Christian, Prince Elect of Denmark
Encyclopedia
Christian was the Prince Elect of Denmark
between 1610 and his death.
as a son of King Christian IV of Denmark
(1577–1648) and Queen-Consort Anne Catherine
(1575–1612). He was the couple's oldest living son, an older brother Frederick having died in 1599, less than a year old. As such his father saw him as the preferable heir to the throne. Denmark was an elective monarchy
, where the power of election was held by the Danish Privy Council
. However, during his own lifetime the King would choose an heir and have him hailed as such, strongly influencing the council's choice. In 1608 the Privy Council and representatives of the Estates supported the King in naming Christian as Prince Elect. He was publicly hailed in 1610, both in Denmark and Norway
.
The Tugtmester, responsible for the prince's education, was Niels Jørgensen Æryleus from 1610 to 1617, then Jesper Brochmand from 1617 to 1620. Christian Friis til Kragerup was the Hofmester from 1615 to 1616, leading the principal court, and Christian Thomesen Sehested from 1616.
. The Danish Intervention saw the war entering its second main phase, after the end of the Bohemian Revolt. With King Christian IV commanding on the battlefield, prince Christian was installed as acting head of government. Christian held this post to 1627, but not without entering the battlefield in the meantime. He was even hit by two gunshots in November 1626. In 1627 he was sent to Holstein
near the frontier, where he took seat in Segeberg
. He later retreated when enemy troops overran South Denmark and Jutland
, as the Danish Intervention failed. During this process he even broke a leg after a fall from a wagon. In 1626, his relationship with the noble Anne Lykke
caused a conflict with his father and the council of state when his father arrested Lykke because of her influence on him and tried to have her charged with sorcery.
In 1628, Christian received the feudum of Malmöhus
. In January 1632 he was appointed Governor-General of the Danish parts of Schleswig
and Holstein
. He also received Laaland
and Falster
. In 1633 he was engaged to Magdalene Sibylle of Saxony
, daughter of John George I, Elector of Saxony
and Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia
; the marriage had been discussed as early as 1630. The wedding took place on 5 October 1634 in Copenhagen among great festivities. The marriage was childless, and they resided at Nykøbing Castle in Falster. Christian was not much involved on the political scene in this phase of his life, partly to his own dismay, but he did act as head of government in 1644, when the King was absent due to the Torstenson War. In the autumn of 1644, Prince Christian had a stay in the fortified Malmø
, but Swedish forces threatened the city, and Christian retreated, first to Copenhagen due to illness, then to Falster.
in 1647. Among others, he took a loan from the Duke of Gottorp in 1646 in order to finance a stay in a Bohemian spa. He left Nykøbing for Bohemia on 8 May 1647. He reached Dresden on 28 May, and continued on 1 June. Not long after leaving he was struck by a fit of illness. He was brought to a castle in Gorbitz near Dresden, where he died on the next day. He was buried on 8 November 1647 in the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen
. In 1655 his remains were moved to the tombs at Roskilde Cathedral
.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
between 1610 and his death.
Early life
He was born in Copenhagen CastleCopenhagen Castle
Copenhagen Castle was a castle on Slotsholmen in Copenhagen, Denmark, built in the late 14th century at the site of the current Christiansborg Palace....
as a son of King Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
(1577–1648) and Queen-Consort Anne Catherine
Anne Catherine of Brandenburg
Anne Catherine of Brandenburg was queen-consort of Denmark and Norway from 1597 to 1612 as the first spouse of King Christian IV of Denmark.-Biography:...
(1575–1612). He was the couple's oldest living son, an older brother Frederick having died in 1599, less than a year old. As such his father saw him as the preferable heir to the throne. Denmark was an elective monarchy
Elective monarchy
An elective monarchy is a monarchy ruled by an elected rather than hereditary monarch. The manner of election, the nature of the candidacy and the electors vary from case to case...
, where the power of election was held by the Danish Privy Council
Rigsraadet
Rigsraadet, or Riksrådet, , is the name of the councils of the Scandinavian countries that ruled the countries together with the kings from late Middle Ages to the 17th century...
. However, during his own lifetime the King would choose an heir and have him hailed as such, strongly influencing the council's choice. In 1608 the Privy Council and representatives of the Estates supported the King in naming Christian as Prince Elect. He was publicly hailed in 1610, both in Denmark and Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
The Tugtmester, responsible for the prince's education, was Niels Jørgensen Æryleus from 1610 to 1617, then Jesper Brochmand from 1617 to 1620. Christian Friis til Kragerup was the Hofmester from 1615 to 1616, leading the principal court, and Christian Thomesen Sehested from 1616.
Career and marriage
In 1625, Denmark ventured into the Thirty Years' WarThirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
. The Danish Intervention saw the war entering its second main phase, after the end of the Bohemian Revolt. With King Christian IV commanding on the battlefield, prince Christian was installed as acting head of government. Christian held this post to 1627, but not without entering the battlefield in the meantime. He was even hit by two gunshots in November 1626. In 1627 he was sent to Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
near the frontier, where he took seat in Segeberg
Segeberg
Segeberg is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is bounded by the districts of Pinneberg, Steinburg and Rendsburg-Eckernförde, the city of Neumünster, the districts of Plön, Ostholstein and Stormarn, and the city state of Hamburg.-History:The history of the district is connected with the...
. He later retreated when enemy troops overran South Denmark and Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
, as the Danish Intervention failed. During this process he even broke a leg after a fall from a wagon. In 1626, his relationship with the noble Anne Lykke
Anne Lykke
Anne Lykke was a Danish noblewoman and royal mistress of Christian, Prince Elect of Denmark.Anne Henriksdatter Lykke was born into one of Denmark's more prosperous noble families. She was the daughter of the noble statesman Henrik Lykke and Karen Frandsdatter Banner . She was born at Vordingborg...
caused a conflict with his father and the council of state when his father arrested Lykke because of her influence on him and tried to have her charged with sorcery.
In 1628, Christian received the feudum of Malmöhus
Malmöhus
Malmöhus is a neighbourhood of Malmö, situated in the Borough of Centrum, Malmö Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden....
. In January 1632 he was appointed Governor-General of the Danish parts of Schleswig
Schleswig
Schleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
and Holstein
Holstein
Holstein is the region between the rivers Elbe and Eider. It is part of Schleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany....
. He also received Laaland
Lolland
Lolland is the fourth largest island of Denmark, with an area of 1,243 square kilometers . Located in the Baltic sea, it is part of Region Sjælland...
and Falster
Falster
Falster is an island in south-eastern Denmark with an area of 514 km² and 43,398 inhabitants as of 1 January 2010. Located in the Baltic sea, it is part of Region Sjælland and is administered by Guldborgsund Municipality...
. In 1633 he was engaged to Magdalene Sibylle of Saxony
Magdalene Sibylle of Saxony
Magdalene Sibylle of Saxony was the Princess of Denmark from 1634 to 1647 as the wife of Prince-Elect Christian of Denmark, and the Duchess consort of Saxe-Altenburg as the wife of Duke Frederick Wilhelm II.- Biography :...
, daughter of John George I, Elector of Saxony
John George I, Elector of Saxony
John George I was Elector of Saxony from 1611 to 1656.-Biography:Born in Dresden, he was the second son of the Elector Christian I and Sophie of Brandenburg....
and Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia
Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia
Magdalene Sibylle of Prussia was an Electress of Saxony as the spouse of John George I, Elector of Saxony.-Life:...
; the marriage had been discussed as early as 1630. The wedding took place on 5 October 1634 in Copenhagen among great festivities. The marriage was childless, and they resided at Nykøbing Castle in Falster. Christian was not much involved on the political scene in this phase of his life, partly to his own dismay, but he did act as head of government in 1644, when the King was absent due to the Torstenson War. In the autumn of 1644, Prince Christian had a stay in the fortified Malmø
Malmö
Malmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
, but Swedish forces threatened the city, and Christian retreated, first to Copenhagen due to illness, then to Falster.
Later life and legacy
Christian gained a reputation as lazy, and as a drinker. He was heavily indebted; despite his father's attempts to pay some of Christian's debts, he still owed more than 215,000 RigsdalerDanish rigsdaler
The rigsdaler was the name of several currencies used in Denmark until 1873. The similarly named Reichsthaler, riksdaler and rijksdaalder were used in Germany and Austria-Hungary, Sweden and the Netherlands, respectively....
in 1647. Among others, he took a loan from the Duke of Gottorp in 1646 in order to finance a stay in a Bohemian spa. He left Nykøbing for Bohemia on 8 May 1647. He reached Dresden on 28 May, and continued on 1 June. Not long after leaving he was struck by a fit of illness. He was brought to a castle in Gorbitz near Dresden, where he died on the next day. He was buried on 8 November 1647 in the Church of Our Lady in Copenhagen
Church of Our Lady (Copenhagen)
The Church of Our Lady is the cathedral of Copenhagen and the National Cathedral of Denmark. It is situated on Vor Frue Plads and next to the main building of the University of Copenhagen....
. In 1655 his remains were moved to the tombs at Roskilde Cathedral
Roskilde Cathedral
Roskilde Cathedral , in the city of Roskilde on the island of Zealand in eastern Denmark, is a cathedral of the Lutheran Church of Denmark. The first Gothic cathedral to be built of brick, it encouraged the spread of the Brick Gothic style throughout Northern Europe...
.