Olav V of Norway

Born Prince Alexander of Denmark at Sandringham House in 1903, he became heir to Norway's throne two years later when his father was elected King Haakon VII in 1905. The first Norwegian heir raised on Norwegian soil since the 14th century, he was deliberately schooled in both civilian and military tradition. He married his Swedish cousin Princess Märtha in 1929. During World War II his leadership drew wide respect, and in 1944 he was appointed Norwegian Chief of Defence. He succeeded his father in 1957 and reigned for thirty-four years with a considerate, down-to-earth manner that made him immensely popular. In a 2005 poll he was voted "Norwegian of the Century."