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Christian X (Christian Carl Frederik Albert Alexander Vilhelm) (26 September 1870 – 20 April 1947) was King of Denmark from 1912 to 1947 and the only official King of Iceland (as Kristján X), between 1918 and 1944.
Christian had attempted to regain Schleswig from Germany in the 1920s. He did not act with the Danish parliament's full support, however, causing a political crisis that could very well have seen him removed from power. Christian acted to reach a compromise with his political opponents, and he retained his throne with many of his powers reduced.
However, Christian regained much of his popularity in World War II during the German occupation from 1940 to 1945. While he didn't resist directly, various little acts of enormous symbolic value made clear to his subjects that he was engaged in "mental resistance". These included his daily rides through Copenhagen on his horse, his routine greeting of Danish citizens while pointedly ignoring German salutes, and an infamous, curt, response to a birthday telegram from Adolf Hitler.
Christian X in The War That Came Early[]
When Germany invaded Denmark in 1939, they wisely left King Christian X on his throne, and the government in place.[1]
References[]
- ↑ West and East, pg. 321.
Royal offices (OTL) | ||
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Preceded by Frederik VIII |
King of Denmark 1912–1947 |
Succeeded by Frederik IX |
New title Iceland in a personal
union with Denmark |
King of Iceland 1918–1944 |
Succeeded by Sveinn Björnsson as President of Iceland |
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