Christian VII of Denmark
Christian VII | |
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Christiansborg Palace Chapel | |
Predecessor | Frederick V |
Successor | Frederick VI |
Regents | See list
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Chief Ministers | |
Born | Christiansborg Palace, Copenhagen, Denmark | 29 January 1749
Died | 13 March 1808 Rendsburg, Duchy of Holstein | (aged 59)
Burial | |
Spouse | |
Lutheran | |
Signature |
Christian VII (29 January 1749 – 13 March 1808) was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig and Holstein from 1766 until his death in 1808. His motto was: "Gloria ex amore patriae" ("Glory through love of the fatherland").[1]
Christian VII's reign was marked by mental illness. For most of his reign, Christian was only nominally king. His royal advisers changed depending on the outcome of power struggles. From 1770 to 1772, his court physician
Early life
Birth and family
Christian was born in the early hours of the morning on 29 January 1749 in the Queen's Bedchamber at
A former heir to the throne, also named Christian, had died in infancy in 1747, and the newborn was thus crown prince from birth; therefore, hopes were high for the future of the new heir apparent. Christoph Willibald Gluck, then conductor of the royal opera troupe, composed the opera La Contesa dei Numi ("The Contention of the Gods"), in which the Olympian Gods gather at the banks of the Great Belt and discuss who in particular should protect the new prince.[5]
At birth, Christian had two elder sisters, Princess Sophia Magdalena and Princess Wilhelmina Caroline, and the family was joined by another daughter, Princess Louise in 1750. In 1751, almost three years after Christian's birth, his mother Queen Louise died during her sixth pregnancy, just aged 27 years.[6] The following year, his father married Duchess Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, who gave birth to Christian's half-brother, Prince Frederick in 1753.[7]
Childhood and education
After the early death of his mother, the prince was largely denied parental affection. His stepmother Queen Juliane Marie showed no interest in him, preferring her biological son Prince Frederick. Prone to
Early reign
Accession
After a long period of infirmity, Frederick V died on 14 January 1766, just 42 years old. At the death of his father, Christian immediately ascended the thrones of Denmark and Norway as their sixth absolute monarch, a few weeks before his 17th birthday. Later the same day, Christian was proclaimed king from the balcony of Christiansborg Palace. Christian's reign was marked by mental illness[9] which affected government decisions, and for most of his reign, Christian was only nominally king. His court physicians were especially worried by his frequent masturbation.[10] His royal advisers changed depending on who won power struggles around the throne.
Marriage
Later the same year, the young king married his first cousin, the 15-year-old
The marriage was unhappy, and after his marriage, the king abandoned himself to the worst excesses, especially sexual promiscuity. In 1767, he entered into a relationship with the courtesan
Struensee
.The progressive and radical thinker
From 1770 to 1772, Struensee was de facto regent of the country, and introduced progressive reforms signed into law by Christian VII. Struensee was deposed by a coup in 1772 after which the country was ruled by Christian's stepmother,
Divorce
The king divorced Caroline Matilda in 1772 after they had produced two children: the future
Later life
Christian was only nominally king from 1772 onward. Between 1772 and 1784, Denmark-Norway was ruled by his stepmother, the Queen Dowager Juliane Marie,
Death and succession
Christian died at age 59 of a stroke on 13 March 1808 in Rendsburg, Schleswig. Although there were rumours that the stroke was caused by fright at the sight of Spanish auxiliary troops which he took to be hostile, Ulrik Langen, in his biography of the king, did not indicate that there was any external cause. He was buried in Roskilde Cathedral and was succeeded by his son Frederick VI.[18]
Legacy
Contribution to science
In 1769, Christian VII of Denmark invited the Hungarian astronomer
Cultural depictions
Christian VII, the story of his marriage, and his wife's affair with Struensee have featured in many artistic works:
Literature
- 1935 : Die Gefangene von Celle – a 1935 novel by Else von Hollander-Lossow
- 1935 : The Favourite of the Queen (German: Struensee: Doktor, Diktator, Favorit und armer Sünder; later Der Favorit der Königin) – a 1935 novel by Robert Neumann
- 1948 : The Queen's Physician – a 1948 novel by Edgar Maass
- 1953 : Converse at Night in Copenhagen (Danish: Samtale om natten i København) – a 1953 novel by Karen Blixen
- 1955 : Caroline Matilda, princess of Great Britain and queen of Denmark – a 1955 novel by Geoffrey Vaughan Blackstone
- 1969 : The Lost Queen – a 1969 novel by Norah Lofts
- 1985 : Letter from Celle – a 1985 dramatic poem by Edward Lowbury
- 1999 : The Visit of the Royal Physician (Swedish: Livläkarens besök) – a 1999 novel by Per Olov Enquist
- 2000 : Prinsesse af Blodet – en roman om Caroline Mathilde – a 2000 novel by Bodil Steensen-Leth
- 2015 : There's a mad king in Denmark (Italian: C'è un re pazzo in Danimarca) – a 2015 biographical novel by Dario Fo
- 2021 : Sigurverkið – a 2021 novel by Arnaldur Indriðason
Stage
- 1827 : Struensee – an 1827 drama by Frederick William IV and premiered in Berlin in 1856.[22]
- 1991 : choreographed by Flemming Flindt to music by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.
- 2008 : based on Enquist's 1999 novel.
Film
- German historical drama silent film directed by Ludwig Wolff, in which Christian VII is played by Walter Janssen.[23]
- British film directed by Victor Saville, in which Christian VII was played by Emlyn Williams. The film depicts his relationship with Caroline Mathilde, who is played by Madeleine Carroll.[24]
- West German feature film based on Neumann's 1935 novel, and directed by Harald Braun, in which Christian VII was played by Horst Buchholz.[25]
- Caroline – den sidste rejse – a 2010 Danish film
- Mikkel Boe Følsgaard.[26]
Ancestry
Ancestors of Christian VII of Denmark Christian Heinrich, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach | |||||||||||||||
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5. Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach | |||||||||||||||
11. Sophie Christiane of Wolfstein | |||||||||||||||
1. Christian VII of Denmark | |||||||||||||||
12. George I of Great Britain | |||||||||||||||
6. George II of Great Britain | |||||||||||||||
13. Sophia Dorothea of Celle | |||||||||||||||
3. Louise of Great Britain | |||||||||||||||
14. John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach | |||||||||||||||
7. Caroline of Ansbach | |||||||||||||||
15. Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach | |||||||||||||||
References
Citations
- ^ Njåstad, Magne. "Christian 7". Store norske leksikon. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ^ "Frederik the Heir Presumptive". kongernessamling. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ^ "Kongelige i kirkebøgerne" [Royals in the church records]. historie-online.dk (in Danish). Dansk Historisk Fællesråd. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
- ^ ISBN 978-87-7070-014-6.
- ^ "Charlottenborg – et stop på din musikalske byvandring gennem København" (in Danish). The Royal Danish Library. Archived from the original on 15 September 2011. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
- ^ "Louise af Storbritannien". gravsted.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 21 January 2022.
- ^ Holm, Edvard (1894). "Juliane Marie". Dansk biografisk Lexikon, tillige omfattende Norge for tidsrummet 1537-1814 (in Danish). 8 (1st ed.). Copenhagen: Gyldendals Forlag: 612.
- ^ Christiansen 1906.
- ^ Jan Sjåvik. The A to Z of Norway p.49
- ISBN 978-0754698661.
- ISBN 978-87-88802-29-0.
- ^ Njåstad, Magne. "Caroline Mathilde". Norsk biografisk leksikon. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ^ Engberg 2009, p. 37.
- ^ Njåstad, Magne. "Johann Friedrich Struensee". Norsk biografisk leksikon. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ^ Bratberg, Terje. "Christian 7". Norsk biografisk leksikon. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ^ Bornstein, Arvid. "Celle". Norsk biografisk leksikon. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ^ "Jens Moestue – en patriotisk opprører?".
- ^ Ulrik Langen, 2008, s. 485ff
- ISBN 978-3-7643-8908-6.
- ISBN 978-90-420-0389-7.
- ISBN 978-951-653-135-2.
- ^ Meyerbeer & Letellier (1999–2004) I, 15 (Foreword by Heinz Becker) (1980) 250; Becker (1989), 108–9
- IMDb
- IMDb
- IMDb
- IMDb
- ^ Genealogie ascendante jusqu'au quatrieme degre inclusivement de tous les Rois et Princes de maisons souveraines de l'Europe actuellement vivans [Genealogy up to the fourth degree inclusive of all the Kings and Princes of sovereign houses of Europe currently living] (in French). Bourdeaux: Frederic Guillaume Birnstiel. 1768. p. 6.
Bibliography
- Reddaway, W. F. "King Christian VII," English Historical Review (1916) 31#121 pp. 59–84 IN jstor
- Sjåvik, Jan (2010) The A to Z of Norway (Scarecrow Press) ISBN 978-0810872134
In Danish
- Amdisen, Asser (2002). Til nytte og fornøjelse : Johann Friedrich Struensee (1737-1772) [For benefit and pleasure : Johann Friedrich Struensee (1737-1772)] (in Danish). Copenhagen: Akademisk Forlag. ISBN 87-5-003730-7.
- Barz, Paul (1985). Doktor Struensee : Rebell von oben [Doctor Struensee: Rebel from above] (in German). Munich: Kabel Ernst Verlag. ISBN 3-8225-0001-1.
- Christiansen, Viggo (1906). Christian den VII's sindssygdom [Christian VII's mental illness] (in Danish). København: Gyldendalske boghandel Nordisk forlag.
- Dehn-Nielsen, Henning. Christian 7. Den gale konge. Sesam, Copenhagen, 2000
- Den Store Danske encyclopedia. Danmarks Nationalleksikon/Gyldendal, Copenhagen, 1996
- Engberg, Jens (2009). Den standhaftige tinsoldat – en biografi om Frederik 6 [The Steadfast Tin Soldier – a biography of Frederick VI] (in Danish). Copenhagen: Politikens Forlag. ISBN 978-87-567-9325-4.
- Enquist, Per Olov. Livläkarens besök. Norstedts Förlag, Stockholm, 1999
- Fjelstrup, August. Skilsmisseprocessen imellem Kong Kristian den syvende og Dronning Karoline Matilde.' Strubes Forlag, 1968.
- Hansen, Norman Hall. Caroline Mathilde. Ejnar Munksgaards Forlag, Copenhagen 1947
- Holm, Edvard (1889). "Christian VII". In Bricka, Carl Frederik (ed.). Dansk biografisk Lexikon, tillige omfattende Norge for tidsrummet 1537-1814 (in Danish). Vol. III (1st ed.). Copenhagen: Gyldendalske Boghandels Forlag. pp. 511–515.
- Holm, Sven. Struensee var her. Danmarks Radio, Copenhagen, 1981
- Laing R. D. og Esterson A.:]z; Familieliv. Rhodos, Copenhagen 1974
- Langen, Ulrik (2008). Den afmægtige : en biografi om Christian 7 [The Powerless: A Biography of Christian VII] (in Danish). Copenhagen: ISBN 978-87-7692-093-7.
- Lauring, Palle. Historiske Portrætter. Aschehoug Dansk Forlag, Copenhagen 1960
- Reverdil, Elie Salomon François. Struensee og det danske hof 1760-1772. A. F. Høst & Søn Forlag, Copenhagen 1917
- Salmonsens Konversations Leksikon, Schultz, Copenhagen, 1926
- Steenstrup, Joh. et al. (Ed). Danmarks Riges historie. Det Nordiske Forlag, Copenhagen
Primary sources
- Alenius, Marianne, ed. (1986). Mit ubetydelige Levnets Løb. Efter Charlotte Dorothea Biehls breve (in Danish). Copenhagen: Museum Tusculanums Forlag.
- Cedergreen, Svend, ed. (1975). Brev fra Dorothea. Af Charlotta Dorothea Biehls historiske breve (in Danish). Copenhagen: Politikens Forlag.
External links
- The Royal Lineage Archived 14 March 2015 at the Danish Monarchy
- Christian VII at the website of the Royal Danish Collection at Rosenborg Castle
- Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911. .
- Ripley, George; Dana, Charles A., eds. (1879). The American Cyclopædia.
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- Portraits of Christian VII, King of Denmark and Norway at the National Portrait Gallery, London