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Danish monarch
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This is a list of Danish monarchs, that is, the kings and queen regnants of Denmark. This includes:
- The Kingdom of Denmark (up to 1397)
- Personal union of Denmark and Norway (1380–1397)
- The Kalmar Union (1397–1536)
- Union of Denmark, Norway and Sweden (1397–1523)
- Union of Denmark and Norway (1523–1536/1537)
- The United Kingdoms of Denmark–Norway (1536/1537–1814)
- The Kingdom of Denmark (1814–present)
- Iceland (since the union between Denmark and Norway in 1380; independent kingdom in a personal union with Denmark 1918–1944; a sovereign republic since 1944)
- Greenland (since the union between Denmark and Norway in 1380; effective Danish–Norwegian control began in 1721; integrated into the Danish realm in 1953; internal home rule introduced 1979; self-rule assumed in 2009; Greenland has two out of 179 seats in the Danish parliament Folketinget)
- Faroe Islands (since the union between Denmark and Norway in 1380; County of Denmark 1816–1948; internal home rule introduced 1948; The Faroe Islands have two out of 179 seats in the Danish parliament Folketinget)
The House of Oldenburg held the Danish Crown between 1448 and 1863, when it passed to the house of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a cadet branch of the same house, patrilineally descended from King Christian III of Denmark. The kingdom had been elective (although the eldest son or brother of the previous king was usually elected) until 1660, when it became hereditary and absolutist. Until 1864 Denmark was also united in a personal union with the duchies of Holstein and Saxe-Lauenburg (1815–1864), and in a political and personal union with the Duchy of Schleswig.
Pre-Knýtlinga Danish monarchs
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The exact date of origin of the Kingdom of Denmark is not established, but names of Danish kings begins to emerge in foreign sources from the 8th century and onwards. Danish and Nordic legendary stories, chronicles and sagas often have accounts of Danish kings and dynasties stretching further back in time than the 7th century, but the historicity of the content and interpretations of these stories are often put to doubt.
- Chochilaicus—see Hugleik and Hygelac—c. 515 AD, mentioned by Gregory of Tours (538–594).[1][2][3] Hugleik, according to the written sources, suffered a defeat in 515 during a naval expedition to the Frankish Empire. Hugleik is the first Danish king mentioned in European sources.[4]
- Ongendus (Angantyr): c. 710 Saint Willibrord wrote about when he visited the Danes, at the time ruled by Ongendus.[5]
- Harald, named as former king in relating 9th-century events, perhaps model for legendary Harald Wartooth. Related to the Frisian king Redbad II who in 754 had to flee to "the land of the Danes" where King Harald reigned ("Daniae Regi Heraldi").[6]
- Sigfred: 770s–790s
- Gudfred: 804–810, mentioned as Danish king in the Treaty of Heiligen 811.[1] Alternate spellings: Godfred, Göttrick (German), Godric(Anglicized English), Gøtrik (Danish), Gudrød (Danish)
- Hemming: 810–811/812 The Treaty of Heiligen was signed in 811 between the Danish King Hemming and Charlemagne.[1]
- Sigfred, nephew of Gudfred, and Anulo (Anlaufr), grandson or nephew of Harald, fought for the throne and both were killed, perhaps model for the legendary Sigurd Hring: c. 812
- Harald Klak and his brothers Ragnfrid and Hemming Halfdansson: 812–813 and again from 819/827. From 826 he and his household lived in exile with the Frankish emperor Louis the Pious, he was baptized by the bishop of Mainz in Ingelheim am Rhein. The last reference of Harald in the written sources are in the Annals of Fulda which records his execution for treason in 852.[7]
- Sons of Gudfred (Godrik): 814–820s
- Horik II: 854–860s. He is believed to have been the immediate successor of Horik I, but the annals are silent about the name of the Danish king for a few years after the disaster of 854. In 857, Horik II allowed Rorik to occupy the part of the kingdom between the sea and the Eider. Horik II was still alive in 864, when a letter was addressed to him by Pope Nicholas I.[5]
- Late 9th century kings
- Bagsecg: c. 860s–871
- Halfdan: 871–877
- Sigfred: c. 873–891. It is generally assumed that he was the immediate successor of Horik II, although that is not certain. His year of succession is unknown, but it was between 864 (when Horik II was still king) and his first appearance as king in the Frankish annals in 873. Sigifrid was baptized in 882.[5]
- Gudfred: 880s
- Heiligo (Halga): 890s (?), described by Adam of Bremen as the immediate predecessor of the House of Olof.
- The "House of Olaf": late 9th century and early 10th century. This dynasty is described by Adam of Bremen, and members of this claimed dynasty are commemorated by the two Sigtrygg Runestones, which represent contemporary evidence that some of these kings controlled at least part of Denmark.[8]
- Olof, said by Adam to have come from Sweden and defeated Heiligo, taking the crown.
- Gyrd and Gnupa, sons and joint successors of Olof, according to Adam. Gnupa is named by Widukind of Corvey as leader of the Danes in 934, and appears on the Sigtrygg Runestones.
- Sigtrygg, son of Gnupa, memorialized on the Sigtrygg Runestones, presumably dating from shortly after 934.
- Eric the Victorious of Sweden mentioned by Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus as ruling Denmark after an invasion by Sweden together with Slavic warriors. Adam of Bremen got the information from Danish king Sweyn II. The Stone of Eric also describes an attack on Hedeby from the same period. Since Eric also, according to another source of Adam of Bremen, invaded the Holy Roman Empire. It virtually requires Eric to have been the king of Denmark. Therefore two independent sources describe Eric as the king of Denmark. [9] [10]
Semi-legendary kings
- Ragnar Lodbrok, a legendary king probably in the 9th century, only appears in sagas and late histories, and these accounts are wildly inconsistent. He may be a composite character, a chimera of several historical kings and Vikings.
- Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye (da: Sigurd Orm-i-øje or Snogeøje). Mentioned by late Chronicon Roskildense and Ragnarssona þáttr. Said to be king of Zealand and Scania, and son of Ragnar Lodbrok. He may be inspired by late 9th century King Sigfred (above).
- Harthacnut (Hardeknud). According to the sagas he is son of Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, but some historians identify him with Adam's Hardegon, Svein's son, who invaded Denmark from Northmannia and supplanted the House of Olof. He may have ruled only part of Denmark, as Adam places the commencement of his long reign between 909 and 915, while the House of Olof was still ruling at least part of Denmark as late as 934. He was father of Gorm the Old.
List of monarchs of Denmark
House of Gorm (c. 936–1042)
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gorm the Old (Gorm den Gamle) by c. 936 – 958/64 |
 Non-contemporary |
? son of Harthacanute I |
Thyra four children |
958/64 |
| Harald I Bluetooth (Harald Blåtand) 958/64–985/6 |
 Non-contemporary |
932 son of Gorm the Old and Thyra |
(1) Gunhild (perhaps identical with Tove) (2) Tove of the Obotrites January 963 (3) Gyrid of Sweden |
1 November 985 (or 986 or 987) Jomsborg aged 53 |
| Sweyn I Forkbeard (Svend Tveskæg) 986–1014 |
 Non-contemporary |
17 April 963 son of Tove of the Obotrites and Harald Bluetooth |
(1 & 2) Gunhild of Wenden or Sigrid the Haughty eight children |
3 February 1014 Gainsborough, Lincolnshire aged 50 |
| Harald II Svendsen 1014–1018(?) |
.jpg) Non-contemporary |
? son of Sweyn Forkbeard and Gunhild or Sigrid |
unknown | c. 1018 |
| Cnut II the Great (Knud den Store) 1019–1035 |
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|
c. 985/95 son of Sweyn Forkbeard and Gunhild or Sigrid |
(1) Ælfgifu of Northampton two children (2) Emma of Normandy 2/31 July 1017 three children |
12 November 1035 Shaftesbury aged about 40–50 |
| Cnut III or Harthacnut III (Hardeknud) 1035–1042 |
 Non-contemporary |
c. 1020 England son of Cnut the Great and Emma of Normandy |
never married | 8 June 1042 Lambeth aged 21–22 |
House of Fairhair (1042–1047)
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magnus the Good (Magnus den Gode) 1042–1047 |
|
c. 1024 Norway illegitimate son of Olaf II of Norway and Alfhild |
never married one daughter |
25 October 1047 Zealand aged 23 |
House of Estridsen (1047–1375)
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweyn II Estridsson (Svend Estridsen) 1047–1076 |
|
c. 1019 England son of jarl Ulf Torgilsson and Estrid Svendsdatter (daughter of Sweyn I Forkbeard) |
(1) Gyda of Sweden c. 1048 (2) Gunnhildr Sveinsdóttir c. 1050 |
28 April 1076 Søderup aged 57–58 | |
| Harald III the Soft (Harald Hén) 1076–1080 |
 Non-contemporary |
c. 1040 illegitimate son of Sweyn II |
Margareta Hasbjörnsdatter no issue |
17 April 1080 aged 40 | |
| Cnut IV the Holy (Knud den Hellige) 1080–1086 |
 Non-contemporary |
c. 1042 illegitimate son of Sweyn II |
Adela of Flanders c. 1080 three children |
10 July 1086 St. Alban's Priory aged 43–44 | |
| Olaf I Hunger (Oluf Hunger) 1086–1095 |
 Non-contemporary |
c. 1050 illegitimate son of Sweyn II |
Ingegerd of Norway c. 1070 one daughter |
18 August 1095 aged 44–45 | |
| Eric I Evergood (Erik Ejegod) 1095–1103 |
 Non-contemporary |
c. 1060 Slangerup illegitimate son of Sweyn II |
Boedil Thurgotsdatter before 1086 one son |
10 July 1103 Paphos, Cyprus aged 42–43 | |
| Niels 1104–1134 |
 Non-contemporary |
c. 1065 illegitimate son of Sweyn II |
(1) Margaret Fredkulla c. 1105 two sons (2) Ulvhild Håkansdotter c. 1130 no issue |
25 June 1134 Schleswig aged 68–69 | |
| Eric II the Memorable (Erik Emune) 1134–1137 |
 Non-contemporary |
c. 1090 illegitimate son of Eric I |
Malmfred of Kiev c. 1130 no issue |
18 July 1137 Urnehoved aged 46–47 | |
| Eric III Lamb (Erik Lam) 1137–1146 (abdicated) |
 Non-contemporary |
c. 1120 son of Hakon Sunnivasson and Ragnhild Eriksdatter (she was daughter of Eric I) |
Lutgard of Salzwedel c. 1144 no issue |
27 August 1146 St. Canute's Abbey aged 25–26 | |
| Sweyn III Grathe (Svend Grathe) 1146–1157 |
 Non-contemporary |
c. 1125 son of Eric II |
Adela of Meissen c. 1152 two children |
23 October 1157 Grathe Heath aged 31–32 | |
| Cnut V (Knud 5.) 1146–1157 |
|
c. 1129 eldest son of Magnus I of Sweden and Richeza of Poland |
Helena of Sweden c. 1156 no issue |
9 August 1157 Roskilde aged 27–28 | |
| Valdemar I the Great (Valdemar den Store) 1154–1182 |
|
14 January 1131 only son of Canute Lavard (who was son of Eric I) and Ingeborg of Kiev |
Sophia of Minsk c. 1157 Viborg Cathedral eight children |
12 May 1182 Vordingborg Castle aged 51 | |
| Cnut VI (Knud 6.) 1170–1202 |
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|
c. 1163 eldest son of Valdemar I and Sophia of Minsk |
Gertrude of Bavaria February 1177 Lund Cathedral no issue |
12 November 1202 aged 38–39 | |
| Valdemar II the Victorious (Valdemar Sejr) 1202–1241 |
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|
9 May/28 June 1170 second son of Valdemar I and Sophia of Minsk |
(1) Dagmar of Bohemia c. 1205 Lübeck one son (2) Berengaria of Portugal 18/24 May 1214 four children |
28 March 1241 Vordingborg Castle aged 70 | |
| Valdemar the Young ("Valdemar III") (Valdemar den Unge) 1215–1231 |
|
c. 1209 only son of Valdemar II and Dagmar of Bohemia |
Eleanor of Portugal 24 June 1229 Ribe Cathedral one child |
28 November 1231 Refsnæs aged 21–22 | |
| Eric IV Ploughpenny (Erik Plovpenning) 1232–1250 |
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|
c. 1216 eldest son of Valdemar II and Berengaria of Portugal |
Jutta of Saxony 17 November 1239 six children |
9 August 1250 on the Schlei aged 33–34 | |
| Abel 1 November 1250 – 1252 |
 Non-contemporary |
c. 1218 second son of Valdemar II and Berengaria of Portugal |
Matilda of Holstein 25 April 1237 Schleswig Cathedral four children |
29 June 1252 Eiderstedt aged 33–34 | |
| Christopher I (Christoffer 1.) 25 December 1252 – 1259 |
 Non-contemporary |
c. 1219 third son of Valdemar II and Berengaria of Portugal |
Margaret Sambiria c. 1248 five children |
29 May 1259 Ribe aged 39–40 | |
| Eric V Klipping (Erik Klipping) 1259–1286 |
|
c. 1249 eldest son of Christopher I and Margaret Sambiria |
Agnes of Brandenburg 11 November 1273 Schleswig Cathedral seven children |
22 November 1286 Finderup aged 36–37 | |
| Eric VI Menved (Erik Menved) 1286–1319 |
|
c. 1274 eldest son of Eric V and Agnes of Brandenburg |
Ingeborg of Sweden June 1296 Kärnan Castle fourteen children |
13 November 1319 Roskilde aged 44–45 | |
| Christopher II (Christoffer 2.) 25 January 1320 – 1326 (deposed) |
|
29 September 1276 second son of Eric V and Agnes of Brandenburg |
Euphemia of Pomerania c. 1300 six children |
2 August 1332 Nykøbing Castle aged 55 | |
| Eric (Erik Christoffersen) 1321–1326 (deposed) |
c. 1307 eldest son of Christopher II and Euphemia of Pomerania |
Elizabeth of Holstein-Rendsburg 1330 no issue |
early 1332 aged approximately 25 | ||
| Valdemar III (Valdemar 3.) 1326–1329 (deposed) |
-tegnet-af-Poul-Steffensen,1913.jpg) Non-contemporary |
c. 1314 only son of Eric II, Duke of Schleswig and Adelaide of Holstein-Rendsburg |
Richardis of Schwerin two sons |
c. 1364 aged 49–50 | |
| Christopher II (Christoffer 2.) 1329–1332 (restored) |
|
29 September 1276 second son of Eric V and Agnes of Brandenburg |
Euphemia of Pomerania c. 1300 six children |
2 August 1332 Nykøbing Castle aged 55 | |
| Eric (Erik Christoffersen) 1329–1331/32 |
c. 1307 eldest son of Christopher II and Euphemia of Pomerania |
Elizabeth of Holstein-Rendsburg 1330 no issue |
late 1331 or early 1332 aged approximately 25 | ||
| Interregnum (1332–1340) | |||||
| Valdemar IV Atterdag (Valdemar Atterdag) 21 June 1340 – 1375 |
|
c. 1320 third son of Christopher II and Euphemia of Pomerania |
Helvig of Schleswig c. 1340 Sønderborg Castle six children |
24 October 1375 Gurre Castle aged 54–55 | |
House of Bjelbo (1376–1387)
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olaf II (Oluf 2.) 3 May 1376 – 1387 |
_cropped.jpg) Non-contemporary |
December 1370 Akershus Castle only son of King Haakon VI of Norway and Sweden and Margaret I |
never married | 3 August 1387 Falsterbo Castle aged 16 |
House of Estridsen (1387–1412)
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Margaret I (Margrete 1.) 1387–1412 (de facto) |
_effigy_2010_(2).jpg)
|
c. 1353 Søborg Castle youngest daughter of Valdemar IV and Helvig of Schleswig |
Haakon VI of Norway 9 April 1363 Church of Our Lady one son |
28 October 1412 Ship on Flensburg Fjord aged 58–59 |
House of Griffin (1396–1439)
| Name | Portrait | Arms | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eric VII (Erik af Pommern) 24 January 1412 – 1439 (deposed) |
.jpg) |
|
c. 1381/82 Rügenwalde Castle (Poland) only son of Polish Duke of Pomerania Wartislaw VII and Mary of Mecklenburg-Schwerin |
Philippa of England 26 October 1406 Lund Cathedral no issue |
24 September 1459 Rügenwalde Castle (Poland) aged 76–78 |
House of Wittelsbach, Palatinate-Neumarkt branch (1440–1448)
| Name | Portrait | Arms | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher III (Christoffer af Bayern) 9 April 1440 – 5/6 January 1448 |
|
.svg)
|
26 February 1416 Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz fifth son of John, Count Palatine of Neumarkt and Catherine of Pomerania |
Dorothea of Brandenburg 12 September 1445 Copenhagen no issue |
5/6 January 1448 Kärnan Castile aged 31 |
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