House of Oldenburg

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The House of Oldenburg is a North German noble family and one of Europe's most influential Royal Houses.

It first became royal when Count Christian I of Oldenburg became chosen King of Denmark in 1448, and has been the Danish Royal House ever since. After some hiatus, King Christian I also succeeded in 1450 to the Hereditary Kingdom of Norway.

Marriages of medieval counts of Oldenburg had paved the way for their heirs to become kings of various Scandinavian kingdoms. In 14th century, through marriage with a descendant of king Valdemar I of Sweden and of king Eric IV of Denmark, a claim to Sweden and Denmark was staked, since 1350.

At that time, its competitors were the successors of Margaret I of Denmark. In 15th century, the Oldenburg heir of that claim married Hedwig of Holstein, a descendant of Euphemia of Sweden and Norway and also a descendant of Eric V of Denmark. Since descendants better situated in genealogical charts died out, their son Christian (the abovementioned) became the king of all the three kingdoms of whole Kalmar Union. The House of Mecklenburg was its chief competitor regarding the Northern thrones, and other interessents were e.g the Duke of Lauenburg. Different Oldenburgine branches have reigned in several countries, as this selective chart shows:

The main line
1. Kings of Denmark (1448-1863),
2. Kings of Norway (1450-1814),
3. Kings of Sweden (1457-1464, 1497-1501 and 1520-1521),
4. Dukes of Schleswig and Counts of Holstein (1460-1544),
5. Dukes of Schleswig and Holstein ruling only part of the provinces (1544-1721/1773)
6. Dukes of Schleswig (1721 - 1863) (ruling the entire province)
7. Dukes of Holstein (1773-1863) (ruling the entire province)
- Holstein-Gottorp
  1. Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp (1544-1739)
  - Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov (commonly still called Romanov).
    1. Tsars of Russia (1762 and 1796-1917),
    2. Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp (1739-1763)
  - Holstein-Gottorp (royal branch), extinct.
    1. Kings of Sweden (1751-1818)
    2. Kings of Norway (1814-1818)
  - Holstein-Gottorp (ducal branch)
    1. Dukes, later Grand Dukes of Oldenburg (1773-1918)
- Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, extinct.
  1. claimant Duke of Schleswig-Holstein in 1863
- Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
  - Kings of Denmark since 1863
    1. Kings of Norway since 1905
    2. Kings of the Hellenes (1863-1924 and 1935-1973)

A member of this branch is the Duke of Edinburgh, so it will also be reigning in the United Kingdom (and the other Commonwealth Realms) upon the ascension of his heirs, where it will be called Windsor.