Jelling

Facts

Danish to the core

Jelling has plenty to shout about when it comes to Danish history. It was here that the royal family was founded, and it was here that Denmark officially changed from paganism to Christianity. From here it took King Gorm and his son Harald Bluetooth just a few decades in the 10th century to put Denmark on the map of Europe. The Jelling complex now comprises two burial mounds, one church and two runic stones. The oldest monument from the Viking Age complex is likely to be the huge stone ship that measures over 150 metres in length. In the mid-10th century, Gorm erected the runic stone for his wife Thyra. The burial mound to the north was built in the year 959. The south burial mound is slightly younger. The first church in Jelling was made of wood and built in circa 965.

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Second-rate Queen

Story written by Peter Pentz

Time / Periode 750 900

2 Comments 1 recommendations

King Frederik IV met Anne Sophie Reventlow at a masquerade ball. He was so smitten that he later kidnapped and married her. Romantic enough, except that he was already married to Queen Louise – so he married his new bride, Reventlow, with his left hand, as a morganatic, second-rate wife. When Queen Louise died in 1721, Anne Sophie Reventlow seized her chance and changed hands from left to right – just two days after the funeral. Three months later, Anne Sophie was in Jelling in the company of the King and vicar Mouritz Højer. In 1704, King Frederik IV had ordered that the north burial mound, queen Thyra's barrow", was to be excavated. It was now Anne Sophie Reventlow's turn to produce an heir to the throne. She gave birth to three children. Tragically, all three died as babies. After the King's death, Queen Anne Sophie was banished to Clausholm Manor – back to where the King had originally kidnapped her, home sweet home. "

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Comments to the story (1)

Erica Peters-Grende , a year ago

This place I will never forget, it is old and nostalgic with plenty of Danish history. My husband, mother, cousin and myself visited here in November 2004, and to actually touch and be inside of a chuch of this age it was beautiful beyond belief, Denmark really takes care of our history.