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Biography

Christian V of Denmark, king of Denmark and Norway, was born 15 April 1646 in Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany to Frederik III of Denmark (1609-1670) and Sophie Amalie von Braunschweig-Calenberg (1628-1685) and died 25 August 1699 Copenhagen, Denmark of unspecified causes. He married Charlotte Amalie von Hessen-Kassel (1650-1714) 25 June 1667 in Nykyöbing.

Christian V was King of Denmark and Norway from 1670 until his death in 1699.[1]

Well-regarded by the common people, he was the first king anointed at Frederiksborg Castle chapel as absolute monarch since the decree that institutionalized the supremacy of the king in Denmark-Norway. Christian fortified the absolutist system against the aristocracy by accelerating his father's practice of allowing both Holstein nobles and Danish and Norwegian commoners into state service.

As king, he wanted to show his power as absolute monarch through architecture, and dreamed of a Danish Versailles. He was the first to use the 1671 Throne Chair of Denmark, partly made for this purpose.[2] His motto was: Pietate et Justitia (With piety and justice).

Biography

Early years

Christian v of denmark child

Christian V portrayed as the prince elect in the year 1650, in a painting by Karel van Mander III

Prince Christian was born on 15 April 1646 at Duborg Castle in the city of Flensburg, then located in the Duchy of Schleswig. He was the first legitimate child born to the then Prince Frederick of Denmark by his consort, Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Calenberg. Prince Frederick was a younger son of King Christian IV, but the death of his elder brother Christian, Prince-Elect of Denmark in June 1647 opened the possibility for Frederick to be elected heir apparent to the Danish throne.

After the death of King Christian IV in 1648, Frederick thus became King of Denmark and Norway as Frederick III. Prince Christian was elected successor to his father in June 1650. This was not a free choice, but de facto automatic hereditary succession. Escorted by his chamberlain Christoffer Parsberg, Christian went on a long trip abroad, to Holland, England, France, and home through Germany. On this trip, he saw absolutism in its most splendid achievement at the young Louis XIV's court, and heard about the theory of the divine right of kings. He returned to Denmark in August 1663. From 1664 he was allowed to attend proceedings of the State College. Hereditary succession was made official by Royal Law in 1665. Christian was hailed as heir in Copenhagen in August 1665, in Odense and Viborg in September, and in Christiania, Norway in July 1666. Only a short time before he became king, he was taken into the Council of the Realm and the Supreme Court.

Family

Christian V had eight children by his wife and six by his Maîtresse-en-titre, whom he took up with when she was sixteen. Sophie was the daughter of his former tutor Poul Moth. Christian publicly introduced Sophie into court in 1672, a move which insulted his wife, and made her countess of Samsø on 31 December 1677.

Christian-5-with his children

Christian V with his eldest son crown-prince Frederick (IV), and his other sons Christian and Charles

Marriage to Charlotte of Hesse-Kassel

Legitimate children by his queen Charlotte Amalie:

Name Birth Death
Frederick IV 2 October 1671 12 October 1730
Christian Vilhelm 1 December 1672 25 January 1673
Christian 25 March 1675 27 June 1695
Sophie Hedwig 28 August 1677 13 March 1735
Christiane Charlotte 18 January 1679 24 August 1689
Charles 26 October 1680 8 June 1729
Daughter 17 July 1683 17 July 1683
Vilhelm 21 February 1687 23 November 1705

Children with Sophie Moth

Illegitimate children by his mistress, Sofie Amalie Moth (1654-1719), Countess of Samsø:

Name Birth Death
Christiane Gyldenløve 7 July 1672 12 September 1689
Christian Gyldenløve 28 February 1674 16 July 1703
Sophie Christiane Gyldenløve 1675 18 August 1684
Anna Christiane Gyldenløve 1676 11 August 1689
Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve 24 June 1678 8 December 1719
Daughter 1682 8 July 1684


Children


Offspring of Christian V of Denmark and Charlotte Amalie von Hessen-Kassel (1650-1714)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Frederik IV of Denmark (1671-1730) 11 October 1671 Copenhagen, Denmark 12 October 1730 Odense, Denmark Louise zu Mecklenburg (1667-1721)
Elisabeth Helene von Vieregg (1679-1704)
Anne Sophie Reventlow (1693-1743)
Christian Vilhelm of Denmark (1672-1673)
Christian of Denmark (1675-1695)
Sophie Hedevig of Denmark (1677-1735)
Christiane Charlotte of Denmark (1679-1689)
Carl of Denmark (1680-1729)
Vilhelm of Denmark (1687-1705)


Offspring of Christian V of Denmark and Sofie Amalie Moth (1654-1719)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Christiane Gyldenløve (1672-1689)
Christian Gyldenløve (1674-1703) 28 February 1674 København, Denmark 16 July 1703 Odense Charlotte Amalie af Danneskiold-Samsøe (1682-1699)
Dorothea Krag (1675-1754)
Sophie Christine Gyldenløve (1675-1684)
Anna Christine Gyldenløve (1676-1689)
Ulrich Christian Gyldenløve (1678-1719)



Siblings


Offspring of Frederik III of Denmark (1609-1670) and Sophie Amalie von Braunschweig-Calenberg (1628-1685)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Christian V of Denmark (1646-1699) 15 April 1646 Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany 25 August 1699 Copenhagen, Denmark Charlotte Amalie von Hessen-Kassel (1650-1714)
Sofie Amalie Moth (1654-1719)
Anna Sophia of Denmark (1647-1717) 1 September 1647 Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany 1 July 1717 Prettin, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany Johann Georg III. von Sachsen (1647-1691)
Friederike Amalie of Denmark (1649-1704) 11 April 1649 Copenhagen, Denmark 30 October 1704 Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany Christian Albrecht von Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf (1641-1695)
Vilhelmine Ernestine of Denmark (1650-1706) 20 June 1650 Copenhagen, Denmark 23 April 1706 Prettin, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany Karl II. von der Pfalz (1651-1685)
Frederik of Denmark (1651-1652)
George of Denmark (1653-1708)
Ulrica Leonora of Denmark (1656-1693) 11 September 1656 Copenhagen, Denmark 26 July 1693 Karlberg Palace, Sweden Charles XI of Sweden (1655-1697)
Dorothea Juliane of Denmark (1657-1658)
George of Denmark (1658-1708) 21 April 1658 Copenhagen, Denmark 8 November 1708 Kensington, England, United Kingdom Anne of Great Britain (1665-1714)


Offspring of Frederik III of Denmark (1609-1670) and Margarethe Pape (1620-1684)
Name Birth Death Joined with
Ulrik Frederik Pape (1638-1704) 20 July 1638 Bremen, Germany 17 April 1704 Hamburg, Germany Sophia Urne (c1630-1714)
Marie Grubbe (1643-1718)
Antoinette Augusta von Aldenburg (1660-1710)


Research Notes

See Also

Notable Descendants

Notable Ancestors

Christian's mother, Hedvig, was a daughter of Gerhard VI, Count of Holstein, and a sister of Adolphus, Duke of Schleswig. Through his mother, Christian was also a cognatic descendant of King Eric V of Denmark through his second daughter Richeza (died 1308) and also a cognatic descendant of King Abel of Denmark through his daughter Sophie. Through his father, Christian was a cognatic descendant of King Eric IV of Denmark through his daughter Sophia. Christian thus descended from the three surviving sons of Valdemar II and his second wife Berengaria of Portugal. He was also a cognatic descendant of King Magnus III of Sweden.


References

  1. ^ "Christian V, 1646-99". https://runeberg.org/dbl/3/0503.html. 
  2. ^ Written by the Frederiksborg's historian staff on the official website of the institution.

Bibliography

External links


Succession Charts

Christian V
Born: 14 April 1646 Died: 25 August 1699
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Frederick III
King of Denmark and Norway
Count of Oldenburg

1670–1699
Succeeded by
Frederick IV
Preceded by
Frederick III of Denmark
as co-ruler of Christian Albert of Gottorp
Duke of Holstein and Schleswig
1670–1699
with Christian Albert (1670–1695)
Frederick IV (1695–1699)
Succeeded by
Frederick IV of Denmark
as co-ruler of Frederick IV of Gottorp



Footnotes (including sources)

‡ General


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