Oldenburg dynasty

Denmark

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

The Oldenburg dynasty, originating from a countship in Germany, rose to prominence by establishing a union with Denmark. Count Christian of Oldenburg was elected King of Denmark in 1448, also becoming King of Norway and briefly King of Sweden. This marked the beginning of the Oldenburg rule over Denmark, which lasted for centuries.12

During the Reformation, King Frederick I invited Lutheran preachers to Denmark, a move that expanded royal power at the church's expense. His son, Christian III, solidified the Lutheran Church in Denmark after a civil war known as the Count's War, which concluded in 1536. The dynasty's influence extended to Holstein, and various members ruled Denmark through periods of war and political change, including significant territorial losses to Sweden in the 17th century. The dynasty's reign in Denmark concluded with Margrethe II abdicating in 2024, succeeded by Frederik X.342

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

5 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Denmark
Margaret I and the Kalmar Union
Christian I, founder of the Oldenburg dynasty, succeeded to the Danish and Norwegian thrones, but efforts to bring Sweden back into the union were only intermittently successful, and when Christian died in 1481, he did not rule that country. He was succeeded by his son John (Hans), whose coronation charter…
Read More
Christian I, founder of the Oldenburg dynasty, succeeded to the Danish and Norwegian thrones, but efforts to bring Sweden back into the union were only intermittently successful, and when Christian died in 1481, he did not rule that country. He was succeeded by his son John (Hans), whose coronation charter…
Read More