Christian VII

Christian VII (29 January 1749 – 13 March 1808) was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig and Holstein from 1766 until his death in 1808. He was affected by mental illness and was only nominally king for most of his reign. His royal advisers changed depending on the outcome of power struggles. From 1770 to 1772, his court physician Johann Friedrich Struensee was the de facto ruler of the country and introduced progressive reforms signed into law by the king. Struensee was deposed by a coup in 1772, after which the country was ruled by Christian's stepmother, Queen Dowager Juliane Marie of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, his half-brother Hereditary Prince Frederick, and the Danish politician Ove Høegh-Guldberg. From 1784 until Christian VII's death in 1808, Christian's son, later Frederick VI, acted as unofficial prince regent.

Early life

Birth and family

Christian was born in the early hours of the morning on 29 January 1749 at Christiansborg Palace, the royal residence in Copenhagen. He was the fourth child and second son of the reigning monarch of Denmark–Norway, King Frederick V, and his first wife Louise of Great Britain. The newborn prince was baptized later the same day in the afternoon by the royal confessor Johannes Bartholomæus Bluhme, and was named after his late grandfather, King Christian VI. His godparents were King Frederick V (his father), Queen Dowager Sophie Magdalene (his paternal grandmother), Princess Louise (his aunt) and Princess Charlotte Amalie (his grand-aunt).