Frederik was born 6. oct. 1808, son of Prince Christian (VIII) and his first wife, Princess Charlotte Frederikke. His parents got divorced in 1810, because his mother had been unfaithful. She was send to Horsens, but later she emigrated to Rome.
It early became clear that Frederik, known as Fritz, was a black sheep. He hated school, and never learned to spell properly, but he was very interested in archaeology. From his mother, he inherited a desire to tell the most amazing lies. As he grew older, he was send into the army, in the hope that it straighten him out, but he became the worst nightmare for many sergents and his royal family's big concern. He disobeyed orders, drank heavily and sought out the company of the most common and simple people he could find, and very pro-republican.
In 1828 he met his mother during a educational trip for the first and only time since the divorce. In November the same year, he married Princess Vilhelmine, youngest daughter of King Frederik VI. The marriage was a disater, and after having treathend Vilhelmine with a broken bottle and said that he would kill her, they were divorced 1838. In 1841, Fritz, now Crown Prince, was married to Princess Mariane of Mecklenburg, with the same result as the first one. In 1844 the princess left Copenhagen to visit her parents, but never returned, and they were finally divorced in 1846. In 1848 Christian VIII died, and Fritz now openly showed his relationship to Louise Rasmussen, a former ballet child at The Royal Theater. She was a commoner and illegitimate child of a washing woman and a diplomat, but Fritz loved her dearly, and she married to his left hand. Since she could never be queen, Fritz instead made her Countess Danner of Sleswig. She was not popular with the family or nobility, but the people liked her. She never forgot the poverty of her childhood, and made several homes, especially for unfortunate women, and other sorts of charity.
In march 1849 there was a small "revolution", demanding that the king gave up his absolute power, but when they met the king, he could inform them, that he was way ahead of them. The new constitution was almost ready, and was signed on June 5th. After signing it, Fritz said:"Now that I'm not king anymore, is it possible I can be allowed to sleep as long as I like in the morning?"
After this, his popularity with the people was unlimited, and he was given the name "Folkekær" (meaning something like "Dear to the people")
His drinking became heavier and heavier, and in his last years, he was drunk almost every day. In 1863 he died, the last of the 400-years old Oldenborg line. After him the new and present Glücksborg line succeded to the throne with Christian IX.
Frederik VII

Countess Louise Danner
