King Haakon VII
0
King Haakon VII was Norway's first king in 600 years, following the country's independence from Denmark in 1814 and the dissolution of the union with Sweden in 1905. He was born on August 3, 1872, just outside Copenhagen. His original name was Prince Carl, and he was the second eldest son of then King Frederik and Queen Louise of Denmark. In 1905, the Danish prince Carl was offered the Norwegian crown and took the name Haakon VII after a referendum. At the time, he was married to Queen Maud, the daughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra of Great Britain. When they arrived in Oslo in 1905, they were met with jubilant crowds and the ringing of church bells throughout the city. The royal couple was officially crowned in the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim on June 22, 1906, after a longer coronation journey through Norway. King Haakon VII was a popular king in both good and bad times. During the occupation of Norway during World War II, he followed the government to England, where he, along with the Allies, made a significant contribution to the liberation of Europe. The King adopted the motto "Everything for Norway," which followed him until his last breath on September 21, 1957. (Text only: Artist: Stinius Fredriksen – 1972)