Dorothea and Koldinghus
Dorothea of Saxe-Lauenburg married the later Christian III in 1525 at the age of 14. The couple was deeply committed to the Reformation, which was completed in 1536 after two years of civil war, and the same year they were crowned king and queen.
Christian III and Dorothea resided for many years at Koldinghus, which they expanded and transformed into a modern Renaissance castle. Even as a dowager queen, Dorothea had great influence and was known for caring for the weak in society. She is the queen who has meant the most to Koldinghus and Kolding, and her memory is still honored here.
A queen's main duty was to look after the welfare of her family, and Dorothea was closely connected to all her children, except her son, who succeeded his father on the throne as Frederik 2. Central to the conflict between Dorothea and Frederick was her desire for him to marry a suitable princess, while he in turn prevented her from remarrying after the death of Christian III. Dorothea did not see a new queen on the throne of Denmark, as Frederik II did not marry until after her mother's death. Dorothea died in 1571 at Sønderborg Castle with her son Duke Hans, who became the ancestor of the branch of the royal family that now sits on the Danish throne.
