House of Oldenburg

The House of Oldenburg is an ancient dynasty of German origin whose members rule or have ruled in Denmark, Iceland, Greece, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Livonia, Schleswig, Holstein, and Oldenburg. The current King of the United Kingdom and King of Norway are agnatic members of this house, meanwhile the King of Spain and King of Denmark are matrilineal members.

The dynasty rose to prominence when Count Christian I of Oldenburg was elected King of Denmark in 1448, of Norway in 1450 and of Sweden in 1457. The house then occupied the Danish throne continuously for 576 years until the abdication of Queen Margrethe II in 2024.

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 various 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, its competitors were the successors of Margaret I of Denmark. In the 15th century, the Oldenburg heir of that claim married Hedwig of Schauenburg, a descendant of a granddaughter of King Magnus III of Sweden (Euphemia of Sweden and Norway) and also a descendant of Eric V of Denmark and Abel of Denmark. Since descendants better situated in genealogical charts died out, their son Christian (the abovementioned) became the king of all three kingdoms of the whole Kalmar Union. The House of Mecklenburg was its chief competitor regarding the Northern thrones, and other aspirants included the Duke of Lauenburg. 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.

Main line

 * Counts (1101–1773), Dukes (1773–1810) and Grand Dukes (1815–1918) of Oldenburg
 * Kings of Denmark (1448–1863)
 * Kings of Norway (1450–1814)
 * Kings of Sweden (1457–64, 1497–1501 and 1520–21)
 * 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)

Branches

 * Kings of Denmark (1448–1863)
 * Danneskiold-Samsøe (since 1695) (illegitimate branch)
 * Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, extinct in male line in 1931
 * Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein (claimant in 1863, then titular dukes until 1931)
 * Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
 * Dukes of Schleswig-Holstein (titular dukes since 1931)
 * Kings and queens of Denmark (1863–2024) and of Iceland (1918–44)
 * Rosenborg (since 1914; nondynastic)
 * Kings of the Hellenes (1863–1924, 1935–73)
 * Kings of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth Realms (since 2022)
 * Kings of Norway (since 1905)
 * Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp
 * Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp (1544–1739)
 * Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov (commonly still called Romanov)
 * Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp (1739–73)
 * Emperors of Russia (1762 and 1796–1917)
 * Holstein-Gottorp (Swedish line), extinct
 * Kings of Sweden (1751–1818)
 * King of Norway (1814–18)
 * Holstein-Gottorp (Grand ducal line)
 * Dukes (later grand dukes) of Oldenburg (1774–1918)

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)
 * [[Image:Simple gold crown.svg|15px]] 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)
 * (9) Harald V of Norway (b. 1937)
 * (10) Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway (b. 1973)
 * (11) Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway (b. 2005)
 * Prince Harald of Denmark (1876–1949)
 * Count Oluf of Rosenborg (1923–1990)
 * (12) Count Ulrik of Rosenborg (b. 1950)
 * (13) 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)
 * (14) Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece (b. 1967)
 * (15) Prince Constantine Alexios of Greece and Denmark (b. 1998)
 * (16) Prince Achileas Andreas of Greece and Denmark (b. 2000)
 * (17) Prince Odysseas Kimon of Greece and Denmark (b. 2004)
 * (18) Prince Aristide Stavros of Greece and Denmark (b. 2008)
 * (19) Prince Nikolaos of Greece and Denmark (b. 1969)
 * (20) Prince Philippos of Greece and Denmark (b. 1986)
 * Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark (1882–1944)
 * Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921–2021)
 * (21) Charles III of the United Kingdom (b. 1948)
 * (22) William, Prince of Wales (b. 1982)
 * (23) Prince George of Wales (b. 2013)
 * (24) Prince Louis of Wales (b. 2018)
 * (25) Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex (b. 1984)
 * (26) Prince Archie of Sussex (b. 2019)
 * (27) Prince Andrew, Duke of York (b. 1960)
 * (28) Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh (b. 1964)
 * (29) James Mountbatten-Windsor, Earl of Wessex (b. 2007)
 * Prince Christopher of Greece and Denmark (1888–1940)
 * (30) Prince Michael of Greece and Denmark (b. 1939)
 * Prince Valdemar of Denmark (1858–1939)
 * Prince Axel of Denmark (1888–1964)
 * Count Flemming of Rosenborg (1922–2002)
 * (31) Count Axel of Rosenborg (b. 1950)
 * (32) Count Carl Johan of Rosenborg (b. 1979)
 * (33) Count Valdemar of Rosenborg (b. 2014)
 * (34) Count Alexander Flemming of Rosenborg (b. 1993)
 * (35) Count Birger of Rosenborg (b. 1950)
 * (36) Count Carl Johan of Rosenborg (b. 1952)
 * Prince Erik, Count of Rosenborg (1890–1950)
 * Count Christian of Rosenborg (1932–1997)
 * (37) Count Valdemar of Rosenborg (b. 1965)
 * (38) 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)
 * (39) Prince Dimitri Pavlovich Romanovsky-Ilyinsky (b. 1954)
 * (40) Prince Michael Pavlovich Romanovsky-Ilyinsky (b. 1961)
 * Prince George Alexandrovich Yurievsky (1872-1913)
 * Prince Alexander Georgijevich Yurievsky (1900-1988)
 * (not in line of succession as his grandfather Prince George was born out of wedlock) Prince George Alexandrovich Yurievsky (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)
 * (41) Alexis Andreevich, Prince of Russia (b. 1953)
 * (42) Prince Peter Andreevich of Russia (b. 1961)
 * (43) Prince Andrew Andreevich of Russia (b. 1963)
 * Prince Rostislav Alexandrovich of Russia (1902-1978)
 * Prince Rostislav Rostislavovich of Russia (1938-1999)''
 * (44) Prince Rostislav Rostislavovich of Russia (b. 1985)
 * (not in line of succession as he was born out of wedlock) Prince Rostislav Rostislavovich of Russia (b. 2013)
 * (not in line of succession as he was born out of wedlock) Prince Mikhail Rostislavovich of Russia (b. 2015)
 * (45) Prince Nikita Rostislavovich of Russia (b. 1987)
 * Prince Nicholas Rostislavovich of Russia (1945-2000)
 * (46) Prince Nicholas Nicolaevich of Russia (b. 1968)
 * (47) Prince Daniel Nicolaevich of Russia (b. 1972)
 * (48) Prince Jackson Daniel Danielaevich of Russia (b. 2009)
 * Prince Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp (1673-1726)
 * Prince Georg Ludwig of Holstein-Gottorp (1719-1763)
 * Peter I, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (1755-1829)
 * Augustus, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (1783-1853)
 * Peter II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (1827-1900)
 * Frederick Augustus II, Grand Duke of Oldenburg (1852-1931)
 * Nikolaus, Hereditary Grand Duke of Oldenburg (1897-1970)
 * Anton Günther, Duke of Oldenburg (1923-2014)
 * (49) Christian, Duke of Oldenburg (b. 1955)
 * (50) Alexander, Hereditary Duke of Oldenburg (b. 1990)
 * (51) Duke Philipp of Oldenburg (b. 1991)
 * (52) Duke Anton Friedrich of Oldenburg (b. 1993)
 * Duke Peter of Oldenburg (1926-2016)
 * (53) Duke Nikolaus of Oldenburg (b. 1955)
 * (54) Duke Christoph of Oldenburg (b. 1985)
 * (55) Duke Georg of Oldenburg (b. 1990)
 * (56) Duke Oscar of Oldenburg (b. 1991)
 * Duke Friedrich August of Oldenburg (1936–2017)
 * (57) Duke Paul-Wladimir of Oldenburg (b. 1969)
 * (58) Duke Kirill of Oldenburg (b. 2002)
 * (59) Duke Carlos of Oldenburg (b. 2004)
 * (60) Duke Paul of Oldenburg (b. 2005)
 * (61) Duke Louis of Oldenburg (b. 2012)
 * (62) Duke Huno of Oldenburg (b. 1940)
 * (63) Duke Johann of Oldenburg (b. 1940)
 * (64) Duke Konstantin Nikolaus of Oldenburg (b. 1975)