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House of Oldenburg
Country	Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, Russian Empire, Kingdom of Denmark, Kingdom of Norway, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Greece, Duchy of Saxe-Lauenburg, Duchy of Schleswig-Holstein
Titles	Emperor of Russia King of Denmark King of Norway King of Sweden King of Greece King of Iceland Prince of Wales Grand Duke of Oldenburg Duke of (Saxe-)Lauenburg Duke of Schleswig and Holstein Duke of Augustenborg
Founder	Christian I
Final ruler	Russia: Nicholas II of Russia (1894–1917) Sweden: Charles XIII of Sweden (1809–1818) Oldenburg: Friedrich August II (1900–1918) Saxe-Lauenburg: Christian IX (1864) Schleswig-Holstein: Christian IX (1864) Augustenborg: Albert (1921–1931)
Current head	Christoph, Prince of Schleswig-Holstein
Founding year	1448
Deposition	Russia: February Revolution 1917 Sweden: 1818 (line extinct) Greece: Greek military junta of 1967–1974 1973 Oldenburg: German Revolution of 1918–19 1918 Saxe-Lauenburg: Second Schleswig War 1864 Schleswig-Holstein: Second Schleswig War 1864 Augustenborg: 1931 (line extinct)
Cadet branches	House of Holstein-Gottorp House of Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov House of Holstein-Gottorp (Swedish line) House of Augustenburg House of Glücksburg House of Mountbatten-Windsor

The House of Oldenburg is a North German dynasty and one of Europe's most influential Royal Houses.

It rose to prominence when Count Christian I of Oldenburg was elected King of Denmark in 1448, and of Norway in 1450. The house has occupied the Danish throne ever since.

Marriages of medieval counts of Oldenburg had paved the way for their heirs to become kings of various Scandinavian kingdoms. In 14th century, through marriage with a descendant of King Valdemar I of Sweden and of King Eric IV of Denmark, a claim to Sweden and Denmark was staked, since 1350.

At that time, its competitors were the successors of Margaret I of Denmark. In the 15th century, the Oldenburg heir of that claim married Hedwig of Schauenburg, a descendant of Euphemia of Sweden and Norway and also a descendant of Eric V of Denmark. Since descendants better situated in genealogical charts died out, their son Christian (the abovementioned) became the king of all the three kingdoms of whole Kalmar Union. The House of Mecklenburg was its chief competitor regarding the Northern thrones, and other aspirants included, e.g., the Duke of Lauenburg. Different Oldenburgine branches have reigned in several countries, as this selective chart shows:

• Main line
  1. Kings of Denmark (1448–1863)
  2. Kings of Norway (1450–1814)
  3. Kings of Sweden (1457–1464, 1497–1501 and 1520–1521)
  4. Dukes of Schleswig and Counts of Holstein (1460–1544)
  5. Dukes of Schleswig and Holstein ruling only part of the Duchies (1544–1721/1773)
  6. Dukes of Schleswig (1721–1864) (ruling the entire Duchy)
  7. Dukes of Holstein (1773–1864) (ruling the entire Duchy)
• Holstein-Gottorp
  1. Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp (1544–1739)
  • Holstein-Gottorp-Romanov (commonly still called Romanov)
    1. Dukes of Holstein-Gottorp (1739–1773)
    2. Tsars of Russia (1762 and 1796–1917)
  • Holstein-Gottorp (Swedish branch), extinct
    1. Kings of Sweden (1751–1818)
    2. King of Norway (1814–1818)
  • Holstein-Gottorp (Grand ducal branch)
    1. Dukes, later Grand Dukes of Oldenburg (1773–1918)
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Augustenburg, extinct
  1. claimant Duke of Schleswig-Holstein in 1863
• Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg
  • Duke of Schleswig-Holstein
  • Kings of Denmark (since 1863)
  • King of Iceland (1918-1944)
    1. Kings of Norway since 1905
    2. Kings of the Hellenes (1863–1924, 1935–1973)

• A member of this branch by patrilineage is Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, so the House of Oldenburg will de facto also reign agnatically in the Commonwealth realms upon the accession of his male line heirs, where it will, however, continue to be named Windsor unless the succession falls to a cadet branch of Philip's male-line descendants not previously bearing princely styles in which case the reigning branch will be named Mountbatten-Windsor, pursuant to the provisions of a 1960 Order-in-Council.

See also

• List of rulers of Oldenburg
• List of consorts of Oldenburg
• List of Rulers of Schleswig-Holstein. Contains more information about the partitions of Schleswig and Holstein
• Coat of arms of Oldenburg
• List of members of the House of Oldenburg

External links

• The House of Oldenburg - more specific genealogy