Copenhagen Castle () was a

castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

on the islet of

Slotsholmen Slotsholmen (English language, English: The Castle Islet) is an island in the harbour of Copenhagen, Denmark, and part of Copenhagen Indre By, Inner City. The name is taken from the successive castles and palaces located on the island since Absal ...

in central

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

Denmark Denmark is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe. It is the metropole and most populous constituent of the Kingdom of Denmark,, . also known as the Danish Realm, a constitutionally unitary state that includes the Autonomous a ...

. It was built in the late 14th century and was located at the site of the current

Christiansborg Palace Christiansborg Palace (, ) is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament (), the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Supreme Court of Denmark. Also ...

History

In 1167, Bishop

Absalon Absalon (21 March 1201) was a Danish statesman and prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the bishop of Roskilde from 1158 to 1192 and archbishop of Lund from 1178 until his death. He was the foremost politician and church father of De ...

(c. 1128–1201) founded a fortress on the islet of

in the harbour of Copenhagen. It consisted of a courtyard with several buildings and surrounded by a wall for protection. During the years after the demolition of Bishop Absalon's Castle by the Hansa League in 1369, the ruins on the island were covered with earthworks, on which the new stronghold, Copenhagen Castle, was built. In 1343 King

Valdemar Atterdag Valdemar IV Atterdag, Valdemar Christoffersen or Waldemar (24 October 1375) was King of Denmark from 1340 to 1375. He is mostly known for his reunion of Denmark after the bankruptcy and mortgaging of the country to finance wars under previous rul ...

took over Absalon's castle, but upon his death in 1375 the right to the property returned to the

Diocese of Roskilde The Diocese of Roskilde () is a diocese within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark. The seat of the Bishop is Roskilde Cathedral in Roskilde. History The Diocese of Roskilde was formed in 1922 when the Diocese of Zealand was divided into ...

. The castle had a curtain wall and was surrounded by a moat which had an inner diameter of about 50 meters and with a large, solid tower as an entrance gate. The castle was still the property of the

Bishop of Roskilde The former Diocese of Roskilde () was a diocese within the Roman-Catholic Church which was established in Denmark some time before 1022. The diocese was dissolved with the Reformation of Denmark and replaced by the Protestant Diocese of Zealand ...

until King

Eric of Pomerania Erik of Pomerania ( 1381/1382 – 24 September 1459) ruled over the Kalmar Union from 1396 until 1439. He was initially co-ruler with his great-aunt Margaret I of Denmark, Margaret I until her death in 1412. Erik is known as Erik III as King of ...

usurped the rights to the castle in 1417. The

Hanseatic League The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...

attacked the castle and in the Bombardment of Copenhagen during the

Dano-Hanseatic War (1426–1435) The Dano-Hanseatic War, also known as the Kalmar War with the Hanseatic League, or the Danish-Hanseatic War of 1426-1435, was an armed trade conflict between the Danish-dominated Kalmar Union (Denmark, Norway, Sweden) and the Hanseatic League led ...

. The attack was fought back by in 1428 by

Queen Philippa Queen Philippa may refer to: * Philippa of Hainault (1310–1369), queen consort of England * Philippa of Lancaster (1360–1415), queen consort of Portugal * Philippa of England Philippa of England (mid-1394 – 5 January 1430), also known a ...

, who led the defence from Copenhagen Castle. From the middle of the 15th century, the castle served as the Danish monarch's main residence and centre of government. The castle was expanded and rebuilt several times. King

Christian IV Christian IV (12 April 1577 – 28 February 1648) was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Holstein and Schleswig from 1588 until his death in 1648. His reign of 59 years and 330 days is the longest in Scandinavian history. A member of the H ...

, added a spire to the large entrance tower, which under the name of the Blue Tower gained a reputation as a prison. In 1556 an

organ Organ and organs may refer to: Biology * Organ (biology), a group of tissues organized to serve a common function * Organ system, a collection of organs that function together to carry out specific functions within the body. Musical instruments ...

was built for the castle's chapel by

Hermann Rodensteen The Rodensteen family (also given as Raphaëlis, Rottstein, and Rottenstein-Pock) were a Dutch family of organ builders active during the 16th century. Documents from the family's work, particularly those made by Hermann Rodensteen (died 9 July 15 ...

; one of the major organ builders of the 16th century. In the 1720s, King Frederik IV entirely rebuilt the castle, but it became so heavy that the walls began to give way and to crack. It became therefore evident to King Christian VI, Frederik IV's successor, immediately after his accession to the throne in 1730, that an entirely new castle had to be built. The demolition of the overextended and antiquated Copenhagen Castle was commenced in 1731 to make room for the first Christiansborg Palace.

References

Other sources

*Frydendal, Flemming (red) (2005) ''Ruinerne under Christiansborg'' (København: Slots- og Ejendomsstyrelsen) *Hvidt, Kristian; Ellehøj, Svend; Norn, Otto (1975) ''Christiansborg Slot I–II. Udgivet af Folketingets præsidium'' (København: Nyt Nordisk Forlag Arnold Busck)

External links

Official website of Christiansborg Palace
{{Authority control 14th-century establishments in Denmark 14th-century fortifications 1731 disestablishments in Denmark Buildings and structures demolished in 1731 Castles in Denmark Demolished buildings and structures in Denmark

Castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

Slotsholmen