Christopher of Bavaria
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| Image:Christopher of Bavaria.png | |
| Reign | From 1440 in Denmark, |
| Royal House | Pfalz-Neumarkt as branch of the Wittelsbach dynasty |
| Consorts | Dorothea of Brandenburg |
| Predecessors | Eric of Pomerania in Denmark and Norway
|
| Successors | Christian I in Denmark
|
| Date of Birth | January 6, 1418 |
| Date of Death | January 5, 1448 |
| Place of Burial | Roskilde Cathedral, Roskilde |
Christopher of Bavaria, known by his Danish and Norwegian title as Christoffer (III) af/av Bayern and by his Swedish title as Kristofer av Bayern (26 February, 1418-6 January, 1448) was union king of Denmark and Norway (1440-1448), and of Sweden (1441-1448).
He was probably born on February 26, 1418, the son of Duke John of Pfalz-Neumarkt and Catherine Vratislava, sister to Eric of Pomerania. Duke John was a son of King Ruprecht of Palatinate. In 1445 he married Dorothea of Brandenburg (1430-November 25, 1495).
As the nephew of Eric of Pomerania, Christopher being rather unfamiliar to Scandinavian conditions was chosen by the Danish nobility as the successor to his uncle, first as regent from 1439, and then as king from 1440. He was probably just meant to be a puppet, however he succeeded in maintaining some personal line. As a whole his rule, according to the politics of the nobility and his succession, might be called the start of the long period of balance between royal power and nobility which lasted until 1660. By concessions he was later recognised as king of both Sweden and Norway.
In 1441 Christopher crushed a great peasant rebellion in Northern Jutland (one of the central domestic events of his short rule) and as a whole his reign meant a growing suppression of the peasantry especially in Eastern Denmark. On the other hand he tried to support the cities and their merchants as far as the limits of nobility and Hanseatic cities allowed. During his reign Copenhagen finally might be said to have become the capital of Denmark (municipal charter of 1443).
He carried on a half-hearted policy of war and negotiations against his exiled uncle on Gotland probably in order to damp the dissatisfaction within both Sweden and the Hansabund. The results of this policy of balance were still not reached when he suddenly died as the last descendant of Valdemar Atterdag.
Christopher died on January 6, 1448 and on October 28 1449 following his death, Dorothea remarried Christian I. King Christopher is buried in Roskilde Cathedral. In 1654 his Wittelsbach family returned to power in Sweden.
References:
- Dansk Biografisk Leksikon, vol. 7, Copenh. 1980.
- Politikens Danmarkshistorie, vol. 4 by Erik Kjersgaard, Copenh. 1962.
| Preceded by: Eric of Pomerania | King of Denmark | Succeeded by: Christian I |
| King of Norway | Carl I | |
| Karl Knutsson Bonde, Regent | King of Sweden | Regents Bengt and Nils Oxenstierna |
de:Christoph III. (Dänemark) es:Cristóbal de Baviera fr:Christophe III de Danemark nl:Christoffel III van Denemarken no:Kristoffer av Bayern nn:Kristoffer av Bayern pl:Krzysztof Bawarski fi:Kristofer Baijerilainen sv:Kristofer av Bayern