Christian VI of Denmark
| Christian VI | |
|---|---|
Portrait by Johann Salomon Wahl, c. 1740.
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| King of Denmark and Norway (more...) | |
| Reign | 12 October 1730 – 6 August 1746 |
| Coronation | 6 June 1731 Frederiksborg Palace Chapel |
| Predecessor | Frederick IV |
| Successor | Frederick V |
| Born |
30 November 1699 Copenhagen Castle |
| Died | 6 August 1746 (aged 46) Hirschholm Palace |
| Burial | Roskilde Cathedral |
| Spouse | Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach |
| Issue |
Frederick V of Denmark Louise, Duchess of Saxe-Hildburghausen |
| House | House of Oldenburg |
| Father | Frederick IV of Denmark |
| Mother | Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow |
Christian VI (30 November 1699 – 6 August 1746) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1730-46. The eldest surviving son of King Frederick IV and Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow, he is considered one of Denmark's more anonymous kings, but he was a skilled politician, best known for his authoritarian regime. He was the first king of the Oldenburg dynasty to refrain from entering in any war. He was married to Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach and was the father of Frederick V. His chosen motto was "deo et populo" (for God and the people).
From 1706, Christian came to understand Danish but used German for everyday speaking and writing. He got a better education and acquired more knowledge than his father and grandfather. As Crown Prince he was allowed by his father to find a wife by himself. During a trip through Europe accompanied by Chancellor Ulrik Adolf Holstein, the Crown Prince decided on Margravine Sophia Magdalene, one of the ladies-in-waiting at the court of the Saxon-Polish queen Christiane Eberhardine in the Castle Pretzsch.
Sophia Magdalene came from a minor margraviate (not greater than Lolland-Falster) of the Hohenzollern dynasty where able consciousness was inversely proportional to the funds; half of the land was mortgaged, and her father died young. She had 13 siblings and was considered an unequal match for the Danish prince, but the king gave his permission. In Christian's letters, he describes his feelings for the princess's intense religiosity, which reminded him of his own. They were married on 7 August 1721, while Christian was crown prince. The wedding was held at Pretzsch in Saxony.
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