Valdemar IV of Denmark

HouseHouse of Estridsen FatherChristopher II of Denmark MotherEuphemia of Pomerania

Valdemar IV Atterdag (the Restorer), Valdemar Christoffersen or Waldemar (c. 1320 – 24 October 1375) was King of Denmark from 1340 to 1375. He is best known for reunifying Denmark after the kingdom had effectively collapsed through bankruptcy and the mortgaging of its territories under previous rulers. Denmark had ceased to function as a unified realm, with its lands controlled by various Holstein lords. Over the course of 25 years, Valdemar gradually reacquired the lost territories that had accumulated over centuries, restoring the kingdom under his own authority. His heavy-handed methods, relentless taxation, and appropriation of rights long held by noble families led to repeated uprisings throughout his reign.