Danish Monarch. He reigned as King of Denmark and Norway from 1523 to 1533. He was the younger son of king Christian I of Denmark-Norway-Sweden and his queen Dorothea von Brandenburg. As a younger prince of the Royal family, Frederik was made Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. He resided at the palace Gottorp in Schleswig town. As a Duke, he was approached by the Danish nobility with an offer for the takeover of the Danish throne from his nephew Christian II, who had become unpopular in the Counsil. In 1523 he accepted, and Christian II was toppled from power. Frederik I had him later imprisoned in the Castle of Sonderburg for several years. He supported the Lutheran Reformation of the Church and allowed Lutheran preachers to takeover the church from the Catholic clericy. Monks, that had fled from their cloisters were not allowed to return. Largely the Cloister-estates were taken by the nobles of the country. He rarely resided in Denmark, but preferred to stay in his old Duchies. He was not able to speak the Danish language as he was brought up in the German tongue.Frederik I was married twice. His first wife was Anna von Brandenburg, sister of the elector Joachim I Nestor von Brandenburg. She became mother of the later king Christian III, and died in 1514. Secondly in 1518 Frederik I married his later queen, Sophie von Pommern, the daughter of Bogislaw X of Pommerania. She gave birth to 6 children, one of whom were Adolf von Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, father of the House of Gottorp. Their daughter Elisabeth married the Duke of Mecklenburg, and became mother of Sophie von Mecklenburg, queen of Denmark-Norway (Frederik II).

Danish Monarch. He reigned as King of Denmark and Norway from 1523 to 1533. He was the younger son of king Christian I of Denmark-Norway-Sweden and his queen Dorothea von Brandenburg. As a younger prince of the Royal family, Frederik was made Duke of Schleswig-Holstein. He resided at the palace Gottorp in Schleswig town. As a Duke, he was approached by the Danish nobility with an offer for the takeover of the Danish throne from his nephew Christian II, who had become unpopular in the Counsil. In 1523 he accepted, and Christian II was toppled from power. Frederik I had him later imprisoned in the Castle of Sonderburg for several years. He supported the Lutheran Reformation of the Church and allowed Lutheran preachers to takeover the church from the Catholic clericy. Monks, that had fled from their cloisters were not allowed to return. Largely the Cloister-estates were taken by the nobles of the country. He rarely resided in Denmark, but preferred to stay in his old Duchies. He was not able to speak the Danish language as he was brought up in the German tongue.Frederik I was married twice. His first wife was Anna von Brandenburg, sister of the elector Joachim I Nestor von Brandenburg. She became mother of the later king Christian III, and died in 1514. Secondly in 1518 Frederik I married his later queen, Sophie von Pommern, the daughter of Bogislaw X of Pommerania. She gave birth to 6 children, one of whom were Adolf von Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, father of the House of Gottorp. Their daughter Elisabeth married the Duke of Mecklenburg, and became mother of Sophie von Mecklenburg, queen of Denmark-Norway (Frederik II).

Bio by: Benny Chordt Hansen