Christian
Christian, the name of 10 kings of Denmark, some of whom also ruled Norway or Sweden. Among the more important are:
Christian I(1426–1481), king of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. He ruled from 1448 until his death. He was the founder of the Oldenburg dynasty.
Christian III(1503–1559), king of Denmark and Norway. He ruled from 1534 until his death. He established Lutheranism as the Danish state religion. He left Denmark stronger than it had ever been before and was called “Father of the People.”
Christian IV(1577–1648), king of Denmark and Norway. He ruled from 1588 until his death. His reign was marked by both achievement and misfortune. He greatly increased Danish trade on sea and land. The arts also flourished under his patronage. Christian's first war with Sweden (1611–13) ended in an advantageous peace. However, his army was defeated in the Thirty Years' War (1626), and he lost a second war with Sweden (1643–45).
Christian IX(1818–1906), king of Denmark. He ruled from 1863 until his death. Early in his reign, the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein were lost in a war with Prussia and Austria. Christian blamed the liberal government that was in power at the time, and thereafter he worked to keep control of the government in the hands of the conservative landowning elite who came to power in 1864. He was antagonistic to all attempts at reform, but accepted, reluctantly, the changeover to a more democratic and liberal government in 1901.
One of Christian's sons became Frederick VIII of Denmark; another became George I of Greece.
Christian X(1870–1947), king of Denmark and Iceland. He ruled Denmark from 1912 until his death, and Iceland from 1918 to 1944. In 1915 he approved a new constitution, in which women were granted the right to vote. He maintained Danish neutrality in World War I. He refused to flee during the German occupation in World War II, remaining under house arrest until British troops liberated Denmark. He was succeeded by his son, Frederick IX.