The Royal Danish CollectionRosenborgCastle historyInterior and objects7A: The stairway to the Stair TurretChristian V on the Throne

Christian V on the Throne

Michael von Haven’s depiction of Christian V on the throne in Frederiksborg Palace Chapel. The painting is an allegory. Two symbolic figures hold the tail of the coronation cloak. To the left of the throne Pietas (piety) is seen, with a cross and olive branch. To the right Justitia (justice) with a scales and fasces. The scene is bathed in heavenly light with fanfares, for the absolute monarch was crowned by God the moment his father closed his eyes.

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The Danish Royal Crowns and Other Symbols of Power

The foremost symbols of the realm are also called regalia, which means the ‘emblems and symbols indicative of the monarch’.  In a Danish context this concerns the crowns of the kings and queens, the sceptre, the orb (symbol of the Universe and the Earth), the coronation sword, the sword of the realm, the beaker for the coronation oil, and the thrones. Many people no doubt imagine the King sitting on his throne in daily audience, wearing his crown with the other regalia within reach, but they were in fact only used once in a king’s life, at his crowning or coronation. The oldest known crowning in Denmark is that of Knud VI in 1170 in Ringsted Church, and the tradition for crowning continued up until Frederik III. At the Crowning of Frederik III Denmark was an elective monarchy, in which the king’s eldest son was chosen as king only by the grace of the Privy Council, and had to sign a contract – a coronation charter – which curbed his powers with regard to the Privy Council. At the crowning of the king it was therefore the Privy Councillors who symbolically took part in the placement of the crown. During the reign of Frederik III absolutism was introduced in Denmark, and his son, Christian V, therefore automatically inherited the title of king – solely by the grace God and no longer also of the Privy Council. The coronation ceremony therefore fell out of use; the king now placed the crown on his own head, after which he had himself anointed in the church as a divine blessing of the monarchy’s calling. Christian IV’s crown was also used at Frederik III’s crowning, but at the coronation of Christian V as absolute monarch in 1670, the inset from Frederik III’s crown was melted down and a new crown made of the gold. A new era began, and the crown is also known as “the crown of the absolute monarchs”. A new epoch began again with the dissolution of absolutism in 1848, and Christian VIII’s coronation in 1840 was the last. From then on the crown has only been used once in each king’s life, in fact when he is dead. The monarch’s coffin is put on display in the Palace Church at Christiansborg for the so-called “Castrum doloris” (from the Latin: Castle of grief) where the crown is laid on the lid of the coffin and the other regalia set up in front of it.

7A: The stairway to the Stair Turret

The stairway houses portraits from the time of Christian V. Although the stair turret was built in 1633, this stairway was not built into it until 1758. The reason was that the spiral staircase was originally built between only the first and second storeys, while access to the first storey was via an outdoor double staircase, which was torn down when the spiral staircase was prolonged to the ground floor. Next room ->

Christian V's Crown

The Crown of the Absolute Monarchs, used by the kings from Christian V to Christian VIII.

Silver lions

Three silver lions, made l665-1670 in Copenhagen by Ferdinand Küblich. They are used on solemn occasions as guards around the throne and the Royal catafalque.

Coronation chair, King

The coronation chair of the Danish kings, used at coronations between 1671-1840 during the institution of Absolute Monarchy, by Bendix Grodtschilling 1662-1671.

1650-1675

The wars of Charles Gustavus (1657-1658 and 1658-1660) were the important events in foreign politics of the period. The loss of Scania, Halland and Blekinge at the Peace of Roskilde in 1658 was a nadir of power politics in Danish history.

Christian V

Christian V was the King of Denmark-Norway from 1670; son of Frederik III and Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg. He was married to Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel in 1667. He was the father of Frederik IV.