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.Gandy, "The Male Line Ancestry of King Charles III", Genealogists' Magazine, Vol. 34, Issue 5 (Society of Genealogists, March 2023), pp. 212–214. 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.
Different Oldenburgine branches have reigned in several countries. The House of Oldenburg was briefly poised to claim the British thrones through the marriage of Queen Anne and Prince George of Denmark and Norway in 1683; however, due to the early deaths of all their children, the crown passed to the House of Hanover, Oldenburgs not gaining that crown until 2022.
Rulers
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
Family tree of the House of Oldenburg (Counts of Oldenburg)
Oldenburg descent from the Danish royal line
Family tree of the House of Oldenburg (Senior line)
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 Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg (1863–) Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg (1863–1931) Christian August II (1798–1869, Reign: 1863–1869) – Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augsthenburg Frederick VIII (1829–1880, Reign: 1869–1880) – Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (nominally) Ernst Günther II (1863–1921, Reign: 1880–1921) – Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (nominally) Albert (1869–1931, Reign: 1921–1931) – Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (nominally) Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1931–) Friedrich Ferdinand (1855–1934, Reign: 1931–1934) – Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (nominally) Wilhelm Friedrich (1891–1965, Reign: 1934–1965) – Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (nominally) Peter (1922–1980, Reign: 1965–1980) – Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (nominally) Christoph (1949–2023, Reign: 1980–2023) – Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (nominally) Friedrich Ferdinand (1985–present, Reign: 2023–present) – Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (nominally)
Line of succession
By agnatic primogeniture:
Frederick I of Denmark (1471–1533) Christian III of Denmark (1503–1559) John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg (1545–1622) Alexander, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg (1573–1627) August Philipp, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck (1612–1675) Frederick Louis, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck (1653–1728) Peter August, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck (1697–1775) Prince Karl Anton August of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck (1727–1759) Friedrich Karl Ludwig, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Beck (1757–1816) Friedrich Wilhelm, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1785–1831) Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg (1814–1885) Friedrich Ferdinand, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (1855–1934) Wilhelm Friedrich, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (1891–1965) Peter, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein (1922–1980) Christoph, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein (1949–2023) Friedrich Ferdinand, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein (b. 1985) (1) Alfred, Hereditary Prince of Schleswig-Holstein (b. 2019) (2) Prince Albert of Schleswig-Holstein (b. 2020) (3) Prince Constantin of Schleswig-Holstein (b. 1986) (4) Prince Tassilo of Schleswig-Holstein (b. 2023) (5) Prince Leopold of Schleswig-Holstein (b. 1991) (6) Prince Alexander of Schleswig-Holstein (b. 1953) (7) Prince Julian of Schleswig-Holstein (b. 1997) Christian IX of Denmark (1818–1906) Frederick VIII of Denmark (1843–1912) Christian X of Denmark (1870–1947) Knud, Hereditary Prince of Denmark (1900–1976) (8) Count Ingolf of Rosenborg (b. 1940) Haakon VII of Norway (1872–1957) Olav V of Norway (1903–1991) Harald V of Norway (1937–2026) (9) Haakon VIII of Norway (b. 1973) (10) Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway (b. 2005) Prince Harald of Denmark (1876–1949) Count Oluf of Rosenborg (1923–1990) (11) Count Ulrik of Rosenborg (b. 1950) (12) Count Philip of Rosenborg (b. 1986) George I of Greece (1845–1913) Constantine I of Greece (1868–1923) Paul of Greece (1901–1964) Constantine II of Greece (1940–2023) (13) Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece (b. 1967) (14) Prince Constantine Alexios of Greece and Denmark (b. 1998) (15) Prince Achileas Andreas of Greece and Denmark (b. 2000) (16) Prince Odysseas Kimon of Greece and Denmark (b. 2004) (17) Prince Aristide Stavros of Greece and Denmark (b. 2008) (18) Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark (b. 1969) (19) Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark (b. 1986) Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark (1882–1944) Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921–2021) (20) Charles III of the United Kingdom (b. 1948) (21) William, Prince of Wales (b. 1982) (22) Prince George of Wales (b. 2013) (23) Prince Louis of Wales (b. 2018) (24) Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (b. 1984) (25) Prince Archie of Sussex (b. 2019) (26) Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (b. 1960) (27) Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh (b. 1964) (28) James Mountbatten-Windsor, Earl of Wessex (b. 2007) Prince Valdemar of Denmark (1858–1939) Prince Axel of Denmark (1888–1964) Count Flemming of Rosenborg (1922–2002) (29) Count Axel of Rosenborg (b. 1950) (30) Count Carl Johan of Rosenborg (b. 1979) (31) Count Valdemar of Rosenborg (b. 2014) (32) Count Alexander Flemming of Rosenborg (b. 1993) (33) Count Birger of Rosenborg (b. 1950) (34) Count Carl Johan of Rosenborg (b. 1952) Prince Erik, Count of Rosenborg (1890–1950) Count Christian of Rosenborg (1932–1997) (35) Count Valdemar of Rosenborg (b. 1965) (36) Count Nicolai of Rosenborg (b. 1997) Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp (1526–1586) John Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp (1575–1616) Frederick III, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp (1597–1659) Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp (1641–1695) Frederick IV, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp (1671–1702) Charles Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp (1700–1739) Peter III of Russia (1728–1762) Paul I of Russia (1728–1762) Nicholas I of Russia (1796–1855) Alexander II of Russia (1818–1881) Grand Duke Paul Alexandrovich of Russia (1860–1919) Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich of Russia (1891–1941) Prince Paul Dimitrievich Romanovsky-Ilyinsky (1928–2004) (37) Prince Dimitri Pavlovich Romanovsky-Ilyinsky (b. 1954) (38) Prince Michael Pavlovich Romanovsky-Ilyinsky (b. 1961) Grand Duke Michael Nicolaevich of Russia (1832–1909) Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia (1866–1933) Prince Andrei Alexandrovich of Russia (1897–1981) Andrew Andreevich, Prince of Russia (1923–2021) (39) Alexis Andreevich, Prince of Russia (b. 1953) (40) Prince Peter Andreevich of Russia (b. 1961) (41) Prince Andrew Andreevich of Russia (b. 1963) Prince Rostislav Alexandrovich of Russia (1902–1978) Prince Rostislav Rostislavovich of Russia (1938–1999)