Christian IV and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg


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Name: Christian IV

Birth: April 12, 1577

Child of: Frederik II and Sophie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin

Reign: 1588-1648

Marriage: 27. November 1597 to Anne Catherine of Brandenburg, after her death, he married Kirsten Munk to the left hand.

Children:
Within the marriage with Anne Catherine: Prince Frederik, Prince Christian, Princess Sophie, Princess Elisabeth, Frederik III, Duke Ulrik
With Kirsten Madsdatter: Christian Ulrik Gyldenløve
With Karen Andersdatter: Dorothea Elisabeth Christiansdatter, Hans Ulrik Gyldenløve
With Kirsten Munk: Anne Cathrine, Sophie Elisabeth, Leonora Christina, Valdemar Christian, Elisabeth Augusta, Frederik Christian, Christiane, Hedevig, Marie Cathrine, Dorothea Elisabeth
With Vibeke Kruuse: Ulrik Christian Gyldenløve, Elisabeth Sofie Gyldenløve
(as well as some stillborn children)

Death: 28 February 1648

Throne passed to: Frederik III

Notes:

The longest ruling Danish monarch - ruled for 60 years, from 1588 to 1648.

Founded the Norwegian cities of Christiania (Oslo), and Kristiansand. The Quart festival in Kristiansand, where Haakon and Mette-Marit met, is named after him.
 
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Name: Anne Catherine of Brandenburg

Born: 26 June 1575

Child of: Joachim Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg and Catherine of Brandenburg-Küstrin.

Death: 8 April 1612
 
You may be forgiven for thinking that in the 1500's children didn't have homework.
Wrong!

Here is the writing book of a little prince named Christian, later to become King Christian IV: Christian IV's skrivebog - Christian IV's writing book. 1583-1591 - a set on Flickr
He probably loathed writing the same sentences again and again and.. back in 1583-1591.

We can see his writing style develope over the years.

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King Christian IV is probably the most famous king in Danish history, however he was also one of the most eager witchunters in his days.

This is a case from 1634, where a cobbler had ended up in financial troubles and as a last resort he wrote to the Devil - with his own blood: http://www.flickr.com/photos/statensarkiver/5929043063/in/set-72157627051621373
http://www.flickr.com/photos/statensarkiver/5929042935/in/set-72157627051621373
He was sentenced to death.

However, Christian IV's son, Frederik III, obviously didn't believe in witchcraft and such trials were quickly abolished. The last witch to be executed DK happened in 1693. http://www.flickr.com/photos/statensarkiver/5932618093/in/set-72157627051621373
Actually it's more likely she was just a simple murderer, who had poisoned someone to death. But there were no shortages of people who came forward and accused her of all sorts of things. - So "Yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll execute her for a being a witch as well. She's bad to bone anyway".
 
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The first Danish East India Company was charted in 1616 under King Christian IV.
 
:previous: That's the most well-known witch-process in DK.

Christian IV was along with James I very keen on hunting witches.

IMO not because they were bad, sadists or fanatics. They were certainly not poorly-educated either!
But both kings were devout Christians who genuinely believed that bad and evil things happened because of the Devil and his allies and it was their duty as kings to protect their countries and people against witches and the Devil and his demons.
Christian IV certainly, despite being one of the most famous, celebrated and enterprising kings in Danish history was also the most eager witch-hunter.
However, under his successor, Frederik III, witch-hunting de facto ended in Denmark.
The last official witch-burning in DK took place in early 1700's. There may have been local lynchings, but that is unclear.
Christian IV and James I knew each other personally. Partly because Christian IV's sister was married to James I, but also because Christian IV went on an official state visit to England.
You can read about it here:
https://app.box.com/s/wvegqith7lsirg34flv6
And they discussed the witch-issue certainly during that visit and probably in letters as well.

The majority of people who were burned in Protestant Europe were women. (In Catholic Europe they burned heretics instead and they were mainly men). However, men were also burned as sorcerers. And sometimes animals. There are acts from trials in modern-day Germany of animals who were sentenced to be burned because they were thought to be possessed by the Devil.

You can read another version of this witch-trial, translated and commented by me: https://app.box.com/s/f895wqf005hy68acez3z0dw59pwd9ag3
 
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Thanks a lot Muhler!! History is my passion!! Articles, photos whatever!!
 
King Christian IV was involved in the Thirty Years' War. The war cost him such a lot of money that he had to sell the crowns of his parents and, in 1643, to mortgage his crown to a merchant in Hamburg.
 
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