List of Danish monarchs

Royal Banner of the Kings of Denmark (circa 1300s).

Denmark

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Denmark

Constitution The Crown (list) Margrethe II Council of State Government Former governments Prime Minister (list) Lars Løkke Rasmussen Parliament President Thor Pedersen Elections: 2001 · 2005 · 2007 Local government Regions Municipalities Former subdivisions Counties Political parties Foreign relations See also Politics of the Faroe Islands Politics of Greenland EU politics

Other countries · Atlas Politics portal

This is a list of Danish monarchs, that is, the Kings and Queens regnant of Denmark. This includes:

• The Kingdom of Denmark (up to 1397)
  • Personal union of Denmark and Norway (1380–1397)
• The Kalmar Union (1397–1536)
  • Union of Denmark, Norway and Sweden (1397–1523)
  • Union of Denmark and Norway (1523–1536)
• The Kingdom of Denmark-Norway (1536–1814)
• The Kingdom of Denmark (1814 to present)
  • Iceland (since the union between Denmark and Norway in 1380. Independent in a personal union with Denmark 1918–1944. A sovereign republic since 1944.)
  • Greenland (since the union between Denmark and Norway in 1380. Effective Danish control began in 1721. Integrated into the Danish realm in 1953. Internal home rule introduced 1979. Self-determination assumed in 2009.)
  • Faroe Islands (since the union between Denmark and Norway in 1380. County of Denmark 1816–1948. Internal home rule introduced 1948.)

The house of Oldenburg held the Danish Crown between 1448 and 1863, when it passed to the house of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a cadet branch of the same house, descended from King Christian III of Denmark. The kingdom had been elective (although the eldest son or brother of the previous king was usually elected) until 1660, when it became hereditary and absolutist. Until 1864 Denmark was also united in a personal union with the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein.

Danish name forms are given in parenthesis.

List of Danish monarchs

8th–10th century kings

• Ongendus (Angantyr): c. 710

• Sigfred: 780s–790s

• Gudfred: 804–810

• Hemming: 810–811/812

• Sigurd Hring and Anulo: c. 812

• Harald Klak and his brothers Ragnfrid and Hemming Halfdansson: 812–813

• Sons of Gudfred: 814–820s
  • Horik I: (814) 827–854

• Horik II (Erik Barn): 850s – 860s

• Late 9th century kings
  • Bagsecg: c.860s-871
  • Halfdan: 871-877
  • Sigfred: c. 873–891
  • Gudfred: c. 880s

• Heiligo (Helge): 890s

• The so called "Swedish dynasty": Early 10th century
  • Olof
  • Gyrd and Gnupa
  • Sigtrygg

• Harthacnut (Hardeknud or Hardegon): 930s

Viking Age/medieval kings

#	Picture	Name	King from	King until	Duration (yrs.)
1		Gorm the Old (Gorm den Gamle)	934/36?	958	24/22
2		Harald I Bluetooth (Harald Blåtand)	958	986/87	28/29
3		Sweyn I Forkbeard (Svend Tveskæg)	986/87	February 3, 1014	26/27
4		Harald II	1014	1018	4
5		Cnut the Great (Knud den Store or Knud II)	1018	November 12, 1035	17
6		Harthacnut (Hardeknud or Knud III)	1035	June 8, 1042	7
7		Magnus the Good (Magnus den Gode)	1042	October 25, 1047	5
8		Sweyn II Estridson (Svend Estridsen)	1047	April 28, 1074	27
9		Harald III (Harald Hén)	April 28, 1074	April 17, 1080	6
10		Canute IV the Saint (Knud den Hellige)	April 17, 1080	July 10, 1086	6
11		Olaf I (Oluf Hunger)	July 10, 1086	August 18, 1095
12		Eric I the Good (Erik Ejegod)	August 18, 1095	July 10, 1103
13		Niels	1104	June 4, 1134
14		Eric II (Erik Emune)	June 4, 1134	July 18, 1137
15		Eric III (Erik Lam)	July 18, 1137	August 8, 1146
16–18		Sweyn III (Svend Grathe), Canute V (Knud V), and Valdemar I the Great (Valdemar den Store)	1146 1146 1154	October 23, 1157 August 9, 1157 (1182)
18		Valdemar I the Great (Valdemar den Store)	(1154) October 23, 1157	May 12, 1182
19		Canute VI (Knud VI)	1182	November 12, 1202
20		Valdemar II the Victorious (Valdemar Sejr)	November 12, 1202	March 28, 1241
21		Eric IV (Erik IV Plovpenning)	March 28, 1241	August 10, 1250
22		Abel	November 1, 1250	June 29, 1252
23		Christopher I (Christoffer I)	December 25, 1252	May 29, 1259
24		Eric V (Erik Klipping)	May 29, 1259	November 22, 1286
25		Eric VI (Erik Menved)	November 22, 1286	November 13, 1319
26		Christopher II (Christoffer II)	January 25, 1320	1326
27		Valdemar III	1326	1329
-		Christopher II (Christoffer II) (2nd time)	1329	August 2, 1332
-		(no king) (Interregnum)	1332	1340
28		Valdemar IV (Valdemar Atterdag)	April 22, 1340	October 24, 1375
29		Olaf II (Oluf II)	October 24, 1375	August 23, 1387
30		Margaret I (Margrete I)	(October 24, 1375) August 23, 1387	June 17, 1397 (October 28, 1412)
31		Eric VII of Pomerania (Erik af Pommern)	June 17, 1397 (October 28, 1412)	1439
32		Christopher III of Bavaria (Christoffer af Bayern)	April 9, 1440	January 6, 1448

House of Oldenburg

#	Picture	Name	King from	King until
33		Christian I	September 28, 1448	May 21, 1481
34		John (Hans)	May 21, 1481	February 20, 1513
35		Christian II	February 20, 1513	April 13, 1523
36		Frederick I	April 13, 1523	April 10, 1533
-		(Interregnum)	1533	1534
37		Christian III	July 4, 1534	January 1, 1559
38		Frederick II	January 1, 1559	April 4, 1588
39		Christian IV	April 4, 1588	February 28, 1648
40		Frederick III	February 28, 1648	February 9, 1670
41		Christian V	February 9, 1670	August 25, 1699
42		Frederick IV	August 25, 1699	October 12, 1730
43		Christian VI	October 12, 1730	August 6, 1746
44		Frederick V	August 6, 1746	January 14, 1766
45		Christian VII	January 14, 1766	March 13, 1808
46		Frederick VI	(April 14, 1784) March 13, 1808	December 3, 1839
47		Christian VIII	December 3, 1839	January 20, 1848
48		Frederick VII	January 20, 1848	November 15, 1863

House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg

#	Picture	Name	Monarch from	Monarch until
49		Christian IX	November 15, 1863	January 29, 1906
50		Frederick VIII	January 29, 1906	May 14, 1912
51		Christian X	May 14, 1912	April 20, 1947
52		Frederick IX	April 20, 1947	January 14, 1972
53		Margrethe II	January 14, 1972	Reigning

See also

• List of Danish royal consorts
• Line of succession to the Danish throne
• List of Norwegian monarchs
• List of Icelandic rulers
• List of Greenlandic rulers
• List of English monarchs
• List of Swedish monarchs
• Lists of office-holders
• Danish monarchs family tree
• Danish Orders of Chivalry
• Legendary Danish kings

Monarchs of Denmark Early monarchs c.916–1412 (Harthacnut) · Gorm the Old · Harald Bluetooth · Sweyn Forkbeard1 · Harald II · Cnut the Great1 · Harthacanute1 · 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 · Valdemar the Young · Eric Plough-tax · Abel · Christopher I · Eric Klipping · Eric Menved · Christopher II · Valdemar III · Christopher II · Interregnum · Valdemar Atterdag · Olaf II · Margaret I2 Palatinate-Neumarkt 1397–1448 Eric of Pomerania2 · Christopher of Bavaria2 Oldenburg 1448–1863 Christian I2 · John2 · Christian II2 · 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 Schleswig-Holstein- Sonderburg-Glücksburg since 1863 Christian IX · Frederick VIII · Christian X3 · Frederick IX · Margrethe II Italics indicates Danish monarchs who were also monarchs of Norway. 1 Also monarch of England.  2 Also monarch of Sweden.  3 Also monarch of Iceland.