Frederic VII of Denmark

Frederic VII (October 6th 1808 - November 15th 1863) was king of the Denmark January 20th 1848 until its death.

He was the last king of the dynasty of Oldenbourg and the last king of Denmark to reign as an absolute monarch. During its reign it wrote a constitution which gave a Parliament and made of Denmark a constitutional monarchy.

Family

He is the son of Christian VIII and Charlotte de Mecklembourg-Schwerin (1784 - 1840).

Marriage and descent

In 1828, Frederic VII of Denmark married his cousin with the second degree, Wilhelmine Marie d' Oldenbourg, (1808 - 1891), (divorced in 1837), (girl of Frederic VI (1828 - 1834).

Divorced, Frederic VII of Denmark married in 1841 Caroline de Mecklembourg-Strelitz (1841 - 1846), (girl of the large-duke Georges de Mecklembourg-Strelitz).

In 1850, Frederic VII of Denmark contracts finally a Mariage morganatic with Louise Rasmussen (1814 - 1874).

It did not have of child of any of these marriages.

Biography

Personality of Frederic VII of Denmark

Frederic VII of Denmark succeeds in becoming one of the Danish sovereigns of the recent time more appreciated. That is probably with its renunciation of the absolutism, but he was also appreciated for his personality. In spite of many weaknesses confirmed by its contemporaries, the mythomania, alcoholism, an eccentric behavior, etc…

Childhood of Frederic VII of Denmark

Frederic VII of Denmark last king of the dynasty of Oldenbourg was a child neglected enough after the divorce of his parents in 1810. Its youth was marked by scandals which perdurèrent during the years to come.

Reign of Frederic VII of Denmark

When Frederic VII of Denmark succeeded his father on the Danish throne in January 1878, he was immediately confronted with a request for constitution. The the Schleswig-Holstein wished an independent State whereas the Danes wished to maintain the south of the Jutland Danish like an area. Frederic VII of Denmark yielded soon to the Danish requirements, and in March 1849, it accepted the end of the absolutism which led on June 1st 1849 to the promulgation of a democratic constitution, which made it possible to abolish the principle of absolutism of the royal capacity. The year even of its accession to the throne, burst the business of the Duchies (First war of Schleswig (1848 - 1851), which opposed it throughout its reign to the Prussia and the Austria: Frederic asserts fastening with the Danish kingdom of the Schleswig, the Holstein and the Lauenburg, on which it reigns already with personal capacity as a duke. During this war Frederic VII of Denmark seemed a " leader national" and was almost regarded as a hero of war, although it never took a share in the engagements.

During his reign, Frederic VII of Denmark behaved as a constitutional monarch. However, it does not have completely to give up interfering into the policy. In 1854, it contributed to the fall of the Danish conservative party (the Ørsted cabinet), it accepted a liberal government named on the initiative of his wife. During the crisis of the duchies (1862 - 1863), little time before its death, it spoke openly about a Scandinavian military cooperation. These minor crises maintained certain frictions and a permanent insecurity, but it did not harm its popularity.

The reign of Frederic VII of Denmark was the golden age of the liberal national party which held the capacity since 1854. This period was marked by certain political reforms and economic, like the beginning of the demolition of the walls around Copenhagen and the introduction in 1857 of the free trade. The constant quarrels with the opposition concerning the question of Schleswig and Holstein which refused the reunification with Denmark (southern of Jutland) led to modifications of the constitution in order to adapt to the political situation which created a frustration in Denmark. The liberal national party favorable to a greater resistance against Prussia and the Austrian empire led to the second war of Schleswig in 1864. Frederic VII of Denmark supported without reserve this control right before his sudden death. It was ready to sign a new special constitution for Denmark and Schleswig (known as Constitution of November).

Crisis of Succession

Frederic VII of Denmark was married with three recoveries, but did not have a descent. The fact that it had reached the ripe age without heir meant that prince Christian de Glücksbourg (1818 - 1906) descendant of a cousin of the king Frederic VI of Denmark was selected to succeed to him in 1852. With died of Frederic VII of Denmark in 1863, Christian de Glücksbourg became king of Denmark under the name of Christian IX of Denmark.

Because of the salic law, the succession of Frederic VII of Denmark deceased without descent was a difficult question to regulate, it was not done without clashes, it caused a war. The German-speaking nationalism of the Schleswig-Holstein was satisfied this solution which maintained the duchies linked in Denmark.

The salic law were in force in the House of Schleswig-Schauenbourg, for this reason Frederic d' Augustenbourg was proclaimed after the death of Frederic VII of Denmark, duke of the Schleswig-Holstein. This Frederic d' Augustenbourg became the symbol of independence by a German nationalist movement in Schleswig and in Holstein. At the time of the Protocol of London the May 8th 1852, concluding the first war from the duchies, his/her father had given up with the help of money its claims like first prince in the line of succession of the two duchies (Schleswig and Holstein). For this reason Frederic d' Augustenbourg lives itself refused the succession for the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein.

Denmark was églement governs by the salic law, but only the descendants of Frederic III of Denmark (which was the first hereditary monarch of Denmark, before him, Denmark was an elective kingdom). The descent of Frederic III of Denmark died out with the death of Frederic VIII of Denmark, the death tax promulgated by Frederic III of Denmark provides a succession (semi salic). There was however, several other manners of interpreting the succession, the succession was not clearly exposed, concerning the heritage of the more close relative and a distinct law to confirm the new successor

With its death, in 1863 it is Christian de Glücksburg, the descendant of a cousin of the king Frederic VI, who succeeds to him under the name of Christian IX.

Death and burial

Frederic VII of Denmark died the November 15th 1863, it was buried in the cathedral of Roskilde.

Genealogy

Frederic VII of Denmark was the last one representing first branch of the Maison of Oldenbourg. In 1863 it was the advent of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Glücksbourg on the throne of Denmark, Christian IX of Denmark was the first representative of this House on the Danish throne.

Internal bonds

Christian VII of Denmark

Random links: