeard was first buried in England and his remains were later moved to Denmark where they were interred near his father at the Holy Trinity Church. However, their tombs have never been found.

Pier in the Apse

Sweyn II Ertridsen was interred in the southeastern pier. A pier is similar to a column and is designed to support arches. In the photo below, a portrait of Sweyn II Ertridsen on the right marks the pier where he is buried.

Burial site of Sweyn II Estridsen; Credit By Richard Mortel from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Funerary monuments, Roskilde Cathedral (2), CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69758143

Close-up of the portrait of Sweyn II Estridsen that marks his place of burial; Credit – Wikipedia

Choir 

Queen Margrethe I was interred in a sarcophagus behind the high altar. Her beautiful sarcophagus was made by German sculptor Johannes Junge (link in German) in 1423. She had left property to the Roskilde Cathedral on the condition that Masses for her soul would be said regularly in the future. This was discontinued in 1536 during the Protestant Reformation although a special bell is still rung twice daily in memory of Queen Margrethe I.

Tomb of Margrethe I; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

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Tombs in the Apse

The apse is the end of a cathedral opposite the main entrance. It is often circular as it is at Roskilde Cathedral. The sarcophagi here are all grand white marble structures except for King Christopher III’s who lived more than two hundred years earlier and has a tomb with an effigy.

Tombs in the apse; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

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Trolle Chapel

Anna Sophie was hated by Frederik IV’s children from his first marriage to Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. Upon Frederik IV’s death, his son and successor King Christian VI banished Anne Sophie from the court and kept her under house arrest at Clausholm Castle, her family home. When Anna Sophie died, King Christian VI allowed her to be buried at Roskilde Cathedral, but in the Trolle Chapel, originally built for members of the Trolle noble family, which is on the opposite side of the cathedral, far away from his parents’ tombs. The two smaller tombs are the tombs of two of six children (who all died in infancy) of Frederik IV and Anna Sophie.

Tomb of Anna Sophie Reventlow – Photo courtesy Findagrave.com

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Chapel of the Magi (Christian I’s Chapel)

King Christian I, the first monarch of the House of Oldenburg, built the Chapel of the Magi as a family burial chapel for the House of Oldenburg. While the elaborate tombs of King Christian III, King Frederik II, and their 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.

Graves of King Christian I and Queen Dorothea; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Tomb of Christian III and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Tomb of Frederik II and Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

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Christian IV’s Chapel

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

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

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Frederik V’s Chapel

Frederik V’s Chapel consists of two chapels in the neoclassical style, constructed 1774–1825 and required the removal of a previous existing chapel. One chapel has two adjoining rooms and is referred to as Christian VI’s Chapel. The other, Frederik’s V Chapel, is a domed chapel in the shape of a cross. The interiors have the classic white-washed wall. The chapels show a gradual trend in moving from grand marble sarcophagi to more simple velvet-covered coffins, and in the case of Frederik VII, a wooden coffin. An example of a marble sarcophagus and examples of velvet-covered coffins can be seen in the photo below.

Frederik V’s Chapel; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

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Christian IX’s Chapel

The tombs of the first three kings and queen consorts of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg are in the rather small Christian IX’s Chapel also known as the Glücksburg Chapel. When Christian IX died, a competition was held for a design of a double sarcophagus for him and his wife Queen Louise who had predeceased him. The winning design was later determined to be too controversial. Instead, the sarcophagus was designed by Edvard Eriksen, who created the famous Little Mermaid statue in the Copenhagen harbor, and architect Hack Kampmann. They created a large sarcophagus in white marble surrounded by three graceful sculptures depicting Remembrance, Love, and Sorrow.

Tombs of King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

Tombs of King Frederik VIII and Queen Louise; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

Tombs of King Christian X and Queen Alexandrine; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

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Maria Feodorovna’s Temporary Burial Site

Empress Maria Feodorovna of Russian, the wife of Alexander III, Emperor of All Russia and mother of Nicholas II, Emperor of All Russia, was born Princess Dagmar of Denmark, the daughter of Christian IX, King of Denmark. After escaping from Russia after the Russian Revolution, she lived the rest of her life in Denmark. Upon her death in 1928, she was buried at Roskilde Cathedral. She had wished that at some point in time she could be buried with her husband. In 2005, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed, along with their governments, that her wish should be fulfilled. Her remains were transported to St. Petersburg and interred next to her husband in the Peter and Paul Cathedral on September 28, 2006.

First burial place of Empress Maria Feodorovna in Roskilde Cathedral; Credit – Wikipedia

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Frederik IX’s Burial Site

King Frederik IX had a career in the Royal Danish Navy where he had several senior commands and attained the rank of Rear Admiral. Unlike other Danish monarchs who had been buried inside Roskilde Cathedral, Frederik wanted to be buried outside the cathedral in sight of the sea. The two photos below of the burial site right outside of Roskilde Catherdral were taken by this author who can verify that the Roskilde Fjord can be seen from the site of the grave.

Site of King Frederik IX’s grave outside Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Grave of King Frederik IX and his wife Queen Ingrid; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

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St. Brigid’s Chapel – Margrethe II’s Future Burial Site

In 2010, it was announced that Queen Margrethe II had chosen St. Brigid’s Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral as the burial site for herself and her husband Prince Henrik. St. Bridgid’s Chapel, built in 1485, is one of the two remaining old chapels. However, the Danish Royal Court announced on August 3, 2017, that Prince Henrik did not want to be buried in Roskilde Cathedral. Following his funeral in 2018, Prince Henrik’s remains were cremated with half of his ashes spread over Danish waters, and the other half interred in the private garden at Fredensborg Castle.

Danish artist Bjørn Nørgaard designed the sarcophagus. The photos below are from this author’s visit to Roskilde Cathedral in August 2011 where she was able to see a conservator restoring the 500-year-old murals on the chapel’s walls and a display about Queen Margrethe II’s tomb. Since this author’s visit, the sarcophagus has been finished and installed but is covered until the death of Queen Margrethe II.

Danish_TombSite_MargretheII_1

St. Brigid’s Chapel at Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Danish_TombSite_Model_MargretheII 2

A poster describing the sarcophagus of Queen Margrethe II; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Danish_TombSite_Model_MargretheII 3

Model of the sarcophagus of Queen Margrethe II; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Danish_TombSite_MargretheII_PaintingWall 4

Conservator restoring the 500-year-old murals on the chapel’s walls; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

Danish_TombSite_MargretheII_WallDetail 5

Detail of the mural; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

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Other Royal Burials

One of the crypts at Roskilde Cathedral; Photo Credit © Susan Flantzer

The following are also buried in Roskilde Cathedral, mostly in the crypts.

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

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Roskilde Domkirke – Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roskilde_Domkirke> [Accessed 4 September 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Dom zu Roskilde – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dom_zu_Roskilde> [Accessed 4 September 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Roskilde Cathedral – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roskilde_Cathedral> [Accessed 4 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2012. Danish Royal Burial Sites: House of Oldenburg, 1448 – 1863. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/danish-royal-burial-sites/house-of-oldenburg-1448-1863/> [Accessed 4 September 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2012. Danish Royal Burial Sites: House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, 1863 – present. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/royal-burial-sites/danish-royal-burial-sites/house-of-schleswig-holstein-sonderburg-glucksburg-1863-present/> [Accessed 4 September 2021].
  • Roskildedomkirke.dk. 2021. Visit Roskilde Cathedral | Roskilde Domkirke. [online] Available at: <https://roskildedomkirke.dk/english> [Accessed 4 September 2021].

Karl XI, King of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Karl XI, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl XI, King of Sweden was the only child of Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden and Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp. He was born on December 4, 1655, at Tre Kronor Castle, which was on the site of the present Royal Palace in Stockholm, Sweden. His paternal grandparents were Johann Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Princess Katarina of Sweden, daughter of Karl IX, King of Sweden. His maternal grandparents were Friedrich III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and Marie Elisabeth of Saxony.

Before the birth of his son, Karl X Gustav was away on military campaigns and did not meet his son until December 1659. He died at the age of 37 on February 13, 1660, from influenza and pneumonia, and his four-year-old son Karl became King of Sweden. Karl XI’s mother, Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, served as Regent of Sweden until her son reached his majority.

Five-year-old Karl XI, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

In his will, Karl XI’s father had appointed a tutor for his son. Emund Gripenhielm (link in Swedish) was a professor of history at Uppsala University and held government positions, including personal secretary to Karl X Gustav. The young king’s curriculum consisted of Latin, French, German, history, state law, geography, astronomy, and architecture. However, Karl XI did poorly in his studies. He had difficulty reading and writing but was good at memorization. Karl probably had dyslexia, a reading disorder characterized by trouble with reading despite normal intelligence. In 1671, Karl began attending the meetings of the Council of State, and the following year, when he reached his majority, Karl was King of Sweden in his own right.

When Italian philosopher, author, diplomat, and poet Lorenzo Magalotti visited Stockholm in 1674, he described the teenage Karl XI as “virtually afraid of everything, uneasy to talk to foreigners, and not daring to look anyone in the face.” Karl was dependent on his mother and advisors to interact with foreign envoys since he was only fluent in German and was ignorant of the world outside Sweden. Karl’s coronation was held on September 28, 1675. After 1680, Karl’s government spent most of its reign preventing new wars by engaging in foreign affairs, advocating economic stability, and reorganizing the military. The last twenty years of Karl’s reign was the longest period of peace during Sweden’s time as a great power.

Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, Queen of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

In the peace negotiations between Sweden and Denmark in 1679, a marriage between Karl XI and Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, daughter of Frederik III, King of Denmark, was on the agenda. Karl had previously been engaged to his cousin Juliana of Hesse-Eschwege. However, on two occasions after the engagement, Juliana became pregnant by two different men, and the engagement was eventually called off. Karl and Ulrika Eleonora were married on May 6, 1680, in Skottorp Castle in Skummeslöv, Halland, Sweden.

Karl XI and Ulrika Eleonora had seven children, but only three survived childhood:

Left to Right: Karls XI’s mother Hedwig Eleonora; Karl XI; his son the future Karl XII; his wife Ulrika Eleonora; his daughter Ulrika Eleonora; his son-in-law Friedrich IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp; the mother of Friedrich IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp Fredrika Amalia of Denmark, Dowager Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp; and his daughter Hedwig Sofia; Credit – Wikipedia

The marriage of Karl XI and Ulrika Eleonora was considered a success, but the couple had very different personalities. Karl was fond of physical activities like hunting and riding, while Ulrika Eleonora enjoyed reading and the fine arts. As Queen of Sweden, Ulrika Eleonora had limited political influence and was overshadowed by her mother-in-law. Even after her son married Ulrika Eleonora, Hedwig Eleonora remained the first lady of the court. Foreign ambassadors always paid their respects to Hedwig Eleonora first, and then Ulrika Eleonora. In 1690, weakened by her seven childbirths, Ulrika Eleonora developed a fatal undiagnosed illness. She died on July 26, 1693, aged 36, after spending 1692 -1693 in bed, and was buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden. On his deathbed, Karl told his mother that he had not been happy since Ulrika Eleonora’s death.

Karl XI lying in state; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl XI survived his wife by only four years. The year after Ulrika Eleonora’s death, Karl had abdominal pains. During the summer of 1696, the pain became severe, and he was given medication that provided only temporary relief. Karl continued to perform his duties, but in February 1697, the pain became too severe for him to continue his work. His doctors discovered that he had a large hardening in his abdomen. At that time, there was little the doctors could do other than relieve the pain with medication. Karl XI, King of Sweden died on April 5, 1697, at Tre Kronor Castle in Stockholm, Sweden, aged 41. An autopsy revealed that he had developed cancer that had spread throughout the abdominal cavity. Karl was buried with his wife at Riddarholmen Church.

Tomb of Karl XI at Riddarholmen Church; Credit – Wikipedia

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

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Charles XI of Sweden – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_XI_of_Sweden> [Accessed 31 August 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrika_Eleonora_of_Denmark> [Accessed 31 August 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2021. Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/hedwig-eleonora-of-holstein-gottorp-queen-of-sweden/> [Accessed 31 August 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Karl XI – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_XI> [Accessed 31 August 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Ulrika Eleonora av Danmark – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrika_Eleonora_av_Danmark> [Accessed 31 August 2021].

Holmens Church in Copenhagen, Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Holmens Church; Credit – Wikipedia

Holmens Church in Copenhagen, Denmark is a church of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark, sometimes called The Church of Denmark, the established, state-supported church in Denmark. The church has long had a connection to ships and the Danish navy and is located on the water. In medieval Copenhagen, Holmen was an island but in the 16th century, city restructuring made it a peninsula surrounded by Holmens Canal. On this peninsula, King Christian III founded a shipyard that became synonymous with the name Holmen. In 1617, King Christian IV built houses for the shipyard workers. This increased the population of the area and it was necessary to build a larger church which was constructed in a building that had been used as a forge for anchors. This church required only interior work and no major redesign of the basic structure of the building and was consecrated on September 5, 1619.

The second Holmens Church in the 18th century; Credit – Wikipedia

The church quickly became too small, and in 1641 it was decided to expand the church. Architect Leonhard Blasius was the builder of the second church, but it was King Christian IV who determined the design of the church which was modeled after the Glücksburg Castle Church. The major Copenhagen fires of 1728 and 1795 did not affect Holmens Church, and the bombardments in 1659 and 1807 only caused minor damage to the church.

The interior of Holmens Church; Credit – Wikipedia

Today’s church is much the same as the second church built by King Christian IV. Holmens Church still has the original whitewashed walls, the barrel-vaulted ceiling with stucco decoration, and the large oak altarpiece and the oak pulpit made by sculptor Abel Schrøder the Younger.  The only major addition was the chapel hall begun in 1705 under the direction of Danish architect Johann Conrad Ernst where the tombs of famous Danish naval personnel rest.

The altarpiece by Abel Schrøder the Younger; Credit Wikipedia

The pulpit by Abel Schrøder the Younger; Credit Wikipedia

There are no royal burials at Holmens Church except for two possibilities. The crypt under the chapel hall has an inscription that tells of two small corpses transferred from the chapel of a royal castle. It is assumed that these are two of the six children of King Frederik IV and Anna Sophie Reventlow, his mistress, bigamous wife, and 2nd legal wife. Three of their children were born before the legal marriage in 1721 but none survived infancy. The three children born after the 1721 marriage were styled as Prince/Princess of Denmark and Norway but none of them survived infancy either. The deaths of all six children of Frederik IV and Anna Sophie were seen by many as divine punishment for their bigamous marriage.

King Frederik IX had a career in the Royal Danish Navy and had a great love for the sea. Perhaps that was the reason his three children were christened at Holmens Church. His eldest daughter and successor Queen Margrethe II was also married there and her son King Frederik X and his twin son and daughter Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine were christened at Holmens Church.

Royal Events at Holmens Church

Christening of the future King Frederik X. Looking on in the middle is his grandfather King Frederik IX

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

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Holmens Kirke – Wikipedia, den frie encyklopædi. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmens_Kirke> [Accessed 30 August 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Holmen Church – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holmen_Church> [Accessed 30 August 2021].
  • Holmenskirke.dk. 2021. Holmens Kirke. [online] Available at: <https://www.holmenskirke.dk/> [Accessed 30 August 2021].

Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, Queen of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, Queen of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp was the wife of Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden, and served as regent during the minorities of her son Karl XI, King of Sweden and her grandson Karl XII, King of Sweden. She was born on October 23, 1636, at Gottorp Castle at Schleswig, in the Duchy of Schleswig, now in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Hedwig Eleonora was the sixth of the sixteen children and the fourth of the eight daughters of Friedrich III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and Marie Elisabeth of Saxony. Hedwig Eleonora’s paternal grandparents were Johann Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and Augusta of Denmark, a daughter of Frederik II, King of Denmark. Her maternal grandparents were Johann Georg I, Elector of Saxony and Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia.

Hedwig Eleonora had fifteen siblings but only six survived childhood:

Hedwig Eleonora’s husband Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Hedwig Eleonora’s future husband Karl Gustav became King of Sweden in 1654 upon the abdication of his cousin Christina, Queen of Sweden. The 32-year-old new King of Sweden was unmarried as he expected he would marry his cousin Queen Christina, and he needed to find a bride as soon as possible to provide an heir. The former Queen Christina of Sweden had met Hedwig Eleonora on her way to Rome, where she would spend the rest of her life. Concerned that Karl Gustav was unmarried, Christina suggested the match. However, Hedwig Eleonora was already engaged to Gustav Adolph, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, and so Christina recommended Hedwig Eleonora’s elder sister Magdalene Sibylle instead. After seeing portraits of both sisters, Karl Gustav chose Hedwig Eleonora because of her beauty, and her current fiancé was instead married to her sister Magdalena Sibylle.

The marriage of Karl Gustav and Hedwig Eleonora; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 24, 1654, the day after her eighteenth birthday, Hedwig Eleonora married Karl Gustav at the Tre Kronor Castle in Stockholm, Sweden. Three days later, Hedwig Eleonora was crowned Queen of Sweden at the Storkrykan (Great Church) in Stockholm.

Karl Gustav and Hedwig Eleonora had only one child, a son who succeeded his father:

Sweden was involved in the Second Northern War against Denmark-Norway and Poland-Lithuania and Karl Gustav was often away on military campaigns. However, after the birth of her son Hedwig Eleonora frequently accompanied Karl Gustav on his military campaigns. She was very interested in the arts, particularly painting and architecture. Under her leadership, Drottningholm Palace, the current residence of the Swedish monarch, was built. Sadly, Hedwig Eleonora’s marriage lasted less than six years. Her husband Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden died at the age of 37 on February 13, 1660, from influenza and pneumonia, leaving his four-year-old son to succeed him as Karl XI, King of Sweden.

Hedwig Eleonora’s son Karl XI, King of Sweden at five years old; Credit – Wikipedia

After the death of her husband, Hedwig Eleonora was the dowager queen for 55 years. She remained visible in Swedish politics and society until her death. Karl X Gustav left specific instructions in his will for the regency of his son. Hedwig Eleonora was to be the Regent of Sweden and her son’s guardian until he reached his majority. She would be the chairperson of the regency council and be responsible for the government along with five senior government officials. However, Hedwig Eleonora would have the advantage of having two votes on the regency council. Throughout her son’s regency, Hedwig Eleonora was present at all council meetings except when she was away to administrate her dower lands. She did not take an active part in politics but used her position as regent to protect her son’s interests and rights. Aware that she lacked the knowledge and support to pursue politics, Hedwig Eleonora did not want to give the regency council any excuse to prevent her from attending the meetings. She learned about the issues discussed, made statements, and suggested solutions, but did not actively pursue any of her own opinions.

Hedwig Eleonora was only 24-years-old when her husband died and in 1661, she was considered a possible wife for King Charles II of England. She refused the proposal with the official excuse that she wished to remain faithful to her deceased husband. In 1667, 18-year-old Count Carl Gyllenstierna (link in Swedish) became Hedwig Eleonora’s chamberlain. He became her favorite and his career quickly advanced. It is possible that he also became her lover.

Left to Right: Hedwig Eleonora; her son Karl XI; her grandson the future Karl XII; her daughter-in-law Ulrika Eleonora; her granddaughter Ulrika Eleonora; husband of her granddaughter Hedwig Sofia Fredrik IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp; her sister-in-law and the mother of Fredrik IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp Fredrika Amalia of Denmark, Dowager Duchess of Holstein-Gottorp; and her granddaughter Hedwig Sofia; Credit – Wikipedia

Even after her son married Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark, Hedwig Eleonora remained the first lady of the court. Foreign ambassadors always paid their respects to Hedwig Eleonora first, and then Ulrika Eleonora. The hostility between Hedwig Eleonora’s homeland Holstein-Gottorp and Ulrika Eleonora’s homeland Denmark made the relationship between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law even more tense.

Hedwig Eleonor’s tomb at Riddarholmen Church; Credit – Wikipedia

Hedwig Eleonora survived her husband by fifty-five years and her son by eighteen years, dying on November 24, 1715, in Stockholm, Sweden at the age of 79. She was buried with her husband at Riddarholmen Church.

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. 2021. Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_III,_Duke_of_Holstein-Gottorp> [Accessed 29 August 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedwig_Eleonora_of_Holstein-Gottorp> [Accessed 29 August 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2021. Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/karl-x-gustav-king-of-sweden/> [Accessed 29 August 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Hedvig Eleonora av Holstein-Gottorp – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedvig_Eleonora_av_Holstein-Gottorp> [Accessed 29 August 2021].

Frederiksborg Castle Church in Hillerød, Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The altarpiece and pulpit; Credit – Wikipedia

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

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

Royal Events at Frederiksborg Castle Church

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

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

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

Works Cited

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

Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl X Gustav became King of Sweden upon the abdication of his cousin Christina, Queen of Sweden. Born Karl Gustav of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg on November 8, 1622, at Nyköping Castle in Nyköping, Sweden, he was the third of the eight children and the eldest of the three sons of Johann Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg and Princess Katarina of Sweden. His paternal grandparents were Johann I, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken and Magdalene of Jülich-Cleves-Berg. His maternal grandparents were Karl IX, King of Sweden and his first wife Maria of the Palatinate-Simmern. Karl Gustav’s mother Katarina of Sweden was the only surviving child of her parents and the half-sister of Gustavus II Adolphus the Great, King of Sweden.

Karl Gustav had seven siblings:


Karl Gustav’s parents: Princess Katarina of Sweden and Johann Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg: Credit – Wikipedia

In 1622, King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden asked his half-sister Katarina to move back to Sweden with her husband Johann Casimir, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg, and their children. Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, brother of Gustavus Adolphus and half-brother of Katarina, had died in early 1622, leaving no heirs to the Swedish throne except Katarina and her children. At the time, the Thirty Years’ War (1618 – 1648) was raging through the territories of the German monarchies and Gustavus Adolphus wanted to move Katarina and her family to safety in Sweden. They arrived in Sweden in June 1622 and remained permanently in Sweden. Later that year, the birth of Katarina’s son Karl Gustav, a male heir to the throne of Sweden, immediately strengthened her position. Katarina and her husband were granted Stegeborg Castle and Östergötland as their fief and Katarina was styled Countess of Stegeborg.

Gustavus Adolphus’ wife Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg had given birth to a stillborn daughter in 1621, a daughter named Christina in 1623 who lived for only eleven months, and a stillborn son in 1625. Finally, in 1626, she gave birth to a child who survived, a girl named Christina. Gustavus Adolphus ordered the birth to be announced with all the ceremonies usually given to the birth of a male heir. This seems to indicate that Gustavus Adolphus had little hope of having other children. Maria Eleonora’s state of health seems to be the most likely explanation for this. Gustavus Adolphus recognized Christina’s eligibility as a female heir and she became the undisputed heir presumptive. Maria Eleonora showed little affection for her daughter and was not allowed any influence in Christina’s upbringing. Christina was placed in the care of Gustavus Adolphus’ half-sister Katarina under the supervision of Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna. Six years later, at the Battle of Lützen during the Thirty Years’ War, Gustavus Adolphus was killed and six-year-old Christina became Queen of Sweden.

Christina, Queen of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

Christina, who was very well educated and was considered one of the most learned women of the 17th century, was raised with Karl Gustav and his siblings. After being educated by tutors, Karl Gustav studied at Uppsala University. From 1638 – 1640, Karl Gustav was on a foreign educational trip, mainly at the court of Louis XIII, King of France. After returning to Sweden, Karl Gustav embedded with the Swedish army fighting in the Thirty Years’ War, studying the art of war under Lennart Torstenson, a Swedish Field Marshal and military engineer. He participated in the Second Battle of Breitenfeld (1642) and the Battle of Jankowitz (1645). Karl Gustav then frequented the Swedish court, as a prospective husband of his cousin Queen Christina. In 1647, Queen Christina appointed Karl Gustav commander of the Swedish troops fighting in the German monarchies and at the same time signaled her intention to marry him.

However, in 1649, 23-year-old Christina informed the council of state of her decision not to marry anyone and that she wanted her cousin Karl Gustav to be her heir. As a child, Christina had been impressed by the Catholic religion and the celibacy of its priests. She read a biography on the unmarried Queen Elizabeth I of England with great interest. Furthermore, Christina was investigating the possibility of converting to Roman Catholicism, and in 1652, she decided to do so, although the conversion would not occur until 1654 after her abdication. After reigning for twenty years and working at least ten hours a day, Christina had what may be interpreted as a nervous breakdown, or perhaps in more modern terms, she was burned out. She was also receiving increasing public criticism for her policies that caused a drain on the Swedish treasury.

In February 1654, Christina informed the Council of State that she intended to abdicate. An abdication ceremony was held on June 6, 1654, at Uppsala Castle. Later that day, Christina’s cousin Karl Gustav of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg was crowned Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden. Within a few days, 28-year-old Christina left Sweden. She eventually made her way to Rome where she lived for the rest of her life.

Karl Gustav’s wife Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp; Credit – Wikipedia

The 32-year-old new King of Sweden was unmarried as he had expected he would marry Christina. He needed to find a bride as soon as possible to provide an heir. The former Queen Christina of Sweden had met Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp, daughter of Friedrich III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and Marie Elisabeth of Saxony, on her way to Rome after her abdication. Concerned that Karl Gustav was unmarried, Christina suggested the match. However, Hedwig Eleonora was already engaged to Gustav Adolph, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, and so Christina recommended Hedwig Eleonora’s elder sister Magdalene Sibylle instead. After seeing portraits of both sisters, Karl Gustav chose Hedwig Eleonora because of her beauty, and her current fiancé was instead married to her sister Magdalena Sibylle.

The wedding of Karl Gustav and Hedwig Eleonora; Credit – Wikipedia

On October 24, 1654, the day after her eighteenth birthday, Hedwig Eleonora married Karl Gustav at the Tre Kronor Castle in Stockholm, Sweden. Three days later, Hedwig Eleonora was crowned Queen of Sweden at the Storkrykan (Great Church) in Stockholm.

Karl Gustav and Hedwig Eleonora had only one child, a son who succeeded his father:

Triumph of Karl X Gustav over the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, circa 1655; Credit – Wikipedia

Karl Gustav’s short reign concentrated on healing domestic discords from Queen Christina’s reign and rallying Sweden around his new policy of conquest. He achieved great military successes in the Second Northern War against Denmark-Norway and Poland-Lithuania.

On January 4, 1660, the Riksdag of the Estates opened in Gothenburg, Sweden. The Riksdag of the Estates was the assembly of the Four Estates of Sweden which historically were the lines of division in Swedish society. Karl Gustav was in attendance and was accompanied by his wife Hedwig Eleonora, their four-year-old son Karl, and Karl Gustav’s sister Marie Euphrosine of Zweibrücken-Kleeburg who had married Count Magnus Gabriel De la Gardie, then the Lord High Treasurer of Sweden. Within a few weeks, Karl Gustav became ill with influenza which developed into pneumonia.

On February 12, 1660, Karl Gustav became increasingly ill with a high fever and had difficulty breathing. He signed his will appointing a regency of six relatives and close friends for his four-year-old son who would soon be Karl XI, King of Sweden. Karl Gustav said goodbye to his wife, his son, and his closest friends. In the early evening, his condition worsened again and he could not lie down due to his breathing difficulties. He was held up in the arms of Marshal Gabriel Oxenstierna and Count Nils Brahe. At midnight, the doctors announced that death was approaching, and Karl Gustav said goodbye to those present again. Karl IX Gustav, King of Sweden died at the age of 37 in the early morning hours of February 13, 1660. He was buried at Riddarholmen Church in Stockholm, Sweden. His wife Hedwig Eleonora survived her husband by fifty-five years and her son by eighteen years, dying on November 24, 1715, in Stockholm, Sweden at the age of 79. She was buried with her husband at Riddarholmen Church.

Sarcophagus of Karl X Gustav, King of Sweden; Credit – Wikipedia

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

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Charles X Gustav of Sweden – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_X_Gustav_of_Sweden> [Accessed 28 August 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedwig_Eleonora_of_Holstein-Gottorp> [Accessed 28 August 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Catherine of Sweden, Countess Palatine of Kleeburg – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_of_Sweden,_Countess_Palatine_of_Kleeburg> [Accessed 28 August 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2021. Christina, Queen of Sweden. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/christina-queen-of-sweden/> [Accessed 28 August 2021].
  • Sv.wikipedia.org. 2021. Karl X Gustav – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_X_Gustav> [Accessed 28 August 2021].

Fredensborg Palace Church in Fredensborg, Denmark

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

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

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

Fredensborg Palace

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

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

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

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

Royal Events at the Fredensborg Palace Church

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

Christening of Princess Isabella in 2007

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

Works Cited

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