Frederick V (
Danish
Danish may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark
People
* A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark
* Culture of Denmark
* Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish a ...
and
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
* Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
* Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including ...
: ''Frederik V''; 31 March 1723 – 14 January 1766) was King of
Denmark–Norway
Denmark–Norway (Danish and Norwegian: ) was an early modern multi-national and multi-lingual real unionFeldbæk 1998:11 consisting of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Kingdom of Norway (including the then Norwegian overseas possessions: the Faroe I ...
and Duke of
Schleswig-Holstein
Schleswig-Holstein (; da, Slesvig-Holsten; nds, Sleswig-Holsteen; frr, Slaswik-Holstiinj) is the northernmost of the 16 states of Germany, comprising most of the historical duchy of Holstein and the southern part of the former Duchy of Sch ...
from 6 August 1746 until his death in 1766. He was the son of
Christian VI of Denmark
Christian VI (30 November 1699 – 6 August 1746) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1730 to 1746. The eldest surviving son of Frederick IV and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, he is considered one of Denmark-Norway's more anonymous kings, bu ...
and
Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (28 November 1700 – 27 May 1770) was Queen of Denmark and Norway by marriage to King Christian VI of Denmark and Norway.
Life Early life
She was born in Castle Schonberg, Bavaria, to Christian Heinri ...
.
Although the personal influence of Frederick was limited, his reign was marked by the progress of commerce and trade, and art and science prospered under his reign. Unlike his parents who were deeply devoted to
Pietism
Pietism (), also known as Pietistic Lutheranism, is a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a holy Christian life, including a social concern for the needy and ...
, Frederick grew into a
hedonist
Hedonism refers to a family of theories, all of which have in common that pleasure plays a central role in them. ''Psychological'' or ''motivational hedonism'' claims that human behavior is determined by desires to increase pleasure and to decre ...
. As regent, he took part in the conduct of government by attending council meetings, but he was afflicted by
alcoholism
Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol (drug), alcohol that results in significant Mental health, mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognize ...
and most of his rule was dominated by able ministers who were influenced by the ideas of the
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment or the Enlightenment; german: Aufklärung, "Enlightenment"; it, L'Illuminismo, "Enlightenment"; pl, Oświecenie, "Enlightenment"; pt, Iluminismo, "Enlightenment"; es, La Ilustración, "Enlightenment" was an intel ...
. His ministers marked his reign by the progress of commerce and the emerging industry. They also avoided involving Denmark-Norway in the
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an wars of his time. Although Frederick V wasn't personally interested in cultural affairs, his first wife was, and the public entertainment and freedom of expression that had been banned during his father's reign was again permitted.
Early years
Birth and family
![Copenhagen_Castle_1720s](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Copenhagen_Castle_1720s.png)
Prince Frederick was born on 31 March 1723 as the grandson of King
Frederick IV of Denmark and Norway
Frederick IV (Danish: ''Frederik''; 11 October 1671 – 12 October 1730) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1699 until his death. Frederick was the son of Christian V of Denmark-Norway and his wife Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel.
Early lif ...
and the only son of
Crown Prince Christian and
Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach (28 November 1700 – 27 May 1770) was Queen of Denmark and Norway by marriage to King Christian VI of Denmark and Norway.
Life Early life
She was born in Castle Schonberg, Bavaria, to Christian Heinri ...
. He was the last Danish prince to be born in the then antiquated and overextended
Copenhagen Castle
Copenhagen Castle ( da, Københavns Slot) was a castle on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It was built in the late 14th century and was located at the site of the current Christiansborg Palace.
History
In 1167, Bisho ...
, which dated from the late 14th century, and had assumed a monstrous appearance and started to crumble under its own weight after several extensions. Demolition of the castle began in 1731 to make way for a more adequate royal residence, the vast
Baroque style
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
Christiansborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace ( da, Christiansborg Slot; ) is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament ('), the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme ...
, from where Frederick would eventually reign.
As the Crown Prince's eldest son, Frederick was destined to rule from birth. An younger sister died in infancy in 1724, and his only surviving sister,
Princess Louise, was born in 1726. On 12 October 1730, King Frederick IV died and Frederick's father ascended the throne as King Christian VI. Frederick himself became Crown Prince at the age of seven.
Upbringing and education
![King Frederik V denmark as a child](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/King_Frederik_V_denmark_as_a_child..jpg)
Christian VI and Queen Sophie Magdalene were deeply devoted to
Pietism
Pietism (), also known as Pietistic Lutheranism, is a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a holy Christian life, including a social concern for the needy and ...
, a movement within
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...
that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual
piety
Piety is a virtue which may include religious devotion or spirituality. A common element in most conceptions of piety is a duty of respect. In a religious context piety may be expressed through pious activities or devotions, which may vary among ...
and living a vigorous
Christian
Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
life. As a consequence, Frederick was given a strictly religious upbringing. At the age of 7, he received his own
royal household with the German
nobleman
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteristi ...
Georg Wilhelm von Söhlenthal as his
hofmeister. Söhlenthal was an ardent supporter of the
Moravian Brethren
, image = AgnusDeiWindow.jpg
, imagewidth = 250px
, caption = Church emblem featuring the Agnus Dei.Stained glass at the Rights Chapel of Trinity Moravian Church, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States
, main_classification = Proto-Prot ...
, and his home was the center of the pietistic circles in Copenhagen. He shared a deep religious piety with the king, and for a time he was Christian VI's adviser on ecclesiastical matters. However, Söhlenthal did not succeed in influencing the spiritual development of the Crown Prince, as he was an overly gentle and weak character, and in 1738 he was dismissed from his position as hofmeister.
Frederick's education became rather deficient. In 1730 the king entrusted the significant and well-educated
privy councillor
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...
Iver Rosenkrantz
Iver Eriksen Rosenkrantz (5 December 1674 – 13 November 1745) was a Danish statesman and landowner.
Education and early career
Iver Rosenkrantz was born at Rosenholm Castle (''Rosenholm Slot'') in Hornslet, Denmark. He was the son of Erik R ...
supervision of Crown Prince Frederik's upbringing, but this had no influence on the actual teaching. Rosenkrantz was a supporter of the traditional
Lutheran orthodoxy
Lutheran orthodoxy was an era in the history of Lutheranism, which began in 1580 from the writing of the ''Book of Concord'' and ended at the Age of Enlightenment. Lutheran orthodoxy was paralleled by similar eras in Calvinism and tridentine Ro ...
, while Christian VI more and more became a proponent of
Pietism
Pietism (), also known as Pietistic Lutheranism, is a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a holy Christian life, including a social concern for the needy and ...
and lost confidence in Rosenkrantz. The Crown Prince's education was therefore completely carried out in the German Pietist spirit that prevailed at court. Like his ancestors, he only had a poor command of the Danish language. His mother ironically referred to him as "Der Dänische Prinz" (literally ''The Danish Prince'' in German) because he occasionally spoke Danish.
![Andreas Møller - Portræt af kong Frederik V](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Andreas_M%C3%B8ller_-_Portr%C3%A6t_af_kong_Frederik_V.png)
Prince Frederick proved himself from an early age to have a completely different nature from his strict and somewhat gloomy parents. He was gentle and kind in nature, cheerful and accessible to everyone, and wanted to see his subjects happy. Unlike his secluded parents, who were rarely seen outside their palaces, he enjoyed spending time in public with people from all walks of life. Despite his upbringing in a strictly pietistic home, he was not himself gripped by pietism. Although certainly not unfamiliar with religious sentiments, Frederick grew into a
hedonist
Hedonism refers to a family of theories, all of which have in common that pleasure plays a central role in them. ''Psychological'' or ''motivational hedonism'' claims that human behavior is determined by desires to increase pleasure and to decre ...
who enjoyed the pleasures of life such as deer stalking, wine and women.
This hedonism, however, evolved to
debauchery
Debauchery may refer to:
* Corruption
*Libertinism
*Lust
* Binge drinking
* Currency debasement
*Debauchery (band), a German death metal band
See also
*''Sodom, or the Quintessence of Debauchery'', a 1684 closet drama.
*LGBT rights in Kuwait
...
, and Frederick became well known for a
libertine
A libertine is a person devoid of most moral principles, a sense of responsibility, or sexual restraints, which they see as unnecessary or undesirable, and is especially someone who ignores or even spurns accepted morals and forms of behaviour ob ...
lifestyle marked by
sexual licentiousness
Promiscuity is the practice of engaging in sexual activity frequently with different partners or being indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners. The term can carry a moral judgment. A common example of behavior viewed as promiscuous by man ...
and
alcoholism
Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol (drug), alcohol that results in significant Mental health, mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognize ...
. With a group of other
rakes, he would tour the city's
tavern
A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food such as different types of roast meats and cheese, and (mostly historically) where travelers would receive lodging. An inn is a tavern that h ...
s and
brothel
A brothel, bordello, ranch, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. However, for legal or cultural reasons, establishments often describe themselves as massage parlors, bars, strip clubs, body rub par ...
s, to an extent that his father at one point considered having him declared legally decapacitated. The King's more prudent advisers, however, spoke against it, as it would legally be a violation of the ''
King's Law
The King's Law () or ''Lex Regia'' () (also called the Danish Royal Law of 1665) was the absolutist constitution of Denmark and Norway from 1665 until 1849 and 1814, respectively. It established complete hereditary ( agnatic-cognatic primogenit ...
'' (; ), the
absolutist constitution
A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organisation or other type of Legal entity, entity and commonly determine how that entity is to be governed.
When ...
of
Denmark and Norway from 1665. Furthermore, it would also compromise the monarchy to an unprecedented degree to admit that the future king was unfit to rule.
![Adam Gottlob Moltke (1710-1792) 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e1/Adam_Gottlob_Moltke_%281710-1792%29_2.jpg)
Of the outmost importance for the future of the Crown Prince and his realm, was the 1730 appointment as his
chamber page of
Adam Gottlob Moltke
Count Adam Gottlob von Moltke (10 November 171025 September 1792) was a Danish courtier, statesman and diplomat, and Favourite of Frederick V of Denmark. Moltke was born at Riesenhof in Mecklenburg. His son, Joachim Godske Moltke, and his gran ...
, a
nobleman
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteristi ...
from
Mecklenburg
Mecklenburg (; nds, label=Low German, Mękel(n)borg ) is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The largest cities of the region are Rostock, Schwerin ...
who was eleven years older than Frederick. Moltke had been a
page
Page most commonly refers to:
* Page (paper), one side of a leaf of paper, as in a book
Page, PAGE, pages, or paging may also refer to:
Roles
* Page (assistance occupation), a professional occupation
* Page (servant), traditionally a young m ...
to his father, and upon the accession of Christian VI became the chamber page of the new Crown Prince. The King and Queen counted on Moltke to teach the Crown Prince to control himself, and in 1743 Moltke was promoted to
Hofmeister. In fact, Moltke did nothing to control Frederick's sexual appetite nor his alcohol consumption, but in return a lifelong relationship of trust was established between the two men, which was to become crucial after Frederick's ascension to throne.
In 1740, the Crown Prince was
confirmed
In Christian denominations that practice infant baptism, confirmation is seen as the sealing of the covenant created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as confirmands. For adults, it is an affirmation of belief. It involves laying on ...
, and from then on as heir to the throne was given a seat in the
Council of State
A Council of State is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head o ...
. During the Swedish succession crisis in 1743 following the death of Queen
Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden
Ulrika Eleonora or Ulrica Eleanor (23 January 1688 – 24 November 1741), known as Ulrika Eleonora the Younger, was Queen of Sweden, reigning in her own right from 5 December 1718 until her abdication on 29 February 1720 in favour of her husband ...
in 1741, when it was clear that no legitimate heir was to be expected, Crown Prince Frederick in 1743 had great prospects of being elected heir to the throne in Sweden. The
peasantry
A peasant is a pre-industrial agricultural laborer or a farmer with limited land-ownership, especially one living in the Middle Ages under feudalism and paying rent, tax, fees, or services to a landlord. In Europe, three classes of peasants ...
unilaterally elected Crown Prince Frederick, and in
Dalecarlia
Dalarna () is a '' landskap'' (historical province) in central Sweden. English exonyms for it are Dalecarlia () and the Dales.
Dalarna adjoins Härjedalen, Hälsingland, Gästrikland, Västmanland and Värmland. It is also bordered by Norway i ...
the peasants even instigated a rebellion, the
Dalecarlian rebellion or ''stora daldansen'' ( sv, the great Dalecarlian dance) to enforce his election. However, as a result of the
Treaty of Åbo
The Treaty of Åbo or the Treaty of Turku was a peace treaty signed between the Russian Empire and Sweden in Åbo ( fi, Turku) on in the end of the Russo-Swedish War of 1741–1743.
History
By the end of the war, the Imperial Russian Army had ...
in 1743, which ended the
Russo-Swedish War of 1741–1743,
Adolf Frederick of Holstein-Gottorp was appointed heir to the throne in place of Crown Prince Frederick, after pressure from the
Russian
Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including:
*Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries
*Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
empress
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
Elizabeth Petrovna
Elizabeth Petrovna (russian: Елизаве́та (Елисаве́та) Петро́вна) (), also known as Yelisaveta or Elizaveta, reigned as Empress of Russia from 1741 until her death in 1762. She remains one of the most popular Russian ...
.
First marriage
Crown Prince Frederick's propensity for debauchery accelerated his marriage negotiations in the hope that marriage would suppress the frequent drinking and debauched behaviour of the Crown Prince. In 1743, a dynastic marriage was negotiated between him and
Princess Louise of Great Britain, the youngest daughter of King
George II George II or 2 may refer to:
People
* George II of Antioch (seventh century AD)
* George II of Armenia (late ninth century)
* George II of Abkhazia (916–960)
* Patriarch George II of Alexandria (1021–1051)
* George II of Georgia (1072–1089) ...
and
Caroline of Ansbach
, father = John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach
, mother = Princess Eleonore Erdmuthe of Saxe-Eisenach
, birth_date =
, birth_place = Ansbach, Principality of Ansbach, Holy Roman Empire
, death_date =
, death_place = St James's Pala ...
. The marriage was proposed by
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
from political reasons. At the time of the marriage, both
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and Great Britain wished to make an alliance with Denmark-Norway, and being
protestant
Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
Great Britain had the advantage of being able to make a marriage alliance.
The Danish government was in favor of the proposal, while Frederick's father, King Christian VI, was initially reluctant. But he was convinced, as he hoped the marriage would lead to British support for his son's claim to the throne of Sweden. As for the Crown Prince, after having been presented with a portrait of the princess and finding her exterior appealing, and having been told of her aimiability, he declared himself willing to marry Louise, all the more so as he too could see that the political circumstances made the marriage desirable.
Thus, the marriage negotiations began during the year of 1743, and were successfully concluded within a few months on 14 September. They were married in a
proxy wedding ceremony on 10 November 1743 in
Hanover
Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...
, with the Princess's brother, the
Duke of Cumberland
Duke of Cumberland is a peerage title that was conferred upon junior members of the British Royal Family, named after the historic county of Cumberland.
History
The Earldom of Cumberland, created in 1525, became extinct in 1643. The dukedo ...
, acting as the representative of the groom. A week later, the entourages of Louise and Frederick met in the
border city
A border town is a town or city close to the boundary between two countries, states, or regions. Usually the term implies that the nearness to the border is one of the things the place is most famous for. With close proximities to a different cou ...
of
Altona in the then Danish
Duchy of Holstein
The Duchy of Holstein (german: Herzogtum Holstein, da, Hertugdømmet Holsten) was the northernmost state of the Holy Roman Empire, located in the present German state of Schleswig-Holstein. It originated when King Christian I of Denmark had his ...
, where Frederick met his wife for the first time.
[Louise](_blank)
page 399, (Dansk biografisk Lexikon / X. Bind. Laale - Løvenørn) (1887-1905) Author: Carl Frederik Bricka Louise and Frederick then travelled together to
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
, where Louise held her official entry into the Danish capital to great cheers from the population on 11 December 1743. Already the same day a second wedding ceremony with the groom present was held in the
chapel
A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...
of the newly completed
Christiansborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace ( da, Christiansborg Slot; ) is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament ('), the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme ...
.
![Wilhelm Marstrand - Interiør med kronprinseparret - 1868](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Wilhelm_Marstrand_-_Interi%C3%B8r_med_kronprinseparret_-_1868.png)
Louise quickly became popular both at the royal court and among the general population, due to her natural and straightforward behavior. Although the marriage was arranged, the couple got along quite well, and at least during the first years, their relationship was apparently amicable. The couple had five children, of whom the eldest son, the heir to the throne Crown Prince Christian, did not survive infancy. However, Louise only partially succeeded in taming her husband's licentious behavior. Although Frederick came to feel high regard for his wife and always treated her with kindness, he reportedly was not in love with her, and continued his debauched lifestyle. He continued to enjoy random liaisons with others, and during the years 1746–51, the king had a favorite mistress named
Madam Hansen with whom he also had five children. However, Frederick felt comfortable with her, and Louise pretended not to notice his adultery.
![Frederiksholms_Kanal_-_Prinsens_Palæ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Frederiksholms_Kanal_-_Prinsens_Pal%C3%A6.jpg)
After the wedding, the newlyweds initially took up residence at
Charlottenborg Palace
Charlottenborg Palace ( da, Charlottenborg Slot) is a large town mansion located on the corner of Kongens Nytorv and Nyhavn in Copenhagen, Denmark. Originally built as a residence for Ulrik Frederik Gyldenløve, it has served as the base of the R ...
, a
Baroque style
The Baroque (, ; ) is a style of architecture, music, dance, painting, sculpture, poetry, and other arts that flourished in Europe from the early 17th century until the 1750s. In the territories of the Spanish and Portuguese empires including t ...
residence of the Danish royal family located at Copenhagen's largest square,
Kongens Nytorv
Kongens Nytorv ( lit. "The King's New Square") is a public square in Copenhagen, Denmark, centrally located at the end of the pedestrian street Strøget. The largest square of the city, it was laid out by Christian V in 1670 in connection with ...
. They lived there until, in 1745, they could move into the completed
Prince's Mansion, a city mansion located just across the
Frederiksholm's Canal from Christiansborg Palace, which was remodeled for them by the Danish
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
and royal building master
Nicolai Eigtved
Nicolai Eigtved, also known as Niels Eigtved (4 June 1701 – 7 June 1754) was a Danish architect. He introduced and was the leading proponent of the French rococo or late baroque style in Danish architecture during the 1730s–1740s. He designe ...
in the new
Rococo style
Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...
. Their home quickly became the setting for a lively and entertaining court which differed greatly from the rigid and heavy etiquette that prevailed at his parent's court at Christiansborg Palace.
Freemasonry
The Norwegian Masonic historian Karl Ludvig Tørrisen Bugge claimed Frederick V as crown prince was included in the Copenhagen Masonic Lodge St. Martin. This was probably June 1744, and inspired by the Prussian king
Frederick the Great
Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the Sil ...
who was also included in a masonic lodge in his youth. They both had fathers who were violently opposed to the Masons, but unlike the Prussian king, Frederick V never published his membership of the lodge.
[K.L. Bugge, ''Det danske frimureries historie'', bind 1, 1910, s. 191-194.]
Reign
Accession
![Pilo - Frederik V of Denmark](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Pilo_-_Frederik_V_of_Denmark.jpg)
On 6 August 1746—the day before his parents' silver marriage festivities—his father died at the age of 46 at
Hirschholm Palace
Hirschholm Palace, also known as Hørsholm Palace, was a royal palace located in present-day Hørsholm municipality just north of Copenhagen, Denmark. It was rebuilt in the Baroque style in the 1740s and, one of the finest buildings of its time, it ...
, the royal family's summer retreat north of Copenhagen. At the death of his father, Frederick immediately ascended the thrones of
Denmark and Norway as their fifth
absolute monarch
Absolute monarchy (or Absolutism (European history), Absolutism as a doctrine) is a form of monarchy in which the monarch rules in their own right or power. In an absolute monarchy, the king or queen is by no means limited and has absolute pow ...
at the age of just 23. The new king and queen then moved the short distance from the Prince's Mansion across the Frederiksholm's Canal into the large Christiansborg Palace. On 4 September the following year, they were
anointed
Anointing is the ritual act of pouring aromatic oil over a person's head or entire body.
By extension, the term is also applied to related acts of sprinkling, dousing, or smearing a person or object with any perfumed oil, milk, butter, or oth ...
in
Frederiksborg Palace
Frederiksborg Castle ( da, Frederiksborg Slot) is a palatial complex in Hillerød, Denmark. It was built as a royal residence for King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway in the early 17th century, replacing an older castle acquired by Frederick II ...
's Chapel, the traditional place of
coronation
A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...
of
Denmark-Norway's
monarch
A monarch is a head of stateWebster's II New College DictionarMonarch Houghton Mifflin. Boston. 2001. p. 707. Life tenure, for life or until abdication, and therefore the head of state of a monarchy. A monarch may exercise the highest authority ...
s during the days of the
absolute monarchy
Absolute monarchy (or Absolutism as a doctrine) is a form of monarchy in which the monarch rules in their own right or power. In an absolute monarchy, the king or queen is by no means limited and has absolute power, though a limited constitut ...
, on the island of
Sealand
SeaLand, a division of the Maersk Group, is an American intra-regional container shipping company headquartered in Miramar, Florida with representation in 29 countries across the Americas. The company offers ocean and intermodal services using ...
north of Copenhagen.
What Frederick and Louise on a small scale had begun at Charlottenborg and the Prince's Mansion, they now continued at a large scale at Christiansborg. Frederick V's accession to the throne brought about a great change in life at the Danish court, which now became far more festive and acquired a more easy-going tone than under his strictly religious parents. Almost as a sign of the new times, the heavy iron chains that had previously surrounded Christiansborg to keep the people at distance disappeared, court life regained its luster, and the palace's halls and salons once again became the setting for balls and social gatherings. Also commoners were now invited to court events, including the Dano-Norwegian writer
Ludvig Holberg
Ludvig Holberg, Baron of Holberg (3 December 1684 – 28 January 1754) was a writer, essayist, philosopher, historian and playwright born in Bergen, Norway, during the time of the Dano-Norwegian dual monarchy. He was influenced by Humanism, ...
, who has described vividly how comfortable he feels at the court of Frederick V.
Rule
![Adam_Gottlob_Moltke](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Adam_Gottlob_Moltke.jpg)
The personal influence of Frederick was limited, making him one of absolute rulers who least made for the state's strength. When he became king, his alcoholism had developed in such a way that he was hardly able to lead a government alone and was completely dependant on his advisers. Just after his accession he appointed
A. G. Moltke, whom he had as a
favourite
A favourite (British English) or favorite (American English) was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In post-classical and early-modern Europe, among other times and places, the term was used of individuals delegated si ...
, as his
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain of the Household is the most senior officer of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, supervising the departments which support and provide advice to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom while also acting as the main cha ...
— an office that had previously been a mere court post. Now it became an outstanding position that gave Moltke opportunity as the king's confidential friend to be around him from morning till night, with the king talking to him about whatever was on his mind, which enabled Moltke to make his influence felt in all areas where he pleased. One of his main tasks was to take care that his dissolute Majesty didn't damage the Royal household's reputation with his constant
orgies
In modern usage, an orgy is a sex party consisting of at least five members where guests freely engage in open and unrestrained sexual activity or group sex.
Swingers' parties do not always conform to this designation, because at many swin ...
. Frederick's main interest was primarily the arts of
war
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
that rivalled the anti-
military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
attitudes that characterized his counsellors; he enjoyed hunting and stayed often at the
Jægersborg Dyrehave
Dyrehaven (Danish 'The Deer Park'), officially Jægersborg Dyrehave, is a forest park north of Copenhagen. It covers around . Dyrehaven is noted for its mixture of huge, ancient oak trees and large populations of red and fallow deer. In July ...
estates.
Although the king, as regent, took part in the conduct of government by attending council meetings, he was afflicted by
alcoholism
Alcoholism is, broadly, any drinking of alcohol (drug), alcohol that results in significant Mental health, mental or physical health problems. Because there is disagreement on the definition of the word ''alcoholism'', it is not a recognize ...
and most of his rule was dominated by very able ministers such as
A. G. Moltke J. H. E. Bernstorff and
H. C. Schimmelmann. These men marked his reign by the progress of commerce and the emerging industry of gunpowder plant and cannon foundry in
Frederiksværk
Frederiksværk is a town with a population of 12,718 (1 January 2022) in Halsnæs Municipality on Zealand in Capital Region of Denmark, Region Hovedstaden in Denmark.
History
A French cannon founder, Peyrembert, received permission to build a can ...
, built by
Johan Frederik Classen
Johan Frederik Classen, frequently also J. F. Classen, (11 February 1725 – 24 March 1792) was a Danish-Norwegian industrialist, major general, landowner and founder of Det Classenske Fideicommis. He served as chancellery adviser to King ...
. They also avoided involving Denmark-Norway in the
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an wars of his time. The country remained neutral even for the duration of the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754 ...
(1756–63), despite its proximity to combatants
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
and
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
, an act which undoubtedly shaped the perception of the period as a happy time.
![Frederikvof denmark-norway](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Frederikvof_denmark-norway.jpg)
In the same period the Royal
Frederiks Hospital
The royal Frederiks Hospital was Denmark's first hospital in the present-day meaning of the word. It was founded by king Frederik V and financed by the earnings from the Norwegian Postal Service.
The buildings, situated in Bredgade in Copenh ...
and the Royal Orphanage (Det kgl. Opfostringshus) was created, a school intended for poor boys that still exists today, opened in
Christianshavn
Christianshavn (literally, "ingChristian's Harbour") is a neighbourhood in Copenhagen, Denmark. Part of the Indre By District, it is located on several artificial islands between the islands of Zealand and Amager and separated from the rest of th ...
on 1 October 1753. On 29 June 1753 Frederick V created Denmark's first
lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling that involves the drawing of numbers at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw lotteries, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of ...
, called the Royal Copenhagen Lottery—a lottery that exists to this day as ''Klasselotteriet''.
Art and science prospered under his reign, and although he wasn't personally interested in cultural affairs, the public entertainment,
performing arts
The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perform ...
, and freedom of expression that had been banned under the
pietistic hypocrisy (characterized during his father's reign) was again permitted. This change was influenced by his first wife, who encouraged performances by actors and musicians. In 1748, the
Royal Danish Theatre
The Royal Danish Theatre (RDT, Danish: ') is both the national Danish performing arts institution and a name used to refer to its old purpose-built venue from 1874 located on Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen. The theatre was founded in 1748, first ser ...
(''Det Kongelige Teater'') opened in
Nicolai Eigtved
Nicolai Eigtved, also known as Niels Eigtved (4 June 1701 – 7 June 1754) was a Danish architect. He introduced and was the leading proponent of the French rococo or late baroque style in Danish architecture during the 1730s–1740s. He designe ...
's new
Komediehus (Playhouse) on
Kongens Nytorv
Kongens Nytorv ( lit. "The King's New Square") is a public square in Copenhagen, Denmark, centrally located at the end of the pedestrian street Strøget. The largest square of the city, it was laid out by Christian V in 1670 in connection with ...
. And in 1754, the
Royal Danish Academy of Art
The Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts ( da, Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi - Billedkunst Skolerne) has provided education in the arts for more than 250 years, playing its part in the development of the art of Denmark.
History
The Royal Dani ...
(''Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi'') in
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
was also founded under his name and officially inaugurated on 31 March 1754, his 31st birthday. Frederick purchased what would become known as the
Danish West Indies
The Danish West Indies ( da, Dansk Vestindien) or Danish Antilles or Danish Virgin Islands were a Danish colonization of the Americas, Danish colony in the Caribbean, consisting of the islands of Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saint Thomas ...
from the
Danish West India Company
The Danish West India Company () or Danish West IndiaGuinea Company (') was a Denmark–Norway, Dano-Norwegian chartered company that operated out of the colonies in the Danish West Indies. It is estimated that 120,000 Atlantic slave trade, enslav ...
in 1754. As an active
Freemason
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 13th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities ...
, he set up on 24 June 1749 the first
Masonic lodge
A Masonic lodge, often termed a private lodge or constituent lodge, is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also commonly used as a term for a building in which such a unit meets. Every new lodge must be warranted or chartered ...
in Norway.
Second marriage
![Enkedronning Juliane Marie](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Enkedronning_Juliane_Marie.jpg)
Queen Louise died suddenly on 19 December 1751 at
Christiansborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace ( da, Christiansborg Slot; ) is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament ('), the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme ...
, predeceasing her husband by fourteen years and causing great impact on the royal family and the court's life, where she was adored. She was buried with great pomp at
Roskilde Cathedral
Roskilde Cathedral ( da, Roskilde Domkirke), in the city of Roskilde on the island of Zealand (Denmark), Zealand (''Sjælland'') in eastern Denmark, is a cathedral of the Lutheranism, Lutheran Church of Denmark.
The cathedral is the most importan ...
. At the time of her death, she was pregnant with her sixth child, who also died.
The king was initially unwilling to remarry a foreign princess, unless it was with an English princess, none of whom were available at the time. Reportedly, the king had a wish to marry Moltke's own daughter, maid-of-honor
Catharine Sophie Wilhelmine von Moltke, a match Adam Gottlob did not wish and prevented by quickly having her married to
Count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
Hannibal Wedell of
Wedellsborg.
Moltke then drew the king's attention to
Duchess Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, daughter of
Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg
Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "protection", "peace" (PIE "to love, to make peace") or alternatively "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "co ...
, and sister-in-law to
Frederick the Great
Frederick II (german: Friedrich II.; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was King in Prussia from 1740 until 1772, and King of Prussia from 1772 until his death in 1786. His most significant accomplishments include his military successes in the Sil ...
of Prussia. After having made some additional investigations and met with satisfying answers, the king expressed himself willing to marry her, and the wedding took place at
Frederiksborg Palace
Frederiksborg Castle ( da, Frederiksborg Slot) is a palatial complex in Hillerød, Denmark. It was built as a royal residence for King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway in the early 17th century, replacing an older castle acquired by Frederick II ...
on 8 July 1752. The marriage was frowned upon by the people who saw it as too early for the King to remarry. Neither did the formal princess appeal to his own taste, and with the court she was never popular—with no other identifiable cause than her sense of rigid etiquette, practised in German princely courts, that may have seemed less friendly than the English Louise. During his second marriage, the king had a relationship with
Charlotte Amalie Winge.
Their only child,
Hereditary Prince Frederick, was born in 1753. He was, in his turn, father of King
Christian VIII of Denmark
Christian VIII (18 September 1786 – 20 January 1848) was King of Denmark from 1839 to 1848 and, as Christian Frederick, King of Norway in 1814.
Christian Frederick was the eldest son of Hereditary Prince Frederick, a younger son of King Frederic ...
and grandfather of
Louise of Hesse
da, Louise Wilhelmine Frederikke Caroline Auguste Julie
, succession = Queen consort of Denmark
, image = Louise of Hesse-Kassel.jpg
, reign = 15 November 1863 – 29 September 1898
, spouse =
, issue =
, house = ...
, the future queen of Denmark. Juliane Marie died in 1796, having been regent for her son Prince Frederick.
Death and burial
![Roskilde Dom](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Roskilde_Dom.jpg)
Over the years, the king's heavy drinking and indulgent lifestyle had taken their toll on his health, especially since his constitution was not too robust to begin with. In 1760 Frederick broke his leg in a drunken accident, which greatly weakened him. According to
Dorothea Biehl
Charlotta Dorothea Biehl (June 2, 1731 – May 17, 1788) was a Danish author, playwright and translator.
Biography
Charlotta Dorothea Biehl was born in Copenhagen, Denmark. Her parents were Christian Æmilius Biehl and Sophie Hedevig Brøer ...
's statements the king was often seen in a condition "where his arm was not strong enough to bring his hat on his head again without Moltke's help." In the end he was completely broken down as a result of drinking and debauchery. The king died of
edema
Edema, also spelled oedema, and also known as fluid retention, dropsy, hydropsy and swelling, is the build-up of fluid in the body's Tissue (biology), tissue. Most commonly, the legs or arms are affected. Symptoms may include skin which feels t ...
at the age of forty-two, after a twenty-year reign. He had been a pleasant change compared to the pious Christian VI's autocracy, and when Frederick died there were many who mourned. His
last words
Last words are the final utterances before death. The meaning is sometimes expanded to somewhat earlier utterances.
Last words of famous or infamous people are sometimes recorded (although not always accurately) which became a historical and liter ...
were reportedly: "It is a great consolation to me in my last hour that I have never wilfully offended anyone, and that there is not a drop of blood on my hands."
After
lying in state with great pomp at the
chapel
A chapel is a Christian place of prayer and worship that is usually relatively small. The term has several meanings. Firstly, smaller spaces inside a church that have their own altar are often called chapels; the Lady chapel is a common ty ...
at
Christiansborg Palace
Christiansborg Palace ( da, Christiansborg Slot; ) is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament ('), the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme ...
in Copenhagen, he was interred next to Queen Louise in
Roskilde Cathedral
Roskilde Cathedral ( da, Roskilde Domkirke), in the city of Roskilde on the island of Zealand (Denmark), Zealand (''Sjælland'') in eastern Denmark, is a cathedral of the Lutheranism, Lutheran Church of Denmark.
The cathedral is the most importan ...
on the island of
Zealand
Zealand ( da, Sjælland ) at 7,031 km2 is the largest and most populous island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 January 2020.
It is the 1 ...
, the traditional burial site for
Danish monarchs
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 ...
since the 15th century. His monument in Roskilde cathedral was completed in 1769, and designed by the Danish
sculptor
Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...
Johannes Wiedewelt
Johannes Wiedewelt (1 July 1731 – 17 December 1802), Danish neoclassical sculptor. He became a court sculptor, introducing neoclassical ideals to Denmark in the form of palace decorations, garden sculptures and artifacts and, especially, mem ...
. It includes a large
sarcophagus
A sarcophagus (plural sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a box-like funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek ...
resting on footpieces and decorated by numerous sculptures, behind which is a column topped of an urn, a medallion with the king's portrait, and on each side of the sarcophagus, sitting approx. 9' high above the floor, are two crowned, grieving female figures representing Denmark and Norway. The memorial chapel in which it is placed was created as a collaboration between Wiedewelt and the Danish
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
Caspar Frederik Harsdorff
Caspar Frederik (Friedrich) Harsdorff, also known as C.F. Harsdorff, (26 May 1735 – 24 May 1799) was a Danish neoclassical architect considered to have been the leading Danish architect in the late 18th century.
Early life and training ...
.
Legacy
Monuments
On 1 August 1771, five years after the king's death, an
equestrian statue
An equestrian statue is a statue of a rider mounted on a horse, from the Latin ''eques'', meaning 'knight', deriving from ''equus'', meaning 'horse'. A statue of a riderless horse is strictly an equine statue. A full-sized equestrian statue is a d ...
of Frederick V dressed in the garb of a
Roman emperor by the French sculptor
Jacques François Joseph Saly was unveiled in
Amalienborg
Amalienborg () is the official residence for the Danish royal family, and is located in Copenhagen, Denmark. Queen Magrethe ll lives here in winter and autumn. It consists of four identical classical palace façades with rococo
Rococo (, ...
Square in
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
.
Places named after Frederick V
* The town of
Frederiksværk
Frederiksværk is a town with a population of 12,718 (1 January 2022) in Halsnæs Municipality on Zealand in Capital Region of Denmark, Region Hovedstaden in Denmark.
History
A French cannon founder, Peyrembert, received permission to build a can ...
on the island of
Zealand
Zealand ( da, Sjælland ) at 7,031 km2 is the largest and most populous island in Denmark proper (thus excluding Greenland and Disko Island, which are larger in size). Zealand had a population of 2,319,705 on 1 January 2020.
It is the 1 ...
, Denmark
* The town of
Frederiksted
Frederiksted is both the town and one of the two administrative districts of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. It is a grid-planned city, designed by surveyor Jens Beckfor, originally to 14x14 blocks but built 7x7 to enhance the island commerce in ...
on the island of
St. Croix
Saint Croix; nl, Sint-Kruis; french: link=no, Sainte-Croix; Danish and no, Sankt Croix, Taino: ''Ay Ay'' ( ) is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincor ...
,
U.S. Virgin Islands
* The district
Frederiksstaden
Frederiksstaden is a district in Copenhagen, Denmark. Constructed during the reign of Frederick V of Denmark, Frederick V in the second half of the 18th century, it is considered to be one of the most important rococo complexes in Europe and was in ...
in central Copenhagen, Denmark
* The city of
Serampore
Serampore (also called ''Serampur'', ''Srirampur'', ''Srirampore'', ''Shreerampur'', ''Shreerampore'', ''Shrirampur'' or ''Shrirampore'') is a city of Hooghly district in the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the headquarter of the Srirampor ...
in the
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
n
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
of
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
was known under the name ''Frederiksnagore'' from 1755 to 1845 when it was part of
Danish India
Danish India () was the name given to the colonies of Denmark (Denmark–Norway before 1814) in the Indian subcontinent, forming part of the Danish colonial empire. Denmark–Norway held colonial possessions in India for more than 200 years, i ...
* The city of
Paamiut
Paamiut, formerly Frederikshåb, is a town in southwestern Greenland in the Sermersooq municipality.
Geography
Paamiut is located on the coast of Labrador Sea in the southern end of a small estuary called Kuannersooq ("Inlet").
History
Pe ...
in Greenland was formerly known as Frederikshaab
* The former naval base
Fredriksvern
Fredriksvern (also called ''Friderichsværn'' (1801), ''Frederiksværn'' (1865), ''Fredriksværen'' (1900) and abbreviated ''Frsværn'') was an important Norwegian naval base, just south of Larvik in Vestfold. It is named after Fredrik V Denmark- ...
in Norway
Succession crisis
Within one hundred years of his time, Denmark faced the crisis of his male issue (the main branch of the Royal House) becoming extinct. This created a
succession crisis beginning from his grandson's reign that affected both Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein. Finally, his great-grandson through the female line,
Christian IX of Denmark
Christian IX (8 April 181829 January 1906) was King of Denmark from 1863 until his death in 1906. From 1863 to 1864, he was concurrently Duke of Schleswig, Holstein and Lauenburg.
A younger son of Frederick William, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein- ...
, who was married to his great-granddaughter
Louise of Hesse-Kassel
da, Louise Wilhelmine Frederikke Caroline Auguste Julie
, succession = Queen consort of Denmark
, image = Louise of Hesse-Kassel.jpg
, reign = 15 November 1863 – 29 September 1898
, spouse =
, issue =
, house = ...
(or Hesse-Cassel), became the designated heir.
2021 bust controversy
In February 2021, Frederick V came suddenly to the focus of a historical-political controversy when a group of radical artists removed a bust of this King and sunk it in Copenhagen Harbor, in protest of Denmark's role in the
Atlantic slave trade
The Atlantic slave trade, transatlantic slave trade, or Euro-American slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of enslaved African people, mainly to the Americas. The slave trade regularly used the triangular trade route and i ...
during his reign.
Caara Buckley, "The Sinking of a Bust Surfaces a Debate Over Denmark’s Past", New York Times, February 15, 2021
/ref>
Cultural depictions
Literature
Frederick V appears in the early part of ''The Visit of the Royal Physician
''The Visit of the Royal Physician'' ( sv, Livläkarens besök) is a 1999 novel by the Swedish writer Per Olov Enquist. It is known as ''The Royal Physician's Visit'' in the United States, translated into English by Tiina Nunnally. Against the bac ...
'' ( sv, Livläkarens besök), a 1999 historical novel by Per Olov Enquist
Per Olov Enquist, also known as P. O. Enquist, (23 September 1934 – 25 April 2020) was a Swedish author. He had worked as a journalist, playwright and novelist.
Biography
Enquist was born and raised in , a village in present-day Skellef ...
, which mainly deals with his son Christian VII
Christian VII (29 January 1749 – 13 March 1808) was a monarch of the House of Oldenburg who was King of Denmark–Norway and Duke of Schleswig and Holstein from 1766 until his death in 1808. For his motto he chose: "''Gloria ex amore patriae''" ...
. As depicted in the book, Frederick's contemptuous and overbearing attitude to his son had a significant part in causing the mental instability which characterized Christian's life and reign.
Issue
His officially recognized children by Else Hansen:
*Frederikke Margarethe de Hansen, Countess of Destinon (1747–1802)
*Frederikke Catherine de Hansen, Countess of Lützau (1748–1822)
*Anna Marie de Hansen, Mrs. Fehmann, later Mrs van Meulengacht (1749–1812)
*Sophie Charlotte de Hansen, Countess d'Origny (1750–1779)
*Ulrik Frederik de Hansen (1751–1752)
Ancestry
See also
* History of Denmark
The history of Denmark as a unified kingdom began in the 8th century, but historic documents describe the geographic area and the people living there—the Danes—as early as 500 AD. These early documents include the writings of Jordanes and P ...
Notes
References
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
The Royal Lineage
at the website of the Danish Monarchy
The monarchy of Denmark is a constitutional institution and a historic office of the Kingdom of Denmark. The Kingdom includes Denmark proper and the autonomous territories of the Faroe Islands and Greenland. The Kingdom of Denmark was al ...
Frederick V
at the website of the Royal Danish Collection
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a cit ...
at Rosenborg Castle
Rosenborg Castle ( da, Rosenborg Slot) is a renaissance architecture, renaissance castle located in Copenhagen, Denmark. The castle was originally built as a country summerhouse in 1606 and is an example of Christian IV of Denmark, Christian IV's ...
Caara Buckley, "The Sinking of a Bust Surfaces a Debate Over Denmark’s Past", New York Times, February 15, 2021
, -
{{Authority control
Frederick V of Denmark
1723 births
1766 deaths
18th-century Norwegian monarchs
Dukes of Schleswig
Dukes of Holstein
Denmark–Norway
Crown Princes of Denmark
Crown Princes of Norway
Burials at Roskilde Cathedral
Counts of Oldenburg
Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts
18th-century monarchs of Denmark