List of monarchs of Denmark

Royal Banner of the Kings of Denmark (c. 1300s).

This is a list of monarchs of Denmark, that is, the kings and queen regnants of Denmark. This includes:

The Kingdom of Denmark (up to 1397)
- Personal union of Denmark and Norway (1380–1397)
The Kalmar Union (1397–1536)
- Union of Denmark, Norway and Sweden (1397–1523)
- Union of Denmark and Norway (1523–1536/1537)
The United Kingdoms of Denmark–Norway (1536/1537–1814)
The Kingdom of Denmark (1814–present)
- Iceland (since the union between Denmark and Norway in 1380; independent kingdom in a personal union with Denmark 1918–1944; a sovereign republic since 1944)
- Greenland (since the union between Denmark and Norway in 1380; effective Danish–Norwegian control began in 1721; integrated into the Danish Realm in 1953; internal home rule introduced 1979; self-rule assumed in 2009; Greenland has two out of 179 seats in the Danish parliament Folketinget)
- Faroe Islands (since the union between Denmark and Norway in 1380; County of Denmark 1816–1948; internal home rule introduced 1948; The Faroe Islands have two out of 179 seats in the Danish parliament Folketinget)

The House of Oldenburg held the Danish Crown between 1448 and 1863, when it passed to the House of Glücksburg, a cadet branch of the same house, patrilineally descended from King Christian III of Denmark. The kingdom had been elective (although the eldest son or brother of the previous king was usually elected) until 1660 when it became hereditary and absolutist. Until 1864, Denmark was also united in a personal union with the duchies of Holstein and Saxe-Lauenburg (1815–1864), and in a political and personal union with the Duchy of Schleswig.

Pre-Knýtlinga Danish monarchs

The Sigtrygg Runestones of the "House of Olaf" was raised after king Sigtrygg by his mother. 934 AD.

King Cnut I (Harthacnut). 17th century engraving.

The exact date of origin of the Kingdom of Denmark is not established, but names of Danish kings begins to emerge in foreign sources from the 8th century and onwards. Danish and Nordic legendary stories, chronicles and sagas often have accounts of Danish kings and dynasties stretching further back in time than the 7th century, but the historicity of the content and interpretations of these stories are often put to doubt.

Chochilaicus—see Hugleik and Hygelac—c. 515 AD, mentioned by Gregory of Tours (538–594).[1][2][3][4]
Ongendus (Angantyr): c. 710 Saint Willibrord wrote about when he visited the Danes, at the time ruled by Ongendus.[5]
Harald, named as former king in relating 9th-century events, perhaps model for legendary Harald Wartooth. Related to the Frisian king Redbad II who in 754 had to flee to "the land of the Danes" where King Harald reigned ("Daniae Regi Heraldi").[6]
Sigfred: 770s–790s
Gudfred: 804–810, mentioned as Danish king.[1] Alternate spellings: Godfred, Göttrick (German), Godric(Anglicized English), Gøtrik (Danish), Gudrød (Danish)
Hemming: 810–812.[1]
Sigfred, nephew of Gudfred, and Anulo (Anlaufr), grandson or nephew of Harald, fought for the throne and both were killed, perhaps model for the legendary Sigurd Hring: c. 812
Harald Klak and his brothers Ragnfrid and Hemming Halfdansson: 812–813 and again from 819/827. From 826 he was in exile with Louis the Pious.[7]
Sons of Gudfred (Godrik): 814–820s
- Horik I: (814) 827–854.[5]
Horik II: 854–860s.[5]
Late 9th century kings
- Bagsecg: c. 860s–871
- Halfdan: 871–877
- Sigfred: c. 873–891.[5]
- Gudfred: 880s
- Heiligo (Halga): 890s (?), described by Adam of Bremen as the immediate predecessor of the House of Olof.
The "House of Olaf": late 9th century and early 10th century. This dynasty is described by Adam of Bremen, and members of this claimed dynasty are commemorated by the two Sigtrygg Runestones, which represent contemporary evidence that some of these kings controlled at least part of Denmark.[8]
- Olof, said by Adam to have come from Sweden and defeated Heiligo, taking the crown.
- Gyrd and Gnupa, sons and joint successors of Olof, according to Adam. Gnupa is named by Widukind of Corvey as leader of the Danes in 934, and appears on the Sigtrygg Runestones. The Danish medieval annals, on the other hand, doesn't mention Gnupa at all, whereas Gyrd is stated in several of these annals as being a nephew of and successor to Olof.
- Sigtrygg, son of Gnupa, memorialized on the Sigtrygg Runestones, presumably dating from shortly after 934.
Eric the Victorious of Sweden mentioned by Adam of Bremen and Saxo Grammaticus as ruling Denmark after an invasion by Sweden together with Slavic warriors. Adam of Bremen got the information from Danish king Sweyn II. The Stone of Eric also describes an attack on Hedeby from the same period. Since Eric also, according to another source of Adam of Bremen, invaded the Holy Roman Empire. It virtually requires Eric to have been the king of Denmark. Therefore two independent sources describe Eric as the king of Denmark.[9][10]

Semi-legendary kings

Genealogia Regum Daniæ.

Ragnar Lodbrok, a legendary king probably in the 9th century, only appears in sagas and late histories, and these accounts are wildly inconsistent. He may be a composite character, a chimera of several historical kings and Vikings.
Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye (da: Sigurd Orm-i-øje or Snogeøje). Mentioned by late Chronicon Roskildense and Ragnarssona þáttr. Said to be king of Zealand and Scania, and son of Ragnar Lodbrok. He may be inspired by late 9th century King Sigfred (above).
Harthacnut I (Hardeknud). According to the sagas he is son of Sigurd Snake-in-the-Eye, but some historians identify him with Adam's Hardegon, Svein's son, who invaded Denmark from Northmannia and supplanted the House of Olof. He may have ruled only part of Denmark, as Adam places the commencement of his long reign between 909 and 915, while the House of Olof was still ruling at least part of Denmark as late as 934. He was father of Gorm the Old.