Hans, or sometimes called John (also Johannes; 2 February 1455 – 20 February 1513), was a Scandinavian monarch who ruled under the Kalmar Union. He was King of Denmark from 1482 to 1513, King of Norway from 1483 to 1513, and King of Sweden (where he has also been called Johan II) from 1497 to 1501. Additionally, from 1482 to 1513, he held the titles of Duke of Schleswig and Holstein, which he governed jointly with his brother, Frederick.

The three most important political goals of King Hans were the restoration of the Kalmar Union, reduction of the dominance of the Hanseatic League, and the building of a strong Danish royal power.

Hans was born on 2 February 1455, probably at Aalborg in Northern Jutland. He was the third son of King Christian I of Denmark and Dorothea of Brandenburg, but the eldest to survive infancy. Dorothea was the daughter of Margrave John of Brandenburg.

Christian had his son Hans proclaimed as future ruler in the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. However, a rebellion in 1464 forced Christian to relinquish the Swedish crown. Christian attempted to retake Sweden in 1470, but his forces were defeated by Sten Sture the Elder at the Battle of Brunkeberg in October 1471.

Upon King Christian's death in May 1481, there was no dispute over the order of succession in the kingdoms, but the accession nevertheless proved difficult. Negotiations on the terms of Hans's accession started between the councils of the realms and an interregnum ensued. The Oldenburgs and the Danish council wanted to reintegrate Sweden into the union but ultimately had to settle for a limited union between Denmark and Norway.

In Denmark, Hans was unchallenged, but the Norwegian council, dissatisfied with King Christian's previous policies, sought stronger guarantees before accepting Hans's rule. Union-critical factions within Norway also reached out to Sweden, and on 1 February 1482, the two kingdoms concluded a treaty in Oslo, agreeing not to proceed with the forthcoming royal election without consulting the other. In response, the Danish leadership tried to undermine this alliance by initiating separate negotiations with each kingdom. In Denmark, Hans was acclaimed in the spring of 1482.

A meeting between the councils of Denmark, Sweden and Norway was appointed for 13 January 1483 at Halmstad to work out Hans's håndfæstning, or coronation charter. When the Swedish Council failed to turn up at the meeting, the Norwegian and Danish councils proceeded to issue a joint declaration known as the Halmstad Recess. This document outlined the conditions for Hans's rule, strengthening the authority of the councils and affirming that the union was a personal union of three independent kingdoms. It was hoped that Sweden would later accept the same terms and thereby acknowledge Hans as king. Hans was crowned King of Denmark in Copenhagen on 18 May 1483, and King of Norway in Trondheim on 20 July.

As negotiations with the Swedish Council continued, a separate agreement known as the Kalmar Recess was drafted on 9 September 1483. Intended to complement the Halmstad Recess, it included additional guarantees aimed at limiting royal authority and safeguarding the privileges of the Swedish Council of the Realm. Among the Swedish demands was the restoration of Gotland, a condition that proved unacceptable to King Hans. The negotiations ultimately broke down in 1484 over the Gotland question, and Hans was not crowned king of Sweden until 1497. During this period, Sweden was ruled by Regent Sten Sture and the Council of the Realm.