Kong Christian stod ved højen mast
| English: 'King Christian Stood by the Lofty Mast' | |
|---|---|
King Christian IV on the "Trinity" in the Battle of Colberger Heide, 1644 | |
Co-national and de facto royal anthem of Denmark | |
| Also known as | Kong Christian Kongesangen (English: 'The King's Anthem') |
| Lyrics | Johannes Ewald, 1778 |
| Music | unknown |
| Adopted | 1780 |
| Audio sample | |
Kong Christian stod ved højen mast (instrument)
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"Kong Christian stod ved højen mast" (Danish: [kʰʌŋ ˈkʰʁestjæn ˈstoðˀ ve̝ ˈhʌjˀn̩ mæst, - ˈkʰʁæs-]; lit. 'King Christian Stood by the Lofty Mast'), or simply "Kong Christian", is the unofficial royal anthem of Denmark that officially has equal status of national anthem together with "Der er et yndigt land". However, it is almost exclusively used regarding the Danish royal house and the military. The theme of the song is the heroics of Danish and Norwegian sailors during the wars against Sweden (including the Torstenson War) in the 17th and 18th centuries.
On New Year's Eve, it is tradition to sing along as the Danmarks Radio Girl's Choir sings the song on television immediately after midnight following the other national anthem. Usually, only the first verse is sung on official occasions. Adopted in 1780, it is one of the oldest national anthems in the world.