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82-486: Johannes Ewald (18 November 1743 – 17 March 1781) was a Danish national dramatist , psalm writer and poet. The lyrics of a song from one of his plays are used for one of the Danish national anthems, Kong Christian stod ved højen mast which has equal status of national anthem together with Der er et yndigt land . Quite until the days of romanticism, Ewald was considered the unsurpassed Danish poet. Today he

164-512: A hedonist who enjoyed the pleasures of life such as deer stalking, wine and women. This hedonism, however, evolved to debauchery , and Frederick became well known for a libertine lifestyle marked by sexual licentiousness and alcoholism . With a group of other rakes , he would tour the city's taverns and brothels , to an extent that his father at one point considered having him declared legally decapacitated. The King's more prudent advisers, however, spoke against it, as it would legally be

246-614: A hedonist . As regent, he took part in the conduct of government by attending council meetings, but he was afflicted by alcoholism and most of his rule was dominated by able ministers who were influenced by the ideas of the Age of Enlightenment . His ministers marked his reign by the progress of commerce and the emerging industry. They also avoided involving Denmark-Norway in the European wars of his time. Although Frederick V wasn't personally interested in cultural affairs, his first wife was, and

328-482: A murder mystery play which is the longest-running West End show , it has by far the longest run of any play in the world, with its 29,500th performance having taken place as of February 2024. Contemporary playwrights in the United States are affected by recent declines in theatre attendance. No longer the only outlet for serious drama or entertaining comedies, theatrical productions must use ticket sales as

410-571: A clear pietist tune is felt. Several Ewald poems are Danish classics. He had his break-through with a melodious and expressive commemorative poem at the death of King Frederick V (1766). The famous Rungsteds Lyksaligheder (1773 – "The Happiness of Rungsted") is an ode to the Creator. Ode til Sjælen ("For the Soul") is a worthy hailing of Man's uniqueness. Til min M*** ("For my M(oltke))

492-512: A form of playwright. Outside of the Western world there is Indian classical drama , with one of the oldest known playwrights being Śudraka , whose attributed plays can be dated to the second century BC. The Nāṭya Shāstra , a text on the performing arts from between 500BC-500AD, categorizes playwrights as being among the members of a theatre company, although playwrights were generally the highest in social status, with some being kings. In

574-520: A mere court post. Now it became an outstanding position that gave Moltke opportunity as the king's confidential friend to be around him from morning till night, with the king talking to him about whatever was on his mind, which enabled Moltke to make his influence felt in all areas where he pleased. One of his main tasks was to take care that his dissolute Majesty didn't damage the Royal household's reputation with his constant orgies . Frederick's main interest

656-521: A nineteen year old nobleman from Mecklenburg who was eleven years older than Frederick. Moltke had been a page to his father, and the King and Queen counted on Moltke to teach the Crown Prince to control himself. In 1743 Moltke was promoted to Hofmeister . In fact, Moltke did nothing to control Frederick's sexual appetite nor his alcohol consumption, but in return a lifelong relationship of trust

738-553: A pejorative sense by Ben Jonson to suggest a mere tradesman fashioning works for the theatre. Jonson uses the word in his Epigram 49, which is thought to refer to John Marston or Thomas Dekker : Jonson described himself as a poet, not a playwright, since plays during that time were written in meter and so were regarded as the province of poets. This view was held as late as the early 19th century. The term "playwright" later again lost this negative connotation. The earliest playwrights in Western literature with surviving works are

820-654: A playwright, winning awards for his play The Phoenix at both the New York International Fringe Festival in 1999 and the Route 66 American Playwriting Competition in 2000. Today, theatre companies have new play development programs meant to develop new American voices in playwriting. Many regional theatres have hired dramaturges and literary managers in an effort to showcase various festivals for new work, or bring in playwrights for residencies. Funding through national organizations, such as

902-545: A short and troubled life, marked by alcoholism and financial problems. His life darkened by illness, distress and misfortune, Ewald died at age 37 and was buried in the cemetery of Trinitatis Church in Copenhagen. However, the cemetery largely disappeared in the aftermath of the Copenhagen Fire of 1795 ( Københavns brand 1795 ) . As an author Ewald is a prominent representative of Danish sentimentalism but at

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984-460: A small scale had begun at Charlottenborg and the Prince's Mansion, they now continued at a large scale at Christiansborg. As secluded as his parents had kept themselves from the people, just as strongly Frederick V seemed to want to meet the people, and it has been told how he and the queen enjoyed socializing with the citizens of Copenhagen and visiting the peasants in their farms. Almost as a sign of

1066-525: A source of income, which has caused many of them to reduce the number of new works being produced. For example, Playwrights Horizons produced only six plays in the 2002–03 seasons, compared with thirty-one in 1973–74. Playwrights commonly encounter difficulties in getting their shows produced and often cannot earn a living through their plays alone, leading them to take up other jobs to supplement their incomes. Many playwrights are also film makers . For instance, filmmaker Morgan Spurlock began his career as

1148-562: A stricter interpretation of Aristotle, as this long-lost work came to light in the late 15th century. The neoclassical ideal, which was to reach its apogee in France during the 17th century, dwelled upon the unities , of action, place, and time. This meant that the playwright had to construct the play so that its "virtual" time would not exceed 24 hours, that it would be restricted to a single setting, and that there would be no subplots. Other terms, such as verisimilitude and decorum, circumscribed

1230-481: A violation of the King's Law ( Latin : Lex Regia ; Danish : Kongeloven ), the absolutist constitution of Denmark and Norway from 1665. Furthermore, it would also compromise the monarchy to an unprecedented degree to admit that the future king was unfit to rule. Of the outmost importance for the future of the Crown Prince and his realm, was the 1730 appointment as his chamber page of Adam Gottlob Moltke ,

1312-632: Is Hans Sachs (1494–1576) who wrote 198 dramatic works. In England, The Second Shepherds' Play of the Wakefield Cycle is the best known early farce. However, farce did not appear independently in England until the 16th century with the work of John Heywood (1497–1580). Playwright William Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted. Most playwrights of

1394-403: Is a column topped of an urn, a medallion with the king's portrait, and on each side of the sarcophagus, sitting approx. 9' high above the floor, are two crowned, grieving female figures representing Denmark and Norway. The memorial chapel in which it is placed was created as a collaboration between Wiedewelt and the Danish architect Caspar Frederik Harsdorff . On 1 August 1771, five years after

1476-527: Is a grateful praise for a noble benefactor, during the unhappy Humlebæk period. The hymn Udrust Dig, helt fra Golgatha ("Arm Yourself, Hero of Golgatha", 1781), practically written on his death-bed, must be mentioned. Just as important are Ewald's dramas . Ewald was the first to rely heavily on Norse mythology, a trend which begins to point towards romanticism. He wrote the plays Rolf Krage in 1770, Balders Død (Eng. transl. "The Death of Balder", 1889) in 1773, and Fiskerne ( The Fishermen ) in 1779. From

1558-438: Is an archaic English term for a craftsperson or builder (as in a wheelwright or cartwright ). The words combine to indicate a person who has "wrought" words, themes, and other elements into a dramatic form—a play. (The homophone with "write" is coincidental.) The first recorded use of the term "playwright" is from 1605, 73 years before the first written record of the term "dramatist". It appears to have been first used in

1640-549: Is probably more lauded than read; though considered classics, only few of his works have become popular. He was born in Copenhagen , Denmark. Ewald grew up in a strongly pietistic parsonage. His father was Enevold Ewald (1696-1754), vicar at the orphanage in Copenhagen. His maternal grandmother Marie Wulf (1685–1738), was a pietist and later a follower of the Moravian Church. He was fatherless from an early age. He

1722-542: Is still useful to playwrights today is the " French scene ", which is a scene in a play where the beginning and end are marked by a change in the makeup of the group of characters onstage rather than by the lights going up or down or the set being changed. Notable playwrights: Greek theater was alive and flourishing on the island of Crete. During the Cretan Renaissance two notable Greek playwrights Georgios Chortatzis and Vitsentzos Kornaros were present in

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1804-469: The Ancient Greeks . These early plays were for annual Athenian competitions among play writers held around the 5th century BC. Such notables as Aeschylus , Sophocles , Euripides , and Aristophanes established forms still relied on by their modern counterparts. We have complete texts extant by Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides . The origins of Athenian tragedy remain obscure, though by

1886-557: The Austrian service, where he was made a non-commissioned officer. After a few months he again deserted, returned home. He had returned from the Seven Years' War seriously weakened. He began to apply himself seriously to theology and in 1762 he became cand.theol. in 1762. Although he was educated as a theologian, but his real interest was in literature. An unhappy love for Arendse Hulegaard, inspired his later poetry deeply. After

1968-624: The National Endowment for the Arts and the Theatre Communications Group , encouraged the partnerships of professional theatre companies and emerging playwrights. Playwrights will often have a cold reading of a script in an informal sitdown setting, which allows them to evaluate their own plays and the actors performing them. Cold reading means that the actors haven't rehearsed the work, or may be seeing it for

2050-809: The Royal Danish Academy of Art ( Det Kongelige Danske Kunstakademi ) in Copenhagen was also founded under his name and officially inaugurated on 31 March 1754, his 31st birthday. Frederick purchased what would become known as the Danish West Indies from the Danish West India Company in 1754. As an active Freemason , he set up on 24 June 1749 the first Masonic lodge in Norway. Queen Louise died suddenly on 19 December 1751 at Christiansborg Palace , predeceasing her husband by fourteen years and causing great impact on

2132-483: The border city of Altona in the then Danish Duchy of Holstein , where Frederick met his wife for the first time. Louise and Frederick then travelled together to Copenhagen , where Louise held her official entry into the Danish capital to great cheers from the population on 11 December 1743. Already the same day a second wedding ceremony with the groom present was held in the chapel of the newly completed Christiansborg Palace . Louise quickly became popular both at

2214-567: The chapel at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen, he was interred next to Queen Louise in Roskilde Cathedral on the island of Zealand , the traditional burial site for Danish monarchs since the 15th century. His monument in Roskilde cathedral was completed in 1769, and designed by the Danish sculptor Johannes Wiedewelt . It includes a large sarcophagus resting on footpieces and decorated by numerous sculptures, behind which

2296-449: The 4th century BCE, Aristotle wrote his Poetics , in which he analyzed the principle of action or praxis as the basis for tragedy. He then considered elements of drama: plot ( μύθος mythos ), character ( ἔθος ethos ), thought ( dianoia ), diction ( lexis ), music ( melodia ), and spectacle ( opsis ). Since the myths on which Greek tragedy were based were widely known, plot had to do with

2378-543: The 5th century it was institutionalised in competitions ( agon ) held as part of festivities celebrating Dionysos (the god of wine and fertility ). As contestants in the City Dionysia's competition (the most prestigious of the festivals to stage drama), playwrights were required to present a tetralogy of plays (though the individual works were not necessarily connected by story or theme), which usually consisted of three tragedies and one satyr play. For

2460-668: The Copenhagen Masonic Lodge St. Martin. This was probably June 1744, and inspired by the Prussian king Frederick the Great who was also included in a masonic lodge in his youth. They both had fathers who were violently opposed to the Masons, but unlike the Prussian king, Frederick V never published his membership of the lodge. On 6 August 1746—the day before his parents' silver marriage festivities—his father died at

2542-401: The Danish architect and royal building master Nicolai Eigtved in the new Rococo style . Their home quickly became the setting for a lively and entertaining court which differed greatly from the rigid and heavy etiquette that prevailed at his parents' court at Christiansborg Palace. The Norwegian Masonic historian Karl Ludvig Tørrisen Bugge claimed Frederick V as crown prince was included in

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2624-412: The Great of Prussia. After having made some additional investigations and met with satisfying answers, the king expressed himself willing to marry her, and the wedding took place at the chapel of Frederiksborg Castle on 8 July 1752. The marriage was frowned upon by the people who saw it as too early for the King to remarry. Neither did the formal princess appeal to his own taste, and with the court she

2706-561: The Middle Ages, the earliest of which is The Play of the Greenwood by Adam de la Halle in 1276. It contains satirical scenes and folk material such as faeries and other supernatural occurrences. Farces also rose dramatically in popularity after the 13th century. The majority of these plays come from France and Germany and are similar in tone and form, emphasizing sex and bodily excretions. The best known playwright of farces

2788-611: The Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 and the end of the 17th century, classical ideas were in vogue. As a result, critics of the time mostly rated Shakespeare below John Fletcher and Ben Jonson. This period saw the first professional woman playwright, Aphra Behn . As a reaction to the decadence of Charles II era productions, sentimental comedy grew in popularity. Playwrights like Colley Cibber and Richard Steele believed that humans were inherently good but capable of being led astray. The Italian Renaissance brought about

2870-473: The age of 46 at Hirschholm Palace , the royal family's summer retreat north of Copenhagen. At the death of his father, Frederick immediately ascended the thrones of Denmark and Norway as their fifth absolute monarch at the age of just 23. The new king and queen then moved the short distance from the Prince's Mansion across the Frederiksholm's Canal into the large Christiansborg Palace. On 4 September

2952-553: The age of 7, he received his own royal household with the German nobleman Georg Wilhelm von Söhlenthal as his hofmeister . Söhlenthal was an ardent supporter of the Moravian Brethren , and his home was the center of the pietistic circles in Copenhagen. He shared a deep religious piety with the king, and for a time he was Christian VI's adviser on ecclesiastical matters. However, Söhlenthal did not succeed in influencing

3034-420: The ancient Greeks, playwriting involved poïesis , "the act of making". This is the source of the English word poet . Despite Chinese Theatre having performers dated back to the 6th century BC with You Meng , their perspective of theatre was such that plays had no other role than "performer" or "actor", but given that the performers were also the ones who invented their performances, they could be considered

3116-404: The arrangement and selection of existing material. Character was determined by choice and by action. Tragedy is mimesis —"the imitation of an action that is serious". He developed his notion of hamartia , or tragic flaw, an error in judgment by the main character or protagonist , which provides the basis for the "conflict-driven" play. There were also a number of secular performances staged in

3198-460: The court of Frederick V. The personal influence of Frederick was limited, making him one of absolute rulers who least made for the state's strength. When he became king, his alcoholism had developed in such a way that he was hardly able to lead a government alone and was completely dependant on his advisers. Just after his accession he appointed A. G. Moltke , whom he had as a favourite , as his Lord Chamberlain — an office that had previously been

3280-404: The death of Frederick V of Denmark , Ewald was requested to compose an elegy (1766). The general admiration with which it was received roused his ambition, and he soon became one of the most eminent lyric and tragic poets of his nation. In 1769, Ewald was severely attacked by gout which caused him to be confined to bed. From 1773 to 1775 he had a rather happy convalescence at Rungstedlund (later

3362-491: The death of his father, his mother was remarried to Arendse's uncle. Arendse later married another. The following years were spent living as a bohemian and writing poetry in Copenhagen; there were also a time of alcoholism and conflicts with his mother and step-father. For most of his life he was under their tutelage and he never took up a profession. His lifestyle had much in common with his contemporary Johan Herman Wessel (1742–1785) although as writers they differed greatly. On

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3444-574: The female line, Christian IX of Denmark , who was married to his great-granddaughter Louise of Hesse-Kassel (or Hesse-Cassel), became the designated heir. In February 2021, Frederick V came suddenly to the focus of a historical-political controversy when a group of radical artists removed a bust of the King and sunk it in Copenhagen Harbor, in protest of Denmark's role in the Atlantic slave trade during his reign. Frederick V appears in

3526-562: The first period of the marriage did he manage to stay away from the orgies to which he had become accustomed, and continued his debauched lifestyle. Although Frederick came to feel high regard for his wife and always treated her with kindness, he reportedly was not in love with her. He continued to enjoy random liaisons with others, and during the years 1746–51, the king had a favorite mistress named Madam Hansen with whom he also had five children. However, Frederick felt comfortable with Louise, and she pretended not to notice his adultery. After

3608-568: The first time, and usually, the technical requirements are minimal. The O'Neill Festival offers summer retreats for young playwrights to develop their work with directors and actors. Playwriting collectives like 13P and Orbiter 3 gather members together to produce, rather than develop, new works. The idea of the playwriting collective is in response to plays being stuck in the development process and never advancing to production. Frederick V of Denmark Frederick V ( Danish and Norwegian : Frederik V ; 31 March 1723 – 14 January 1766)

3690-552: The following year, they were anointed in Frederiksborg Palace 's Chapel, the traditional place of coronation of Denmark-Norway 's monarchs during the days of the absolute monarchy , on the island of Sealand north of Copenhagen. Frederick V's accession to the throne brought about a great change in life at the Danish court, which now became far more festive and acquired a more easy-going tone than under his strictly religious parents. What Frederick and Louise on

3772-428: The future queen of Denmark. Juliane Marie died in 1796, having been regent for her son Prince Frederick. Over the years, the king's heavy drinking and indulgent lifestyle had taken their toll on his health, especially since his constitution was not too robust to begin with. The king became increasingly melancholic, and neglected himself and the affairs of state. In the last years, his drinking increased even more, and he

3854-403: The home of Karen Blixen ). Ewald wrote some of his best verses during this time, but a conflict with his family led to his removal to the small North Zealand town of Humlebæk (1775–77), which depressed him and worsened his alcoholism. Finally, friends brought him to Søbækshus, near Helsingør , and where he lived for some years under growing public interest and literary fame. Johannes Ewald led

3936-433: The king died of edema at the age of forty-two, after a twenty-year reign. He had been a pleasant change compared to the pious Christian VI's autocracy, and when Frederick died there were many who mourned. His last words were reportedly: "It is a great consolation to me in my last hour that I have never wilfully offended anyone, and that there is not a drop of blood on my hands." After lying in state with great pomp at

4018-681: The king's death, an equestrian statue of Frederick V dressed in the garb of a Roman emperor by the French sculptor Jacques François Joseph Saly was unveiled in Amalienborg Square in Copenhagen . Within one hundred years of his time, Denmark faced the crisis of his male issue (the main branch of the Royal House) becoming extinct. This created a succession crisis beginning from his grandson's reign that affected both Denmark and Schleswig-Holstein. Finally, his great-grandson through

4100-490: The latter part of the 16th century. The plays of Gotthold Ephraim Lessing , Johann Wolfgang von Goethe , Friedrich Schiller , and other Sturm und Drang playwrights inspired a growing faith in feeling and instinct as guides to moral behavior and were part of the German romanticism movement. Aleksandr Ostrovsky was Russia's first professional playwright). Author and playwright Agatha Christie wrote The Moustrap ,

4182-476: The latter play one song is still remembered by most Danes: King Christian stood by the lofty mast that shares the position of being the national anthem of Denmark (the other is Oehlenschläger 's "There is a lovely Land"). The two plays Balders Død and Fiskerne were put in music by composer Johann Hartmann . Ewald's main prose work was the unfinished autobiography Levnet og Meninger ("Life and Opinions", written 1774–78, published 1804–08). It deals with

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4264-452: The less, his mother ironically referred to him as "Der Dänische Prinz" (literally The Danish Prince in German) because he occasionally spoke Danish. Apart from a certain interest in coin collecting , he only had modest cultural or intellectual interests. Prince Frederick proved himself from an early age to have a completely different nature from his strict and somewhat gloomy parents. He

4346-561: The marriage desirable. Thus, the marriage negotiations began during the year of 1743, and were successfully concluded within a few months on 14 September. They were married in a proxy wedding ceremony on 10 November 1743 in Hanover , with the Princess's brother, the Duke of Cumberland , acting as the representative of the groom. A week later, the entourages of Louise and Frederick met in

4428-477: The new times, the heavy iron chains that had previously surrounded Christiansborg to keep the people at distance disappeared, court life regained its luster, and the palace's halls and salons once again became the setting for balls and social gatherings. Also commoners were now invited to court events, including the Dano-Norwegian writer Ludvig Holberg , who has described vividly how comfortable he feels at

4510-803: The perception of the period as a happy time. In the same period the Royal Frederiks Hospital and the Royal Orphanage (Det kgl. Opfostringshus) was created, a school intended for poor boys that still exists today, opened in Christianshavn on 1 October 1753. On 29 June 1753 Frederick V created Denmark's first lottery , called the Royal Copenhagen Lottery—a lottery that exists to this day as Klasselotteriet . Art and science prospered under his reign, and although he wasn't personally interested in cultural affairs,

4592-407: The period typically collaborated with others at some point, as critics agree Shakespeare did, mostly early and late in his career. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. In England, after the interregnum , and Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, there was a move toward neoclassical dramaturgy. Between

4674-524: The progress of commerce and the emerging industry of gunpowder plant and cannon foundry in Frederiksværk , built by Johan Frederik Classen . They also avoided involving Denmark-Norway in the European wars of his time. The country remained neutral even for the duration of the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), despite its proximity to combatants Russia and Sweden , an act which undoubtedly shaped

4756-408: The public entertainment and freedom of expression that had been banned during his father's reign was again permitted. Prince Frederick was born between 10 and 11 in the evening on 31 March 1723. He was the grandson of King Frederick IV of Denmark and Norway and the only son of Crown Prince Christian and Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach . Frederick was the last Danish prince to be born in

4838-574: The public entertainment, performing arts , and freedom of expression that had been banned under the pietistic hypocrisy (characterized during his father's reign) was again permitted. This change was influenced by his first wife, who encouraged performances by actors and musicians. In 1748, the Royal Danish Theatre ( Det Kongelige Teater ) opened in Nicolai Eigtved 's new Komediehus (Playhouse) on Kongens Nytorv . And in 1754,

4920-537: The royal court and among the general population, due to her natural and straightforward behavior, and her popularity also contributed to that of her husband. Although the marriage was arranged, the couple got along quite well, and at least during the first years, their relationship was apparently amicable. The couple had five children, of whom the eldest son, the heir to the throne Crown Prince Christian, did not survive infancy. However, Louise only partially succeeded in taming her husband's licentious behavior, and not even in

5002-458: The royal family and the court's life, where she was adored. She was buried with great pomp at Roskilde Cathedral . At the time of her death, she was pregnant with her sixth child, who also died. The government thought it best for the king to remarry as soon as possible, in an attempt to stabilize his behavior. The king himself was initially unwilling to remarry a foreign princess, unless it was with an English princess, none of whom were available at

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5084-456: The same time a forerunner of romanticism. His main inspiration was German poetry ( Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock ), but other writers including Edward Young and Laurence Sterne , as well as Jean-Jacques Rousseau , are obvious inspirations as well. Violent expressions of feeling (happiness, sorrow and love) are typical in his writing; these elements are apparently spontaneous but, at the same time, deliberately and artificially drawn up. Behind this

5166-418: The spiritual development of the Crown Prince, as he was an overly gentle and weak character, and in 1738 he was dismissed from his position as hofmeister. Frederick's education became rather deficient. In 1730 the king entrusted the significant and well-educated privy councillor Iver Rosenkrantz supervision of Crown Prince Frederik's upbringing, but this had no influence on the actual teaching. Rosenkrantz

5248-557: The subject matter significantly. For example, verisimilitude limits of the unities. Decorum fitted proper protocols for behavior and language on stage. In France, contained too many events and actions, thus, violating the 24-hour restriction of the unity of time. Neoclassicism never had as much traction in England, and Shakespeare 's plays are directly opposed to these models, while in Italy, improvised and bawdy commedia dell'arte and opera were more popular forms. One structural unit that

5330-407: The then antiquated and overextended Copenhagen Castle , which dated from the late 14th century, and had assumed a monstrous appearance and started to crumble under its own weight after several extensions. Demolition of the castle began in 1731 to make way for a more adequate royal residence, the vast Baroque style Christiansborg Palace , from where Frederick would eventually reign. The young prince

5412-459: The throne as King Christian VI. Frederick himself became Crown Prince at the age of seven. Christian VI and Queen Sophie Magdalene were deeply devoted to Pietism , a movement within Lutheranism that combines its emphasis on biblical doctrine with an emphasis on individual piety and living a vigorous Christian life. As a consequence, Frederick was given a strictly religious upbringing. At

5494-692: The throne in Sweden. The peasantry unilaterally elected Crown Prince Frederick, and in Dalecarlia the peasants even instigated a rebellion, the Dalecarlian rebellion or stora daldansen ( Swedish : the great Dalecarlian dance ) to enforce his election. However, as a result of the Treaty of Åbo in 1743, which ended the Russo-Swedish War of 1741–1743 , Adolf Frederick of Holstein-Gottorp

5576-442: The time. Reportedly, the king had a wish to marry Moltke's own daughter, maid-of-honor Catharine Sophie Wilhelmine von Moltke , a match Adam Gottlob did not wish and prevented by quickly having her married to Count Hannibal Wedell of Wedellsborg . Moltke then drew the king's attention to Duchess Juliana Maria of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel , daughter of Ferdinand Albert II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg , and sister-in-law to Frederick

5658-470: The wedding, the newlyweds initially took up residence at Charlottenborg Palace , a Baroque style residence of the Danish royal family located at Copenhagen's largest square, Kongens Nytorv . They lived there until, in 1745, they could move into the completed Prince's Mansion , a city mansion located just across the Frederiksholm's Canal from Christiansborg Palace, which was remodeled for them by

5740-524: The young Ewald's infatuation with Arendse and his escape to military life. Dramatist The earliest playwrights in Western literature with surviving works are the Ancient Greeks . William Shakespeare is amongst the most famous playwrights in literature, both in England and across the world. The word "play" is from Middle English pleye , from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word wright

5822-442: The youngest daughter of King George II and Caroline of Ansbach . The marriage was proposed by Great Britain from political reasons. At the time of the marriage, both France and Great Britain wished to make an alliance with Denmark-Norway, and being protestant Great Britain had the advantage of being able to make a marriage alliance. The Danish government was in favor of the proposal, while Frederick's father, King Christian VI,

5904-493: Was baptized the following day in the Crown Princess's Bedchamber by the royal confessor Christen Lemvig, and was named after his grandfather, King Frederick IV. As the Crown Prince's only son, Frederick was destined to rule from birth. A younger sister died in infancy in 1724, and his only surviving sister, Princess Louise , was born in 1726. On 12 October 1730, King Frederick IV died and Frederick's father ascended

5986-534: Was King of Denmark and Norway and Duke of Schleswig-Holstein from 6 August 1746 until his death in 1766. A member of the House of Oldenburg , he was the son of Christian VI of Denmark and Sophie Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach . Although the personal influence of Frederick was limited, his reign was marked by the progress of commerce and trade, and art and science prospered under his reign. Unlike his parents who were deeply devoted to Pietism , Frederick grew into

6068-587: Was a supporter of the traditional Lutheran orthodoxy , while Christian VI more and more became a proponent of Pietism and lost confidence in Rosenkrantz. The Crown Prince's education was therefore completely carried out in the German Pietist spirit that prevailed at court. Like his ancestors at the then primarily German -speaking court in Copenhagen, he only had a poor command of the Danish language, and knew German better than Danish all his life. None

6150-486: Was appointed heir to the throne in place of Crown Prince Frederick, after pressure from the Russian empress Elizabeth Petrovna . Crown Prince Frederick's propensity for debauchery accelerated his marriage negotiations in the hope that marriage would suppress the frequent drinking and debauched behaviour of the Crown Prince. In 1743, a dynastic marriage was negotiated between him and Princess Louise of Great Britain ,

6232-589: Was established between the two men, which was to become crucial after Frederick's ascension to throne. In 1740, the Crown Prince was confirmed , and from then on as heir to the throne was given a seat in the Council of State . During the Swedish succession crisis in 1743 following the death of Queen Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden in 1741, when it was clear that no legitimate heir was to be expected, Crown Prince Frederick in 1743 had great prospects of being elected heir to

6314-425: Was gentle and kind in nature, cheerful and accessible to everyone, and wanted to see his subjects happy. Unlike his secluded parents, who were rarely seen outside their palaces, he enjoyed spending time in public with people from all walks of life. Despite his upbringing in a strictly pietistic home, he was not himself gripped by pietism. Although certainly not unfamiliar with religious sentiments, Frederick grew into

6396-427: Was initially reluctant. But he was convinced, as he hoped the marriage would lead to British support for his son's claim to the throne of Sweden. As for the Crown Prince, after having been presented with a portrait of the princess and finding her exterior appealing, and having been told of her amiability, he declared himself willing to marry Louise, all the more so as he too could see that the political circumstances made

6478-504: Was never popular—with no other identifiable cause than her sense of rigid etiquette, practised in German princely courts, that may have seemed less friendly than the English Louise. During his second marriage, the king had a relationship with Charlotte Amalie Winge . Their only child, Hereditary Prince Frederick , was born in 1753. He was, in his turn, father of King Christian VIII of Denmark and grandfather of Louise of Hesse ,

6560-549: Was primarily the arts of war that rivalled the anti- military attitudes that characterized his counsellors; he enjoyed hunting and stayed often at the Jægersborg Dyrehave estates. Although the king, as regent, took part in the conduct of government by attending council meetings, he was afflicted by alcoholism and most of his rule was dominated by very able ministers such as A. G. Moltke J. H. E. Bernstorff and H. C. Schimmelmann . These men marked his reign by

6642-432: Was rarely sober. Twice he broke his leg in drunken accidents, with subsequent long convalescences which greatly weakened him. According to Dorothea Biehl 's statements the king was often seen in a condition "where his arm was not strong enough to bring his hat on his head again without Moltke's help." In the end he was completely broken down as a result of drinking and debauchery. On 14 January 1766 at Christiansborg Palace,

6724-582: Was sent to school in the Duchy of Schleswig , his father's birthplace, and returned to enter the University of Copenhagen in 1758. At 15 he ran away along with his brother and enlisted in the Prussian service. Being compelled to join a regiment of artillery at Magdeburg , instead of being attached to the hussars as he had been promised, he deserted the Prussian standard in the Seven Years' War , and entered

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