Frederick III of Denmark

Frederick III (March 28, 1609 – February 19, 1670) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death.

Before becoming king

Frederick was born at Haderslev in Schleswig, the son of Christian IV and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg. His position as a younger son profoundly influenced his future career. In his youth and early manhood, there was no prospect of his ascending the Danish throne, and he consequently became the instrument of his father's schemes of aggrandizement in Germany. While still a lad, he became successively bishop of Bremen, bishop of Verden, and coadjutor of Halberstadt. At the age of eighteen, he was the chief commandant of the fortress of Stade. Thus, from an early age, he had considerable experience as an administrator, while his general education was very careful and thorough. He had always a pronounced liking for literary and scientific studies.

Related Topics:
Haderslev - Schleswig - Christian IV - Anne Catherine of Brandenburg - Germany - Bremen - Verden - Halberstadt - Stade

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On October 1, 1643 Frederick wed Sophia Amelia of Brunswick-Lüneburg, whose energetic, passionate, and ambitious character was profoundly to affect not only Frederick's destiny, but the destiny of Denmark.

Related Topics:
October 1 - 1643 - Sophia Amelia of Brunswick-Lüneburg

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During the disastrous Swedish War of 1643–1645, Frederick was appointed commander of the duchies by his father, but the laurels he won were scanty, chiefly owing to his quarrels with the Earl-Marshal Anders Bille, who commanded the Danish forces. This was Frederick's first collision with the Danish nobility, who ever afterwards regarded him with extreme distrust.

Related Topics:
Swedish War - 1643 - 1645 - Anders Bille - Nobility

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The death of his elder brother Christian in June 1647 first opened to him the prospect of succeeding to the Danish throne, but the question was still unsettled when Christian IV died on February 28, 1648. Not until July 6 did Frederick III receive the homage of his subjects, and only after he had signed a Haandfæstning or charter, by which the already diminished royal prerogative was still further curtailed. It had been doubtful at first whether he would be allowed to inherit his ancestral throne at all, but Frederick removed the last scruples of the Rigsraad by unhesitatingly accepting the conditions imposed upon him.

Related Topics:
1647 - February 28 - 1648 - Haandfæstning - Rigsraad

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The new monarch was a reserved, enigmatic prince, who seldom laughed, spoke little, and wrote less; a striking contrast to Christian IV. But if he lacked the brilliant qualities of his impulsive, jovial father, he possessed in a high degree the compensating virtues of moderation, sobriety, and self-control. He was an enthusiastic collector of books and founded the Royal Library in Copenhagen around 1648.

Related Topics:
Christian IV - Royal Library in Copenhagen

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