The Royal Danish CollectionRosenborgAlchemical Gold

Alchemical Gold

The round container with an enamel rosette on the lid contains an oval surface of yellow metal. The metal is specified as alchemical gold and is said to have been produced by Frederik III with the help of the Italian Giuseppe Borri. Alchemy presumed that all substances stemmed from earth, water, air and fire, and were simply combined in different ways. Until the 1700s it was therefore thought that other metals could be changed into gold. Members of society’s elite have throughout history attempted the process, and this object bears witness that the king was no exception.

Relations

1650-1675

The wars of Charles Gustavus (1657-1658 and 1658-1660) were the important events in foreign politics of the period. The loss of Scania, Halland and Blekinge at the Peace of Roskilde in 1658 was a nadir of power politics in Danish history.

Frederik III's time

Frederik III

Frederik III was the King of Denmark-Norway from 1648; he was married to Sophie Amalie of Brunswick-Lüneburg in 1643 and father to Christian V.

Diamond ring

Ring of enamelled gold with diamonds. The ring, with a phallus and a woman’s hand, was possibly Frederik III’s comment on Queen Sophie Amalie’s affair with a valet, when it was discovered in 1664.

Wheel-lock rifle

Wheel-lock rifle. This piece of weaponry probably belonged to Frederik III.

The Royal Statutes

The Royal Statutes, was the constitution of the Danish absolute monarchy 1665-1849, in a silver case with Frederik III's monogram.