Court culture can be defined as a range of cultural forms (festival culture, painting, literature, music, architecture) employed for the enhancement of princely status and the communication of political messages. Christian IV evidently set great store on court culture beginning with his magnificent coronation in 1596, reaching a climax with the "great wedding" (of crown prince Christian) in 1634 and at last colapsing during the military and political crisis in the last years of his long reign (1588/96-1648). Danish court culture during the reign of Christian IV decidedly was on an European level, and during the Thirty Years War he could even profit from the plight of fellow princes in germany and engage top artists like the composer Heinrich Schütz. The court culture of Christian IV was a succes in the sense that during the first part of his reign it underscored his success and status. During the middle part of his reign Christian IV tried to instruemtalize court culture for political and diplomatic aims in an increasing desperate bid to cheat the Swedes. When they called his bluff during the 1640's court culture collapsed. Nevertheless, his magnificent castles still stand as an enduring monument to his reign and in terms of historical fame the court culture of Christian IV was an enduring success.