Christian II of Denmark

Who was Christian II of Denmark?

Christian II reigned as King of Denmark and Norway from 1513 until 1523 and of Sweden from 1520 until 1521. He was the oldest son of King John and belonged to the House of Oldenburg. Denmark was then an elective monarchy in which the nobility elected the new king, who had to share his power with them. After his short reign in Sweden, where he was also known as Christian the Tyrant, he was deposed by the nobleman Gustav Vasa. His reign in Denmark and Norway was cut short when his uncle deposed him and took the thrones as Frederick I. Christian was then exiled to the Netherlands, then ruled by his brother-in-law, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

He came into conflict with the Danish nobility when he was forced to sign a charter, more strict than any previous, to ensure that they would elect him. Through domestic reforms he later sought to set it aside. Internationally, he tried to maintain the Kalmar Union between the Scandinavian countries which brought him to war with Sweden, lasting between 1518 and 1523. Though he captured the country in 1520, his slaughter of leading Swedish nobility afterwards made him despised and he was thrown out by the following rebellion.