Christian IV, King of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

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

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

Christian IV had six siblings:

Coronation of King Christian IV; Credit – Wikipedia

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

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

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

Christian IV and Anna Katharina of Brandenburg had six children:

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

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

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

With Karen Andersdatter, mistress from 1613-1616:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Christian IV is responsible for founding the following cities:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Anna Cathrine af Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_Cathrine_af_Brandenburg> [Accessed 25 February 2021].
  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Christian 4.. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_4.> [Accessed 25 February 2021].
  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Kirsten Munk. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirsten_Munk> [Accessed 25 February 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Anne Catherine of Brandenburg. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Catherine_of_Brandenburg> [Accessed 25 February 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Christian IV of Denmark. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_IV_of_Denmark> [Accessed 25 February 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Kirsten Munk. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirsten_Munk> [Accessed 25 February 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Roskilde Cathedral. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roskilde_Cathedral> [Accessed 25 February 2021].

Cardinal Jules Mazarin, Favorite of King Louis XIV of France

by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Cardinal Mazarin was a favorite of King Louis XIV of France, and perhaps the most influential person in the French court at the time. Having served prominently in the court for several years during the reign of King Louis XIII, he was formally appointed Chief Minister by Queen Anne when she assumed the Regency for her young son, King Louis XIV, and remained in that position until his own death in 1661.

Cardinal Jules Mazarin – source: Wikipedia

Cardinal Jules Mazarin was born Giulio Raimondo Mazzarino on July 14, 1602, in Pescina, Italy, the second of seven children of Pietro Mazzarino and Ortensia Bufalini. His father served as Chamberlain for Filippo I Colonna, the Grand Constable of Naples, and his mother came from a prominent noble family in Rome. His siblings were:

  • Geronima (1601) – died in infancy
  • Michele Alessandro (1605) – later Cardinal Michel Mazzarino, unmarried
  • Anna-Maria (1607) – unmarried
  • Laura Margherita (1608) – married Geronimo Martinozzi, had issue. They were the grandparents of Mary of Modena, consort of King James II of England
  • Cléria (1609) – married Pietro Muti, no issue
  • Girolama – 1614 – married Baron Michele Lorenzo Mancini, had issue

After attending the Jesuit College in Rome, Jules traveled to Spain and studied law at the Complutense University in Madrid. After completing his degree in Rome, and serving in a Papal army regiment, he came to the attention of Pope Urban VIII who appointed him to serve as a secretary to a papal diplomat. Quickly developing a keen sense for diplomacy, he traveled extensively between Italy, Spain, and France, hoping to establish peace between the Spanish and French before an impending war. During these travels, Jules came to the attention of Cardinal Richelieu, under whom he would later serve in the French court.

Jules’ diplomatic skills brought about his first success, resulting in the Treaty of Cherasco in 1631, and the following year, he had his first meeting with King Louis XIII and Queen Anne of France. Having proven himself a valuable asset to the Pope, he was given the title of prelate, and papal vice-legate, and by 1634 was appointed nuncio extraordinary to Paris. Over the next few years, he became close to the King and Queen of France and began to gain the trust of Cardinal Richelieu. In 1641, he was formally created a Cardinal, despite never becoming a priest.

Following Richelieu’s death in 1642, Mazarin was one of three primary advisors to King Louis XIII. Upon the King’s death in 1643, he had instructed in his will that Queen Anne not serve as regent for their young son, the new King Louis XIV. However, the Queen had the will annulled, was declared Regent, and named Mazarin as Chief Minister of France.

Jules’ tenure as Chief Minister saw the end of the Thirty Years War, thanks primarily to his diplomatic skills in establishing the Peace of Westphalia (1646-1648), and the expansion of France with the addition of the Alsace region.  After skillfully negotiating a peaceful agreement following several years of rebellion within France, known as The Fronde, Mazarin continued with numerous diplomatic victories. These included establishing a military alliance with England, and creating the League of the Rhine in 1658. He carefully negotiated the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659, which resulted in the addition of several new provinces in France, and led to the successful arrangement of a marriage for King Louis XIV to Maria Theresa of Spain.

In addition to his diplomatic skill, Mazarin was a prominent patron of the arts in France. He established the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in 1648 and introduced Italian opera to France. He amassed a large collection of art and jewels, most of which he later bequeathed to the King and the nation.

Cardinal Mazarin died on March 9, 1661 at the Château de Vincennes, just outside of Paris. Several days before his death, in an attempt to silence false rumors that he was taking money from the King, Mazarin published a will in which he left his entire fortune to The King. Louis XIV quickly declined this, and a second will was drafted, in which he left the majority of his fortune to his niece, Hortense Mancini.

The Sancy (center), displayed in the Louvre. photo: By Pavel Rudanovsky – Louvre, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63677557

An avid jewel collector, Mazarin amassed a large collection of priceless gems during his lifetime. Upon his death, he left several to the King, including the famed Sancy and a collection of diamonds known as the ‘Mazarins’.

The Bibliothèque Mazarine. photo: By Marie-Lan Nguyen – Own work, CC BY 2.0 fr, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10312236

Mazarin also bequeathed a large amount of money to establish the Collège des Quatre-Nations. The college, now the Institut de France, was built just across the Seine River from the Louvre Palace, and his wish was to be entombed in the chapel of the college once it was completed. In addition, he left his extensive library to the new college. Containing nearly 40,000 books, the collection formed the basis for the Bibliothèque Mazarine which still exists today, and was the first public library in France.

Cenotaph of Cardinal Mazarin. photo: Par NonOmnisMoriar — Travail personnel, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22344978

Following his death, Mazarin’s were temporarily placed in a vault in the chapel at the Château de Vincennes. In 1684, his remains were moved to the vault beneath the college chapel, and finally to a large marble tomb in the chapel in 1693. The tomb was destroyed during the French Revolution and his remains were thrown into the street. The monument was rebuilt years later, and, after being displayed at several museums, returned to the college chapel in 1964.

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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.

Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, England

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Canterbury Cathedral; Credit – By Hans Musil – Picture taken and postprocessed by Hans Musil., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=362071

Originally a Roman Catholic church, Canterbury Cathedral, which this writer has visited, is a Church of England church (also known as Anglican and in the United States, Episcopal) located in Canterbury, Kent, England. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the Church of England, and the symbolic leader of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Together with the Church of St. Martin, the oldest church in England, and the ruins of the Abbey of St. Augustine, both also in Canterbury, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In 597, Pope Gregory the Great sent Augustine, the prior of a monastery in Rome, to convert King Æthelberht and his Kingdom of Kent to Christianity. After the conversion, Canterbury, originally a Roman town, was chosen by Augustine as the center for his diocese in Kent, and an abbey and cathedral were built. Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury and is known as St. Augustine of Canterbury.

The nave of Canterbury Cathedral, looking towards the choir area from the western entrance; Credit – By Diliff  Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=34509495

Augustine’s original building was extensively rebuilt and enlarged but it was destroyed by fire in 1067 and was completely rebuilt from 1070-1077 by Lanfranc, the first Norman Archbishop of Canterbury. Lanfranc had been the abbot of the Abbey of Saint-Étienne in Caen, Normandy, now in France, and the design of the new cathedral was based upon the Abbey of Saint-Étienne, using the same material, Caen stone, a light creamy-yellow limestone quarried near the city of Caen.

Embed from Getty Images 

Over the years, there has been new construction and repairs including:

  • 1098-1130: A longer quire was built over a crypt (present Western Crypt) doubling the length of the cathedral.
  • 1175-1184: In September 1174 the quire was severely damaged by fire, necessitating a major reconstruction. The Eastern Crypt, Trinity Chapel, and Corona Chapel were added.
  • 1377-1405: The nave and transepts were rebuilt.
  • 1498: The original Norman northwest tower was replaced.
  • 1660-1704: In 1642-1643, during the English Civil War, Puritans caused significant damage during their “cleansing” of the cathedral, necessitating repair and refurbishing.
  • 1834: The original Norman northwest tower was demolished and rebuilt due to structural issues.
  • 1986: A new Martyrdom Altar was installed in the northwest transept, on the site where Thomas Becket was murdered in 1170.

Early 14th-century representation of Henry and Thomas Becket; Credit – Wikipedia

The most famous event that occurred at Canterbury Cathedral was the murder of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury in 1170. In 1162, King Henry II of England (reigned 1154-1189, also Duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou and Maine, and Duke of Aquitaine) had named his Lord Chancellor Thomas Becket the Archbishop of Canterbury following the death of the previous Archbishop, Theobold of Bec. Henry hoped that by appointing Becket there would be a return to royal supremacy over the English Church as it had been in the days of Henry’s grandfather King Henry I. However, Becket wanted to prove that he was no mouthpiece for Henry. An argument developed between the two men over the issue of whether clergy who had committed secular crimes should be tried in secular courts or church courts. Attempts at negotiations failed and in 1164, Becket fled to France to seek sanctuary.

On June 14, 1170, Henry II’s eldest surviving son, Henry the Young King, was crowned junior King of England while Henry II was still alive, adopting the practice of the French monarchy. Roger de Pont L’Évêque, Archbishop of York, Gilbert Foliot, Bishop of London, and Josceline de Bohon, Bishop of Salisbury all participated in the crowning. This infringed on the right of Becket as Archbishop of Canterbury to crown English monarchs and drove Pope Alexander III to allow Becket to lay an interdict on England as punishment, which would forbid the public celebration of sacred rites. This threat forced Henry back to negotiations and terms were agreed to finally in July 1170.

Martyrdom Altar at the site of Becket’s murder in Canterbury Cathedral. The sculpture by Giles Blomfeld represents the four knights’ swords (two metal swords with reddened tips and their two shadows); Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

Becket returned to England in early December 1170. Just when the dispute with Henry II seemed resolved, Becket excommunicated the three bishops who had participated in the crowning of Henry the Young King. Henry II’s anger at the timing of the excommunications led him to supposedly ask the question: “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?” This inspired four knights to set off from Henry’s court in Normandy to Canterbury. They interviewed Becket at the Archbishop’s Palace and then Becket, fearing violence, sought refuge in Canterbury Cathedral. The murder took place while the monks were singing vespers, the evening prayer, on December 29, 1170, in what is now known as The Martyrdom in the northwest transept of the cathedral. As Becket was praying, he was hit by a violent sword stroke that sliced off the crown of his head.

The original burial site of Thomas Becket in the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral; Credit – By Adam Bishop Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20480430

The monks were afraid that Becket’s body might be stolen and so his remains were placed beneath the floor of the eastern crypt of the cathedral. A stone cover was placed over the burial place with two holes where pilgrims could insert their heads and kiss the tomb. Canterbury Cathedral had always been popular with religious pilgrims and after the death of Thomas Becket, the number of pilgrims visiting the cathedral rose rapidly and continued until the Protestant Reformation. The income from pilgrims who visited Becket’s shrine, such as those portrayed in Geoffrey Chaucer‘s famous Canterbury Tales (written 1387-1400), helped to pay for the subsequent rebuilding of the cathedral. This revenue included the profits from the sale of pilgrim badges depicting Becket, his martyrdom, or his shrine.

On February 21, 1173, a little more than two years after his death, Thomas Becket was canonized as a saint by Pope Alexander III. King Henry II performed a public act of penance on July 12, 1174, at Canterbury Cathedral, when he publicly confessed his sins, then allowed each bishop present to give him five hits with a rod, and then each of the 80 monks of Canterbury Cathedral gave him three hits with a rod. Finally, Henry offered gifts to Becket’s shrine and spent a night-long vigil at Becket’s tomb.

Becket Shrine Reconstruction Credit – https://www.smithsonianmag.com/

In 1220, fifty years after his death, Becket’s remains were moved to a new gold-plated and bejeweled shrine behind the high altar in the Trinity Chapel. The shrine was supported by three pairs of pillars, placed on a raised platform with three steps. The shrine and Becket’s remains were destroyed in 1538, during the Dissolution of the Monasteries, on orders from King Henry VIII. In 2020, researchers at the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture at the University of York in England used computer-generated imagery to reconstruct how the shrine would have looked in 1408. Today, an empty space with a single candle represents the site of Becket’s destroyed shrine.

The site of Becket’s destroyed shrine; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

Canterbury Cathedral has three royal burials: Edward, Prince of Wales known as The Black Prince, King Henry IV, and his second wife Joan of Navarre.

Tomb of Edward the Black Prince at Canterbury Cathedral; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

Edward, Prince of Wales (1330-1376) was the eldest son and heir of King Edward III. Best known for his military career in the Hundred Years War, he is commonly referred to as “The Black Prince” although he was not called that in his lifetime. The first appearance of the reference occurred more than 150 years after his death. It is thought it may refer to Edward’s black shield, and/or his black armor or from his brutal reputation, particularly towards the French in the Duchy of Aquitaine.

Around 1367, Edward, Prince of Wales contracted an illness that ailed him until his death in 1376. It was believed that he contracted dysentery, which killed more medieval soldiers than battle, but it is unlikely that he could survive a nine-year battle with dysentery. Other possible diagnoses include edema, nephritis, or cirrhosis. On June 8, 1376, a week before his forty-sixth birthday, Edward died at the Palace of Westminster. Edward had requested to be buried in the crypt at Canterbury Cathedral. His request was denied because of the popular feeling that Edward should be buried in a grand tomb close to the shrine of St. Thomas Becket. Edward, Prince of Wales was buried in a tomb with a bronze effigy on the south side of the Trinity Chapel, the site of Becket’s shrine. Edward’s heraldic helmet and gauntlets were placed above his tomb. Today, replicas hang above his tomb and the originals are in a glass case nearby.

Replicas of Edward’s heraldic helmet, gauntlets, etc. above his tomb; Photo Credit – © Susan Flantzer

King Henry IV of England (1367-1413), who usurped the throne from his first cousin King Richard II (the son of Edward, Prince of Wales above) and became the first Lancaster king, was the eldest surviving son of John of Gaunt (third surviving son of King Edward III) and his first wife Blanche of Lancaster. In his last years, Henry suffered from a disfiguring disease (possibly leprosy, syphilis, or psoriasis) and had severe attacks (possibly from epilepsy or cardiovascular disease). On March 20, 1413, while in prayer at the shrine of Edward the Confessor at Westminster Abbey, Henry IV suffered a fatal attack, possibly a stroke. He was carried to the Jerusalem Chamber, a room in the house of the abbot, where he died at age 45.

Tomb of Henry IV and his second wife Joan of Navarre at Canterbury Cathedral; Photo Credit: © Susan Flantzer

Henry IV was not buried at Westminster Abbey but instead, he had requested to be buried at Canterbury Cathedral, presumably because of an affinity towards St. Thomas Becket. His tomb is on the north side of Trinity Chapel and was directly adjacent to the shrine of  St. Thomas Becket. You can see how close Henry’s tomb was to Becket’s shrine in his tomb’s photo above. The single candle on the floor on the site of Becket’s destroyed shrine can be seen in the tomb photo. When Henry IV’s second wife Joan of Navarre died in 1437, she was buried with her husband.

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

  • Canterbury-cathedral.org. 2021. Welcome to Canterbury Cathedral. [online] Available at: <https://www.canterbury-cathedral.org/> [Accessed 21 February 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Canterbury Cathedral. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canterbury_Cathedral> [Accessed 21 February 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2017. Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales (The Black Prince). [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/edward-of-woodstock-prince-of-wales-the-black-prince/> [Accessed 21 February 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2016. King Henry II of England. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-henry-ii-of-england/> [Accessed 21 February 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2013. King Henry IV of England. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/march-20-daily-featured-royal-date/> [Accessed 21 February 2021].
  • Keates, Jonathan, 2001. Canterbury Cathedral: Official Cathedral Guide. Canterbury: Cathedral Enterprises Ltd.

Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, Queen of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

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

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

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

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

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

Frederik II and Sophie; Credit – Wikipedia

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

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

Nykøbing Castle; Credit – Wikipedia

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

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

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

Tomb of Frederik II and Sophie – Photo by Susan Flantzer

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

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

Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

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

Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Credit – By Kim Traynor – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18394550

Canongate Kirk (kirk = church) is a Presbyterian (Church of Scotland) church located on the Royal Mile which runs between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, Scotland. Members of the British royal family sometimes attend services at Canongate Kirk when they are visiting Edinburgh.

Queen Elizabeth II visiting Canongate Kirk in 2019; Credit – Photo by Rob McDougall, https://www.canongatekirk.org.uk/about/history/royal-visit/

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Zara Phillips and her father Mark Phillips arrive at Canongate Kirk

Zara Phillips, the granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, married English rugby player Mike Tindall at Canongate Kirk on July 30, 2011. The reception was held at nearby Holyrood Palace.

The doric-columned portico over the entrance; Credit – By Enric – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73018490

In 1687, James VII, King of Scots (also James II, King of England) founded the Order of the Thistle and designated the Holyrood Abbey Church, where a Presbyterian congregation worshipped, to be the chapel of the new order. James ordered that money left at the disposal of the Crown by merchant Thomas Moodie should be used to build a new building, Canongate Kirk, just down the Royal Mile from Holyrood Palace. The new building was constructed from 1688 – 1691 under the Scottish architect James Smith. Architecturally, Canongate Kirk has a Dutch-style end gable and a small doric-columned portico over the entrance.

Golden cross inside a pair of antlers; Credit – By Tony Hisgett from Birmingham, UK – In Defence Uploaded by tm, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27383763

The roof over the entrance is now topped with a golden cross inside a pair of antlers. Originally, the royal arms of James VII, King of Scots/James II, King of England were to be placed on the roof. However as James had been deposed and his daughter Queen Mary II and his son-in-law and nephew King William III (also William II, Prince of Orange) were then on the throne, the coat of arms of the House of Orange-Nassau was placed on the roof. William III’s outdated coat of arms was replaced in 1824 with a cross and a pair of deer antlers. Those antlers were replaced with the antlers from a stag shot by King George VI in 1949 at Balmoral. The stag head and cross are the arms of the Burgh of Canongate which was established by David I, King of Scots in 1128 at the same time he founded the nearby Holyrood Abbey (Holyrood means Holy Cross). The legend is that King David I was inspired to found Holyrood Abbey after seeing a vision of the Holy Cross when attacked by a stag in what is now Holyrood Park.

The interior of Canongate Kirk is very simple as is traditional for Presbyterian churches. The windows are clear to let in light and there have been renovations over the years. In 1950, the color scheme of part of the interior changed. The pews were painted light blue, the pulpit a darker blue, and the walls white.

The Royal Pew, marked by a representation of the Honours of Scotland; Credit – By Remi Mathis – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28465791

The front pew on the east side is the Royal Pew. On top of the back of the Royal Pew is a model of the Honours of Scotland, with representations of the crown, scepter, and sword that are displayed in the Crown Room of Edinburgh Castle.

Canongate Kirkyard; Credit – By Hansueli Krapf  This file was uploaded with Commonist. – Own work: Hansueli Krapf (User Simisa (talk · contribs)), CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12666950

The Canongate Kirkyard, like other burial grounds in Edinburgh, is owned by the City of Edinburgh Council, and not Canongate Kirk. It was used for burials from the late 1680s until the mid-20th century. There are no royal burials at Canongate Kirkyard. However, there were reports that David Riccio, favorite of Mary, Queen of Scots who was murdered in her presence at Holyrood Palace in 1566, was reburied in Canongate Kirkyard. This is unlikely since he died 122 years before Canongate Kirk was established and it would have required the reburial of a Catholic in a Protestant cemetery. It is more likely that David Riccio rests under an anonymous gravestone in the cemetery at Holyrood Abbey which now lies in ruins.

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

  • Canongate Kirk. 2021. A History Of Canongate Kirk. [online] Available at: <https://www.canongatekirk.org.uk/about/history/a-guided-tour-of-canongate-kirk/> [Accessed 17 January 2021].
  • Canongate Kirk. 2021. History. [online] Available at: <https://www.canongatekirk.org.uk/about/history/> [Accessed 17 January 2021].
  • Canongate Kirk. 2021. Kirkyard. [online] Available at: <https://www.canongatekirk.org.uk/kirkyard/> [Accessed 17 January 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Canongate Kirk. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canongate_Kirk> [Accessed 17 January 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. 2021. David Riccio,  Favorite of Mary, Queen of Scots. [online] Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/david-riccio-favorite-of-mary-queen-of-scots/> [Accessed 17 January 2021].

The Laird o’ Thistle – Special Edition – A Funeral at Windsor

Out of a day of many unforgettable images, viewed by a worldwide audience, one picture has quickly come to epitomize the funeral of HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, on Saturday 17 April 2021. It is the photo of his widow, HM the Queen, sitting alone in the choir stalls of St. George’s Chapel, a tiny figure, her shoulders stooped with age and sorrow, masked (perhaps a blessing?) and wearing somber black relieved only by a stunning diamond broach that first belonged to her grandmother.

The scene set me thinking…. One of my first forays into reading books about the royals, fifty-some years ago, was Marion Crawford’s THE LITTLE PRINCESSES. Miss Crawford – the Scottish governess who cared for and companioned the princesses from the early 1930s, through WWII, and up to Elizabeth and Philip’s marriage – noted her concern at the time as to whether Princess Elizabeth should attend the Lying-in-State, and then the Windsor funeral, of King George V in 1936. Was it too much for one so young? (Not yet age 10 at the time.) It was duly decided that the princess would attend and, as one would expect of this particular princess, she proved her mettle. “Crawfie” described her as somber and pale, wearing a black coat and little velvet tam as she joined her heavily veiled mother and the royal ladies at Paddington Station for the trip to Windsor and St. George’s.

Later on Saturday, after the funeral, I decided to look for any images of Princess Elizabeth at that 1936 funeral and struck gold as it were. On YouTube, I found a clip from the British Pathe newsreel coverage of that day: YouTube: The Funeral Of His Majesty King George V (1936). If you look at the 9:00 minute mark you’ll find the coffin of George V being carried up the steps of St. George’s Chapel, followed by his sons, widow, and family. At the 9:30 mark, you will see, in the lower right of the screen, the unmistakable image of Princess Elizabeth, solemn but observant, as she and her mother join the Duke of York on the steps. A small solemn figure, dressed in black… then, and now.

The Queen is the last surviving member of the family that attended the funeral of George V. In subsequent years she has returned many times, for the burial services of her adored father, George VI; her formidable grandmother, Queen Mary; her mother-in-law, Princess Alice; her uncles, the Dukes of Windsor and Gloucester; her mother, Queen Elizabeth; her sister, Princess Margaret; and various other members of the House of Windsor, now including that of her much-beloved husband and companion of 73 years. (Among those, I’ve looked, but have not found out, whether she was also among the attendees at the particularly poignant and tearful funeral of the Duke of Kent in 1942, after his tragic death in wartime service.)

Not one to dwell on such things, snippets of memories of all those other funerals must nonetheless have passed through the Queen’s mind over the last week or so… along with thoughts of others such as Lord Mountbatten’s and Princess Diana’s, in particular. For all of those services since 1947, she had had Prince Philip at her side.

On Saturday Philip was not at her side but, in a way, he was all around her. Though down-sized and adapted due to COVID, Prince Philip’s hand shown through in every detail of the striking service that may set a new standard for royal funerals at St. George’s. Two of the pieces of music, the settings of Psalms 100 and 104, beautifully sung by the 4-person ensemble in the bare nave, were originally commissioned by Prince Philip. Liturgically and aesthetically, the whole service was perfection.

Following the service I found myself imagining the Queen calling the Prince of Wales and her new Lord Chamberlain over to her afterward and saying something to the effect of, “On Monday, start re-writing my funeral plans to be more like this. I know there will have to be the State ceremonies in London, but here at Windsor, I want something like today.”

It is inevitable that sometime in the next few years the Queen will follow those who have gone before her. That, too, must have crossed her mind, sitting there by herself on Saturday afternoon. And, with that thought, perhaps also the well-known and much-beloved prayer of John Henry Newman:

O Lord support us all the day long,
until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes,
and the busy world is hushed,
and the fever of life is over,
and our work is done.
Then in your mercy grant us a safe lodging,
and holy rest, and peace at the last,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Yours aye,
Ken Cuthbertson – The Laird o’ Thistle
April 19, 2021

Funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

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The funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh took place on Saturday, April 17, 2021, at 3:00 PM at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle in Windsor England. It was a ceremonial royal funeral, the same as for Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997 and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in 2002, rather than a state funeral which is usually reserved for monarchs. The funeral plans reflected The Duke of Edinburgh’s wishes for a smaller, no-fuss funeral. His wishes were made clear to the Lord Chamberlain’s Office, which is responsible for organizing the funeral. The arrangements were planned over many years, with The Duke of Edinburgh’s involvement and The Queen signed off on the funeral plans. Last-minute changes were necessary to ensure compliance with COVID-19 restrictions. After The Duke of Edinburgh’s death on April 9, 2021, at Windsor Castle, his coffin, covered with his personal standard and a wreath of flowers, rested in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The Procession from Windsor Castle to St. George’s Chapel

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The funeral service was preceded by a ceremonial procession within the grounds of Windsor Castle. The Queen’s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards moved the coffin from the Quadrangle at Windsor Castle the short distance to St. George’s Chapel. The band of the Grenadier Guards, of which The Duke of Edinburgh was Colonel for 42 years, led the procession. They were followed by the Major General’s Party, and then the Service Chiefs, reflecting The Duke of Edinburgh’s close relationship with all branches of the British military. The coffin was carried in a purpose-built Land Rover, which The Duke of Edinburgh was involved in designing.

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The Range Rover carrying The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin

Royal Standard of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; Credit- Wikipedia

The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin was draped with his personal flag, his royal standard, representing his Danish and Greek heritage, the Mountbatten family, and his British title.

  • Lions and hearts from the Danish coat of arms
  • The national flag of Greece
  • Black and white stripes from the Mountbatten family arms
  • The arms of the city of Edinburgh representing his title Duke of Edinburgh

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The Duke of Edinburgh’s four children, his three eldest grandsons, his son-in-law, and his nephew by marriage walked behind the coffin, in this order:

The Prince of Wales – The Princess Royal

The Duke of York – The Earl of Wessex

The Duke of Cambridge – Peter Phillips – The Duke of Sussex

David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon – Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence

Plan of Windsor Castle. Key: A: Round Tower, B: Upper Ward, Quadrangle, C: State Apartments, D: Private Apartments, E: South Wing, F: Lower Ward, G: St George’s Chapel, H: Horseshoe Cloister, K: King Henry VIII Gate, L: The Long Walk, M: Norman Gate, N: North Terrace, O: Edward III Tower, T:  Curfew Tower; Credit – Wikipedia

The procession proceeded from the Quadrangle in the Upper Ward, into the Lower Ward, and then into Horseshoe Cloister. The route of the procession was lined by representatives from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Air Force, and The Highlanders, 4th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland. Guns were fired at intervals of one minute by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery from the East Lawn at Windsor Castle and the Curfew Tower Bell tolled during the procession.

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The National Anthem was played as the coffin arrived in Horseshoe Cloister, the area in front of the West Steps of St. George’s Chapel, where it was met by the Commonwealth Defense Advisers from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Trinidad and Tobago. The West Steps of St. George’s Chapel were lined by a Dismounted Detachment of the Household Cavalry. Reflecting The Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Navy service, a Royal Navy Piping Party was in position on the south side of the West Steps of St. George’s Chapel. When the Land Rover stopped at the foot of the West Steps, the Piping Party piped the ‘Still’ – used to call all hands to attention as a mark of respect or to order silence on any occasion.

Then the pallbearers lifted the coffin and proceeded up the West Steps, stopping on the second landing. The Royal Navy Piping Party then piped the ‘Side’ – used when distinguished visitors arrive onboard a Royal Navy ship. The coffin paused for the National Minute Silence at 3:00 PM.

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At the top of the West Steps, David Connor, Dean of Windsor and Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury received the coffin. As the doors to St. George’s Chapel closed, the Royal Navy Piping Party piped the ‘Carry On’ – used to dismiss the crew back to their duties.

Guests

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Although St. George’s Chapel can seat 800 people, due to COVID-19 restrictions, there could be only 30 guests at the funeral. Buckingham Palace said The Queen faced some very difficult decisions in selecting the guests and wanted all branches of her husband’s family to be represented. The guests, who sat socially distanced in family groups, wore masks during the funeral service and members of the Royal Family wore day dress or morning coat with medals.

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The Duke of Edinburgh’s four sisters were represented by members of the House of Baden, the House of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, and the House of Hesse.

  • Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Baden: Heir to the Head of the House of Baden, great-nephew of The Duke of Edinburgh, son of Maximilian, Margrave of Baden who is the son of The Duke of Edinburgh’s sister Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark and Berthold, Margrave of Baden
  • Philipp, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg: Head of the House of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, great-nephew of The Duke of Edinburgh, son of Kraft, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg who is the son of The Duke of Edinburgh’s sister Princess Margarita of Greece and Denmark and Gottfried, Prince of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
    Prince Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse: Head of the House of Hesse, into which The Duke of Edinburgh’s sisters Princess Cecile of Greece and Denmark and Princess Sophie of Greece and Denmark married. Via their mutual descent from Queen Victoria, Donatus is the third cousin twice removed of both The Duke of Edinburgh and The Queen. Cecilie married Georg Donatus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine (son of Ernst Ludwig, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine who was a grandson of Queen Victoria via her daughter Alice). Sophie first married Prince Christoph of Hesse (son of Princess Margarete of Prussia who was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria via her daughter Victoria, Princess Royal). After Christoph died in World War II, Sophie married Prince Georg Wilhelm of Hanover who was a great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria via her daughter Victoria, Princess Royal.

The Funeral Service

The Order of Service for the Funeral of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (link below) contains all prayers, hymns, and instructions. In addition, some links have been added to provide additional information.

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The funeral service began as the coffin entered St. George’s Chapel and was carried in procession to the catafalque in the quire followed by the family members who participated in the procession. Before the service, The Duke of Edinburgh’s naval cap and sword were placed on the coffin.

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Before his death, the Duke of Edinburgh decided which of his insignia, the medals and decorations conferred on him by the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries, would be displayed at his funeral. The insignia he chose, together with his Field Marshal’s baton and Royal Air Force Wings, and his insignia from Greece and Denmark, as he was born a Prince of Greece and Denmark, were placed on cushions on the altar before the funeral service.

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Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury

As per The Duke of Edinburgh’s wishes, no sermon or eulogy was delivered. No members of the royal family read lessons or gave readings. The service was conducted by David Conner, Dean of Windsor and Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury. Due to public health guidelines because of COVID-19, some elements of the funeral plan were modified, although the funeral service was still very much in line with The Duke of Edinburgh’s wishes for a simple, no-fuss funeral.

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David Conner, Dean of Windsor

During the funeral service, a choir of four singers (three male Lay Clerks, the adult singers of St George’s Chapel Choir, and one outside female soprano) was conducted by James Vivian, Organist & Director of Music at St George’s Chapel, Windsor and the organ was played by Luke Bond, Assistant Director of Music at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The choir, located in the nave, away from the seated congregation, sang four pieces of music chosen by The Duke of Edinburgh. In line with public health guidelines due to COVID-19, there was no singing by the congregation.

The Burial

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An artist’s depiction of the Royal Vault: The bench in the middle is used as a temporary place for coffins waiting to be interred elsewhere. Coffins of permanent burials were placed on the shelves along the sides.

By the time of King George II’s death in 1760, the royal burial vaults at Westminster Abbey were quite crowded. His successor, his grandson King George III, decided to build a new royal vault at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle. The new Royal Vault was constructed in 1804 under what is now the Albert Memorial Chapel which was once the original chapel built by King Henry III and then used as the chapel of the Order of the Garter.

Coffins interred in the Royal Vault; Credit – the-lothians.blogspot.com

After the funeral service, The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault. The vault is accessible from the quire of St. George’s Chapel where a portion of the floor can be raised for lowering coffins into the passage that leads to the Royal Vault. In 1873, a mechanically operated platform was installed to ease the lowering of coffins into the vault, and steps to the vault were added behind the high altar. On September 19, 2022, when the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II was interred in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin was moved to King George VI Memorial Chapel where Queen Elizabeth II’s parents King George VI, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the ashes of Queen Elizabeth II’s sister Princess Margaret are interred.

King George VI Memorial Chapel; Credit – The Royal Family Facebook page

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

  • ABC News. 2021. Order of Service for the funeral of Prince Philip. [online] ABC News. Available at: <https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/order-service-funeral-prince-philip-77126374> [Accessed 17 April 2021].
  • BBC News. 2021. Prince Philip: Duke’s four children to walk alongside coffin at funeral. [online] Available at: <https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56761074> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
  • BBC News. 2021. Prince Philip funeral: Plans, timings and TV coverage. [online] Available at: <https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56694327> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
  • BBC News. 2021. Who is going to Prince Philip’s funeral?. [online] Available at: <https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56765468> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
  • Foster, Max and Said-Moorhouse, Lauren, 2021. Royal New: Funeral of Prince Philp. [online] CNN. Available at: <https://view.newsletters.cnn.com/messages/16185745461597f028d3d9ece/raw?utm_term=16185745461597f028d3d9ece&utm_source=cnn_Royal+News+April+16&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1618574546161&bt_ee=2CsV8c8KA32Eq8u01ykfbTgxTwJVlgL3CstWN%2Fv1c3eXMqFwDhBFxEnwpAQtMlTU&bt_ts=1618574546161> [Accessed 16 April 2021].
  • The Royal Family. 2021. Funeral of The Duke of Edinburgh. [online] Available at: <https://www.royal.uk/funeral-duke-edinburgh-0> [Accessed 17 April 2021].

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Order of Service for the Funeral of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

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The Order of Service for the Funeral of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh was released on the evening before the funeral. It contains all prayers, hymns, and instructions. As per The Duke of Edinburgh’s wishes, no sermon or eulogy was delivered. No members of the royal family read lessons or gave readings. The service was conducted by David Conner, Dean of Windsor and Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury.

During the funeral service held at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, a choir of four singers (three male Lay Clerks, the adult singers of St George’s Chapel Choir, and one outside female soprano) was conducted by James Vivian, Organist & Director of Music at St George’s Chapel, Windsor and the organ was played by Luke Bond, Assistant Director of Music at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The choir, located in the nave, away from the seated congregation, sang four pieces of music chosen by The Duke of Edinburgh. In line with public health guidelines due to COVID-19, there was no singing by the congregation.

The Order of Service for the Funeral of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

All stand. The Coffin is removed from the Land Rover and is carried to the West Steps where it rests at 3 pm for the one-minute National Silence.

The Coffin is then carried to the Catafalque in the Quire. Members of the Royal Family who have walked in the Procession are conducted to their places in the Quire.

Meanwhile, the choir sings

THE SENTENCES by William Croft (1678-1727)

I AM the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. (John 11. 25-26)

I KNOW that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another. (Job 19. 25-27)

WE brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (1 Timothy 6. 7, Job 1. 21)

All remain standing. The Dean of Windsor shall say:

THE BIDDING

WE are here today in St George’s Chapel to commit into the hands of God the soul of his servant Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. With grateful hearts, we remember the many ways in which his long life has been a blessing to us. We have been inspired by his unwavering loyalty to our Queen, by his service to the Nation and the Commonwealth, by his courage, fortitude and faith. Our lives have been enriched through the challenges that he has set us, the encouragement that he has given us, his kindness, humour and humanity. We therefore pray that God will give us grace to follow his example, and that, with our brother Philip, at the last, we shall know the joys of life eternal.

All sit. The choir sings Eternal Father, Strong to Save – Melita (music) by J. B. Dykes (1823-1876), Lyrics by William Whiting (1825-1878), Arranged by James Vivian (b. 1974)5

ETERNAL Father, strong to save,
Whose arm doth bind the restless wave,
Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep;
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea.

O Saviour, whose almighty word
The winds and waves submissive heard,
Who walkedst on the foaming deep,
And calm amid its rage didst sleep:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea.

O sacred Spirit, who didst brood
Upon the chaos dark and rude,
Who bad’st its angry tumult cease,
And gavest light and life and peace:
O hear us when we cry to thee
For those in peril on the sea.

O Trinity of love and power,
Our brethren shield in danger’s hour;
From rock and tempest, fire and foe,
Protect them whereso’er they go:
And ever let there rise to thee
Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.

All remain seated.

THE FIRST LESSON

Ecclesiasticus 43. 11-26 read by the Dean of Windsor

LOOK at the rainbow and praise its Maker; it shines with a supreme beauty, rounding the sky with its gleaming arc, a bow bent by the hands of the Most High. His command speeds the snow storm and sends the swift lightning to execute his sentence. To that end the storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds. By his mighty power the clouds are piled up and the hailstones broken small. The crash of his thunder makes the earth writhe, and, when he appears, an earthquake shakes the hills. At his will the south wind blows, the squall from the north and the hurricane. He scatters the snow-flakes like birds alighting; they settle like a swarm of locusts. The eye is dazzled by their beautiful whiteness, and as they fall the mind is entranced. He spreads frost on the earth like salt, and icicles form like pointed stakes. A cold blast from the north, and ice grows hard on the water, settling on every pool, as though the water were putting on a breastplate. He consumes the hills, scorches the wilderness, and withers the grass like fire. Cloudy weather quickly puts all to rights, and dew brings welcome relief after heat. By the power of his thought he tamed the deep and planted it with islands. Those who sail the sea tell stories of its dangers, which astonish all who hear them; in it are strange and wonderful creatures, all kinds of living things and huge sea monsters. By his own action he achieves his end, and by his word all things are held together.

All remain seated as the choir sings The Jubilate Deo in C by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976), written for St George’s Chapel, Windsor at the request of The Duke of Edinburgh

O BE joyful in the Lord, all ye lands:
serve the Lord with gladness,
and come before his presence with a song.

Be ye sure that the Lord he is God:
it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him, and speak good of his Name.

For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting:
and his truth endureth from generation to generation.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.

All remain seated.

THE SECOND LESSON

John 11. 21-27 read by the Archbishop of Canterbury

MARTHA said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.”

All remain seated as the choir sings Psalm 104 by William Lovelady (born 1945) abridged and arranged for choir and organ by James Vivian (born 1974) with the composer’s permission. Words from Psalm 104, adapted by Sam Dyer (born 1945)

The Duke of Edinburgh requested that Psalm 104 should be set to music by William Lovelady. Originally composed as a cantata in three movements, it was first sung in honour of His Royal Highness’s 75th Birthday.

MY SOUL give praise unto the Lord of heaven,
In majesty and honour clothed;
The earth he made will not be moved,
The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise.

The waters rise above the highest mountain,
And flow down to the vales and leas;
At springs, wild asses quench their thirst,
And birds make nest amid the trees.

The trees the Lord has made are full of vigour,
The fir tree is a home for storks;
Wild goats find refuge in the hills,
From foes the conies shelter in the rocks.

My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven,
In majesty and honour clothed;
The earth he made will not be moved,
The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise.

O Lord, how manifold is your creation,
All things in wisdom you provide;
You give your riches to the earth,
And to the sea so great and wide.

You take your creatures breath and life is ended,
Your breath goes forth and life begins;
Your hand renews the face of earth,
Your praise my whole life I will sing.

My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven,
In majesty and honour clothed;
The earth he made will not be moved,
The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise.

Let us pray. All sit or kneel.

The choir sings THE LESSER LITANY by William Smith (1603-45), adapted by Roger Judd, MVO (born 1944)

LORD, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.

The choir sings THE LORD’S PRAYER Music by Robert Stone (1516-1613) from John Day’s Certaine Notes 1565

OUR Father, which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name;
Thy kingdom come;
Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
But deliver us from evil. Amen.

THE RESPONSES

ENTER not into judgement with thy servant, O Lord.
For in thy sight shall no man living be justified.
Grant unto him eternal rest.
And let light perpetual shine upon him.
We believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord.
In the land of the living.
O Lord, hear our prayer.
And let our cry come unto thee.

THE COLLECT

The Dean of Windsor shall say:

O MERCIFUL God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life; in whom whosoever believeth shall live, though he die; and whosoever liveth, and believeth in him, shall not die eternally; who also hath taught us by his Holy Apostle Saint Paul, not to be sorry, as men without hope, for them that sleep in him: We meekly beseech thee, O Father that, when we shall depart this life, we may rest in him, as our hope is this our brother doth; and that, at the general resurrection in the last day, we may be found acceptable in thy sight; and receive that blessing, which thy well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear thee, saying, Come ye blessed children of my Father; receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Grant this we beseech thee, O merciful Father through Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer. Amen.

THE PRAYERS

The Archbishop of Canterbury shall say:

O ETERNAL God, before whose face the generations rise and pass away, thyself unchanged, abiding, we bless thy holy name for all who have completed their earthly course in thy faith and following, and are now at rest; we remember before thee this day Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, rendering thanks unto thee-for his resolute faith and loyalty, for his high sense of duty and integrity, for his life of service to the Nation and Commonwealth, and for the courage and inspiration of his leadership. To him, with all the faithful departed, grant thy peace; Let light perpetual shine upon them; and in thy loving wisdom and almighty power work in them the good purpose of thy perfect will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Dean of Windsor, Register of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, shall say:

O LORD, who didst give to thy servant Saint George grace to lay aside the fear of man, and to be faithful even unto death: Grant that we, unmindful of worldly honour, may fight the wrong, uphold thy rule, and serve thee to our lives’ end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

GOD save our gracious Sovereign and all the Companions, living and departed, of the Most Honourable and Noble Order of The Garter. Amen.

O GOD of the spirits of all flesh, we praise thy holy name for thy servant Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who has left us a fair pattern of valiant and true knighthood; grant unto him the assurance of thine ancient promise that thou wilt ever be with those who go down to the sea in ships and occupy their business in great waters. And we beseech thee that, following his good example and strengthened by his fellowship, we may at the last, together with him, be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Archbishop of Canterbury shall say:

O LORD God, when thou givest to thy servants to endeavour any great matter, grant us also to know that it is not the beginning, but the continuing of the same unto the end, until it be thoroughly finished, which yieldeth the true glory; through him, who for the finishing of thy work laid down his life, our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.

ALMIGHTY God, Father of all mercies and giver of all comfort: Deal graciously, we pray thee, with those who mourn; that casting every care on thee they may know the consolation of thy love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

All sit as the choir sings THE ANTHEM – Russian Kontakion of the Departed, translated by William John Birkbeck (1859-1916), Kiev Melody, arranged by Sir Walter Parratt, KCVO (1841-1924)

GIVE rest, O Christ, to thy servant with thy Saints:
where sorrow and pain are no more;
neither sighing, but life everlasting.

Thou only art immortal, the Creator and Maker of man:
And we are mortal, formed of the earth, and unto earth shall we return.
For so thou didst ordain, when thou createdest me, saying,
Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

All we go down to the dust; and, weeping, o’er the grave,
we make our song: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.

All stand.

THE COMMENDATION – As the Coffin is lowered into the Royal Vault, the Dean of Windsor shall say:

GO forth upon thy journey from this world, O Christian soul,
In the name of God the Father Almighty who created thee;
In the name of Jesus Christ who suffered for thee;
In the name of the Holy Spirit who strengtheneth thee;
May thy portion this day be in peace,
and thy dwelling in the heavenly Jerusalem. Amen.

All remain standing. The Garter Principal King of Arms proclaims:

THE STYLES AND TITLES OF HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE PHILIP DUKE OF EDINBURGH

THUS it hath pleased Almighty God to take out of this transitory life unto his divine mercy the late most Illustrious and most Exalted Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich, Knight of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, Knight of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, Member of the Order of Merit, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order upon whom had been conferred the Royal Victorian Chain, Grand Master and Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Lord

High Admiral of the United Kingdom, One of Her Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council, Admiral of the Fleet, Field Marshal in the Army and Marshal of the Royal Air Force, Husband of Her Most Excellent Majesty Elizabeth the Second by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, Sovereign of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, whom may God preserve and bless with long life, health and honour and all worldly happiness.

A LAMENT played by the Pipe Major of The Royal Regiment of Scotland

THE LAST POST sounded by the Buglers of the Royal Marines

After a period of silence the State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry sounded REVEILLE

ACTION STATIONS sounded by the Buglers of the Royal Marines

Then the Archbishop of Canterbury pronounces THE BLESSING

All remain standing as the choir sings THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

GOD save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save The Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save The Queen!

All remain standing in their places as Her Majesty The Queen, Members of the Royal Family and Members of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Family leave the Chapel via the Galilee Porch escorted by the Dean of Windsor and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Music after the service: Luke Bond, Assistant Director of Music, St George’s Chapel, will play Prelude and Fugue in C minor BWV 546 Johann Sebastian Bach

Frederik II, King of Denmark and Norway

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

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

Born on July 1, 1534, at Haderslevhus Castle in Haderslev, Duchy of Schleswig, now in Denmark, Frederik II, King of Denmark and Norway was the eldest of the three sons and the second of the five children of Christian III, King of Denmark and Norway and Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg.

Frederik II had one elder sibling and three younger siblings:

When Frederik was eight years old, he traveled around Denmark so the people could see the heir to the throne. He made a similar trip to Norway when he was fourteen years old which would be his only trip to Norway. Frederik was educated with a group of boys from noble families. Frederik’s father Christian III had established Lutheranism as the Danish National Church in 1536, and so Frederik got a strong dose of Lutheran theology. While Frederik was intelligent and had a good memory, he had difficulties with reading and spelling. Most likely, Frederik was dyslexic but his contemporaries perceived him as illiterate. In 1554, when he was twenty, Frederik was given his own court at Malmö Castle in Scania, now in Sweden.

Frederik II had a close relationship with his brother-in-law August, Elector of Saxony, who was six years older than Frederik. In 1557 – 1558, Augustus took Frederik on a trip throughout the Holy Roman Empire. They attended the coronation of the new Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I and met his son, the future Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II, Willem I (the Silent), Prince of Orange, and other prominent rulers. The experience gave Frederik an appreciation of the complex nature of European politics and a love for all things military.

Frederik’s father Christian III, King of Denmark and Norway died on January 1, 1559, and 24-year-old Frederik succeeded him as Frederik II, King of Denmark and Norway. On August 20, 1559, Frederik II was crowned at the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen, Denmark. During his reign, finances were improved, agriculture and trade were promoted, and the privileges the German Hanseatic League had with Denmark were limited or abolished. Friedrich revolutionized shipping by establishing the modern lighthouse system.  He also promoted the sciences, especially astronomy, and was a patron of pioneering Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe.

Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, Frederik’s wife; Credit – Wikipedia

During the end of his father’s reign and during the 1560s, marriage negotiations were conducted to find a bride for Frederik II. The negotiations were difficult because Frederik insisted on meeting the prospective bride before committing to her. He wanted to marry Anne Hardenberg, a noblewoman who served as a lady-in-waiting to his mother. However, the marriage was prevented by the Danish Royal Council because Anne was not a royal princess. In 1572, Frederik’s aunt Elizabeth of Denmark who had married Ulrich III, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, arranged for Frederik to meet a prospective bride, Margaret of Pomerania, at Nykøbing Castle in Denmark. Elizabeth and her husband brought along their only child 14-year-old Princess Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. Frederik and Sophie were half-first cousins through their grandfather Frederik I, King of Denmark and Norway. Instead of being interested in Margaret of Pomerania, Frederik II was interested in Sophie. On July 20, 1572, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Frederik II married Sophie. Despite a 23-year age difference, Frederik and Sophie had a happy marriage. Sophie is consistently mentioned in Frederik’s handwritten diary as “mynt Soffye“, meaning “my Sophie” and she always accompanied him on his travels.

Frederik and Sophie had seven children. Through their daughter Anna, they are ancestors of the British Royal Family.

Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg, Frederik’s mother; Credit – Wikipedia

Despite his harmonious relationship with his wife, Frederik II had a quite different relationship with his mother Dorothea. Frederik and Dorothea had a tense relationship and Dorothea had always favored her younger sons Magnus and Hans. She had often used her parental authority to reprimand Frederik‘s lifestyle and this did not change after he became king. Frederik II detested his mother’s reprimands and her attempts to be involved in state affairs as she had done during his father’s reign. During the Nordic Seven Years War (1563 – 1570), fought against Sweden, Frederik discovered his mother had conducted secret negotiations with her nephew, King Eric XIV of Sweden, without his knowledge and during ongoing warfare, to arrange a marriage between his brother Magnus and Princess Sofia of Sweden, the half-sister of King Eric XIV. Frederik II put a stop to the marriage plans. Although Dorothea told her son that she only intended to benefit Denmark and to establish peace, in Frederik II’s mind, his mother had committed treason and she was informally exiled to Sønderborg Castle, where she lived out the remainder of her life.

Frederik II in his later years; Credit – Wikipedia

Frederik II, King of Denmark and Norway died, aged 53, on April 4, 1588, at Antvorskov Castle, a former abbey now in ruins, in Slagelse, Zealand, Denmark. His death was sudden and unexpected and some modern historians speculate that his health deteriorated very rapidly as a result of lung cancer. Frederik II was buried in the Chapel of the Magi at Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde, Denmark. Frederik’s wife Sophie, who survived him by forty-three years, dying on October 14, 1631, at the age of 74, was buried with him at Roskilde Cathedral.

Tomb of King Frederik II and Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow – Photo by Susan Flantzer

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Kingdom of Denmark Resources at Unofficial Royalty

Works Cited

  • Da.wikipedia.org. 2021. Frederik 2.. [online] Available at: <https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederik_2.> [Accessed 16 January 2021].
  • De.wikipedia.org. 2021. Friedrich II. (Dänemark Und Norwegen). [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_II._(D%C3%A4nemark_und_Norwegen)> [Accessed 16 January 2021].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Frederick II Of Denmark. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederick_II_of_Denmark> [Accessed 16 January 2021].
  • Flantzer, Susan. Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg, Queen of Denmark and Norway. [online] Available at: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/dorothea-of-saxe-lauenburg-queen-of-denmark-and-norway/> [Accessed 16 January 2021].