The reign of Christopher II (1319–1332) was a period of disaster for Denmark, marked by widespread peasant revolts, conflicts with the Church, and loss of territory. Due to Christopher's inability to maintain control, much of Denmark fell into the hands of provincial counts, and Skåne was seized by Sweden. The situation became so dire that following Christopher's death in 1332, Denmark was left without a king for eight years, with the country effectively under the control of these counts.
The kingless time 1332–1340. Danish Estonia not shown on the map was under the protection of the Livonian Order. @Vesconte2
One of the most powerful of these counts, Gerhard III of Holstein-Rendsburg, held significant influence over Danish affairs until his assassination in 1340. This event paved the way for Christopher's son, Valdemar IV, to be chosen as the new king. Valdemar gradually began the arduous task of reclaiming Denmark's lost territories. Through strategic diplomacy, warfare, and economic measures, he managed to restore Danish control, finally completing the recovery of the kingdom by 1360, re-establishing Denmark's sovereignty and stability.