Editing Christian IV of Denmark (section)

==Early years ==

=== Birth and family ===
[[File:Gamle Frederiksborg c 1585.jpg|thumb|left|Frederiksborg Castle, {{Circa|1585}}.]]

Christian was born at [[Frederiksborg Castle]] in Denmark on 12 April 1577 as the third child and eldest son of King [[Frederick II of Denmark|Frederick II]] of [[Denmark–Norway]] and [[Sofie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]].<ref name="Britannica" /> He was descended, through his mother's side, from King [[John, King of Denmark|John of Denmark]], and was thus the first descendant of King John to assume the crown since the deposition of King [[Christian II of Denmark|Christian II]].

At the time, Denmark was still an [[elective monarchy]], so in spite of being the eldest son Christian was not automatically heir to the throne. But Norway was a [[hereditary monarchy]], and electing someone else would result in the end of the [[Denmark-Norway|union of the crowns]]. However, in 1580, at the age of 3, his father had him elected Prince and successor to the throne of Denmark.

=== Young king ===
[[File:Carl Bloch - Ved Niels Kaas dødsleje 1880.jpg|thumb|upright|''At the death bed of [[Niels Kaas]].'' The 17-year-old Christian IV receives from the dying chancellor the keys to the vault where the royal crown and sceptre are stored.<br/>History painting by [[Carl Bloch]], 1880.]]

At the death of his father on 4 April 1588, Christian was just 10 years old.<ref name="Britannica" /> He succeeded to the throne, but as he was still under-age a [[regency council]] was set up to serve as the trustees of the royal power while Christian was still growing up. It was led by [[chancellor]] [[Niels Kaas]] (1535–1594) and consisted of the ''[[Rigsraadet]]'' council members [[Peder Munk]] (1534–1623), Jørgen Ottesen Rosenkrantz (1523–1596) and [[Christoffer Valkendorff]] (1525–1601). His mother [[Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow|Queen Dowager Sophie]], 30 years old, had wished to play a role in the government, but was denied by the council.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Rosenkrantz, Jørgen, 1523–96 |url=https://runeberg.org/dbl/14/0253.html |access-date=15 August 2016 |publisher=Dansk biografisk Lexikon}}</ref> At the death of Niels Kaas in 1594, Jørgen Rosenkrantz took over leadership of the regency council.

[[File:Coronation of Christian IV in 1596.jpg|left|thumb|The coronation of King Christian IV on 29 August 1596<br/>[[History painting]] by [[Otto Bache]], 1887.]]

=== Coming of age and coronation ===
Christian continued his studies at [[Sorø Academy]] where he had a reputation as a headstrong and talented student.<ref name="gad">"Gads Historieleksikon", 3rd edition, 2006. Paul Ulff-Møller, "''Christian 4.''", pp. 99–100. {{ISBN|87-12-04259-5}}</ref>

In 1595, the [[Rigsraadet|Council of the Realm]] decided that Christian would soon be old enough to assume personal control of the reins of government. On 17 August 1596, at the age of 19, Christian signed his [[haandfæstning]] (lit. "Handbinding" viz. curtailment of the monarch's power, a Danish parallel to [[Magna Carta]]), which was an identical copy of his father's from 1559.<ref name="Britannica" />

Twelve days later, on 29 August 1596, Christian IV was [[coronation|crowned]] at the [[Church of Our Lady (Copenhagen)|Church of Our Lady]] in [[Copenhagen]] by the [[Bishop of Zealand]], Peder Jensen Vinstrup (1549–1614). He was crowned with a new [[Danish Crown Regalia]] which had been made for him by Dirich Fyring (1580–1603),<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dirich Fyring |url=http://www.kongernessamling.dk/rosenborg/person/dirich-fyring/ |access-date=1 September 2016 |publisher=kongernessamling.dk}}</ref> assisted by the [[Nuremberg]] goldsmith, Corvinius Saur.<ref>[http://special-1.bl.uk/treasures/festivalbooks/BookDetails.aspx?strFest=0296 ''Kurzer Discurs was Feyrlicheit vnd Geprenge zu Copenhagen'' ..., Wegener, Schlewig (1596)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407011557/http://special-1.bl.uk/treasures/festivalbooks/BookDetails.aspx?strFest=0296 |date=7 April 2016 }} Account of Christian's coronation in 1596: digitised by the [[British Library]]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Vinstrup, Peder Jensen, 1549–1614, Biskop |url=https://runeberg.org/dbl/19/0141.html |access-date=15 August 2016 |publisher=Dansk biografisk Lexikon}}</ref>

=== Marriage ===
On 30 November 1597, he married [[Anne Catherine of Brandenburg]], a daughter of [[Joachim Friedrich]], [[Margrave of Brandenburg]] and [[Duchy of Prussia|Duke of Prussia]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Anna Cathrine, 1575–1612, Dronning |url=https://runeberg.org/dbl/1/0305.html |access-date=15 August 2016 |publisher=Dansk biografisk Lexikon}}</ref>