Editing Christian X (section)

== Reign ==
===Accession===
[[File:King Christian X talking to the people on his accession 1912.jpg|thumb|Christian X addressing the people at his Accession to the throne in 1912.|alt=]]
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-00617A, Kaiser Wilhelm II. und Christian X..jpg|thumb|King Christian and the [[Wilhelm II, German Emperor|German Emperor]] during a visit to [[Berlin]] in 1913|alt=]]

On 14 May 1912, [[Frederick VIII of Denmark|King Frederick VIII]] died at the age of 68 after collapsing from shortness of breath while taking an evening walk in [[Hamburg]], Germany. He had been returning from a recuperation stay in [[Nice]], France, and was staying anonymously in the city before continuing to [[Copenhagen]]. Christian was in [[Copenhagen]] when he heard about his father's demise and succeeded to the throne at the age of 41. He was [[Coronation of the Danish monarch#Proclamations of the constitutional monarchy|proclaimed king]] from the balcony of [[Christian VII's Palace]] at [[Amalienborg]] by the [[Prime Minister (Denmark)|Prime Minister]] [[Klaus Berntsen]] as King Christian X.

===World War I===
[[File:Meeting of Scandinavian kings 2.jpeg|thumb|Christian X of Denmark, [[Gustav V of Sweden]] and [[Haakon VII of Norway]] at the meeting of the three Scandinavian kings in [[Malmö]] in December 1914.]]

At the start of the [[First World War]] in 1914, King Christian and the [[Government of Denmark|Danish government]] advocated that Denmark pursue a [[Neutral country|policy of neutrality]]. The King supported the policy of neutrality by participating in the so-called meeting of the Three Kings held on 18 December 1914 in [[Malmö]] in [[Sweden]]. There, the three Scandinavian monarchs King Christian X of Denmark, King Haakon VII of Norway (Christian's brother) and King [[Gustav V of Sweden]] (Christian's mother's cousin) met along with their foreign ministers to discuss and emphasize the neutrality of the Nordic countries, and in a joint declaration, confirmed the three states' strict neutrality during the war.<ref>{{cite web|first=Sara|last=Griberg|title=Trekongemødet i Malmø|url=http://altomhistorie.dk/artikler/trekongemoedet-i-malmoe|website=altomhistorie.dk|date=12 November 2014|access-date=2 April 2017|language=da}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|first=Jacob|last=Wiberg|url=http://www.popularhistoria.se/artiklar/trekungamotet-i-malmo-1914/|title=Trekungamötet i Malmö 1914|journal=Populär Historia|issue=12|year=2008|language=sv}}</ref> The meeting in 1914 was followed by another three-kings meeting in Kristiania in November 1917.

Denmark in fact managed to maintain its neutrality during the war. However, the Danish government bowed to pressure from [[German Empire|Germany]], and had [[naval mine]]s laid in Danish waters with tacit [[British Empire|British]] acceptance, despite the fact that Denmark was obliged under [[international law]] to [[Freedom of navigation|keep its territorial waters open]].<ref name="byhistorie">{{cite web|last1=Baltzersen|first1=Jan|title=Denmark and Southern Jutland during the First World War|url=http://ddb.byhistorie.dk/monumenter/artikel.aspx?xid=denmark_and_southern_jutland|website=ddb.byhistorie.dk|accessdate=4 November 2020}}</ref>

In 1915, the [[Constitution of Denmark]] was changed to introduce [[universal suffrage]], and [[Women's suffrage|women were given the right to vote]] along with [[domestic servant]]s. Although the king was reluctant to the constitutional changes, the [[Danish Women's Society]] organized a procession with approximately 20,000 participants who went to Amalienborg to thank the king. In his address to the procession, the king stated, among other things: <blockquote>In one place, women cannot be dispensed with, and that is in the homes. Here, the influence of women cannot be replaced, because through the child's love for the home, the one for our common home, Denmark, is awakened.{{sfn|Jespersen|2007|p=235-236}}</blockquote>

===Easter Crisis of 1920===
{{Main|Easter Crisis of 1920}}

In April 1920, Christian instigated the Easter Crisis, perhaps the most decisive event in the evolution of the Danish monarchy in the twentieth century. The immediate cause was a conflict between the King and the cabinet over the reunification with Denmark of [[Schleswig]], a former Danish [[fiefdom]], which had been lost to [[Prussia]] during the [[Second War of Schleswig]]. Danish claims to the region persisted to the end of [[World War I]], at which time the defeat of the Germans made it possible to resolve the dispute. According to the terms of the [[Treaty of Versailles]], the disposition of Schleswig was to be determined by two [[plebiscite]]s: one in Northern Schleswig (Denmark's [[South Jutland County]] 1971–2006), the other in Central Schleswig (today part of the German state of [[Schleswig-Holstein]]). No plebiscite was planned for Southern Schleswig, as it was dominated by an ethnic German majority and, in accordance with prevailing sentiment of the times, remained part of the post-war German state.

In Northern Schleswig, seventy-five percent voted for reunification with Denmark and twenty-five percent for remaining with Germany. In this vote, the entire region was considered to be an indivisible unit, and the entire region was awarded to Denmark. In Central Schleswig, the situation was reversed with eighty percent voting for Germany and twenty percent for Denmark. In this vote, each municipality decided its own future, and German majorities prevailed everywhere. In light of these results, the government of Prime Minister [[Carl Theodor Zahle]] determined that reunification with Northern Schleswig could go forward, while Central Schleswig would remain under German control.

Many Danish nationalists felt that at least the city of [[Flensburg]], in Central Schleswig, should be returned to Denmark regardless of the plebiscite's results, due to the sizeable Danish minority there and a general desire to see Germany permanently weakened in the future. Christian X agreed with these sentiments, and ordered Prime Minister Zahle to include Flensburg in the re-unification process. As Denmark had been operating as a [[parliamentary democracy]] since the [[Cabinet of Deuntzer]] in 1901, Zahle felt he was under no obligation to comply. He refused the order and resigned several days later after a heated exchange with the King.

[[File:Before Danish Royal Palace, 1920 LCCN2014710621.tif|thumb|Demonstrations against the king at [[Amalienborg Square, Copenhagen|Amalienborg Square]] in 1920]]

Subsequently, Christian X dismissed the rest of the [[Zahle II Cabinet|cabinet]] and replaced it with a ''de facto'' conservative [[Liebe Cabinet|caretaker cabinet]]. The dismissal caused demonstrations and an almost revolutionary atmosphere in Denmark, and for several days the future of the monarchy seemed very much in doubt. In light of this, negotiations were opened between the King and members of the [[Social Democrats (Denmark)|Social Democrats]]. Faced with the potential overthrow of the Danish Crown, Christian X stood down and dismissed his own government, installing a [[Friis Cabinet|compromise cabinet]] until elections could be held later that year.

To date, this is the last time a reigning Danish monarch has attempted to take political action without the full support of parliament. Following the crisis, Christian X bowed fully to his drastically reduced status, and spent the last quarter-century of his rule as a model constitutional monarch.

===World War II===
[[File:Christian X.jpg|thumb|upright|During the German [[Denmark in World War II|occupation of Denmark]], the King's daily ride through Copenhagen became a symbol of Danish sovereignty. This picture was taken on his birthday in 1940|left]]

On 9 April 1940 at 4&nbsp;am Nazi Germany [[German invasion of Denmark (1940)|invaded Denmark in a surprise attack]], overwhelming Denmark's Army and Navy and destroying the Danish Army Air Corps. Christian X quickly realized that Denmark was in an impossible position. Its territory and population were far too small to hold out against Germany for any sustained period of time. Its flat land would have resulted in it being easily overrun by German [[panzer]]s; [[Jutland]], for instance, would have been overrun in short order by a panzer attack from [[Schleswig-Holstein]] immediately to the south. Unlike its Nordic neighbours, Denmark had no mountain ranges from which a drawn-out resistance could be mounted against the German army.<ref name="RiseFall">William Shirer, ''The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich'' (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1990), p. 663.</ref> With no prospect of being able to hold out for any length of time, and faced with the explicit threat of the [[Luftwaffe]] bombing the civilian population of [[Copenhagen]], and with only one general in favour of continuing to fight, Christian X and the entire Danish government capitulated at about 6&nbsp;am,<ref>[[Peter Rochegune Munch]]: Erindringer 7, p. 29.</ref> in exchange for retaining political independence in domestic matters,<ref>[http://www.milhist.dk/besattelsen/9april/9april.html The German occupation of Denmark] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015025325/http://www.milhist.dk/besattelsen/9april/9april.html|date=15 October 2013}}</ref> beginning the [[Denmark in World War II|occupation of Denmark]], which lasted until 5 May 1945.

In contrast to his brother, [[Haakon VII of Norway|King Haakon VII of Norway]], and [[Wilhelmina of the Netherlands|Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands]], [[George II of the Hellenes|King George II of the Hellenes]], [[Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg|Grand Duchess Charlotte of Luxembourg]], [[Peter II of Yugoslavia|King Peter II of Yugoslavia]], [[Edvard Beneš|President Edvard Beneš of Czechoslovakia]] and [[Władysław Raczkiewicz|President Władysław Raczkiewicz of Poland]], all of whom went into exile during the Nazi occupation of their countries, Christian X (like [[Leopold III of the Belgians|King Leopold III of the Belgians]], unlike [[Albert Lebrun|President Albert Lebrun of France]] who was deposed) remained in his capital throughout the [[occupation of Denmark]], being to the Danish people a visible symbol of the national cause (Haakon escaped the German advance after [[Haakon VII of Norway#Resistance during World War II|refusing to accept a Nazi-friendly puppet regime]].)

[[File:Kongemærker.jpg|thumb|Two versions of the King's Emblem Pin (''Kongemærket''), showing Christian's CX [[royal cypher|cypher]]; a popular symbol of patriotism during the war|alt=]]

Until the [[Occupation of Denmark#Increasing resistance after the August 1943 crisis|imposition of martial law]] by Germany in August 1943, Christian's official speeches reflected the government's official policy of cooperation with the occupying forces, but this did not prevent his being seen by the Danish people as a man of "mental resistance." During the first two years of the German occupation, despite his age and the precarious situation, he took a daily ride on his horse, Jubilee, through Copenhagen, unaccompanied by a groom, let alone a guard. A popular way for Danes to display patriotism and silent resistance to the German occupation was wearing a small square button with the Danish flag and the crowned insignia of the king.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kongehuset.dk/menu/nyheder/historien-bag-konge-emblemet|title=The History Behind the King's Emblem|author1=Danish Royal Family|date=27 November 2012|website=Kongehuset.dk/|publisher=The Danish Royal Family|language=da|access-date=5 February 2017|archive-date=9 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409024259/https://www.kongehuset.dk/menu/nyheder/historien-bag-konge-emblemet|url-status=dead}}</ref> This symbol was called the ''Kongemærket'' (''King's Emblem pin''). In addition, he helped finance [[Rescue of the Danish Jews|the transport of Danish Jews to unoccupied Sweden]], where they would be safe from Nazi persecution.<ref>[http://www.b.dk/kultur/christian-x-gav-penge-til-joedetransporter Christian X gav penge til jødetransporter – Kultur| www.b.dk<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

In 1942, [[Adolf Hitler]] sent Christian a long telegram congratulating him on his seventy-second birthday. The king's reply telegram was a mere, ''Spreche Meinen besten Dank aus. Chr. Rex'' (''Giving my best thanks, King Christian''). This perceived slight, known as the [[Telegram Crisis]], greatly outraged Hitler and he immediately recalled his ambassador from Copenhagen and expelled the Danish ambassador from Germany. German pressure then resulted in the dismissal of the government led by [[Vilhelm Buhl]] and its replacement with a new cabinet led by non-party member and veteran diplomat [[Erik Scavenius]], whom the Germans expected to be more cooperative. (In any event, whatever independence Denmark had been able to maintain during the first years of the occupation ended abruptly with the German ''Putsch'' in August 1943.) After a fall with his horse on 19 October 1942, Christian was more or less an invalid for the rest of his reign.<ref>{{cite web|url-status=dead|url=http://www.faktalink.dk/publish.php?linknavn=besahele|website=FaktaLink|title=2005 – Besættelsen – Kilder<!-- Bot generated title -->|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070610015309/http://www.faktalink.dk/publish.php?linknavn=besahele|archive-date=10 June 2007}}</ref> The role he played in creating the [[Easter Crisis of 1920]] had greatly reduced his popularity, but his daily rides, the Telegram Crisis, and the admiring stories spread by [[Danish-American]] circles once again made him popular to the point of being a beloved national symbol.

===Reign over Iceland===
[[File:Royal Standard of Iceland (1921-1944).svg|thumb|Royal Standard of Kristján X as King of Iceland]]
The accession of a new [[Danish–Icelandic Act of Union]] in late 1918 redefined [[Iceland]], a longtime part of the [[Danish realm]], as a sovereign state in a [[personal union]] with the Kingdom of Denmark. This made Christian the king of the mostly autonomous [[Kingdom of Iceland]] in addition to being King of Denmark. Christian (whose name in Iceland was officially ''Kristján X'') was the first and only monarch to ever reign over Iceland as a sovereign kingdom as opposed to ruling it as a province of a larger kingdom. In 1941, after the German occupation of Denmark and the [[Occupation of Iceland|Allied occupation of Iceland]], the Icelandic government concluded that Christian was unable to perform his duties as head of state of Iceland, and thus appointed [[Sveinn Björnsson]] as [[regent]] to act as provisional head of state. Sveinn had previously been Iceland's ambassador in Copenhagen.

In 1944, while Denmark was still under German occupation, Icelanders voted in a plebiscite to sever all ties with the King of Denmark and to found a republic. Thus, Christian's title as King of Iceland became null and void and Sveinn Björnsson was elected the first [[President of Iceland]] by the [[Althing|Icelandic parliament]]. Christian, who believed that Sveinn had given him assurances that Iceland would not make further moves toward independence while the occupation was ongoing, felt quite badly betrayed. However, at the urging of his relative, the King of Sweden, Christian still accepted the outcome and sent a message of congratulations to Iceland during the celebration of the founding of the Republic on 17 June 1944. The reading of the King's letter provoked cheers at [[Þingvellir]] during the celebration. Despite this implicit acceptance of Iceland's independence, Christian never actually stopped using the title "King of Iceland", and continued including it in his regnal name until his death in 1947.

===Death===
Christian X died at the [[Amalienborg Palace]] in Copenhagen, on 20 April 1947, at the age of 76. Christian X was [[interred]] along with other members of the Danish royal family in [[Roskilde Cathedral]] near Copenhagen. A cloth armband of the type worn by members of the [[Danish resistance movement]] was placed on his coffin under a [[castrum doloris]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.diis.dk/graphics/CVer/Personlige_CVer/Holocaust_and_Genocide/Publikationer/holocaust_DK_kap_5.pdf|title=The King and the Star - Myths created during the Occupation of Denmark|author1=Vilhjálmur Örn Vilhjálmsson|access-date=5 April 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716022617/http://www.diis.dk/graphics/CVer/Personlige_CVer/Holocaust_and_Genocide/Publikationer/holocaust_DK_kap_5.pdf|archive-date=16 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Christian X |url=http://kongehuset.dk/publish.php?dogtag=k_en_his_chrx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125000024/http://kongehuset.dk/publish.php?dogtag=k_en_his_chrx |archive-date=25 November 2010 |access-date=25 November 2010 |website=The Danish Monarchy}}</ref>