A Scandinavian Game of Thrones: The Danish Monarchy
- Tim Hasker
- Jan 15, 2024
- 5 min read
Today is Frederik X's first full day as the new King of Denmark, he is the latest in a long line of monarchs from one of the oldest and most popular royal dynasties in the world.
There are only a handful of monarchies left in the world that can claim an older heritage than Danish royalty. The roots of the Danish monarchy can be traced back to the Viking Age when legendary kings like Gorm the Old and Harald Bluetooth ruled over the disparate tribes of Denmark. These early rulers laid the foundation for a centralised monarchy, and by the 10th century, Denmark emerged as a unified kingdom.
One of the most illustrious chapters in Danish royal history is the reign of Canute the Great (1018-1035), who not only consolidated power in Denmark but also became the ruler of England, Norway, and parts of Sweden. This marked a zenith in the influence of the Danish monarchy on the European stage.
The North Sea Empire, as it has been named by historians was short lived, after Canute died it collapsed almost immediately. Canute's son Harthacnut was technically the legitimate heir to both Denmark and England, however, he could not leave Denmark to secure his English realm out of fear Denmark would be invaded by Norway and Sweden. In his absence Harold Harefoot, his half-brother acted as agent. It wouldn't be until 1040 that Harthacnut was able to leave Denmark and properly claim England. His prize was bittersweet and fleeting; in Denmark he had ruled absolutely but the English were used to rule by council and he clashed constantly with the local nobility. Two years after landing in England, Harthacnut died, while attending a wedding he collapsed, convulsing after toasting the bride. The official account was death by excess of alcohol but some have speculated foul play. Being childless, the English throne was left to his half-brother the Anglo-Saxon Edward the Confessor ending Danish rule in England.
As for Denmark, the next century was a period of instability as civil wars ensued and the throne passed from rival to rival. It wasn't until the reign of Valdemar the Great (1154-1182) that the Danish political scene stabilised. Valdemar had been one of many claimants following the abdication of Eric III in 1146 but managed to be the last one standing. His reign and those of his sons Canute VI and Valdemar II saw the peak of medieval Denmark - during this time a feudal system of government was introduced and the code of Jutland which was Denmark's legal code until 1683. This period also saw the adoption of the Dannebrog as the national flag of Denmark; a symbol of Danish identity which remains to the modern day.
In the late medieval age Denmark became part of the Kalmar Union which united Denmark, Norway and Sweden under a single monarch. This union which would last from 1397 to 1523 was the achievement of Denmark's first Queen, Margrethe I. Margrethe was the youngest daughter of Valdemar IV, a King who had reunified Denmark following several wars and brought prosperity back to the realm, hence his nickname 'Atterdag' meaning 'Return of the Day' to symbolise how he dragged Denmark out of depression.
Margrethe had a difficult childhood, she was born in a prison where her father had imprisoned her mother and was used as pawn by her father to achieve his political aims. This included marrying her, aged 10, to the Haakon, the 18 year old heir of Norway. When her father died in 1375, their son, Olaf became King of Denmark. Due to only being five at his ascension, Margrethe governed in Denmark as regent. A few years later Olaf would also become King of Norway following his father's death, he was also proclaimed the 'true heir of Sweden' at his mother's insistence. Margrethe, a shrewd political player had carefully architected her son to rule all of Scandinavia, however, in 1387, tragedy struck, Olaf (only 16) died unexpectedly.
Margrethe, who had proven herself as a worthy ruler was declared Queen of Denmark and Norway. Through her ability and leadership, Margrethe had secured the domestic situation in both kingdoms so turned her attention to Sweden. She took advantage of discontent in Sweden to invade, swiftly securing her third kingdom. The Treaty of Kalmar was published which officially unified the three kingdoms under Margrethe and her adopted heir and nephew Eric of Pomerania.
Unfortunately, Margrethe's successors lacked her political ability and by 1523 Sweden broke away from the union. Denmark and Norway would continue to have a shared monarch until 1814. The early modern era would see a series of wars fought between Denmark-Norway and Sweden, and the northern German principalities for control of Scandinavia. The wars would present one Danish monarch the opportunity for a power grab. The wars with Sweden had bankrupted the country and intensified grievances between the nobility and emerging middle classes (burghers). Frederik III manipulated the situation, and through courting the burghers worked with them to seize the privileges of the nobility - simultaneously fixing the realm's finances and leaving him absolute ruler. The King's Law established the monarch's divine right to rule and replace Denmark's elective monarchy with a male only hereditary system.
Absolutism would be the governing system of Denmark-Norway until the reign the 19th century. The end of absolutism would start with the split of Denmark and Norway. During the Napoleonic Wars Denmark-Norway found itself on the losing side after the Battle of Leipzig in 1813. As a result of the Treaty of Kiel, Denmark-Norway was forced to cede Norway to Sweden while retaining Iceland, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands. This was a national humiliation and seriously weakened the power and respect of the Danish monarchy. Nevertheless, following this defeat Frederick VI resisted calls for reform and double downed on absolutism. However, a series of succession crises damaged the credibility of the absolutism, strengthening the calls for reform. The ascension of Frederick VII in 1848 marked the end of absolutism and a new constitution was ratified in 1849.
Denmark was now a constitutional monarchy but in 1920 a crisis erupted which almost ended the monarchy altogether. Following the end of the First World War King Christian X dismissed the government because he believed that they had not reclaimed enough land from Germany during the negotiations for the Treaty of Versailles. The dismissal of the government was deeply unpopular, sparking riots and calls for the overthrow of the monarch. Christian X quickly changed course and following the crisis acted as a true constitutional monarch. No Danish monarch since has taken political action without the support of parliament and the current high support for the monarch in Denmark is undeniably a testament to the woman who until yesterday was Queen.
Margrethe II was born on April 16, 1940, only a week after the Nazi invasion of Denmark. The Danish royal family stayed in the country during the occupation, and Denmark adopted a policy of non-resistance during the invasion, hoping to protect its citizens from the devastating consequences of a military confrontation. Her father became king in 1947, and it became clear that the Danish constitution would need changing to allow women to ascend to the throne as he had no sons. Margrethe became the first Danish queen regnant since the 15th century.
Her reign has been marked by a commitment to her constitutional role, cultural contributions, and public service. Queen Margrethe II is known for her artistic talents, having studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts and famously illustrating the Lord of the Rings. Throughout her reign, she has maintained a strong connection with the Danish people, earning widespread admiration for her dedication and approachability, often walking the streets of Copenhagen unescorted.
Yesterday, January 14th 2024, Margrethe II abdicated and a new chapter in the long, complex, sometimes brutal, never boring story of the Danish Monarchy started.
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