GESTA DANORUM
Geographicaly, the kingdom of Denmark sits in the middle of Europe. However, culturaly it has always been on the outskirts. As the southernmost of the Scandinavian countries, and the only one with a landborder to the German states south of Scandinavia, Denmark was always the first to meet new impulses from the rest of the world, be they peaceful or not.
The close contact with Germany always left a big scism for the Danish kings. Should they embrace the German culture with all its splendor of the courts, or should they maintain their independence and close ties with the northern brothers?
For centuries, the answer was to oppose any interference from the Holy Roman Empire. From the establishment of a Danish archbishopry in Lund over the murder of Knud Lavard and to the crusades in the Baltic region, Danish medieval history can be interpreted as a constant struggle to shape ones own history without nosy neighbours to come knocking.
But by the late 13th century, the Danish kings got so much taste for the courtly life of the German dukes, that they borrowed money to keep a court of their own. In doing so, they pawned away the entire country, which was held by German counts for years until Niels Ebbesen killed the bald count Gerhard in Randers and paved the way for Valdemar Atterdag to reclaim the throne for the old line of kings that could be traced back to the first Christian king, Harald, in the 10th century.
Valdemar died without a grown up heir, so his daughter Margrete ruled for her son Oluf, who was also the son of the king of Norway and grandson of the king of Sweden. Oluf was the last male descendant of the old Viking kings, and his mother helped him take the three thrones that were his rightful claim from a German duke, Albrecht of Mecklenburg. Oluf seemed to be the hope of all the Nordic countries to finally unite under one common king. Unfortunately, he died shortly after.
Now his cousin, Erik VII of Pommerania has inherited his crown. An indecisive 17 year old raised in Germany is the incarnation of a dream. A dream of unified Scandinavia, that will surpress the German oppressors and the Hanseatic League once and for all. The Swedish nobles are grumbling that this was not the kind of king they anticipated, and might be fielding a candidate of their own. Will Erik succeed? Will his kingdom?
Table of Contents
The House of Pomerania
Erik VII of Pomerania (1396-1405)
Chapter I: The Adolescence of Erik VII
Chapter II: An Untimely Event
Frederik I The Meek (1405-1416)
Chapter III: The First Baltic War
Chapter IV: The Short Reign of Frederik I
Vilhelm The Conqueror (1416-1440)
Chapter V: The Youth of Vilhelm I
Fact Box: The Courtly Life of King Vilhelm I
Chapter VI: The Conqueror
Chapter VII: The Holy Roman Emperor
Chapter VIII: Lament For A King
Hans The Cruel (1441-1470)
Chapter IX: Hans
Chapter X: Hans The Cruel
Christian The Explorer (1470-1507)
Fact box: Europe At The Ascension of Christian I
Chapter XI: The Independence War
Chapter XII: A Troubled Peace
Fact box: A Short History of Danes in Greenland
Chapter XIII: The War of The Tripple Alliance
Chapter XIV: An Ever Expanding Union
Frederik II The Pious or The Great (1507-1543)
Chapter XV: The Second Baltic War
Fact Box: Bernardo Grosso, Sebastian Sehested and The Council of Frösön
Chapter XVI: Rumble in Russia
Chapter XVII: Regarding Krakow
Christian II The Tyrant or (in Pomerania)The Brave (1543-1557)
Chapter XVIII: All Things Must Pass
Factbox: Rosekrantz and Gyldenstierne
The House of Gyldenstierne
Frederik III Gyldenstierne (1557-1588)
Chapter XIX: Kådkarle var alle galne med køller
Source: King Hagen and Lord Christopher
Chapter XX: A Reformed Kingdom
Chapter XXI: Kirkwal and Beyond
Harald IV The Chosen Prince or The Mad (1588-1619)
Chapter XXII: The Special Relationship
Chapter XXIII: The First Rosenkrantz War
Chapter XXIV: Dette landet Harald berget
Factbox: The Private Life of Harald IV
Chapter XXV: The British-French War and The Irish Revolt
Chapter XXVI: Fear of God Is the Strength of the Realms
Regency Council (1619-1622)
Chapter XXVII: The Kruse Regency
Chapter XXVIII: The Ascension of Christopher Gyldenstierne
Christopher III Gyldenstierne or The Young, also Damned Christopher(1622-1633)
Chapter XXIX: Lord Peder and King Christopher
Chapter XXX: The Archbishop of Copenhagen
Interlude
Chapter XXXI: Sheep die, kinsmen die
Christian III Gyldenstierne or The Second Prince (1633-1662)
Chapter XXXII: "Es wird niemahls wie es war"
Chapter XXXIII: Knowing when to stop
Chapter XXXIV: The Land Is Build By The Law
Chapter XXXV: Es wird noch ein mahl wie es war
Source: Opening scene of "Kejserkrigen"
Chapter XXXVI: Great Expectations
Frederik IV the Great or Lillekongen (1662-1690)
Chapter XXXVII: The Little King
Chapter XXXVIII: Cold War
Chapter XXXIX: Blood and Water
Chapter XL: All Of Your Base Are Belong To Us
Chapter XLI: The Billy Goat
Chapter XLII: Up In Smoke
Vilhelm II Gyldenstierne(1690) (de jure)
Margrete of Great Britain (1690-1721) (de facto)/Frederik V (1690-52) (de jure)
Portrait: Margrethe of Great Britain
Factbox: What The Star Shone Upon
Chapter XLIII: Silence Is Golden
Chapter XLIV: Masters of War
Chapter XLV: Taking The Turk By The Beard
Chapter XLVI: Of Kings, Queens And Countesses
Chapter XLVII: Greek Ambitions
Factbox: Freeing the Peasant
Chapter XLVIII: Norway In Their Hearts
Margrethe II Gyldenstierne (1721-1752(de facto)/Frederik V (de jure) (1690-1752)
Chapter XLIX: A Century of Unrest I- Margrethe Gyldenstierne and the Formation of Scandinavia
Harald V Gyldenstierne (1752-1785) and Valdemar V Gyldenstierne (1785-1805)
Chapter L: A Century of Unrest II- The Road To Ruin
The Republic of Scandinavia
Chapter LI: A Century of Unrest III- The Scandinavian Revolution
~~ The End ~~
Erik VII of Pomerania (1396-1405)
Chapter I: The Adolescence of Erik VII
Chapter II: An Untimely Event
Frederik I The Meek (1405-1416)
Chapter III: The First Baltic War
Chapter IV: The Short Reign of Frederik I
Vilhelm The Conqueror (1416-1440)
Chapter V: The Youth of Vilhelm I
Fact Box: The Courtly Life of King Vilhelm I
Chapter VI: The Conqueror
Chapter VII: The Holy Roman Emperor
Chapter VIII: Lament For A King
Hans The Cruel (1441-1470)
Chapter IX: Hans
Chapter X: Hans The Cruel
Christian The Explorer (1470-1507)
Fact box: Europe At The Ascension of Christian I
Chapter XI: The Independence War
Chapter XII: A Troubled Peace
Fact box: A Short History of Danes in Greenland
Chapter XIII: The War of The Tripple Alliance
Chapter XIV: An Ever Expanding Union
Frederik II The Pious or The Great (1507-1543)
Chapter XV: The Second Baltic War
Fact Box: Bernardo Grosso, Sebastian Sehested and The Council of Frösön
Chapter XVI: Rumble in Russia
Chapter XVII: Regarding Krakow
Christian II The Tyrant or (in Pomerania)The Brave (1543-1557)
Chapter XVIII: All Things Must Pass
Factbox: Rosekrantz and Gyldenstierne
The House of Gyldenstierne
Frederik III Gyldenstierne (1557-1588)
Chapter XIX: Kådkarle var alle galne med køller
Source: King Hagen and Lord Christopher
Chapter XX: A Reformed Kingdom
Chapter XXI: Kirkwal and Beyond
Harald IV The Chosen Prince or The Mad (1588-1619)
Chapter XXII: The Special Relationship
Chapter XXIII: The First Rosenkrantz War
Chapter XXIV: Dette landet Harald berget
Factbox: The Private Life of Harald IV
Chapter XXV: The British-French War and The Irish Revolt
Chapter XXVI: Fear of God Is the Strength of the Realms
Regency Council (1619-1622)
Chapter XXVII: The Kruse Regency
Chapter XXVIII: The Ascension of Christopher Gyldenstierne
Christopher III Gyldenstierne or The Young, also Damned Christopher(1622-1633)
Chapter XXIX: Lord Peder and King Christopher
Chapter XXX: The Archbishop of Copenhagen
Interlude
Chapter XXXI: Sheep die, kinsmen die
Christian III Gyldenstierne or The Second Prince (1633-1662)
Chapter XXXII: "Es wird niemahls wie es war"
Chapter XXXIII: Knowing when to stop
Chapter XXXIV: The Land Is Build By The Law
Chapter XXXV: Es wird noch ein mahl wie es war
Source: Opening scene of "Kejserkrigen"
Chapter XXXVI: Great Expectations
Frederik IV the Great or Lillekongen (1662-1690)
Chapter XXXVII: The Little King
Chapter XXXVIII: Cold War
Chapter XXXIX: Blood and Water
Chapter XL: All Of Your Base Are Belong To Us
Chapter XLI: The Billy Goat
Chapter XLII: Up In Smoke
Vilhelm II Gyldenstierne(1690) (de jure)
Margrete of Great Britain (1690-1721) (de facto)/Frederik V (1690-52) (de jure)
Portrait: Margrethe of Great Britain
Factbox: What The Star Shone Upon
Chapter XLIII: Silence Is Golden
Chapter XLIV: Masters of War
Chapter XLV: Taking The Turk By The Beard
Chapter XLVI: Of Kings, Queens And Countesses
Chapter XLVII: Greek Ambitions
Factbox: Freeing the Peasant
Chapter XLVIII: Norway In Their Hearts
Margrethe II Gyldenstierne (1721-1752(de facto)/Frederik V (de jure) (1690-1752)
Chapter XLIX: A Century of Unrest I- Margrethe Gyldenstierne and the Formation of Scandinavia
Harald V Gyldenstierne (1752-1785) and Valdemar V Gyldenstierne (1785-1805)
Chapter L: A Century of Unrest II- The Road To Ruin
The Republic of Scandinavia
Chapter LI: A Century of Unrest III- The Scandinavian Revolution
~~ The End ~~
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