Ferdinand of Denmark
Encyclopedia
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Ferdinand of Denmark, Prince Frederik Ferdinand, (22 November 1792, Copenhagen
– 29 June 1863, Copenhagen
) was a member of the Danish Royal Family
, a grandson of King Frederick V
.
He was a Hereditary Prince of the Kingdom of Denmark
from 1848 until his death. Had he lived 5 months more, he would have outlived his nephew King Frederick VII
and become King of Denmark.
in Copenhagen
on 22 November 1792 as the youngest child of Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark and Norway
and Sophie Frederikke of Mecklenburg, thus being a grandson of late King Frederick V of Denmark and Norway.
His uncle King Christian VII
being mentally unstable, his father had acted as regent after the fall of Johann Friedrich Struensee
in 1772. But after the coup of 1784, when the king's son Crown Prince Frederick
took power and regency, Hereditary Prince Frederick had been without influence at the court. However, Crown Prince Frederick being without male heirs, Hereditary Prince Frederick and his sons were in the immediate line of succession to the throne.
When Christiansborg Palace was destroyed by fire in 1794, the young Prince and his family moved to Amalienborg Palace
where he was brought up, spending the summers at Sorgenfri Palace
.
on 1 August 1829 his first cousin once removed, Princess Caroline of Denmark
(1793–1881). She was the eldest daughter of the above mentioned sonless Crown Prince Frederick, now King Frederick VI of Denmark
. When Frederick VI died in 1839, because of the Salic Law
Caroline did not succeed to the throne, which was inherited by the closest male relative, Ferdinand's elder brother Prince Christian Frederick
.
to the throne of Denmark.
Ferdinand died childless, which was one of the reasons why the main branch of the Danish Royal House soon went extinct, triggering the second war of Schleswig
. He was expected to break the traditional continuity of Kings named Christian and Frederick since the 16th century.
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Ferdinand of Denmark, Prince Frederik Ferdinand, (22 November 1792, Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
– 29 June 1863, Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
) was a member of the Danish Royal Family
Danish Royal Family
The Danish Royal Family includes the Queen of Denmark and her family. All members except the Queen hold the title of Prince/Princess of Denmark with the style of His/Her Royal Highness or His/Her Highness. The Queen is styled Her Majesty. The Queen and her siblings belong to the House of...
, a grandson of King Frederick V
Frederick V of Denmark
Frederick V was king of Denmark and Norway from 1746, son of Christian VI of Denmark and Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach.-Early life:...
.
He was a Hereditary Prince of the Kingdom of Denmark
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...
from 1848 until his death. Had he lived 5 months more, he would have outlived his nephew King Frederick VII
Frederick VII of Denmark
Frederick VII was a King of Denmark. He reigned from 1848 until his death. He was the last Danish monarch of the older Royal branch of the House of Oldenburg and also the last king of Denmark to rule as an absolute monarch...
and become King of Denmark.
Early life
Prince Ferdinand was born at Christiansborg PalaceChristiansborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace, , on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, is the seat of the Folketing , the Danish Prime Minister's Office and the Danish Supreme Court...
in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
on 22 November 1792 as the youngest child of Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark and Norway
Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark and Norway
Frederick , was a Hereditary Prince of Denmark and Norway. He was the surviving son of the second marriage of King Frederick V of Denmark with Juliana Maria of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel....
and Sophie Frederikke of Mecklenburg, thus being a grandson of late King Frederick V of Denmark and Norway.
His uncle King Christian VII
Christian VII of Denmark
Christian VII was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig and Holstein from 1766 until his death. He was the son of Danish King Frederick V and his first consort Louisa, daughter of King George II of Great Britain....
being mentally unstable, his father had acted as regent after the fall of Johann Friedrich Struensee
Johann Friedrich Struensee
Count Johann Friedrich Struensee was a German doctor. He became royal physician to the mentally ill King Christian VII of Denmark and a minister in the Danish government. He rose in power to a position of “de facto” regent of the country, where he tried to carry out widespread reforms...
in 1772. But after the coup of 1784, when the king's son Crown Prince Frederick
Frederick VI of Denmark
Frederick VI reigned as King of Denmark , and as king of Norway .-Regent of Denmark:Frederick's parents were King Christian VII and Caroline Matilda of Wales...
took power and regency, Hereditary Prince Frederick had been without influence at the court. However, Crown Prince Frederick being without male heirs, Hereditary Prince Frederick and his sons were in the immediate line of succession to the throne.
When Christiansborg Palace was destroyed by fire in 1794, the young Prince and his family moved to Amalienborg Palace
Amalienborg Palace
Amalienborg Palace is the winter home of the Danish royal family, and is located in Copenhagen, Denmark. It consists of four identical classicizing palace façades with rococo interiors around an octagonal courtyard ; in the centre of the square is a monumental equestrian statue of Amalienborg's...
where he was brought up, spending the summers at Sorgenfri Palace
Sorgenfri Palace
Sorgenfri Palace is a royal residence of the Danish monarch, located in the Lyngby-Taarbæk municipality in Greater Copenhagen....
.
Marriage
Prince Ferdinand married at Frederiksberg PalaceFrederiksberg Palace
Frederiksberg Palace is a Baroque residence, located in Frederiksberg, Denmark, adjacent to the Copenhagen Zoo. It commands an impressive view over Frederiksberg Park, originally designed as a palace garden in the Baroque style...
on 1 August 1829 his first cousin once removed, Princess Caroline of Denmark
Princess Caroline of Denmark
Princess Caroline Mathilde of Denmark , was a member of the Danish Royal Family, the eldest surviving daughter of Frederick VI of Denmark...
(1793–1881). She was the eldest daughter of the above mentioned sonless Crown Prince Frederick, now King Frederick VI of Denmark
Frederick VI of Denmark
Frederick VI reigned as King of Denmark , and as king of Norway .-Regent of Denmark:Frederick's parents were King Christian VII and Caroline Matilda of Wales...
. When Frederick VI died in 1839, because of the Salic Law
Salic law
Salic law was a body of traditional law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the early Middle Ages during the reign of King Clovis I in the 6th century...
Caroline did not succeed to the throne, which was inherited by the closest male relative, Ferdinand's elder brother Prince Christian Frederick
Christian VIII of Denmark
Christian VIII , was king of Denmark from 1839 to 1848 and, as Christian Frederick, king of Norway in 1814. He was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, born in 1786 at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen...
.
Later life
The number of male members of the Royal House was so low in those decades that Ferdinand himself was always very close to the succession. At the death of his brother Christian VIII in 1848, the aged Ferdinand became Heir PresumptiveHeir Presumptive
An heir presumptive or heiress presumptive is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir or heiress apparent or of a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question...
to the throne of Denmark.
Ferdinand died childless, which was one of the reasons why the main branch of the Danish Royal House soon went extinct, triggering the second war of Schleswig
Second War of Schleswig
The Second Schleswig War was the second military conflict as a result of the Schleswig-Holstein Question. It began on 1 February 1864, when Prussian forces crossed the border into Schleswig.Denmark fought Prussia and Austria...
. He was expected to break the traditional continuity of Kings named Christian and Frederick since the 16th century.