Christian II of Denmark
Christian II of Denmark, also known as Christian the Tyrant, was born on July 2nd, 1481 in Nyborg, Denmark. He was the son of King Hans and Christina of Saxony. After his father's death, Christian was crowned as the king of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden in 1513. Christian was considered a tyrant due to his brutal methods of governance. He attempted to centralize power within his own hands and suppress the power of the nobility. In 1520, he ordered the execution of numerous Swedish nobles in an event known as the Stockholm Bloodbath. Christian was also a patron of the arts and sciences. He supported the work of Johannes Kepler and sponsored the construction of the Rundetårn observatory in Copenhagen. In 1523, a rebellion led by his uncle, Frederick I, forced Christian to flee Denmark. He spent the rest of his life in exile, moving between various European courts. He died on January 25th, 1559 in Kalundborg, Denmark. Despite his brutal reputation, Christian is remembered as a patron of the arts and a supporter of the Protestant Reformation.
