Christian IX
- King of Denmark from 1863 to 1906
- Motto: "With God for Honour and Justice"
- Born: 8 April 1818
- Son of: Duke Wilhelm of Schleswig-Holstein-Sønderborg-Glücksborg and Princess Louise Caroline of Hessen-Kassel
- Married 26 May 1842 to Princess Louise of Hessen-Kassel (1817-1898)
- Children: Princes: Frederik (VIII), Wilhelm (George I), and Valdemar. Princesses: Alexandra, Dagmar and Thyra
When it became clear that Frederik VII would have no heir to the throne, the great powers with the Treaty of London in 1852 accepted that the throne passed to his relative, Prince Christian of Glücksborg, who belonged to a branch of the Royal House of Oldenburg. In accordance with the Act of Succession of 1853, he was officially appointed as successor to the throne. From 1831, he had lived permanently in Copenhagen where he had made a career for himself as an officer of the Royal Horse Guard.
As the first representative of the House of Glücksborg, Christian IX became King in November 1863 at a very difficult moment in time. The late King had not managed to sign the November Constitution, which had just been adopted. It was a special constitution for the joint affairs of Denmark and Schleswig, which in violation of the agreements concluded by the great powers would tie Schleswig more closely to Denmark. When the new King, therefore, refused to sign this new constitution, his nationalist feelings and loyalty to Denmark were much disputed, especially by the National Liberals. Under this pressure, he decided to sign the November Constitution. Very soon the King's reservations proved all too justified. The result was the War of 1864 and the subsequent loss of the two duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. The first part of his reign was stongly marked by this national catastrophe.
The King's support for Højre (right-wing political party) and Prime Minister Estrup throughout the following decades of entrenched constitutional fights made him, in the beginning, unpopular among broad segments of the population. However, gradually the King and the people became one in a joint effort to make the most of the difficult situation after 1864. When the King eventually bowed to the demand for Parliamentarism and appointed a government of Venstre (liberal political party) in 1901, his popularity increased substantially. During his last few remaining years' reign, the King enjoyed much popular sympathy for his always correct and quiet behaviour. His death in 1906 gave rise to general national mourning.
This development was also due to Queen Louise, born Princess of Hessen-Kassel (1817-98, married 1842). With an eye to the future, she arranged her daughters' marriages in such a manner that the Danish Royal House obtained dynastic connections with the most important European royal and princely houses. Thus, Alexandra married Edward VII of Great Britain, Dagmar became Empress of Russia through her marriage to Tsar Alexander III of Russia, and the third daughter, Thyra, married Duke Ernest Augustus of Cumberland, heir to the Kingdom of Hanover. In addition, the King's second-oldest son, Vilhelm, became King of the Hellenes in 1863 under the name of George I, whereas the King's grandson, Prince Carl, became King of Norway in 1905 under the name of Haakon VII. All these many connections may not have had much political significance. However, especially throughout the summers of the 1880s, there were great gatherings of Europe's most important ruling royalty and princes during the so-called Fredensborg Days at the residence of "Europe's parents-in-law", the Danish King and Queen.
