Denmark: Information

Denmark (936 - )

Denmark is a country in Northern Europe. The southernmost of the Nordic countries, it is located southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark forms part of the cultural region called Scandinavia, together with Sweden and Norway. The Kingdom of Denmark is a sovereign state that comprises Denmark and two autonomous constituent countries in the North Atlantic Ocean: the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Denmark proper has an area of 43,094 square kilometres, and a population of 5,668,743. The country consists of a peninsula, Jutland, and an archipelago of 443 named islands, of which around 70 are inhabited. The islands are characterised by flat, arable land and sandy coasts, low elevation and a temperate climate.

The unified kingdom of Denmark emerged in the 10th century as a proficient seafaring nation in the struggle for control of the Baltic Sea. Danish rule over the personal Kalmar Union, established in 1397 (over Norway and Sweden), ended with Swedish secession in 1523. However, Denmark still kept a union over Norway which lasted until its dissolution in 1814. Denmark inherited an expansive colonial empire from this union, of which the Faroe Islands and Greenland are remnants. Beginning in the 17th century, there were several cessions of territory; these culminated in the 1830s with a surge of nationalist movements, which were defeated in the 1864 Second Schleswig War. Denmark remained neutral during World War I. In April 1940, a German invasion saw brief military skirmishes while the Danish resistance movement was active from 1943 until the German surrender in May 1945. An industrialized exporter of agricultural produce in the second half of the 19th century, Denmark introduced social and labour-market reforms in the early 20th century, making the basis for the present welfare state model with a highly developed mixed economy.

The Constitution of Denmark was signed on 5 June 1849, ending the absolute monarchy which had begun in 1660. It establishes a constitutional monarchy - the current monarch is Queen Margrethe II - organised as a parliamentary democracy. The government and national parliament are seated in Copenhagen, the nation's capital, largest city and main commercial centre. Denmark exercises hegemonic influence in the Danish Realm, devolving powers to handle internal affairs. Denmark became a member of the European Union in 1973, maintaining certain opt-outs; it retains its own currency, the krone. It is among the founding members of NATO, the Nordic Council, the OECD, OSCE, and the United Nations; it is also part of the Schengen Area.

Denmark: List of Rulers.
Reign / RuleFromToCoins Issued
Gorm den Gamle (King Gorm the Old) 936 958
Harald Blåtand Gormsen (King Harald I Bluetooth) 958 986
Svend Tveskæg (King Sweyn I Forkbeard) 986 3 February 1014
Harald 2. Svendsen (King Harald II Svendsen) 3 February 1014 1018
Knud den Store (King Cnut the Great) 1018 12 November 1035
Hardeknud (King Harthacnut) 12 November 1035 8 June 1042
Magnus Olavsson (King Magnus I Olafsson) 8 June 1042 25 October 1047
Svend 2. Estridsen (King Sweyn II Estridsson) 25 October 1047 28 April 1074
Harald 3. Hen (King Harald III) 1074 17 April 1080
Knud 4. den Hellige (King Canute IV) 1080 10 July 1086
Oluf Hunger (King Olaf I) 10 July 1086 18 August 1095
Erik Ejegod (King Eric I) 1095 10 July 1103
King Niels 1104 25 June 1134
Erik 2. Emune (King Eric II) 1134 18 July 1137
Erik 3. Lam (King Eric III) 1137 1146
Knud 5. Magnussen (King Canute V Magnussen) 1146 9 August 1157
Svend 3. Grathe (King Sweyn III) 1146 23 October 1157
Valdemar 1. den Store (King Valdemar I) 1146 12 May 1182
Knud 6. Valdemarsøn (King Canute VI) 1182 12 November 1202
Valdemar 2. Sejr (King Valdemar II) 1202 28 March 1241
Valdemar den Unge (King Valdemar the Young) 1215 28 November 1231
Erik 4. Plovpenning (King Eric IV Ploughpenny) 30 May 1232 10 August 1250
King Abel 1 October 1250 29 June 1252
Christoffer 1. (King Christopher I) 1252 29 May 1259
Erik 5. Klipping (King Eric V) 1259 22 November 1286
Erik 6. Menved (King Eric VI) 1286 13 November 1319
Christoffer 2. (King Christopher II), first reign 1320 1326
Erik Christoffersen (Eric Christoffersen, junior king), first reign 1321 1326
Valdemar 3. (King Valdemar III) 1326 1329
Christoffer 2. (King Christopher II), second reign 1329 2 July 1332
Erik Christoffersen (Eric Christoffersen, junior king), second reign 1329 1332
Valdemar 4. Atterdag (King Valdemar IV) 24 June 1340 24 October 1375
Oluf 2. Håkonsen (King Olaf II Haakonsson) 3 May 1376 23 August 1387
Margrete 1. Valdemarsdatter (Queen Margaret I) 10 August 1387 28 October 1412
Erik 7. af Pommern (King Eric VII of Pomerania) 1396 1439
Christoffer 3. af Bayern (King Christopher III of Bavaria) 9 April 1440 5 January 1448
Christian 1. (King Christian I) 1 September 1448 21 May 1481
Hans (King John) 21 May 1481 20 February 1513
Christian 2. (King Christian II) 22 July 1513 20 January 1523
Frederik 1. (King Frederick I) 1523 10 April 1533
Christian 3. (King Christian III) 4 July 1534 1 January 1559
Frederik 2. (King Frederick II) 1 January 1559 4 April 1588
Christian 4. (King Christian IV) 4 April 1588 28 February 1648 4
Frederik 3. (King Frederick III) 28 February 1648 9 February 1670
Christian 5. (King Christian V) 9 February 1670 25 August 1699
Frederik 4. (King Frederick IV) 25 August 1699 12 October 1730 1
Christian 6. (King Christian VI) 12 October 1730 6 August 1746
Frederik 5. (King Frederick V) 6 August 1746 14 January 1766 2
Christian 7. (King Christian VII) 14 January 1766 13 March 1808 2
Frederik 6. (King Frederick VI) 13 March 1808 3 December 1839 2
Christian 8. (King Christian VIII) 3 December 1839 20 January 1848 4
Frederik 7. (King Frederick VII) 20 January 1848 15 November 1863 1
Christian 9. (King Christian IX) 15 November 1863 29 January 1906 7
Frederik 8. (King Frederick VIII) 29 January 1906 14 May 1912 4
Christian 10. (King Christian X) 14 May 1912 20 April 1947 10
Frederik 9. (King Frederick IX) 20 April 1947 14 January 1972 2
Margrethe 2. (Queen Margrethe II) 14 January 1972 9
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Denmark: Details
Official NameDenmark
From936
FlagFlag of Denmark
WikiSee Wikipedia page
Provinces...
CountryFromTo
Flag of Danish West Indies Danish West Indies 1672 1917
Flag of Greenland Greenland 1814
Flag of Faroe Islands Faroe Islands 1814
See Also...
CountryFromTo
Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp 1590 1702
Denmark: Currencies Used
CurrencyFromTo
Danish Rigsdaler 1813 1875
Danish Krone 1875