Next up another Queen who brought a semblance of unity to few countries; a unity which did not last in terms of geography, but has lasted in many societal development aspects.
https://twitter.com/Arby_K/status/1316350710619926528
Princess Margrethe was born in 1353 as the sixth child (and the third to reach adulthood) of King Valdemar of Denmark and his wife Euphemia of Pomerania. When she died in 1412 she would unite all the Scandinavian countries under one crown. 1/10 
In 1363, ten year old Margrethe married 23 year King Haakon of Norway, whose father Magnus was the King of Sweden. When Magnus died in 1364, Albrecht of Mecklenburg usurped the throne with the help of rebellious nobles. 2/10
King Valdemar had recovered Denmark from bankruptcy, as his predecessors had mortgaged it for their war mongering. When the King died in 1375, Margrethe and Haakon managed to get their son, Olav, elected as the new king. 3/10
10 year old Olav inherited Norway in 1380 as well, uniting the two kingdoms under one rule, with Margrethe as Regent. The union of Denmark and Norway would last till 1814, a union that also included Iceland, Greenland, Faroe Islands and the Northern Isles (till 1470). 4/10
But Olav would die in 1387 and Margrethe would take over rule in both Denmark and Norway. Having developed a reputation as a formidable ruler, she would add Sweden to her throne in 1389, when Swedish nobles called for her assistance against an old foe, Albrecht. 5/10
With her only child deceased, she would name her elder sister's grandson, Erik of Pomerania, as her heir, who was crowned king in 1397 at Kalmar. He would co rule with her till 1412 when the Queen died on ship while waging war for Schleswig, against Holstein. 6/10
Finland was part of Sweden till 1809, when Russia annexed it. Though the union Queen Margrethe created would officially last only till 1523 (and unofficially even lesser as Sweden broke away a few times during this time), it paved the way for a sense of unity in Scandinavia. 7/10
In 1523, Gustavus Vasa would become the King of Sweden confirming the closure of the Kalmar Union. The union of Denmark and Norway would last till 1814, when Norway became part of Sweden, with Iceland, Greenland and Faroe Islands staying with Denmark. 8/10
Norway broke away from Sweden in 1905, with a member of the Danish royal family as king. Finland gained its independence from Russia in 1917, while Iceland voted for separation and to become a republic in 1944, bringing to the map the Scandinavian countries that we see now. 9/10
Margrethe's heir, Erik, would be deposed from all his three kingdoms by 1442, to be replaced by his nephew Christopher. Count Christian of Oldenburg would become king in the all three kingdoms and the House of Oldenburg still rules in Denmark and Norway. 10/10
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
