FREDERICK VIII. king of Denmark, eldest son of Christian IX., was born at Copenhagen on June 3, As crown prince of Denmark he took part in the war of 1864 against Austria and Prussia, in which the duchies of Schleswig Holstein and Lauenburg were lost. He then assisted his father in the duties of government, becoming king on Christian's death in Jan. 1906. In 1869 Frederick married Louise (1851-1926), daughter of Charles XV. of Sweden, by whom he had four sons and four daughters. In 1907, during a visit to Iceland, Frederick appointed a mixed commission to draft a measure of home rule, but it was thrown out at the next election, when the island claimed full state independence, though "personal union" with Denmark was retained (see ICELAND). During his reign he gained the con fidence of his people by his energetic interest in politics, his genial manner, and his simple mode of living. He died at Ham burg on May 14, 1912.
He was succeeded by his eldest son Christian X. (q.v.) and his second son, Charles (b. 1872), who married his cousin Maud, daughter of Edward VII. of Great Britain, became king of Nor way as Haakon VII. (q.v.) in 1905.