Frederick IX of Denmark

Categories: Danish monarchs | Knights of the Garter | House of Glücksburg | 1899 births | 1972 deaths

Frederik IX of Denmark (Christian Frederik Franz Michael Carl Valdemar Georg) (March 11, 1899 – January 14, 1972) was King of Denmark from April 20, 1947 until January 14, 1972.

He was the son of Christian X and his wife Alexandrine.

Frederik was educated at the Danish Naval Academy (breaking Danish royal tradition by choosing a naval instead of an army career) and the University of Copenhagen.

He married Princess Ingrid of Sweden (born 1910, daughter of Crown Prince Gustav Adolf, later King Gustav VI Adolf of Sweden) on May 24, 1935. They had three daughters,

• Princess Margrethe (born 1940), later Margrethe II of Denmark. Married Count Henri de Montpezat.
• Princess Benedikte (born 1944). Married Prince Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg in 1968.
• Princess Anne-Marie (born 1946). Married Constantine II of Greece in 1964.

When he had no sons, in accordance with Denmark's Salic law, it was expected that his brother would inherit the throne. However, in 1953, an Act of Succession was passed, changing the method of succession from Salic law to cognatic primogeniture, meaning that his eldest daughter, Margrethe, could succeed if he had no sons. The King never did have any sons, so Princess Margrethe did succeed, as Margrethe II.

On his passing in 1972, Frederik IX was buried outside Roskilde Cathedral near Copenhagen. The previous rulers had been interred in the cathedral, but it was the king's wish to be buried outside the cathedral instead.

de:Friedrich IX. (Dänemark) fr:Frédéric IX de Danemark nl:Frederik IX van Denemarken nn:Fredrik IX av Danmark pl:Fryderyk IX sv:Frederik IX av Danmark zh:弗雷德里克九世