Haakon, << HAW kuhn, >> VII (1872-1957) was chosen king by the Norwegian people and parliament in 1905 after the separation of Norway from Sweden. He ruled until his death. He was a son of King Frederik VIII of Denmark and was born in Charlottenlund, near Copenhagen. He took the name Haakon, which was the name of six Norwegian kings during the Middle Ages.
Haakon attended the Danish Naval Academy, and served for some time as an officer in the Danish Navy. His visits to Norway, his liking for the sea, and his knowledge of it made him very popular among the Norwegian people, who have a long history of seafaring. In 1896, he married Princess Maud (1869-1938), the youngest daughter of King Edward VII of England. They had one son, Olav, who was born on July 2, 1903.
During Haakon’s long reign, Norway was transformed into a socialist country. Haakon held to his role of constitutional monarch.
When Germany invaded Norway in 1940, Haakon stood courageously for no surrender. But when the Germans occupied the country, Haakon fled to England, where he ruled in exile until his return on June 7, 1945. His government organized a Norwegian air force, navy, and some army units to fight against Germany. His son, Olav V, succeeded him in 1957.
