Why did Frederick I invite Lutheran preachers to Denmark?

Although King Frederick I had initially promised Roman Catholic bishops that he would oppose the spread of heresy, he invited Lutheran preachers to Denmark primarily to expand royal power at the expense of the church.12

By supporting Lutheranism, Frederick I sought to diminish the influence of the established church, which functioned as an independent and occasionally competing administrative structure. This policy also served to increase his popularity among the peasantry. While he maintained a delicate balance between Catholic and Lutheran factions during his reign, his actions laid the groundwork for the eventual establishment of the Danish Lutheran Church and the significant strengthening of the central government under his successor.12