- Haakon VII
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/haw"koon/, (Prince Carl of Denmark)1872-1957, king of Norway 1905-57: in exile 1940-45.
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born Aug. 3, 1872, Charlottenlund, Den.died Sept. 21, 1957, Oslo, Nor.King of Norway (1905–57).Born prince Carl of Denmark, he was offered the Norwegian crown after the restoration of the country's independence in 1905. He accepted only after receiving approval by a plebiscite, and he took the Old Norse name of Haakon. In World War II he fled to England after the German invasion of Norway (1940), and his refusal to abdicate inspired Norwegians to resist the German occupation.* * *
▪ king of Norwayoriginal name Christian Frederik Carl Georg Valdemar Axelborn Aug. 3, 1872, Charlottenlund, Den.died Sept. 21, 1957, Oslo, Nor.first king of Norway following the restoration of that country's full independence in 1905.The second son of the future king Frederick VIII of Denmark, he was originally called Prince Charles (Carl) of Denmark. He was trained for a naval career. In 1896 he married Princess Maud, daughter of England's Edward VII. He was offered the Norwegian crown in 1905, after the dissolution of the Swedish–Norwegian union, and he agreed to accept it only if he were approved in a Norwegian plebiscite. Overwhelmingly approved on Nov. 12, 1905, he was elected king by the Storting (parliament) on November 18. He was given the Old Norse name of Haakon.Haakon VII reigned during two world wars. His refusal to submit when a German-pressured Storting body asked him to abdicate inspired the Norwegians to resist the German occupation during World War II. Haakon VII returned from exile in England to Norway in June 1945. He continued in the high esteem of his people until his death.* * *
Universalium. 2010.