The Castle of Kajaani

Monarchy - creating continuous cultural consciousness.

Throughout history we see many kingdoms come and go. From mythic time already we hear of cultures with a class of rulers that are deeply rooted in their respective cultures, as a native nobility - born out of the population they were set to govern. Thus we find the legends and the sagas describing civil entities, with generations of accumulated wisdom and thus a natural authority. It is from these chronological traditions we find the first cultures that define themselves as “kingdoms”. Apparently this cultural order and consciousness have been present since the birth of our oldest known legends - were our first societies, cultures and civilizations are explained, as monarchies.

The Swedes have a legend that call the first Swede by the eponym “Sven”. He is claimed to be the first man to build and reproduce - in the land of “Mother Svea”, - supposed to be Svens wife. Listed as the first in a long succession of kings he is supposed to be the origin of the legendary king-line refered to as the “Ynglinga-ett”.

Similar myths surround all other rulers that have succeeded to rule a civil culture, from which we have some kinds of records - whether they are based on oral traditions or contemporary chronicles.

Magnus Birgersson 1240-1290, first king of Finland-Sweden

A major part of our written history is actually based on the later period of Eurasian history. Thus our history-books seem to forget to describe the first and prosperous part of the ancient civilisations, when they were still in growth and prosperous, as the higher civilizations developed around the globe. The written sources that still remain hardly covers the last 2500 years period, telling about all the wars that the old kingdoms had to deal with - thanks to hostile neighbours and invading aggressors.

In the north of Europe the sagas tells about several generations of monarchs that disposed their skills and accumulated knowledge with great precaution - to defend their historical kingdom, ethnicity and culture. 300 years after the Roman empire cracked up a renewed Franco-Roman organisation gradually grew to yet again launch armies into northern Europe.  From the7th century the Franco-Roman church-state succeded to conquer all of northern Europe and under the new theocracy yet another of number of the old kingdoms would sway and gradually vanish - due to durable stress,conquest and explotation by the “new” Rome.

The First Wars - Old Kingdoms vs. Invading Empires

* Once, - when violence and theft met, they turned into besiege and conquest.  Since the “Trojan Wars” and the “Roman Campaigns” we see aggression growing to international proportions. Looting of regional treasuries and resources  soon developed to a more thorough theft; where old and rich kingdoms were erased - with all it’s collected treasures and resources. Finally the warlords grew to exploit entire societies, populations, cultures. A final “pillage” would be the destruction of entire populations, due to massacres or capture and slavery. But to rule entire populations effectively, and somewhat civil, it would be necessary to let some of the constitutional heads of the old culture continue, be that dukes or kings.

* The Danish and German people were lucky to avoid the Roman invasion, where extensive looting and ethnic cleansing was practised throughout France and southern England. Though, when the roman Franks joined with the Church of Rome they started a new wave of aggression in Europe.  By 800 AD the Saxons were invaded and their foremost nobilities massacred - accept from a few that managed to escape to only free-haven left - Denmark. Though, the crusading soon started on Denmark and after 185 years of defence against the new Roman empire - in what is known as the Vikng time - also Denmark was intruded and occupied. In 985 Harald Gormsson had to subjugate to “the protection” of the Pope in Rome - and thus obey the rule and the taxation of the Vatican church.

Jellinge - the old Royal Manor of Denmark.

 * Though, at this point in time the empiral authorities were not into ethnic dominion and thus etnic cleansing - but gaining the political power and thus the profit of an active, ongoing economic production and trade. Thus the original Saxon, Danish and the Scandinavian etnicities, languages and economy survived - basically - throghout the entire middle-ages…

Preserving Danish Culture

By continuously performing to the best of their ability the Danish royals - from Gorm the Old - were able to survive the horrendous turmoils of the middle ages; ethnically, linguistically and culturally. Before they admitted to subject to the new empire they were able to ensure the old traditions,such as the succession of their old king-line to continue the Danish monarchy. Thus their ancient king line as well as several of its noble families were actually able to survive and endure the political, economical and cultural regime of the Vatican clergy - as well as the following wars - wether that be “religious wars”, “colonial wars”, “Napolean wars” or “world wars”…

Even if the Danish royals and nobility became momentary hostages and enforced collaborators to hostile powers, they managed to keep their Danish herritage and culture. Consequently they were able to uphold the basic markers of Danish history and identity; a kingdom and an ethnicity, a language, a culture and a civilization that still exists - as the present Denmark. Keeping the core of the culture - her royal constitution and the continuous consciousness of herself - the myths of Dan and Dana still lies embedded in everything the Danes may experience - in being Danish.

War of Crowns

During these war-times, the crown of the people, on the head of the king - became a symbol not only of for the tribute of the Olympic games, but for victory vs. defeat in the battle-field. In times of trouble their very own “king and crown” would name the strongest motivation to endure the fatality of war - and still fight to endure their lives and thus save their population, their traditions and their culture. Ultimately we had entire royal families forced to run and hide in their own country, escaping invading aggressors by running into deep forests, dessert landscapes or both - to save their mere lives. Already during the first Roman Wars it was normal to kill the kings of the besieged, as a “strategic step” to make sure that no legal descendant could return, reproduce a nobility and thus give the subjugated population any hope of regaining their own king-line, with their own constitution, culture and identity.

The national proportions of aggression seem to occur at the end of the Bronze Age when Sumerian and Greek weapons changed from ceremonial blades and wings to cutting edges and stabbing spears, although the weapons of warfare had not reached northern Europe before a successful Roman tyrant succeeded in invading “La Bella Gallico”.

Already from the Trojan War, the Etruscan Wars and the Greek Wars the old cultures of the Mediterranean were gradually teared down. Thus we see that the old deities and Royal lines are extinguished. In the northern parts of Eurasia they still kept their old culture relatively intact, until the campaigns launched by Caesar and the other tyrants of Rome and Istanbul. Feeding their legions by looting the tyrannies started to execute a policy of systematic manslaughter and enslaving - eventually reaching the ancient agricultures of the northern hemisphere - not to forget the “new world”.

Finally there were neither national treasure chambers nor indigenous royals left. During the process most of Europe’s old king-lines had been extinguished, with all their heirs. The only exception from this historical fate of the Eurasian royals seem to be the old agriculturalist at the very top of the northern continent, today known as the Kingdom of Denmark.

The Ancient King-line of Denmark

The Danish and German people were lucky to avoid the invasion, the looting and the ethnic cleansing of the Romans. Later the Franks would start a new wave of aggression in Europe and by 800 the Saxon nobilities were massacred, accepting the few that managed to escape to Denmark. After 185 years of defence against the new-Roman empire even Denmark had to give up its liberty, but the subjugation to the “reformed Rome” was only political and economical, not ethnic. Thus the Danish royals and their off-spring nobilities were able to survive.

 Through the Icelandic sagas we get to read of various peoples - from the entire continent of Europe and Asia. According to the Eddas they were all kingdoms, - not tyrannies, nor dictatorships or republics. In fact - as we look to the ancient literature of the Rig Veda and the Sanskrivt-literature - there is also a king, a throne and a palace or royal manor, a nobility and a set of noble values. As the Arthurian kings and the dialogues of Shakespeare mad kings and noblemen colourful heroes - the stories of the northern kings and their culture became symbols not only of an Olympic victory and poetic glory - but also as symbols for an the values of antiquity, and for the victory of life over the death - may that be of cultures, nations or ethnicity.

 In the turmoil of Roman time and the middle ages we see that entire noble families or even royal families were chased and prosecuted, even through continents. At times we see tyrants chase legal descendants along continents - to declare a “final victory”. As long as the indigenous king line remained it could return and re-produce and reorganize a native nobility - which again could give the general population hope and ideas of regaining their own constitution, identity and cultural freedom.

Older Traces

Today we have genealogies within the Norse literature that use the names of “kings”, “noblemen” and “king-lines”. Several of them are supposed to go back to the 2nd and 3rd century. The oldest known examples of law books from Scandinavia is supposed to have been written in the 12th century. But already from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles and the Norse literature we see the context of organized societies and cultures that have counted 23 generations already well before the first king of all Norway (both east and west) became renown as “Kong Harald Haar-fager” (King Harold Fair-hair).

According to Maja Gimbautas the national proportions of aggression seem to occur at the end of Bronze-Age, when the Sumerian and Greek weapons are changed from ceremonial blades and wings to cutting edges and stabbing spears. Though, the weapons of warfare are not reach France before the Roman conquest, while Saxony and Scandinavia would keep their freedom - until the “crusaders” started to appear. Around the middle of the 7th century the Vatican and the Carolingian ancestors managed to take over France - again - by killing the entire family of the Meroving kingline.

The following centuries were gradually tearing down all the old structures of the entire Eurasia. Finally there were neither national treasure-chambers nor indigenous royals left. Most of the old families was extinguished with all their heirs. The only exception is the one on the very top of the northern continent, known as the Kingdom of Denmark.

Throughout their later history the Danish king family have continued to play a essential and often crucial role - in helping their neighbour cultures and ethnicities, to survive as “rigth and legal kingdoms”. By reproducing new side-lines from the genuine, royal descent of the king - a younger prince of the Danish house could be made and elected as a new king to a neighbouring population that had lost their genuine one. The same way we find Denmark contributing an incredible number of queens, noblemen and women to the modern kingdoms of Europe.

As wars have waged through Eurasia there are several examples of original king lines and noble-families that have been lost.  To keep their unity, identity and legacy these unfortunate coutries could “repair” a free and legal constitution - due to the help of a real prince from Denmark to become their souvereign head of state. As late as 1905 there was still Danish princes that have been asked, accepted, proved and elected - as the “new legal, rightful king line” of the historical kingdom of Norway, who seem to have lost their oldest, native king-line (called the “Håleyg-family”) already at the end of Viking-time.

The first examples of such assistance is known from the collapse of the west-Roman empire, where Danish princes along with the noble craftsmen of Anglia and Saxony - helped re-constitute the historical kingdoms of France and England. During the “Merovingian time” the north slowly regained some cultural and commercial wealth. Simultaniously the new powers of Rome grew politically strong - in terms of political, economical and cultural dominions.

From Merovech I (447-457) the Meroving kings ruled a reorganized “Frankland”, todays France.

Gaining control of the Franks was followed by mobilization, conquest and subjugation the aggressive success of the marching Carolingian - all around Europe. Thus the northern countries had to change their entire scope of life by the turn of the 8th century. The Icelandic “Eddas” actually tells how the consequent ideals of upbringing went from cultural fitness of crafts, arts, travel and trade to the physical strength, speed and seize as the worth of men gets measure in their capability to effectively survive and progress in warfare.

Hiding Their Treasures

Defending their historical turfs and the rights to ancient trade-routes, the northern kingdoms joined forces to defend themselves - as one - from the beginning of the 9th century. Struggling to keep their own cultures, treasures and trade intact the northerners started swift counter-attacks on the aggressive forces. These raids soon became known as the start of “Vi-king time”.

“The Queen’s necklace”, from Mölne in Sweden. Age unknown.

250 years later the last kingdom of Europe was overthrown and the national treasuries of the northern royals and noble houses - as described in the “Eddas” - have since been lost. Eventually some of the northern nobilities survived, amongst them the Oldenburg family of royals. At the end of the 18th century they seem to have been the only one left - but divided in the houses of Holstein, Gottorp and Oldenborg. Thus we may say that the royal and noble lines of the Danish king-family played a crucial role in order to save the constitutional kingdoms in northern Europe - as ethnic and cultural identities.

How Old is Monarchy?

With a branch from the original Eurasian royals intact also other countries could still be “restored” as real, lawful and righteous monarchies. As long as the original and legal Danish king line were alive ANY old Eurasian kingdoms could - in principle - be restored and reconstituted. The continuous consciousness of A common culture, with A historical identity, chronology and memory are still considered as the only true and legal definition of an indigenous culture.

Crown of a Trakian queen. See “Thrakian treasures”.

If one looks to the Greek principles of Chronos and his companions of Deities and Kings, these royal lines descend from the very first populations of Greeks. Thus we find the panteon of original “gods”, that were succeeded by a chronological row of kings and queens.

In the first literature of Homer and Hesiod the royal principles are already well established - as the very core, initiator and dynamo of the respective cultures of the Eurasian antiquity. According to the latest discoveries within the research on Homeric litterature it may seem that there are strong connections between the Baltic and the Mediterranean areas, well before the stories of Odysseus saw the ink-bottles of Homer.

Thrakian gold - found in royal burial-mounds in Bulgaria, about 2.400 years old.

But, how long back do we need to go to define the very start of the first kings? What about the tradition that seem to have been present - already from the very first families developed, spread and settled along the shorelines and rivers of the northern hemisphere?

The basic principle within this culture seem to be that “the course of nature” is given priority over “momentary judgement”. Thus the first son was always to inherit the father and the fatherhood - while his brothers would inherit other duties. The tradition of inheritance is actually what made “chronology” and thus “history” possible. Consequently we still have the basic principle of nature, as reflected in the ancestry of king-lines. The first measurement of time in a scientific form is known as “chronology”. This relates directly to the “success and succession” of the “crown” - another natural mid-point, that kept the connection to all relatives in the various corners of the land or culture in question. Thus the crown would be a symbol not only of the king and the nobles, but of the entire population alike.

“Royal dagger” from Thrakia. Alloy of platine and gold, 5000 BP, excavated in 2006.

See also Thrakian, and Thrakian treasures or “Bulgarian Folklore”.

Archaeological Traces

Archaeological material seems to show that the early societies sure had their “chieftains”. Some of them had incredible treasuries buried with them, which the graves of some Thracian kings have recently shown. And again we find a similar background to the historical origin of the Greek and Thracian king-lines, relating to the Trojan War of 3.200 BP. Then again we are back in “mythical time”, while archaeological items of platine-gold basically indicate that the Thrakian kingdoms may have a 5000 year old history…!

Still, after three millenias of increasing strife and warfare there was no native Greek or Roman king-lines left. Luckily the Danish still bore her lawful princes and princess into our time. When modern Greece was to regain her national identity and traditional culture they could get a Danish prince to become their legitimate king.

Throughout the last 15 centuries the Danish family-line have produced new off-springs that have saved or re-established several other Eurasian kingdoms. Their unique position were valiant well into the 19th century, when King Christian IX in Copenhagen was announced as “father” or “father-in-law” - to his contemporary European rulers. During his late reign Europe were blessed by peace and prosperity - and on his older days he was genuinely celebrated as “The Grandfather of Europe”. Consequently we find a historic and a contemporary basis of “Dan’s line” within both the past and the present nobilities of northern Europe.

 Coat of Arms for the count of Rosenborg-Glücksburg, Europe’s oldest kingline. Click to enlarge.

 

With a genuine, unbroken father-to-son line of decadency, the chronology of the Danish Royal Family exceeds a span of 1000 years. In proving this chronological, unbroken line of descending sons it is proving a civil legitimacy, purpose and direction are found in the very first stories we know of.

Even the archaeological results from the oldest known from structured and cultivated societies shows 5000 year old traces of “royality” and “nobility”. Thus a legitimate monarchy seems to reflect a human need of social stability, individual purpose and cultural identity beyond the various models of philosophy and ideology.

On that basis the Danish heritage line proves the success of the civil and political survival of the Danes, as an ethnicity, a culture and a part of Eurasian history. Reviewing the the historical relevance of the pantheons and their monarchs it seems that the royal principle have been of an utmost importance in building all the known civilizations of antiquity. Thus the Danes have all the reason to cherish and celebrate that they have been able to keep their first and foremost heritage alive. Since the Oldenburg Royals still bears the original line “from the first Dan” intact they still represent the ethnic and cultural origin of all Danes uncritically.

JELLINGE - The Old Royal Manor

The Norse Saga-literature as well as the Church’s historians both tell about the end of Viking-time, where the Danish Kings kept their traditional manor at Jelling Manor on Jylland. The last pre-Christian King of Denmark, Harald Gormsson are known to be buried there - in a famous mound with a monumental gravestone written in runes. Today this old royal estate is called Jellinge Royal Manor is preserved under the protection of the Danish Government and UNESCO, who have certified the premises as “World Heritage”.

Links/Further reading

The yard and its grave-mound of the last Viking-king of Demark, Harald Gormsson, is historically connected to the present Royal Family of Denmark. The new and exiting exhibition “The Royal Jellinge” are due in the coming summer season at Jellinge Museum. Further information here.

See a complete list of the Danish Monarchs, from the ancestry of Gorm The Old (- 958) to the present Margrete I (1972 - ) - and click for additional information of each generation here.

The older Viking kings of Denmark are not yet accepted as true predecessors of the historical Oldenburg Family Line. See the impressive list of the legendary “Sons of Dan” here. The ethnic origin of the pre-historic King Dan or King Danp here.

See also “Saxo Gramaticus”.