Valdemar Christian of Schleswig-Holstein

Valdemar Christian of Schleswig-Holstein
Count of Schleswig-Holstein
Valdemar Christian of Schleswig-Holstein by Justus Sustermans
Born	1622
Died	29 February 1656 Poland
Father	Christian IV of Denmark
Mother	Kirsten Munk

Valdemar Christian of Schleswig-Holstein (Danish: Valdemar Christian til Slesvig og Holsten; 1622–29 February 1656) was the son of king Christian IV of Denmark and his morganatic spouse Kirsten Munk. He had the title Count of Schleswig-Holstein.

Biography

Born as the youngest legitimate son of King Christian IV of Denmark, he had a tough childhood. His elder half-brother Ulrik had succeeded (under the name Ulrich III) his uncle as a bishop of Schwerin. He was raised under the supervision of the royal governess Karen Sehested. In 1643, he was sent to Russia to marry Irene of Russia, the daughter of Tsar Michael of Russia, but as he refused to convert to the Orthodox faith, he was kept prisoner until 1645. In 1648, he came into conflict with his half-brother Frederik III of Denmark because of his wish to be elected king instead of Frederick, and after this, he lived abroad. He served in the Swedish army from 1655 and was killed in Poland in 1656.