The Royal Danish CollectionAmalienborgThe kingsChristian IX

Christian IX

In 1863 Christian IX succeeded the childless Frederik VII as king, and was the first monarch from the House of Glücksburg line of The Royal Family. In 1842 he married Princess Louise of Hesse-Kassel, with whom he had six children, of which four later ascended European thrones. The Royal Couple, who were HM Queen Margrethe II’s great-great-grandparents, were therefore given the epithet “Europe’s in-laws”.

Christian IX became king due to an unlikely interplay of personal, familial, and political factors. He was from a cadet branch of the House of Oldenburg and the son of the relatively poor Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderborg-Glücksburg, who was a friend of Frederik VI. Following his father’s early death in 1831, he was trained as an officer in Copenhagen under the guardianship of Frederik VI, and he took a decisive step on the path to the throne by marrying Princess Louise. It was also important for his appointment that he participated on the Danish side in the First Schleswig War 1848-50 and was a supporter of the unitary state (that is, a Danish monarchy which included Schleswig, Holstein, and Lauenburg). The decision to make him heir to the throne was taken by a number of European powers in 1852.
Christian IX’s reign was marked by the defeat of 1864. Because he had a German background and spoke with a strong accent, Christian IX wasn’t popular with the Danish people during his first years as king, but this changed during the course of his long reign. Amongst other things it helped a great deal that the advantageous marriages of his children cast lustre over Denmark after the military defeat. Christian IX was of a conservative nature and for many years acted as the guarantor of the Højre (Right) party government. In the so-called provisory time in the 1870s and 80s, Højre’s governance bypassed the parliament thanks to the support of the king.

 

Relations

Four Kings, 1899

On the way to the antechamber one passes the so-called "Four Kings Picture", where the first four kings from the House of Glücksburg are gathered for the christening of Prince Frederik (IX).

Thyra

Daughter of Christian IX and Louise of Hesse-Kassel. Duchess of Cumberland through her marriage to Ernest August of Hanover, Duke of Cumberland.

The Fabergé Chamber

On display in the Fabergé Chamber is Russian jewellery from the period 1860-1917, with a focus on the close ties between the Danish and Russian monarchies. A selection of the Danish Crown Jewels will also be exhibited.

Queen Louise

Queen Louise became queen in 1863. In 1842 she married Prince Christian (IX), and eventually became the first Royal Couple from the Glücksburg line after the childless Frederik VI.

Queen Louise’s salon

Queen Louise’s private salon is, just as the study of her husband, Christian IX, arranged in Victorian style. At the time this was considered highly tasteful, which can seem a bit peculiar to the modern eye.

Christian IX’s study

The study clearly stems from the Victorian era. The many family photos bear witness to the fact that Christian IX was a dedicated family man.

Christian X

King of Denmark from 1912. Christian X's long reign spanned both world wars, and during the German occupation in World War II he became a national icon.

Frederik VIII

Frederik VIII was to have just six years as monarch which were relatively undramatic. He is therefore a slightly overlooked figure in the Danish royal line.