Christopher of Bavaria facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Christopher
King of Denmark (more...)
Reign	9 April 1440 – 5 January 1448
Coronation	1 January 1443 Ribe Cathedral
Predecessor	Eric VII
Successor	Christian I
King of Sweden
Reign	1441 – 5 January 1448
Coronation	13 September 1441 in Uppsala
Predecessor	Eric XIII
Successor	Charles VIII
King of Norway
Reign	June 1442 – 5 January 1448
Coronation	2 July 1442 in Oslo
Predecessor	Eric III
Successor	Charles I
Count of Palatinate-Neumarkt
Reign	1443–1448
Predecessor	John, Count Palatine of Neumarkt
Successor	Wolfgang of the Palatinate
Born	26 February 1416 Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz
Died	5/6 January 1448(1448-01-06) (aged 31) Helsingborg
Burial	Roskilde Cathedral, Roskilde
Spouse	Dorothea of Brandenburg ​ (m. 1445)​
House	Palatinate-Neumarkt
Father	John, Count Palatine of Neumarkt
Mother	Catherine of Pomerania

Christopher as portrayed in an 1850s German publication

Christopher of Bavaria (born February 26, 1416 – died January 5 or 6, 1448) was a very important king in Scandinavia. He ruled as King of Denmark (from 1440), King of Sweden (from 1441), and King of Norway (from 1442). These three countries were united at the time under something called the Kalmar Union.

Biography

Becoming King of Three Nations

Christopher was born in a place called Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz in Bavaria, Germany. His father was John, Count Palatine of Neumarkt, and his mother was Catherine of Pomerania, Countess Palatine of Neumarkt. Catherine was the sister of Eric of Pomerania, who was the king of Denmark, Sweden, and Norway before Christopher.

In 1439, King Eric of Pomerania was removed from power in Denmark and Sweden. Christopher, who was Eric's nephew, was chosen by the Danish State Council to become the new ruler. He started as a regent (someone who rules for a king) in 1439. Then, on April 9, 1440, he was officially made King of Denmark.

Some people thought Christopher would be easy to control. But he managed to keep some power for himself. His rule helped create a balance between the king's power and the power of the nobles, which lasted for a long time. He was later chosen as King of Sweden in 1441 and King of Norway in June 1442.

Christopher even used a special title for himself: arch king. He believed he ruled a large empire, not just three separate countries. In 1445, Christopher married Dorothea of Brandenburg in Copenhagen.

Putting Down Peasant Rebellions

Early in his reign, Christopher faced big challenges. There were peasant rebellions in different parts of Denmark, like Funen and Jutland. These were farmers and common people fighting against the nobles.

One major uprising happened in North Jutland. About 25,000 peasants, led by Henrik Tagesen Reventlow, were a serious threat. Before the king could act, the noble families of Jutland gathered their own army.

The peasants were clever. They built a huge fort using wagons and tried to trick the knights by hiding a bog (a muddy area) with branches and earth. On May 3, 1441, the knights charged, but their horses got stuck in the bog. Many knights were killed, and the peasants even took over a important manor called Aalborghus.

This made King Christopher determined to stop the rebellions. He led his own army north. He offered a deal: if peasants left the rebel camp and went home, they wouldn't be punished. Some left, but many stayed. On June 8, 1441, Christopher's heavily armed knights attacked the rebel camp. Thousands of rebels were killed. Those who survived had to pay large fines. Even worse, many lost their freedom and became serfs, meaning they were tied to the land they worked. The king also made a rule that peasants could not carry long weapons.

Coronation and Challenges with Sweden

King Christopher's royal seal

In May 1442, Christopher met with nobles from all three kingdoms in Lödöse. He was officially elected King of Norway there. Then he traveled to Oslo and was crowned on July 2, 1442. The next year, he was also declared King of Denmark near Ribe.

When his home in Roskilde burned down, Christopher moved his main residence to Copenhagen. He made Copenhagen the permanent capital of Denmark in 1443.

The Swedish nobles were not very happy with Christopher. They felt he was too German and didn't like that he let his uncle, the former King Eric, cause trouble by robbing ships from his castle on Gotland. They even blamed him for bad harvests, which caused people to be very hungry. People in Sweden started calling him the "Bark King" because they had to mix ground tree bark with flour to make bread.

Despite these challenges, Christopher tried to help cities and merchants. He worked to balance the power between the king and the nobles. However, he died suddenly before he could fully achieve his goals.

Death of the King

In 1448, Christopher died suddenly in Helsingborg. He was only 31 years old. King Christopher was buried in Roskilde Cathedral. His wife, Dorothea of Brandenburg, later married the next king of Denmark, Christian I.

See also

In Spanish: Cristóbal de Baviera para niños