RULERS OF DENMARK (DANMARK): HISTORICAL NOTE

 

                The origins of the Danish kingdom go well beyond the early 10th century but it is only then that history becomes more certain and the realm was united by Gorm the Old.  Christianity was introduced under his son Harald I but conversion was not complete until the reign of Knud I.  Under Svend I and Knud I, the Danes took over England in 1013–1014 and 1016–1042, and dominated much of the Baltic and Scandinavia (Norway 1030–1035).  Valdemar I and Knud IV expanded against the Slavs along the Baltic coast, while Valdemar II crusaded even further, into Livonia and Estonia.  A decline in royal authority followed, and Erik V was forced to admit the subordination of the king to the law in 1282.  Christoffer II succeeded to the throne only after making a capitulation limiting royal power in the interest of the clergy and the nobles.  Nevertheless, a noble faction headed by count Gerhard III of Holstein drove Christoffer II from his throne.  Valdemar IV succeeded in defeating the nobles and reasserting royal control, defeated the Hansa in a first conflict in 1363, but an alliance of the Hansa, his neighbors and some of his own barons defeated him in 1370.  His daughter Margrethe I succeeded him (at first as regent for her son Oluf III), and by 1389 she ruled over Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.  In 1396 she abdicated in favor of her great-nephew Erik VII but in fact continued to govern until her death in 1412.  The personal union of the three Scandinavian kingdoms did not long survive her.  Erik VII lost effective control of Sweden in the mid-1430s, and, losing support, fled Denmark in 1439.  The Danish nobility elected his nephew Christoffer III of Bavaria king, who was recognized in Sweden in 1440 and in Norway in 1442.  On the death of Christoffer III, a distant descendant of Erik V was elected king in the person of Christian I of Oldenburg, who also married Christoffer’s widow Dorothea of Brandenburg.  The House of Oldenburg has retained the crown of Denmark ever after, even though it lost those of Norway (1814–1905) of Sweden (permanently since 1523).  The direct Oldenburg male line failing in 1863, the line of Glόcksburg, descended from Christian III, replaced it.  In 1905 a son of Frederik VIII of Denmark became king of Norway.

                Note that the numbering of some rulers may be in disagreement with various other works that may count a number of the obscure predecessors of Gorm the Old as Danish kings.

 

RULERS OF DENMARK (DANMARK): LIST

 

 

Kings of Denmark

910–940

GORM the Old

Son of Hardeknud; King of Denmark

940–986

HARALD I Bluetooth

Son of Gorm

986–1014

SVEND I Forkbeard

Son of Harald I

1014–1018

HARALD II

Son of Svend I

1018–1035

KNUD I the Rich

Son of Svend I

1035–1042

HARDEKNUD

Son of Knud I

1042–1047

MAGNUS I the Good

Son of Olav II of Norway; killed in riding accident

1047–1076

SVEND II

Son of Ulf by Estrid daughter of Svend I

1076–1080

HARALD III Hιn

Bastard son of Svend II

1080–1086

KNUD II the Saint

Bastard son of Svend II; murdered

1086–1095

OLUF I the Hungry

Bastard son of Svend II

1095–1103

ERIK I the Evergood

Bastard son of Svend II

1104–1134

NIELS

Bastard son of Svend II; murdered

 

MAGNUS II the Strong

Son of Niels; co-ruler 1134–1134; killed in battle against Erik II

1134–1137

ERIK II the Memorable

Son of Erik I; murdered

1137–1146

ERIK III the Lamb

Son of Hagen Sunnevasψn by Ragnhild bastard daughter of Erik I; abdicated, died 1146

1140–1142

OLUF II

Son of Harald Kesja bastard son of Erik I; killed in battle

1146–1157

SVEND III Grathe

Son of Erik II; in North; killed in battle against Valdemar I

1146–1157

KNUD III

Son of Magnus II; in Jutland; murdered

1157–1182

VALDEMAR I the Great

Son of Knud Lavard son of Erik I

1182–1202

KNUD IV

Son of Valdemar I; co-ruler 1165

1202–1241

VALDEMAR II the Victorious

Son of Valdemar I

 

VALDEMAR the Younger

Son of Valdemar II; co-ruler 1215–1231

1241–1250

ERIK IV Ploughpenny

Son of Valdemar II; co-ruler 1232; murdered

1250–1252

ABEL

Son of Valdemar II; killed in battle against the Frisians

1252–1259

CHRISTOFFER I

Son of Valdemar II

1259–1286

ERIK V Klipping

Son of Christoffer I; murdered

1286–1319

ERIK VI Moenved

Son of Erik V

1320–1326

CHRISTOFFER II

Son of Erik V; deposed

 

ERIK

Son of Christoffer II; co-ruler 1321; deposed

1326–1330

VALDEMAR III of Schleswig

Son of Erich II of Schleswig son of Waldemar IV son of Erich I son of Abel; deposed, died 1364

1330–1332

CHRISTOFFER II

Restored

 

ERIK

Restored as co-ruler 1330–1332

1332–1340

Gerhard III of Holstein (regent)

Son of Heinrich I of Holstein; husband of Sofie daughter of Nikolaus II of Werle by Regitze daughter of Erik V; murdered

1340–1375

VALDEMAR IV Atterdag

Son of Christoffer II

1376–1387

OLUF III

Son of Hεkon VI of Norway by Margrethe I daughter of Valdemar IV

1387–1396

MARGRETHE I

Daughter of Valdemar IV and mother of Oluf III; abdicated, died 1412

1396–1439

ERIK VII of Pomerania

Bogusław, son of Warcisław VII of Pomerania by Maria daughter of Heinrich I of Mecklenburg by Ingeborg daughter of Valdemar IV; deposed, died 1459

1440–1448

CHRISTOFFER III of Bavaria

Son of Johann of Bavaria-Neumarkt by Katarina sister of Erik VII

1448–1481

CHRISTIAN I of Oldenburg

Son of Dietrich of Oldenburg by Hedwig daughter of Gerhard IV of Holstein son of Heinrich II son of Gerhard III

1481–1513

HANS

Son of Christian I

1513–1523

CHRISTIAN II the Cruel

Son of Hans; deposed, died 1559

1523–1533

FREDERIK I

Son of Christian I

1534–1559

CHRISTIAN III

Son of Frederik I

1559–1588

FREDERIK II

Son of Christian III

1588–1648

CHRISTIAN IV

Son of Frederik II

1648–1670

FREDERIK III

Son of Christian IV

1670–1699

CHRISTIAN V

Son of Frederik III

1699–1730

FREDERIK IV

Son of Christian V

1730–1746

CHRISTIAN VI

Son of Frederik IV

1746–1766

FREDERIK V

Son of Christian VI

1766–1808

CHRISTIAN VII

Son of Frederik V

1808–1839

FREDERIK VI

Son of Christian VII

1839–1848

CHRISTIAN VIII Frederik

Son of Frederik son of Frederik V

1848–1863

FREDERIK VII

Son of Christian VIII

1863–1906

CHRISTIAN IX of Holstein

Son of Wilhelm of Holstein-Sonderburg-Glόcksburg by Luise daughter of Karl of Hesse-Cassel by Louise daughter of Frederik V

1906–1912

FREDERIK VIII

Son of Christian IX

1912–1947

CHRISTIAN X

Son of Frederik VIII

1947–1972

FREDERIK IX

Son of Christian X

1972–

MARGRETHE II

Daughter of Frederik IX

 

Denmark: Line of Holstein-Sonderburg-Glόcksburg (Ancestors of Christian IX)

1559–1622

JOHANN

Son of Christian III of Denmark; Duke of Sonderburg

1622–1627

ALEXANDER

Son of Johann

1627–1675

AUGUST PHILIPP

Son of Alexander; Duke of Sonderburg-Beck

1675–1689

AUGUST

Son of August-Philipp

1689–1719

FRIEDRICH WILHELM I

Son of August

1719–1728

FRIEDRICH LUDWIG

Son of August Philipp

1728–1749

FRIEDRICH WILHELM II

Son of Friedrich Ludwig

1749–1757

FRIEDRICH

Son of Friedrich Wilhelm II

1757–1774

KARL LUDWIG

Son of Friedrich Ludwig

1774–1775

PETER AUGUST

Son of Friedrich Ludwig

1775–1816

FRIEDRICH KARL

Son of Karl Anton son of Peter August

1816–1831

WILHELM

Son of Friedrich Karl; Duke of Sonderburg-Glόcksburg 1825

1831–1864

CHRISTIAN

Son of Wilhelm; King of Denmark from 1863; abdicated duchies 1864, died 1906