Frederick IX of Denmark

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Frederick IX King of Denmark, the Vends and the Goths Reign 20 April 1947 - 14 January 1972 Born 11 March 1899(1899-03-11) Birthplace Sorgenfri Palace Died 14 January 1972 (aged 72) Place of death Copenhagen Buried Roskilde Cathedral Predecessor Christian X Successor Margrethe II Consort Ingrid of Sweden Issue Margrethe II, Benedikte, Anne-Marie Royal House House of Glücksburg Royal motto Med Gud for Danmark (With God for Denmark) Father Christian X Mother Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Danish Royalty House of Oldenburg (Glücksburg branch) Christian IX Children    Frederick VIII    Alexandra, Queen of the United Kingdom    George I of Greece (formerly William)    Maria Feodorovna, Empress of Russia (formerly Dagmar)    Thyra, Duchess of Cumberland and Teviotdale    Prince Valdemar Frederick VIII Children    Christian X    Haakon VII of Norway (formerly Charles)    Princess Louise    Prince Harald    Ingeborg, Duchess of Västergötland    Princess Thyra    Prince Gustav    Princess Dagmar Christian X Children    Frederick IX    Hereditary Prince Knud Grandchildren     Princess Elisabeth Frederick IX Children    Margrethe II    Princess Benedikte    Anne-Marie, Queen of Greece Margrethe II Children (paternally Laborde of Monpezat)    Crown Prince Frederik    Prince Joachim Grandchildren    Prince Christian    Princess Isabella    Prince Nikolai    Prince Felix

Frederick IX (Christian Frederik Franz Michael Carl Valdemar Georg) (11 March 1899 – 14 January 1972) was King of Denmark from 20 April 1947 until his death.

He was the son of King Christian X of Denmark and Queen Alexandrine, born Duchess of Mecklenburg.

Frederick was educated at the Danish Naval Academy (breaking Danish royal tradition by choosing a naval instead of an army career) and the University of Copenhagen. Before he became king, he had acquired the rank of Rear Admiral and he had had several senior commands on active service. In addition, with his great love of music, the king was an able piano player and conductor.

Frederick's reign saw great change. During these years, Danish society shook off the restrictions of an agricultural society and developed a welfare state. And, as a consequence of the booming economy of the 1960s, women entered the labour market. In other words, Denmark became a modern country, which meant new demands on the monarchy. In 1922, Frederick was engaged to Princess Olga of Greece, his cousin and the daughter of Prince Nicholas of Greece; however they never wed.

Instead, he married Princess Ingrid of Sweden (1910-2000, daughter of Crown Prince Gustav Adolf, later King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden) on 24 May 1935. They were related in several ways. In descent from Oscar I of Sweden, they were third cousins. In descent from Paul I of Russia, Frederick was a fourth cousin of Ingrid's mother. They had three daughters:

• Princess Margrethe (born 1940), later Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. Married French Count Henri de Laborde de Monpezat, who was created Prince Henrik of Denmark, in 1967.
• Princess Benedikte (born 1944). Married Prince Richard of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg in 1968.
• Princess Anne-Marie (born 1946). Married King Constantine II of the Hellenes in 1964.

When he had no sons, it was expected that his younger brother Knud would inherit the throne, in accordance with Denmark's succession law (Royal Ordinance of 1853). However, in 1953, an Act of Succession was passed, changing the method of succession to cognatic primogeniture, meaning that his eldest daughter, Margrethe, could succeed if he had no sons, which she did, as Queen Margrethe II.

Shortly after the king had delivered his New Year's Address to the Nation at the 1971/72 turn of the year, he fell ill. On his passing in 1972, King Frederick IX was buried outside Roskilde Cathedral near Copenhagen. Previous rulers had been interred in the cathedral, but it was the king's wish to be buried outside.

[edit] Ancestors

16. Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

8. Christian IX of Denmark

17. Louise Caroline of Hesse-Kassel

4. Frederick VIII of Denmark

18. Prince William of Hesse

9. Louise of Hesse-Kassel

19. Princess Louise Charlotte of Denmark

2. Christian X of Denmark

20. Oscar I of Sweden

10. Charles XV of Sweden

21. Josephine of Leuchtenberg

5. Lovisa of Sweden

22. Prince Frederik of the Netherlands

11. Louise of the Netherlands

23. Princess Luise of Prussia

1. Frederick IX of Denmark

24. Paul Friedrich, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

12. Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

25. Princess Alexandrine of Prussia

6. Friedrich Franz III, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

26. Heinrich LXIII, Prince Reuss zu Schleiz-Köstritz

13. Princess Auguste Reuss

27. Eleonore zu Stolberg-Wernigerode

3. Alexandrine of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

28. Nicholas I of Russia

14. Grand Duke Michael Nicolaievich of Russia

29. Charlotte of Prussia

7. Grand Duchess Anastasia Mikhailovna of Russia

30. Leopold, Grand Duke of Baden

15. Cecilie Auguste, Princess and Margravine of Baden

31. Sophie of Sweden

Frederick IX House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg Cadet branch of the House of Oldenburg Born: March 11, 1899 Died: January 14, 1972
Regnal titles
Preceded by Christian X	King of Denmark 1947–1972	Succeeded by Margrethe II

v • d • e Monarchs of Denmark Early Danish monarchs (Harthacnut) · Gorm the Old · Harald Bluetooth · Sweyn Forkbeard†* · Harald II · Canute the Great†* · Harthacanute* · Magnus the Good† · Sweyn II · Harald III · Canute the Saint · Olaf I · Eric Evergood · Niels · Eric the Memorable · Eric Lamb · Sweyn Grathe & Canute V & Valdemar the Great · Canute VI · Valdemar the Victorious · Eric Plough-tax · Abel · Christopher I · Eric Klipping · Eric Menved · Christopher II · Valdemar III · Christopher II · Valdemar Atterdag · Olaf II† · Margaret I†‡ House of Palatinate-Neumarkt Eric of Pomerania†‡ · Christopher of Bavaria†‡ House of Oldenburg Christian I†‡ · Hans†‡ · Christian II†‡ · Frederick I† · Christian III† · Frederick II† · Christian IV† · Frederick III† · Christian V† · Frederick IV† · Christian VI† · Frederick V† · Christian VII† · Frederick VI† · Christian VIII† · Frederick VII House of Schleswig- Holstein-Sonderburg- Glücksburg Christian IX · Frederick VIII · Christian X§ · Frederick IX · Margrethe II † also Monarch of Norway · ‡ also Monarch of Sweden · * also Monarch of England · § also Monarch of Iceland