5 famous Danish Kings and Monarchs

5 famous Danish kings and monarchs

Image: Wikipedia

The Danish monarchy is one, if not the oldest in the world and is still in existence till now! The current monarch is Her Majesty, Queen Margarethe II. The Monarchy in Denmark is a constitutional installment and is tasked with signing all acts of parliament, bestowing honors and appointing the Prime Minister; as well as diplomatic, ceremonial and representational responsibilities.

The Danish monarchy has been in existence for over 1200 years, and here are five of the many monarchs who have ruled the country since the formation of the monarch system of government!

1. Margrethe I of Denmark

Margaret I of Denmark was the first queen to rule in medieval Europe, who ruled Denmark in the 14th Century! She is known for uniting three powerful Scandinavian kingdoms- Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Margrethe I was born in 1353 and was betrothed to the King of Norway Haakon at the age of six. The wedding took place in Copenhagen in 1363. They had their only child Olaf in 1370. Before that, she had spent her youth under the tutelage of Marta Ulfsdotter, daughter of the Swedish saint, Bridget. Margrethe became very bright, sometimes even seemingly brighter and more powerful than her husband. She had been trying to get her son familiarized with the Danish kingdom and elected to the throne as the only heir and after her husband’s death, she ruled Norway acting as her son’s regent. As a clever diplomat, she was able to win back strongholds in Scandia along the West Coast to defend and safeguard Denmark’s southern borders. Her son, died unexpectedly in 1387 and she used her diplomatic skills to exert her powers as regent of both Norway and Denmark; by adopting her six-year-old nephew Erik of Pomerania. During that time, she took captive the king of Sweden because of a will disputing the lands of Bo Jonsson’s grip. 

2. Queen Margrethe II 

Image; Wikimedia Commons

During her time, only males could ascend the Danish though a concession was passed in 1953 that allowed the females to rule where there were no sons. After her father King Frederik IX’s death in 1972, Princess Margrethe became queen, second Danish queen only after Margrethe I who ruled in the 14th Century. She got married to the French Diplomat Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat who became His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark after their marriage.

Queen Margrethe II’s roles include approving new governments after elections as well as the passing of laws as well as approval of any new Danish citizen. The queen is a fan of art and theatre. She has two sons Frederik and Joachim. 

3. Frederik IV of Denmark 

Image: Wikimedia Commons

He was the king of Denmark from 1808 to 1814 and was the last king of Denmark- Norway. He ruled Norway from 1808 to 1814 and Denmark from 1808 to 1839. His father Christian IV was mentally ill, and he had a strained relationship with his mother Caroline Mathilde of Great Britain, who he lost contact with at a young age. He was raised by his stepmother. He led a coup and presented Royal Power. He made Andreas Peter Bernstorff as minister 

He is known to have made Denmark the most important ally of Napoleon, though most advisors and historians said that he was a careless ruler who was also incompetent because he refused to change sided and stuck with Napoleon. Other historians think that that was a wise decision and that worked at the time since he wanted to protect the exposed situation of Norway. He is also known for abolishing serfdom in 1788

He and his wife Marie of Kessel-Kassel had eight children but only two of them- daughters survived infancy and did not have their children. He died at the age of 71 after reigning in Denmark for 55 years. 

4. Christian X of Denmark

Image: Wikimedia Commons

King Christian X is known to have defended the Danish Jews, and, during the Nazi occupation, he wore the Star of David in solidarity with the Jews, even though the Jews themselves did not wear the Star. King Christian X, who was born in 1870 was king of Denmark from 1912 to 1947. He was also the only King od Iceland between 1912 to 1944 and also known as an authoritarian. Iceland, however, ended ties with Denmark and became an independent state in 1944. 

After the death of his father and his ascension to the throne, he overthrew the democratically elected Prime Minister Zahle and other members of the cabinet for not heeding to his advice to include the town of Flensburg in Denmark, whose people had insisted on it be ruled by Germans. King Christian stood up against the German army when Germany held a surprise attack in Denmark in 1941, and he negotiated with the Germans for political independence in domestic matters. During the German occupancy in his country, he used to walk the streets alone and without guards, instead of escaping to safety like other monarchs. 

He died as a result of injuries sustained after he fell off a horse, and was an invalid for a while. He married Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and had two children, Prince Frederick and Prince Knud.

5. Herald III of Denmark 

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Rarely do you hear of illegitimate sons taking over thrones to become kings. Herald III is one of the few. He was the illegitimate son of King Sweyne II Estridsson, who contested the seat with his brothers. He is known to have been a kind ruler who brought great reforms to the kingdom. He fought as a young man together with his stepbrother Olaf. Their fight was meant to take back Olaf to power as he had been exiled from Denmark. They were defeated and Olaf was killed; he went into exile, teaming up with mercenaries. He eventually became a wealthy military commander who joined hands with Svein Estrithson a petitioner to the Danish throne, they were trying to combat the then Norwegian Ruler King Magnus the good, but somewhere along the way, Herald withdrew when King Magnus decided to make him co-ruler. He then took over complete leadership when King Magnus died and Svein, became the king of Denmark, though he gave up Denmark soon after! 

Herald – the last Viking warrior king was killed at the Battle of Stamford by England’s King Harold Godwinson.