Danish Royal History: General Discussion

[SLV]

Originally Posted by Muhler

I learned a funny little thing today that locally involves the DRF.
Hvorfor fejrer vi fødselsdag? | Videnskab.dk

It all starts with a question as to why we celebrate birthdays.

And, at least in DK, it's a relatively new phenomenon, introduced after the Reformation in 1536.
Before then name-days were celebrated, that was based on Catholic traditions. And on name-days you were send a knot-letter. Such a letter contained either a knot, which you had to untie or a riddle, and if you couldn't then yu had to invite the one who send you the letter to a little feast or give him/her a present.
But after the Reformation, such traditions were discarded as being Catholic, so instead a Prostestant German tradition about celebrating the annual day for your birth was adopted. - And it was in fact brought to Denmark by the DRF. The DRF picked most of their queens and princesses from Germany at that time.
It is known that the DRF celebrated birthdays at least as early as the 1600's.

Interesting that it was considered a Catholic tradition. Any idea why the Swedish RF (I don't know if others do so) celebrate nameday, in spite of being protestant?

[Muhler]

Sorry, no.

Perhaps someone in the SRF-forums knows?

[oldwest61]

Muhler
Majesty


Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Eastern Jutland, Denmark
Posts: 8,136


Here is a map of places in DK where the Danish king have been buried: http://videnskab.dk/sites/all/files/...ve_danmark.jpg

In recent centuries the majority of kings have been buried at Roskilde Cathedral and that is where QMII is to be buried or rather entombed as well.

There is one peculiarity regarding Danish kings though. If they died from natural causes they were shipped to whatever place they wished to be buried, however if the were killed, they were buried locally.
That is the case with say Erik Klipping, who was murdered and buried ner the town of Viborg. (That is no doubt the most famous assassination in Danish history and to this day still hotly debated) . That is also the case with Svend Grathe who was killed after a battle.

[oldwest61]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Here is a map of places in DK where the Danish king have been buried: http://videnskab.dk/sites/all/files/...ve_danmark.jpg

In recent centuries the majority of kings have been buried at Roskilde Cathedral and that is where QMII is to be buried or rather entombed as well.

There is one peculiarity regarding Danish kings though. If they died from natural causes they were shipped to whatever place they wished to be buried, however if the were killed, they were buried locally.
That is the case with say Erik Klipping, who was murdered and buried ner the town of Viborg. (That is no doubt the most famous assassination in Danish history and to this day still hotly debated) . That is also the case with Svend Grathe who was killed after a battle.

This is where I found I could not access the link...

[Muhler]

Here you go: Hvor er de danske konger begravet? | Videnskab.dk

And I saved the map to my own account, so it won't go missing again.
https://app.box.com/s/ti0il2qxs75i8iv1zsr9nsu8klbhogxo

[An Ard Ri]

The Danish Royal tombs at Roskilde Cathedral,I have to say I do not like the space age sarcophagus for H.M.The Queen it looks so out of place in a historic cathedral.

PPE Agency

[Spheno]

Originally Posted by An Ard Ri

The Danish Royal tombs at Roskilde Cathedral,I have to say I do not like the space age sarcophagus for H.M.The Queen it looks so out of place in a historic cathedral.

PPE Agency

I think it's ok. All sarcophagi are very different in style and represent their time.

[Blog Real]

936, d.958 Gorm the Old
d. latest 987 Harald Bluetooth
d. 1014 Sweyn Forkbeard
1014-1018 Harald II
1018-1035 Canute the Great
1035-1042 Hardicanute
1042-1047 Magnus the Good
1047-1074 Sweyn Estridsen
1074-1080 Harald Hén
1080-1086 Canute the Holy
1086-1095 Oluf Hunger
1095-1103 Eric Egode
1104-1134 Niels
1134-1137 Erik Emune
1137-1146 Eric Lamb
1146-1157 Sweyn Grathe, Valdemar the Great Canute V
1157-1182 Valdemar I the Great
1182-1202 Canute VI
1202-1241 Valdemar the Victorious
1241-1250 Eric Ploughpenny
1250-1252 Abel
1252-1259 Christopher I
1259-1286 Eric Clipping
1286-1320 Eric Menved
1319-1332 Christopher II
1332-1340 Interregnum
1340-1375 Valdemar IV Atterdag
1375-1387 Oluf II
1387-1412 Margrete I
1412-1439 Eric of Pomerania
1440-1448 Christopher of Bavaria
1448-1481 Christian I
1482-1513 Hans
1513-1523 Christian II
1523-1533 Frederik I
1533-1534 Interregnum
1534-1559 Christian III
1559-1588 Frederik II
1588-1648 Christian IV
1648-1670 Frederik III
1670-1699 Christian V
1699-1730 Frederik IV
1730-1746 Christian VI
1746-1766 Frederik V
1766-1808 Christian VII
1808-1839 Frederik VI
1839-1848 Christian VIII
1848-1863 Frederik VII
1863-1906 Christian IX
1906-1912 Frederik VIII
1912-1947 Christian X
1947-1972 Frederik IX
Since 1972 Margrethe II

[Muhler]

Now, this is pretty sensational in Danish context.

There is currently an archeological dig taking place near the town of Fredericia.
Here a fortified hall has been unearth. Some 50 meters long, ten meters to the ceiling and surrounded by a moat, being the center of a larger complex, that given the size would have belonged to a king.
The complex has been dated to around 750-800. Around the time the first waves of Viking raids took place.
Interestingly they are of a similar style to other halls found elsewhere in DK, so the archeologists speculate it was the same king (or royal family) who was behind all the halls at that time, indicating that Denmark was united as a kingdom at the time.

Officially DK is considered a country and a kingdom from around the year 900, when King Harald Bluetooth erected stones at the village of Jellinge in honor of his parents and the first official Danish king, Gorm the Old and his queen Thyra. (His grave has been found, and the skeleton investigated, he wasn't that old actually when he died. In his 40's)
Anyway, Harald Bluetooth claims on these stone that he was the one who united Denmark into one kingdom - or perhaps more correctly that he finished the work started by his father.
It is also the first time Denmark (Danmark) has been mentioned in an official document so to speak (albeit in stone) and as such this is officially considered the birth certificate of Denmark.

However, there have for many years been indications that Denmark was a united kingdom for several centuries before then. At least in periods.
The border wall to the south of Jutland predates Jellinge with a couple of centuries, and building that would have required money, organization, manpower and political as well as military strength on a scale it is unlikely a chieftain would have had. It would require the power of a king with a considerable kingdom to accomplish that.
There are also legends about a queen who outsmarted the Charlemanges to the south and stalled them long enough for her to build Dannevirke and back it up with an army (and political backing) this preventing an invasion and conquest of DK.

Denmark (Danmark) as a geographical entity existed of course long before it became a kingdom and a country.

In a sense the current QMII should perhaps be aptly titled Queen Margrethe IV or V. She has had several formidable predecessors, most of them actually named Margrethe.
https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/regionale/...-kan-lukke-hul
https://www.dr.dk/nyheder/regionale/...ldre-end-det-i

[SLV]

What an amazing discovery.
My archaeological heart is jumping with excitement. And I am sure the Queen Margrethe's heart is too.
Is she a direct descendant?

Dear Mr. Muhler, are there any English newssites about the finds?

[Gawin]

Yes, Queen Margrethe II is a direct descendant of King Harald Bluetooth, and so are all the other European royal families.

[SLV]

All others as well? All of them?
Interesting. Something to look up.

[theroyalfly]

Like who are these other European royal families, Gawin? This is very interesting.

[Tarlita]

Dear Muhler thanks again for your wonderful insightful interesting stories.

[JR76]

Originally Posted by SLV

All others as well? All of them?
Interesting. Something to look up.

Originally Posted by theroyalfly

Like who are these other European royal families, Gawin? This is very interesting.

Any other royal and noble family with Danish blood which basically means everyone. Many Danish princesses married into the royal houses of Germany and have descendants there and through the Wittelsbachs also in the Catholic monarchies, Princess Anne married James I of Scotland and England while we of course have the offspring of the Father-in-law of Europe in the 1800s. Added to that we have the numerous descendants of the different Schleswig-Holstein princes.

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by SLV

What an amazing discovery.
My archaeological heart is jumping with excitement. And I am sure the Queen Margrethe's heart is too.
Is she a direct descendant?

Dear Mr. Muhler, are there any English newssites about the finds?

Hmm, have you done a Google?

If not I'm sure there will be in while, because this will interest British archeologists as well.
After all, the period these find are from, is right at the time of the first Viking raid in the British Isles.
Lindisfarne Monastery was raided in 700 something and there would undoubtedly have been raids before that, but the monks could write.., hence why this is considered the beginning of the Viking raids.
From a British perspective it would add details to the story if these more organized raids were "sponsored" so to speak by a Danish king or alternatively that the raids led to a Danish king being able to unite the kingdom. Gold & silver + slaves = power.

[Gawin]

Yes, the Royal families of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Britain, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and even Monaco all descend from King Harald Bluetooth. So do all the former European royal families with the exception of Montenegro.

[Blog Real]

Originally Posted by Gawin

Yes, the Royal families of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Britain, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and even Monaco all descend from King Harald Bluetooth. So do all the former European royal families with the exception of Montenegro.

And maybe Albania's

[Gawin]

Originally Posted by Blog Real

And maybe Albania's

Queen Geraldine was a descendant.

[Muhler]

Those who are interested in historical bling bling, hairstyles and fashion may wish to have a look at the book, I have written about here: http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...ml#post2268610