The Royal Danish CollectionAmalienborgThe kingsFrederik VI

Frederik VI

Frederik VI was the King of Denmark from 1808 and of Norway 1808-1814; son of Christian VII and Caroline Mathilde of Great Britain. In 1790 he was married to Marie Sophie Frederikke of Hesse-Kassel. He had no male heirs.

Frederik VI had a difficult childhood. When he was four years old he lost all contact with his mother, when her relationship with Struensee was disclosed, and he never became close to his mentally ill father. He did not receive a good education, but was in possession of a sense of duty and determination. In 1784 Frederik was behind a coup and from then on he was the real representative of Royal power. Domestically he implemented a series of reforms. Externally Denmark was at war with Great Britain in 1801 and 1807-1814. That led to the State Bankruptcy in 1813 and the loss of Norway the following year.

Frederik VI was a popular King; he appeared as the epitome of an absolutist father figure. At the same time he, the Queen and their daughters personified the comfortable bourgeois family, not least when they were sailing on the canals in Frederiksberg Have, visible to the population.

 

 

Relations

1800-1825

At the beginning of the 19th century, the long peaceful period ended. International relations in connection with the Napoleonic Wars made it difficult for Denmark to stay neutral.

Louise Augusta

Princess Louise Augusta was married to Frederik Christian of Augustenborg in 1786. She was the mother of Caroline Mathilde, the Queen of Christian VIII.

Vilhelmine

Princess Vilhelmine was the daughter of Frederik VI and Marie Sophie Frederikke. She was married to Prince Frederik (VII) from 1828 to 1837 and from 1838 to Duke Carl of Schleswig-Holstein.

Christian VII

Christian VII was the King of Denmark-Norway from 1766, son of Frederik V and Louise of Great Britain. Married in 1766 to Caroline Mathilde of Great Britain and father of Frederik VI.

Statuette of bronzed gypsum

The statuette of bronzed gypsym portrays king Frederik VI. The military dressing, that marks the king´s appearance on several paintings in this room, is also present with this artifact. The figurine is made in 1810 a time of a deep political crisis in Denmark-Norway in the wake of the Napoleonic Wars. The crisis culminateed with the state bankruptcy of 1813 and the loss of Norway the following year. Those years have been stamped by war and crisis and hence the king is dressed in the uniform of the Royal Life Guard and holds his left hand on the saber, seeking support from the weapon.

Marie Sophie Frederikke

Marie Sophie Frederikke became Queen of Denmark in 1808. She was the daughter of Landgrave Carl of Hesse-Kassel and married Frederik (VI) in 1790.

Caroline Mathilde

Caroline Mathilde became the Queen of Denmark in 1766, when she married Christian VII. She was a sister of King George III of Great Britain. Caroline Mathilde was the mother of Frederik VI and Princess Louise Augusta.

1825-1850

The years towards the middle of the 19th century became increasingly marked by the national conflict between the Danes and Germans in the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. It culminated in the Three Years' War, or the First Schleswig War in 1848-51.