Haakon VII (Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈhôːkʊn], bornPrince Carl of Denmark; 3 August 1872 — 21 September 1957) was theKing of Norway from 1905 until his death in 1957.
Originally born a Danish prince, he was the son of the future KingFrederick VIII of Denmark andLouise of Sweden. Prince Carl was educated at theRoyal Danish Naval Academy and served in theRoyal Danish Navy. After the1905 dissolution of theunion between Sweden and Norway, Prince Carl had an opportunity to take the Norwegian crown. Following theNovember plebiscite, Haakon accepted the opportunity and was proclaimed king on 18 November 1905. He took theOld Norse nameHaakon, becoming the first independent Norwegian monarch to use that name since 1380.
As king, Haakon gained much sympathy from the Norwegian people. Although theConstitution of Norway vests the King with considerable executive powers, in practice Haakon confined himself to a representative and ceremonial role while rarely interfering in politics, a practice continued by his son and grandson.
Norway wasinvaded by Nazi Germany in April 1940. Haakon rejected German demands to legitimise theQuisling regime's puppet government, vowing to abdicate rather than do so. He refused to abdicate after going into exile in Great Britain. As such, he played a pivotal role in uniting the Norwegian nationin its resistance to the invasion and the subsequent five-year-longoccupation during theSecond World War. He returned to Norway in June 1945 after the defeat of Germany.
He became theKing of Norway when his grandfather,Christian IX was still theKing of Denmark, and that before his father and elder brother became kings of Denmark. During his reign he saw his fatherFrederick VIII, his elder brotherChristian X, and his nephewFrederick IX ascend the throne of Denmark, in 1906, 1912 (also ofIceland from 1918 to 1944), and 1947 respectively. Haakon died on 21 September 1957 at the age of 85 after a long 52-year reign. He was succeeded by his only son, Olav, who ascended to the throne asOlav V.
Haakon has a reputation as one Norway's greatest kings. Despite living inexile for five years, he refused toabdicate the throne. He played a pivotal role in uniting the Norwegian nation in its resistance to the invasion and the subsequent five-year-long occupation. He also managed to hold his young and fragile country together in unstable political conditions.
Haakon VII reigned duringtwo world wars. His refusal to submit when a German-pressured Storting body asked him to abdicate inspired the Norwegians to resist the German occupation duringWorld War II. Haakon VII returned from exile inEngland to Norway in June 1945.
Haakon VII died on September 21,1957 in theRoyal Palace in Oslo.
