Period

Christian IV lived from 1577 to 1648 and reigned as king of Denmark and Norway from 1588 until his death.

Marriage

He was first married to Anna Cathrine of Brandenburg and later in a left-handed marriage with Kirsten Munk – which resulted in many children and numerous scandals.

Interests

Christian loved architecture, maritime affairs, science, and – not least – celebration and splendor. He was behind the construction of, among other things, the Stock Exchange, the Round Tower, and Rosenborg Castle, and he wanted to make Copenhagen a European capital worthy of its name.

Family

He was the son of Frederick II and Queen Sophie. He fathered over 20 children in total, both with his queen and with Kirsten Munk – which led to dynastic conflicts and dramatic family dinners.

Although Kronborg was built by his father, Frederick II, Christian IV was quick to make the castle his own stage for royal power. He used it not just as a residence and banquet hall, but as a grand symbol of Denmark’s might. It was here that he impressed foreign visitors with the kingdom’s splendor and his own authority.

Rather than rebuilding Kronborg, Christian IV ensured the castle remained one of Denmark’s most important strongholds by skillfully using it as a backdrop to showcase his power and prestige. He carried on his father’s tradition of turning Kronborg into a stage, highlighting Denmark’s place in Europe and his own role as a refined Renaissance king.

Christian IV wasn’t too worried about budgets and his ambitions had no limits. He poured vast sums into building castles, founding cities, and waging wars. Some of his projects, like the Round Tower and Christianshavn, were great successes, while others became reminders of decay and dreams left unfulfilled. Yet, his talent for showcasing Denmark (and himself) was unmatched. Through grand architecture, ceremonial events, and spectacular displays, he made royal power visible and tangible to the people. In Christian IV’s hands, Kronborg was more than just a castle; it was a living symbol of Danish greatness, used whenever there was a need to impress or negotiate. Today, we’d call it brilliant branding.

Christian IV never became the victorious war king he dreamed of. But as a builder, curator, and master of spectacle, he left his mark everywhere. No Danish king before or since has built so much, celebrated so wildly, or played so boldly with the idea of what it meant to be a king.

He died in 1648, poorer than when he was born, but richer in stories than most. And many of those stories began at Kronborg.