2021-07-01 Thu

Christian II was a Scandinavian monarch under the Kalmar Union who reigned as King of Denmark and Norway, from 1513 until 1523, and Sweden from 1520 until 1521. From 1513 to 1523, he was concurrently Duke of Schleswig and Holstein in joint rule with his uncle Frederick.

As king, Christian tried to maintain the Kalmar Union between the Scandinavian countries which brought him to war with Sweden, lasting between 1518 and 1523. Though he captured the country in 1520, the subsequent slaughter of leading Swedish nobility, churchmen, and others, known as the Stockholm Bloodbath, caused the Swedes to rise against his rule.

Christian II is one of the most discussed of all Danish kings. He has been regarded as both a hypocritical tyrant and a progressive despot, who wanted to create an absolute monarchy based upon "free citizens". His psychological weaknesses have caught the interest of historians. Christian clearly made too many enemies. Furthermore, the Danish middle class was still not strong enough to support royal power. However, some of his ambitions were fulfilled by the victory of absolutism in 1660.

The above-shown coin issued under his reign. The obverse of a coin depicts King Christian II, holding his Scepter and the Globus Cruciger, seated on a large and ornate throne all inside an eight-lobed double line. Legend is outside the beaded circle, around the rim. The reverse of a coin shows Crowned grater arms with inescutcheon inside the beaded circle.