The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-16 00:00:00

TSB LATE KING OF DENMARK.

The public will be surprised to hear that another
head of a Royal House in Europe, and one on whose
actions for some time past a question of peace or
war has hinged, has been suddenly summoned from
earth.

King Frederick VII. of Denmark, of whose ill-
ness only a slight previous intimation had been re-
ceived, died at his Palace at Glucksburg, near
Flensburg, in the duchy of Schleswig, yesterday
afternoon.

The immediate cause of the King's death was
with which he was suddenly seized a few
erysipelas,
days since; but it would appear that no danger was
anticipated until towards the close of last week,
when the inhabitants of Copenhagen became aware
that their beloved monarch, who has for a long time
past been unceasing in his exertions to pro-
mote the defence of the country in its present
critical condition, was seriously ill. From that time
bulletins were frequently transmitted from the
Palace at Glucksburg to Copenhagen, announcing
to the grief-stricken inhabitants that the illness
under which the King laboured had assumed an
alarming character. On Friday the fever usually
attendant on this complaint increased, and his Ma-
jesty became continually delirious; but as the
the erysipelas, had not increased
chief complaint,
during the night, and as the royal patient had ob-
the report on Saturday was that
tained a little sleep,
the King was better. Though this announcement
tended in some degree to tranquillise the minds of
tho inhabitants of Copenhagen, the intelligence
published yesterday morning in the Danish capital
tended to destroy the hopes which had been enter-
tained, for during Saturday night all the unfavour-
able symptoms had increased in intensity, and
want of sleep assisted in preventing the remedial
measures adopted from taking the desired effect.
The grief of the people of the capital when the
melancholy news arrived can only be con-
ceived by those who have studied the critical cir-
cumstances in which Denmark has so long been in-
volved with the German Federal Diet in respect
of the vexed question of the Duchies, and who
know how earnestly and devotedly the King has
laboured to promote the defence of the country
against the threatened execution by the Diet. In-
deed, it is in a great measure to be feared that the
illness under which the King has now suddenly
succumbed was brought on by his exertions in
strengthening the defences of his country, and in
collecting and reviewing the bodies of troops as-
sembled in and near the threatened duchies. His
Majesty has been residing at Glucksburg for some
time, with the exception of a short visit which he
paid to Copenhagen about the middle of last month.
This visit to the capital became at last imperative
in order to consult with his 11Iinisters as to the
progress for the defence of the country, and
steps in
to give to his Cabinet the benefit of his opinion on
several important measures which had been for some
time under discussion. As soon as this business of
State was despatched, the King hastened to return
to Glucksburg, where he could better direct the
operations of the camp formed in that neighbour-
hood, and could the more efficiently superintend the
efforts made for strengthening the great bulwark of
the country known for ages as the Dannevirke.
The late King Frederic VII., who also bore the
names of Charles Christian, was born October 8,
1808, and consequently had but recently attained
his 55th year. He was the son of King Chris-
tian VIII., and his mother was the Princess Char-
lotte Frederique, daughter of Frederick Francis,
Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. The late
King succeeded his father on the 20th January, 1848.
He was married, first, in November, 1829, to the
Princess Wilhelmine Marie, daughter of Frede-
ric VI., King of Danmark, but was separated from
her in September, 1837. The second marriage was to
the Princess Caroline Charlotte Marianne, daughter
of George, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz,
on June 10, 1841 ; but a second separation took
place in September, 1846. The third marriage of
the King, to the Countess Danner, was of a mor-
ganatic nature, and, as is well known, much scandal
has from time to time been :n circulation in respect
of this union and the circumstances arising out of it.
No issue was born of either of the marriages; and
by a law of succession passed in July, 1853, the
crown devolves on Prince Christian of Denmark, of
the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderbourg•
Glucksburg (the father of the Princess of %Vales and
of the King of Greece), who was born in
1818, andBsB
who, by a decree issued in December, 1 ,
for himself and his descendants the title of " royal
highness." His Majesty married, in 1842, the
Princess Louise, a Princess of liege-Cassell' who is
about six months older than her royal consort, hav-
ing been born in September,
The late King succeeded jusltBplr7e.vious to the great
European outbreak in 1848, and when his own
dominions were agitated by the discussion of several
important subjects, and particularly the desire for a
new constitution, which was eagerly wished for by
his subjects.
The students, who had formed a mili-
tary corps, cause-
-3 some disorder when required to
take the oath to the constitution, and a few arrests
were then made.
The King,
however, who had had several inter-
views
with his predecessor just previous to the de-
cease of the latter, and received from him several
papers drawn up for the guidance of his successor,
signalled his succession to the throne by a royal
Cabinet decree which was received with the greatest
general approbation and sympathy. The decree in
question ordered that all proceedings and trials for
political crimes and offences against the press laws
in Denmark and the German Duchies should be
Abandoned. 0
the 24th of January, the day on