List of heirs to the Danish throne

House of Oldenburg, Elected Monarchy 1448-1660

Although the monarchy was elective during this time period, succession following Christian I of Denmark (with one exception of a forced abdication) followed Salic law.

Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir Ceased to be heir Next in succession
relation to heir, dates
Monarch
Date Reason Date Reason
Succession unknown 1448 no children 1450 son born to king none (1448-1471) Christian I
Olaf heir apparent son 1450 born 1451 died
Knud heir apparent son 1451 brother died 1455 died
John heir apparent son 1455 brother died 21 May 1481 became king
Frederick
brother (1471-1481)
Frederick heir presumptive brother 21 May 1481 brother became king 1 Jul 1481 son born to king none (1781) John
Christian heir apparent son 1 Jul 1481 born 22 Jul 1513 became king Frederick, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein
uncle (1481-1497, 1511-1513)
Francis
brother (1497-1511)
Frederick, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein heir presumptive uncle 22 Jul 1513 nephew became king 21 Feb 1518 son born to king Christian
son (1513-1518)
Christian II
John heir apparent son 21 Feb 1518 born 20 Jan 1523 father forced to abdicate, in exile Frederick, Duke of Schleswig and Holstein
great-uncle (1518-1519, 1520-1523)
Philip Ferdinand
brother (1519-1520)
Christian heir apparent son 20 Jan 1523 father became king 4 Jul 1534 became king John the Elder, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev
brother (1523-1533)
Frederick I
Interregnum (10 Apr 1533 - 4 Jul 1534)
Frederick heir apparent son 1 Jul 1534 born 1 Jan 1559 became king John the Elder, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev]
uncle (1534-1540)
Christian III
Magnus, Duke of Holstein
brother (1540-1559)
Magnus, Duke of Holstein heir presumptive brother 1 Jan 1559 brother became king 12 Apr 1577 son born to king John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg
brother (1559-1577)
Frederick II
Christian heir apparent son 12 Apr 1577 born 4 Apr 1588 became king Magnus, Duke of Holstein
uncle (1577-1578)
Ulrik
brother (1578-1588)
Ulrik heir presumptive brother 4 Apr 1588 brother became king 10 Apr 1603 son born to king John of Schleswig-Holstein
brother (1588-1602)
Christian IV
John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg
uncle (1602-1603)
Christian heir apparent son 10 Apr 1603 born 2 Jun 1647 death Ulrik
uncle (1603-1609)
Frederick
brother (1609-1647)
Frederick heir apparent son 2 Jun 1647 eldest brother died 28 Feb 1648 became king Christian
son (1647-1648)
Christian heir apparent son 28 Feb 1648 father became king 9 Feb 1670 became king Valdemar Christian of Schleswig-Holstein
uncle (1648-1651, 1652-1653)
Frederick III
Frederik
brother (1651-1652)
George
brother (1653-1670)

House of Oldenburg, Absolute monarchy 1660-1863

Frederick III adopted a Semi-salic law of succession.

Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir Ceased to be heir Next in succession
relation to heir, dates
Monarch
Date Reason Date Reason
George heir presumptive brother 9 Feb 1670 brother became king 11 Oct 1671 son born to king Anna Sophie
sister (1670-1671)
Christian V
Crown Prince Frederick heir apparent son 11 Oct 1671 born 25 Aug 1699 became king George, Duke of Cumberland
uncle (1671-1672, 1673-1675)
Christian William
brother (1672-1673)
Christian
brother (1675-1695)
Charles, Count of Holstein
brother (1695-1697, 1698-1699)
Christian
son (1697-1698)
Charles, Count of Holstein heir presumptive brother 25 Aug 1699 brother became king 10 Dec 1699 son born to king William
brother (1699-1699)
Frederick IV
Crown Prince Christian heir apparent son 10 Dec 1699 born 12 Oct 1730 became king Charles, Count of Holstein
uncle (1699-1701, 1702-1703, 1704-1723)
Frederick
brother (1701-1702)
George
brother (1703-1704)
Frederick
son (1723-1730)
Crown Prince Frederick heir apparent son 12 Oct 1730 father became king 6 Aug 1746 became king Louise
sister (1730-1735)
Christian VI
Christian
son (1745-1746)
Crown Prince Christian heir apparent son 6 Aug 1746 father became king 3 Jun 1747 died Sophia Magdalena
sister (1746-1747)
Frederick V
Sophia Magdalena heir presumptive daughter 3 Jun 1747 brother died 29 Jan 1749 son born to king Princess Wilhelmina Caroline of Denmark
sister (1747-1749)
Crown Prince Christian heir apparent son 29 Jan 1749 born 14 Jan 1766 became king Sophia Magdalena
sister (1749-1753)
Frederick
brother (1753-1766)
Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark heir presumptive brother 14 Jan 1766 brother became king 28 Jan 1768 son born to king Sophia Magdalena
sister (1766-1768)
Christian VII
Crown Prince Frederick heir apparent son 28 Jan 1768 born 13 Mar 1808 became king Frederick, Hereditary Prince of Denmark
uncle (1768-1805)
Christian
cousin (1805-1808)
Christian heir presumptive cousin 13 Mar 1808 cousin became king 3 Dec 1839 became king Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Denmark
brother (1808)
Frederick VI
Frederick
son (1808-1839)
Crown Prince Frederick heir apparent son 3 Dec 1839 father became king 20 Jan 1848 became king Ferdinand
uncle (1839-1848)
Christian VIII
Ferdinand, Hereditary Prince of Denmark heir presumptive uncle 20 Jan 1848 nephew became king 29 Jun 1863 died disputed, eventually: Frederick VII
Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
1st cousin, once removed (1852-1863 by legislation)
Christian heir presumptive 2nd cousin 29 Jun 1863 heir died 15 Nov 1863 became king Frederick
son (1863)

House of Glücksburg

With both Frederick VII and his uncle, Ferdinand childless, legislation was passed in 1852 to give the Danish throne to Christian of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, a great-grandson of Frederick V. Semi-salic law continued to be used until 1953 when male-preference primogeniture was adopted. This lasted until 2009 when absolute primogeniture was put in place.

Heir Status Relationship to Monarch Became heir Ceased to be heir Next in succession
relation to heir, dates
Monarch
Date Reason Date Reason
Crown Prince Frederick heir apparent son 16 November 1863 father became king 29 January 1906 became king Prince Valdemar[lower-alpha 1]
brother (1863–1870)
Christian IX
Prince Christian
son (1870–1906)
Crown Prince Christian heir apparent son 29 January 1906 father became king 14 May 1912 became king Prince Frederick
son (1906–1912)
Frederick VIII
Crown Prince Frederick heir apparent son 14 May 1912 father became king 20 April 1947 became king Prince Knud
brother (1912–1947)
Christian X
Hereditary Prince Knud heir presumptive brother 20 April 1947 brother became king 27 March 1953 succession law changed Prince Ingolf
son (1947–1953)
Frederick IX
Princess Margrethe heir presumptive daughter 27 March 1953 succession law changed 14 January 1972 became queen Princess Benedikte
sister (1953–1968)
Prince Frederik
son (1968–1972)
Crown Prince Frederik heir apparent son 14 January 1972 mother became queen current heir Prince Joachim
brother (1972–2005)
Margrethe II
Prince Christian
son (2005–present)
  1. Prince William (Vilhelm), second son of Christian IX, became king of Greece before his father ascended the throne.
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