Danish Monarch. Born Christian Frederik at Christiansborg Castle, Copenhagen, the eldest son of Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He married his cousin, Charlotte Frederikke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1806; and they had one son. The marriage was dissolved in 1810. In May 1813, he was sent as stattholder, or governor, to Norway. He accepted election as king of Norway in 1814 by the Norwegian independence faction, which refused to recognize the union of Norway to Sweden. After leading an unsuccessful resistance against the Swedes, however, Christian was forced to abdicate. In 1815 he married Caroline Amalie of Augustenborg. Christian's liberal sympathies were viewed with suspicion by state officials upon his return to Denmark and he remained out of public office until 1831. On December 13, 1839 he ascended the Danish throne as Christian VIII. His liberalism had faded and he resisted the demands of the advocates of a constitutional regime. He did, however, reform the prison system and restore the Icelandic Althing or parliament in 1843. He supported scientific and classical scholars, awarding gold medals for the discovery of comets, financially supporting Heinrich Christian Schumacher's publication of the scientific journal ‘Astronomische Nachrichten,' and on journeys abroad he collected ancient Greek artifacts, which today constitute the core of the Classical collection in the National Museum. He died of apparent blood-poisoning at the age of 61.
Danish Monarch. Born Christian Frederik at Christiansborg Castle, Copenhagen, the eldest son of Prince Frederick of Denmark and Norway and Sophia Frederica of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. He married his cousin, Charlotte Frederikke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in 1806; and they had one son. The marriage was dissolved in 1810. In May 1813, he was sent as stattholder, or governor, to Norway. He accepted election as king of Norway in 1814 by the Norwegian independence faction, which refused to recognize the union of Norway to Sweden. After leading an unsuccessful resistance against the Swedes, however, Christian was forced to abdicate. In 1815 he married Caroline Amalie of Augustenborg. Christian's liberal sympathies were viewed with suspicion by state officials upon his return to Denmark and he remained out of public office until 1831. On December 13, 1839 he ascended the Danish throne as Christian VIII. His liberalism had faded and he resisted the demands of the advocates of a constitutional regime. He did, however, reform the prison system and restore the Icelandic Althing or parliament in 1843. He supported scientific and classical scholars, awarding gold medals for the discovery of comets, financially supporting Heinrich Christian Schumacher's publication of the scientific journal ‘Astronomische Nachrichten,' and on journeys abroad he collected ancient Greek artifacts, which today constitute the core of the Classical collection in the National Museum. He died of apparent blood-poisoning at the age of 61.
Bio by: Iola
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