Christian IV of Denmark by Warlord Games

Christian IV is something of an enigma. He was a man with many personal weaknesses: excessive alcohol consumption and gambling, a lack of political acumen, and the unsavory habit of burning witches, to name just a few. On the other hand, he was determined, ambitious, and one of the most active and popular kings in Danish history, reigning for 59 years.

His involvement in the Thirty Years' War was typical of him. In the Imperial War, as the Danish participation was known at home, he overreached. His ambition to expand his holdings in Holstein was doomed to failure, but his popularity at home increased even after the defeat at Lutter. He founded a fleet that dominated the Baltic Sea for many years, the Danish East India Company, and numerous trading cities. He also strengthened the bond between the two most important parts of his kingdom: Denmark and Norway.

At the outbreak of the Torstensson War in 1644, when he once again fought against Sweden, Christian, despite his age of sixty-six, demonstrated great personal bravery and resilience. Ultimately, he had to yield to the demands of Sweden and its allies, and Sweden gained dominance over the Baltic region before his death, though this did not diminish his popularity with his subjects.

The package contains a metal miniature horse.