The House of Oldenburg is a German dynasty whose members rule or have ruled in Denmark, Iceland, Greece, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Livonia, Schleswig, Holstein, and Oldenburg. The current kings of Norway and the United Kingdom are patrilineal descendants of the Glücksburg branch of this house.
The House of Oldenburg is a German dynasty whose members rule or have ruled in Denmark, Iceland, Greece, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Livonia, Schleswig, Holstein, and Oldenburg. The current kings of Norway and the United Kingdom are patrilineal descendants of the Glücksburg branch of this house.
The dynasty rose to prominence when Count Christian of Oldenburg was elected King of Denmark in 1448, of Norway in 1450, and of Sweden in 1457. Elimar I, Count of Oldenburg is the earliest known direct male-line ancestor of King Haakon VIII and King Charles III. King Frederik X is also part of the House of Oldenburg, cognatically.
History
Count Elimar I was first mentioned in 1091. The ancestral home of the family is Oldenburg Castle. In the 12th century, Rastede Monastery near Oldenburg became their house monastery and later their country seat to this day. Marriages of medieval counts of Oldenburg paved the way for their heirs to become kings of the three Scandinavian kingdoms. Through marriage with a descendant of King Valdemar I of Sweden and of King Eric IV of Denmark, a claim to Sweden and Denmark was staked as early as 1350.
At that time, the chief competitor to succeed Margaret I of Denmark (1353–1412), queen of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, to the Northern thrones was the House of Mecklenburg, while other aspirants included the Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg. In 1423, Theodoric of Oldenburg married Hedwig of Holstein, a descendant of King Magnus Ladulås of Sweden, of King Haakon V of Norway, and of the kings Eric V and Abel of Denmark. Their son Christian (the abovementioned) became the king of all three kingdoms of the whole Kalmar Union.
Main line
Counts of Oldenburg (1101–1448, 1667–1773)
Kings of Denmark (1448–1863)
Kings of Norway (1450–1814)
Kings of Sweden (1457–1464, 1497–1501, 1520–1521)
Dukes of Schleswig (1460–1864) (divided among various rulers 1544–1721)
Counts (1460–1574) and Dukes (1574–1864) of Holstein (divided among various rulers 1544–1773)
Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg (1815–1863)
Branches
Oldenburg comital line (1448–1667), extinct in 1667
Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev (1544–1580), extinct in 1580
Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp
Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp (1544–1739)
Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov (commonly still called Romanov)
Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp (1739–1773)
Emperors of Russia (1762, 1796–1917)
Holstein-Gottorp (Swedish line), extinct in 1877
Kings of Sweden (1751–1818)
King of Norway (1814–1818)
Holstein-Gottorp (Grand ducal line)
Dukes and Grand Dukes of Oldenburg (1774–1918)
Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg
Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, extinct in 1931
Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein (claimant in 1863, then titular dukes until 1931)
Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (name changed from Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck in 1825)
Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein (titular dukes since 1931)
Kings and queens of Denmark (1863–2024)
Dukes of Saxe-Lauenburg (1863–1864)
King of Iceland (1918–1944)
Kings of Norway (1905–present)
Kings of the Hellenes (1863–1924, 1935–1973)
Kings of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth Realms (2022–present)
Danneskiold (illegitimate branch)
Danneskiold-Løvendal, extinct in 1829
Danneskiold-Laurvig, extinct in 1783
Danneskiold-Samsøe
List of head of the House of Oldenburg
Main line of Oldenburg (1101–1863, Counts of Oldenburg: 1101–1448, Kings of Denmark: 1448–1863)
Elimar I (1040–1112, Reign: 1091–1108) – Count of Oldenburg
Elimar II (1070–1142, Reign: 1108–1142) – Count of Oldenburg
Christian I (1123–1167, Reign: 1142–1167) – Count of Oldenburg
Maurice (1145–1209, Reign: 1167–1209) – Count of Oldenburg
Otto I (1175–1251, Reign: 1209–1251) – Count of Oldenburg
Christian II (1184–1233, Reign: 1209–1233) – Count of Oldenburg
John I (1204–1270, Reign: 1233–1270) – Count of Oldenburg
Christian III (?–1285, Reign: 1270–1285) – Count of Oldenburg
Otto II (?–1112, Reign: 1272–1278) – Count of Oldenburg
John II (?–1315, Reign: 1285–1315) – Count of Oldenburg
Christian IV (?–1323, Reign: 1315–1323) – Count of Oldenburg
John III (1295–1345, Reign: 1315–1345) – Count of Oldenburg
Conrad I (?–1347, Reign: 1324–1347) – Count of Oldenburg
John IV (?–1356, Reign: 1345–1356) – Count of Oldenburg
Conrad II (?–1401, Reign: 1347–1401) – Count of Oldenburg
Christian V (1342–1399, Reign: 1368–1398) – Count of Oldenburg
Maurice II (1381–1420, Reign: 1401–1420) – Count of Oldenburg
Cristian VI (1394–1421, Reign: 1403–1421) – Count of Oldenburg
Dietrich (1390–1440, Reign: 1403–1440) – Count of Oldenburg
Christian I (1426–1481) – Count of Oldenburg (Reign: 1440–1448), King of Denmark (Reign: 1448–1481)
John (1455–1513, Reign: 1481–1513) – King of Denmark
Christian II (1481–1559, Reign: 1513–1523) – King of Denmark
Frederick I (1471–1533, Reign: 1523–1533) – King of Denmark
Christian III (1503–1559, Reign: 1534–1559) – King of Denmark
Frederick II (1534–1588, Reign: 1559–1588) – King of Denmark
Christian IV (1577–1648, Reign: 1588–1648) – King of Denmark
Frederick III (1609–1670, Reign: 1648–1670) – King of Denmark
Christian V (1646–1699, Reign: 1670–1699) – King of Denmark
Frederick IV (1671–1730, Reign: 1699–1730) – King of Denmark
Christian VI (1699–1746, Reign: 1730–1746) – King of Denmark
Frederick V (1723–1766, Reign: 1746–1766) – King of Denmark
Christian VII (1749–1808, Reign: 1766–1808) – King of Denmark
Frederick VI (1768–1839, Reign: 1808–1839) – King of Denmark
Christian VIII (1786–1848, Reign: 1839–1848) – King of Denmark
Frederick VII (1808–1863, Reign: 1848–1863) – King of Denmark