|Intro||Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp|
|A.K.A.||Adolf von Holstein|
|Birth||25 January 1526, Duborg castle, Germany|
|Death||1 October 
|Intro||Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp|
|A.K.A.||Adolf von Holstein|
|Birth||25 January 1526, Duborg castle, Germany|
|Death||1 October 1586, Gottorf Castle, Germany (aged 60 years)|
Adolf of Denmark or Adolf of Holstein-Gottorp (25 January 1526 – 1 October 1586) was the first Duke of Holstein-Gottorp from the line of Holstein-Gottorp of the House of Oldenburg.
He was the third son of King Frederick I of Denmark and his second wife, Sophie of Pomerania. King Frederick I had his son educated by Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. He spent four years at the Landgrave's castle in Kassel.
In 1544, Adolf, his brother Johann, and their half-brother King Christian III of Denmark, divided the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein. The areas were divided according to approximately equal tax proceeds. Adolf, as the youngest, was entitled the first choice. Since he selected the part with the castle Gottorp, the line of the house Oldenburg created by him was called Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp.
Partition of Holstein and Schleswig
Until the Treaty of Speyer, concluded on 23 M