NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Gustav III of Sweden

Gustav III (24 January [O.S. 13 January] 1746 – 29 March 1792) was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, sister of Frederick the Great. Image File history File links Gustav_III_of_Sweden_1. ... This article is about the Germanic tribes. ... The Vends were a small tribe who in the 12th-16th century lived in the area around the town of Wenden (now CÄ“sis) in what is now north-central Latvia. ... Charles XI, or Karl XI, (November 24, 1655 - April 5, 1697) was a King of Sweden (1660 - 1697). ... The term absolutism can mean: A belief in absolute truth moral absolutism, the belief that there is some absolute standard of right and wrong political absolutism, a political system where one person holds absolute power, also called apolytarchy from Gr. ... is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Old Style or O.S. is a designation indicating that a date conforms to the Julian calendar, formerly in use in many countries, rather than the Gregorian calendar, currently in use in most countries. ... // Events Catharine de Ricci (born 1522) canonized. ... is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a representative democracy based on a parliamentary system. ... Adolf Frederick King of Sweden Adolf Frederick (Adolf Fredrik) (May 14, 1710 â€“ February 12, 1771), was King of Sweden from 1751 until his death. ... Louisa Ulrika of Prussia (Swedish: Lovisa Ulrika; German: Luise Ulrike) (1720â€”1782) was Queen consort of Sweden between 1751 and 1771. ... Frederick the Great Frederick II of Prussia (Friedrich der Große, Frederick the Great, January 24, 1712 – August 17, 1786) was the Hohenzollern king of Prussia 1740–86. ...

Gustav was a benefactor of arts and literature. He founded several academies, among them the Swedish Academy, and had the Royal Swedish Opera built. The Swedish Academy was founded in 1786 on the personal initiative of King Gustav III The Swedish Academy in Stockholm The Swedish Academy or Svenska Akademien, founded in 1786 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. ... The Royal Swedish Opera, as seen from the southwest The Royal Swedish Opera, or Kungliga Operan, is the national stage for opera in Sweden. ...

As he opposed the parliamentarian reforms that had been worked out before his reign, in the Age of Liberty, and as he spent high amounts on things that pleased him, he was controversial. To distract attention from this, he tried to expand Sweden's borders through a war against Russia, but the attempt was unsuccessful. In the end, Gustav was assassinated by a conspiracy of noblemen. A parliamentary system, or parliamentarism, is distinguished by the executive branch of government being dependent on the direct or indirect support of the parliament, often expressed through a vote of confidence. ... The Great Northern War See also: Great Northern War The victory at Narva Charles XI of Sweden had carefully provided against the contingency of his successors minority; and the five regents appointed by him, if not great statesmen, were at least practical politicians who had not been trained in... The Russo-Swedish War of 1788â€“90, known as Gustav IIIs Russian War in Sweden and as Catherine IIs Swedish War in Russia, was fought between Sweden and Russia from June 1788 to August 1790. ...

Royal Titles

Gustav III was known in Sweden and abroad by his Royal Titles, or styles. These were; The House of Holstein-Gottorp, a cadet branch of the Oldenburg dynasty, ruled Sweden from 1751 until 1818, and Norway from 1814 to 1818. ... Adolf Frederick King of Sweden Adolf Frederick (Adolf Fredrik) (May 14, 1710 â€“ February 12, 1771), was King of Sweden from 1751 until his death. ... Charles XIII (Swe: Karl XIII) (October 7, 1748 - February 5, 1818), was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway (where he was known as Carl II) from 1814 until his death. ... Prince Fredrick Adolf (1750-1803), was a Swedish Prince, youngest son of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Queen Louisa Ulrika of Prussia and was given the title duke of Ã–stergÃ¶tland. ... Sofia Albertina was daughter of king Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Louisa Ulrika of Prussia. ... For other people and places of the same name, see Gustaf Adolf (disambiguation). ... For other people and places of the same name, see Gustaf Adolf (disambiguation). ... Gustaf Gustafsson of Vasa (1799 - 1877) was the son of Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden. ... Princess Sophie of Sweden (Swedish: , German: Sophie von Schweden), sometimes called Sofia Wilhelmina of Vasa (May 21, 1801 - July 6, 1865), was a consort Grand Duchess of Baden. ... Cecilia of Sweden Cecilia of Sweden (born June 22, 1807 in Stockholm; died January 27, 1844 in Oldenburg) was princess of Sweden and Grand Duchess of Oldenburg. ... Princess Carola of Vasa (5 August 1833-15 December 1907) was a Swedish princess and queen consort of Saxony. ... Charles XIII (Swe: Karl XIII) (October 7, 1748 - February 5, 1818), was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway (where he was known as Carl II) from 1814 until his death. ...

We Gustav by the Grace of God of the Swedes, the Goths and the Vends King, Grand Duke of Finland, Duke of Pomerania, Prince of Rügen and Lord of Wismar, Heir to Norway and Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, Stormarn and Ditmarsken, Count of Oldenburg and Delmenhorst, etc. etc. The title of King of the Goths was for many centuries borne by both the Kings of Sweden and the Kings of Denmark, denoting sovereignty or claimed sovereignty over the antique people of the Goths, which is sort of poetic explanation. ... The title of King of the Wends denoted sovereignty or claims over Slavic lands of southern coasts of the Baltic Sea, those otherwise called Mecklenburg, Holstein and Pomerania, and was from 12th century used by Kings of Denmark and from 16th century by Kings of Sweden. ... Grand Duke of Finland, more correctly Grand Prince of Finland, (Finnish: Suomen suuriruhtinas, Swedish: Storfurste av Finland) was a title in use, sometimes sporadically, between 1584 and 1808. ... Swedish Pomerania (Swedish: Svenska Pommern) was a Dominion under the Swedish Crown from the 17th to the 19th century, situated on the German Baltic Sea coast. ... The term prince, from the Latin root princeps, is used for a member of the highest ranks of the aristocracy or the nobility. ... Map of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania highlighting the district RÃ¼gen RÃ¼gen (Polish: Rugia) is an island located off the coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the Baltic Sea. ... For other uses, see Lord (disambiguation). ... Wismar is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, about 45 km due east of LÃ¼beck, and 30 km due north of Schwerin. ... For other uses, see inheritance (disambiguation). ... This article is about the nobility title. ... Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the 16 Bundesländer in Germany. ... Stormarn is a district in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. ... A count is a nobleman in most European countries, equivalent in rank to a British earl, whose wife is also still a countess (for lack of an Anglo-Saxon term). ... Oldenburg (Low German: Ollnborg) is an Independent City in Lower Saxony, Germany. ... Delmenhorst is an urban district (Kreisfreie Stadt) in Lower Saxony, Germany. ... This article is about &c. ...

Education

Gustav was educated under the care of two governors who were amongst the most eminent Swedish statesmen of the day, Carl Gustaf Tessin and Carl Fredrik Scheffer; but he owed most perhaps to the poet and historian Olof von Dalin. Count Carl Gustaf Tessin (born September 5, 1695 in Stockholm; died January 7, 1770 in Ã…kerÃ¶) was a Swedish politician and son of architect Nicodemus Tessin. ... Olof von Dalin (1708-1763), the Swedish poet, was born on 29 August 1708 in the parish of Vinberg in Halland, where his father was the minister. ...

The interference of the state with his education, when he was quite a child was however doubly harmful, as his parents taught him to despise the preceptors imposed upon him by the Estates of the Realm, and the atmosphere of intrigue and duplicity in which he grew up made him precociously experienced in the art of dissimulation. The Riksdag of the Estates, or Ståndsriksdagen, was the name used for the Estates of the Swedish realm, or Rikets ständer, when they were assembled. ...

But even his most hostile teachers were amazed by the alliance of his natural gifts, and, while still a boy, he possessed that charm of manner which was to make him so fascinating and so dangerous in later life, coupled with the strong dramatic instinct which won for him his honourable place in Swedish literature.

On the whole, Gustav cannot be said to have been well educated, but he read very widely; there was scarcely a French author of his day with whose works he was not intimately acquainted; while his enthusiasm for the new French ideas of enlightenment was as sincere as, if more critical than, his mother's. 18th century philosophy redirects here. ...

On November 4, 1766, Gustav married Sophie Magdalene, daughter of Frederick V of Denmark. The match was an unhappy one, owing partly to incompatibility of temper; but still more to the mischievous interference of the jealous queen-mother. The marriage produced two children: Crown Prince Gustav Adolf (1778-1837), and Prince Karl Gustav (1782-1783). is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1766 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Sofia Magdalena of Denmark and Norway (Christiansborg Palace, Denmark, 3 July 1743 - Ulriksdal Palace, Sweden, 21 August 1813) was a Queen consort of Sweden. ... Frederick V, painting by Carl Gustaf Pilo Statue of Frederick V in the center of Amalienborg by Jacques FranÃ§ois Joseph Saly Frederick V (March 31, 1723 â€“ January 13, 1766) was king of Denmark and Norway from 1746, son of Christian VI of Denmark and Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach. ... For other people and places of the same name, see Gustaf Adolf (disambiguation). ...

Politics of an Heir Apparent

Gustav first intervened actively in politics in 1768, when he compelled the dominant Cap faction to summon an extraordinary diet from which he hoped for the reform of the constitution in a monarchical direction. But the victorious Hat party refused to redeem the pledges which they had given before the elections. "That we should have lost the constitutional battle does not distress us so much", wrote Gustav, in the bitterness of his heart; "but what does dismay me is to see my poor nation so sunk in corruption as to place its own felicity in absolute anarchy." The Caps (MÃ¶ssarna) were a political faction during the Age of Liberty (1719-1772) in Sweden. ... A political faction is presently an informal grouping of individuals, especially within a political organisation, such as a political party, a trade union, or other group with some kind of political purpose (referred to in this article as the â€œbroader organisationâ€). It may also be referred to as a power... In politics, a Diet is a formal deliberative assembly. ... The Hats is the name given to a political faction during the Age of Liberty (1719-1772) in Sweden. ... In the realist theory of International Relations, the anarchical system that all states find themselves in is the lack of clear organisation of states into a hieracical order that is found within states. ...

He was an enthusiast of Sweden's national history, and proudly held in memory that he descended, through his paternal grandmother, from the House of Vasa: from king Gustav I of Sweden and from a sister of Charles X Gustav of Sweden. The Vasa Coat of Arms The House of Vasa was the Royal House of Sweden (1523-1654) and of Poland (1587-1668). ... Gustav I of Sweden, commonly known as Gustav Vasa, but originally known as Gustav Eriksson (May 12, 1496 â€“ September 29, 1560) was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death. ... Charles X Gustav (Karl X Gustav) (November 8, 1622 â€“ February 13, 1660), was King of Sweden from 1654 until his death. ...

From 4 February to 25 March 1771, Gustav was in Paris, where he carried both the court and the city by storm. The poets and the philosophers paid him enthusiastic homage, and distinguished women testified to his superlative merits. With many of them he maintained a lifelong correspondence. is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1771 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... This article is about the capital of France. ...

His visit to the French capital was, however, no mere pleasure trip; it was also a political mission. Confidential agents from the Swedish court had already prepared the way for him, and the duc de Choiseul, had resolved to discuss with him the best method of bringing about a revolution in France's ally, Sweden. Choiseul can refer to: Etienne Francois, Duke of Choiseul Choiseul, Haute-Marne, a commune in the Haute-Marne département in France Choiseul province, Solomon Islands, a province of the Solomon Islands Choiseul, Saint Lucia This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might...

Before he departed, the French government undertook to pay the outstanding subsidies to Sweden unconditionally, at the rate of one and a half million livres annually; and the comte de Vergennes, one of the great names of French diplomacy, was transferred from Constantinople to Stockholm. Charles Gravier, Comte de Vergennes, French statesman and diplomat Charles Gravier, Comte de Vergennes (20 December 1717 – 13 February 1787) was a French statesman and diplomat. ... This article is about the city before the Fall of Constantinople (1453). ... For other uses, see Stockholm (disambiguation). ...

On his way home Gustav paid a short visit to his uncle, Frederick the Great, at Potsdam. Frederick bluntly informed his nephew that, in concert with Russia and Denmark, he had guaranteed the integrity of the existing Swedish constitution, and significantly advised the young monarch to play the part of mediator and abstain from violence. Frederick the Great Frederick II of Prussia (Friedrich der Große, Frederick the Great, January 24, 1712 – August 17, 1786) was the Hohenzollern king of Prussia 1740–86. ... Potsdam is the capital city of the federal state of Brandenburg in Germany. ...

Revolution

On his return to Sweden Gustav III tried to mediate between the bitterly divided Hats and Caps. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (468x627, 54 KB) King Gustav III of Sweden, 1746-1792 (ruled 1771-1792) Painted by unknown artist File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Swedish Academy Gustav III... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (468x627, 54 KB) King Gustav III of Sweden, 1746-1792 (ruled 1771-1792) Painted by unknown artist File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Swedish Academy Gustav III...

On 21 June 1771, he opened his first Riksdag of the Estates (parliament) with a speech which aroused powerful emotions. It was the first time for more than a century that a Swedish king had addressed a Swedish Riksdag in its native tongue. is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1771 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The Riksdag of the Estates, or Ståndsriksdagen, was the name used for the Estates of the Swedish realm, or Rikets ständer, when they were assembled. ...

He stressed the need for all parties to sacrifice their animosities for the common good, and volunteered, as "the first citizen of a free people," to be the mediator between the contending factions. A composition committee was actually formed, but it proved illusory from the first, the patriotism of neither of the factions being equal to the puniest act of self-denial.

The subsequent attempts of the dominant Caps to reduce him to a roi fainéant (a powerless king), encouraged him to consider a revolution. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into List of French phrases used by English speakers. ...

Under the sway of the Cap faction, Sweden seemed threatened with falling prey to Russia. It appeared on the point of being absorbed in that "Northern System" which the Russian vice-chancellor, Count Nikita Panin, strove to bring about. It seemed that only a swift and sudden coup d'état could preserve Sweden's independence. Count Nikita Ivanovich Panin (Russian: ) (September 18, 1718â€“March 31, 1783) was an influential Russian statesman and political mentor to Catherine the Great for the first eighteen years of her reign. ... // A coup dÃ‰tat (pronounced ), or simply coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, often through illegal means by a part of the state establishment â€” mostly replacing just the high-level figures. ...

At his juncture Gustav III was approached by Jacob Magnus Sprengtporten, a Finnish nobleman, who had incurred the enmity of the Caps, with the project of a revolution. He undertook to seize the fortress of Sveaborg by a coup de main, and once Finland was secured, to embark for Sweden, join up with the king and his friends near Stockholm, and force the estates to accept a new constitution from the untrammelled king. Jacob Magnus Sprengtporten (1727-1786) was a Swedish soldier and politician. ... Utsikt över Sveaborg (View over Sveaborg), painting by Augustin Ehrensvärd Suomenlinna (Finnish), or Sveaborg (Swedish), is an inhabited sea fortress built on six islands, today within Helsinki, the capital of Finland. ... A Coup de main is a swift attack that relies on speed and surprise to accomplish its objectives in a single blow. ... For other uses, see Stockholm (disambiguation). ... In several different regions of medieval Europe, and continuing in some countries[] down to the present day, the estates of the realm were broad divisions of society, usually distinguishing nobility, clergy, and commoners; this last group was, in some regions, further divided into burghers (also known as bourgeoisie) and peasants. ...

The plotters were at this juncture reinforced by Johan Christopher Toll, also a victim of Cap oppression. Toll proposed to raise a second revolt in the province of Scania, and to secure the southern fortress of Kristianstad. After some debate, it was finally arranged that, a few days after the Finnish revolt had begun, Kristianstad should openly declare against the government. Count Johan Christopher Toll (1743-1817), Swedish statesman and soldier, was born at Mölleröd in Scania. ... Scania (SkÃ¥ne in Swedish ) is a geographical region of Sweden on the southernmost tip of the Scandinavian peninsula, a historical province (landskap)[1] of the Kingdom of Sweden, since 1997 a county (LÃ¤n) of Sweden, before 1658 part of the Kingdom of Denmark. ... Kristianstad is a municipality and city in Scania in southernmost Sweden. ...

Duke Charles (Karl), the eldest of the king's brothers, would thereupon be forced to hastily mobilize the garrisons of all the southern fortresses, for the ostensible purpose of crushing the revolt at Kristianstad; but on arriving before the fortress he was to make common cause with the rebels, and march upon the capital from the south, while Sprengtporten attacked it simultaneously from the east. Charles XIII (Swe: Karl XIII) (October 7, 1748 - February 5, 1818), was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway (where he was known as Carl II) from 1814 until his death. ...

On 6 August 1772 Toll succeeded, by sheer bluff, in winning the fortress of Kristianstad. On August 16 Sprengtporten succeeded in surprising Sveaborg. But contrary winds prevented him from crossing to Stockholm, and in the meanwhile events had occurred which made his presence there unnecessary. is the 218th day of the year (219th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1772 (MDCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

On 16 August, the Cap leader, Ture Rudbeck, arrived at Stockholm with the news of the insurrection in the south, and Gustav found himself isolated in the midst of enemies. Sprengtporten lay weather-bound in Finland, Toll was five hundred miles away, the Hat leaders were in hiding. Gustav thereupon resolved to strike the decisive blow without waiting for the arrival of Sprengtporten. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 630 Ã— 599 pixelsFull resolution (1250 Ã— 1189 pixel, file size: 251 KB, MIME type: image/png) Cleaned up version of Image:Sweden greater coa1908. ... A style of office, or honorific, is a form of address which by tradition or law precedes a reference to a person who holds a title or post, or to the political office itself. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

He acted promptly. On the evening of August 18 all the officers whom he thought he could trust received secret instructions to assemble in the great square facing the arsenal on the following morning. At ten o'clock on 19 August Gustav mounted his horse and rode straight to the arsenal. On the way his adherents joined him in little groups, as if by accident, so that by the time he reached his destination he had about two hundred officers in his suite. is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

After parade he reconducted them to the guard-room, which is located in the north western wing of the palace and it is where the Guard of Honour had, and has, its headquarters, and unfolded his plans to them. He told the assembled officers that:

"If you follow me, just like your ancestors followed Gustav Vasa and Gustavus Adolphus, then I will risk my life and blood for you and the salvation of the fatherland!" Gustav Vasa, originally Gustav Eriksson Vasa (May 12, 1496â€“September 29, 1560) was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death. ... Gustav II Adolph Gustav II Adolph (December 9, 1594 - November 6, 1632) (also known as Gustav Adolph the Great, under the Latin name Gustavus Adolphus or the Swedish form Gustav II Adolf) was a King of Sweden. ...

"We are willing to sacrifice both blood and life in Your Majesty's service!"Source

Gustav then dictated a new oath of allegiance, and every one signed it without hesitation. It absolved them from their allegiance to the estates, and bound them solely to obey "their lawful king, Gustav III". An oath of allegiance is an oath whereby a subject or citizen acknowledges his duty of allegiance and swears loyalty to his monarch or country. ...

Meanwhile the Privy Council and its president, Rudbeck, had been arrested and the fleet secured. Then Gustav made a tour of the city and was everywhere received by enthusiastic crowds, who hailed him as a deliverer. A special song was also composed by Carl Mikael Bellman called Toast to king Gustav! The High Council of Sweden or Council of the Realm (in Swedish RiksrÃ¥det until 1687; sometimes Latinised as Senatus Regni Sueciae) consisted originally of those men of both noble, common and clergical background, that the king saw fit for advisory service. ... The Swedish Navy (Swedish Marinen) is the naval branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. ... Carl Michael Bellman (February 4, 1740 - February 11, 1795) was a Swedish poet and composer. ... Gustafs skÃ¥l, literally Toast to Gustaf, is a song written by Carl Michael Bellman as a salutation to King Gustaf III of Sweden, following the coup detat in 1772, which made himself an autocrat and ended the parliamentary Age of Liberty. ...

On the evening of 20 August heralds perambulated the streets proclaiming that the estates were to meet at the Palace on the following day; every deputy absenting himself would be regarded as the enemy of his country and his king, and on August 21, a few moments after the estates had assembled, the king in full regalia appeared, and taking his seat on the throne, delivered his famous philippic, viewed as one of the masterpieces of Swedish oratory, in which he reproached the estates for their unpatriotic venality and license in the past. is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 233rd day of the year (234th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... A philippic is a fiery, damning speech delivered to condemn a particular political actor. ...

...have given birth to hatred, hatred to revenge, revenge to persecution, persecution to new revolutions which finally has passed into a period of decease, which has wounded and degraded the whole nation. The ambition and lust for glory in a few people has damaged the realm, and blood has been shed by both parties, and the result of this has been the suffering of the people. To establish their own power base, has been the rulers’ sole goal, often at the coast of other citizens, and always at the coast of the nation. In times when the law was clear, the law has been distorted, and when this was not possible, it was broken. Nothing has been sacred to a populace bent on hatred and revenge, and the lunacy has finally reached as far, so as one has assumed members of parliament to be above the law, them not having any other guidance than their own conscience. By this Freedom, the most noble of human rights, has been transformed by an unbearable aristocratic despotism in the hands of the ruling party, which in its self has been subdued by a few... source

A new Constitution was read to the estates and unanimously accepted by them. The diet was then dissolved.

Between constitutionalism and absolutism

Gustav worked towards reform in the same direction as other contemporary sovereigns of the "age of enlightenment". Criminal justice became more lenient, the death penalty was removed for many crimes, and torture was abolished. ...

He took an active part in every department of business, but relied far on extra-official counsellors of his own choosing than upon the senate. The effort to remedy the widespread corruption that had flourished under the Hats and Caps engaged a considerable share of his time and he even found it necessary to put on trial the entire Göta Hovrätt, the superior court of justice in Jönköping. The High Council of Sweden or Council of the Realm (in Swedish RiksrÃ¥det until 1687; sometimes Latinised as Senatus Regni Sueciae) consisted originally of those men of both noble, common and clergical background, that the king saw fit for advisory service. ... Location in Sweden JÃ¶nkÃ¶ping is a city in SmÃ¥land in southern Sweden with 84,423 inhabitants (2005). ...

Measures were also taken to reform the administration and judicial procedures. In 1774 an ordinance was proclaimed providing for the liberty of the press, though "within certain limits". The national defences were raised to a "Great Power" scale, and the navy was so enlarged as to become one of the most formidable in Europe. The dilapidated finances were set in good order by the "currency realization ordinance" of 1776. Freedom of the press (or press freedom) is the guarantee by a government of free public speech for its citizens and their associations, extended to members of news gathering organizations, and their published reporting. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... The Riksdaler was the name of the currency used in Sweden until 1873 when it was replaced with the krona as an effect of the Scandinavian Monetary Union. ...

Gustav also introduced new national economic policies. In 1775 free trade in grain was promoted and a number of oppressive export tolls were abolished. The poor law was amended, limited religious liberty was proclaimed for both Roman Catholics and Jews, and Gustav even designed and popularizing a national dress, which was in general use among the upper classes from 1778 until his death. (It is still worn by the ladies of the court on state occasions.) The king's one great economic blunder was the attempt to make the sale of alcohol a government monopoly, which clearly enfringed upon the privileges of the estates. The word grain has several meanings, most being descriptive of a small piece or particle. ... This article deals chiefly with the English Poor Laws covering England and Wales. ... Freedom of religion is a modern legal concept of being free as a matter of right, while freedom of worship is based upon the free expression of that right. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

His foreign policy, on the other hand, was at first both restrained and cautious. Thus, when the king summoned the estates to assemble at Stockholm on September 3, 1778, he could give a highly positive account of his six years' stewardship. The parliament was quite obsequious towards the king. "There was no room for a single question during the whole session." is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1778 (MDCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ...

Short as the session was, it was quite long enough to open the eyes of the deputies to the fact that their political supremacy had departed. They had changed places with the king. He was now indeed their sovereign lord; and, for all his gentleness, the jealousy with which he guarded, the vigour with which he enforced the prerogative, plainly showed that he meant to remain so.

Even those who were prepared to acquiesce in the change by no means liked it. If the diet of 1778 had been docile, the diet of 1786 was mutinous. The consequence was that nearly all the royal propositions were either rejected outright or so modified that Gustav himself withdrew them.

Absolute monarchy

The Riksdag of 1786 marks a turning-point in Gustav's history. Henceforth he showed a growing determination to rule without a parliament; a passage, cautious and gradual, yet unflinching, from semi-constitutionalism to semi-absolutism. enlightened desportism is the act when a prist lies in order to become better in the eyes of the churchEnlightened absolutism (also known as benevolent or enlightened despotism) is a form of despotism in which rulers were influenced by the Enlightenment, a historical period. ...

At the same time his foreign policy became more adventurous. At first he sought to gain Russian support to acquire Norway from Denmark. When Catherine II refused to abandon her ally Denmark, Gustav declared war on Russia in June 1788, while it was deeply engaged in a war with the Ottoman Empire to the south. In embarking on a war of aggression without the consent of the estates, Gustav violated his own constitution of 1772 - which led to a serious mutiny, the Anjala Confederation, among his aristocratic officers in Finland. Denmark declared war in support of its Russian ally, but was soon neutralized through British and Prussian diplomacy. Catherine II (Екатерина II Алексеевна: Yekaterína II Alekséyevna, April 21, 1729 - November 6, 1796), born Sophie Augusta Fredericka, known as Catherine the Great, reigned as empress of Russia from... â€œOttomanâ€ redirects here. ... For other uses, see Prussia (disambiguation). ...

Returning to Sweden, Gustav aroused popular indignation against the mutinous, aristocratic officers, ultimately quelled their rebellion, and arrested its leaders. Capitalizing on the powerful anti-aristocratic passions thus aroused, Gustav summoned a Riksdag early in 1789, at which he put through an Act of Union and Security on February 17, 1789 with the backing of the three lower estates. This powerfully reinforced monarchical authority, even though the estates retained the power of the purse. In return, Gustav abolished most of the old privileges of the nobility. The Swedish Constitution consists of four fundamental laws (Swedish: grundlagar): The Instrument of Government (1974) The Act of Succession (1810) The Freedom of the Press Act (1766) The Fundamental Law on Freedom of Expression (1991) There is also a law on the working order of the Parliament with a special... is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1789 (MDCCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ...

War with Russia

Throughout 1789 and 1790 Gustav conducted the war with Russia, finally winning the Battle of Svensksund, on July 9, regarded as the greatest naval victory ever gained by the Swedish Navy. The Russians lost one-third of their fleet and 7,000 men. A month later, on August 14, 1790, peace was signed between Russia and Sweden at Värälä. Only eight months before, Catherine had declared that "the odious and revolting aggression" of the king of Sweden would be "forgiven" only if he "testified his repentance" by agreeing to a peace granting a general and unlimited amnesty to all his rebels, and consenting to a guarantee by the Swedish diet ("as it would be imprudent to confide in his good faith alone") for the observance of peace in the future. The Treaty of Värälä saved Sweden from any such humiliating concession, and in October 1791 Gustav concluded an eight years' defensive alliance with the empress, who thereby bound herself to pay her new ally an annual subsidy of 300,000 roubles. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Combatants Sweden Russia Commanders Gustav III of Sweden Lieutenant-Colonel Carl Olof Cronstedt Prince Charles of Nassau-Siegen Strength 6 larger ships 16 galleys 154 smaller vessels Ëœ1,000 guns 12,500 men 35 larger ships 23 galleys 77 smaller vessels Ëœ1,200 guns 14,000 men Casualties 1 large... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 480 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 Ã— 1280 pixel, file size: 203 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 480 Ã— 600 pixelsFull resolution (1024 Ã— 1280 pixel, file size: 203 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... The Apollo Belvedere, also called the Pythian Apollo, is a celebrated marble sculpture from Classical Antiquity. ... Skeppsbron The Royal Mounted Guards parading on Skeppsbron in front of the Royal Palace in June 2005. ... Johan Tobias Sergel (September 8, 1740 - February 26, 1814), Swedish sculptor, was born in Stockholm. ... The Russo-Swedish War of 1788â€“90, known as Gustav IIIs Russian War in Sweden and as Catherine IIs Swedish War in Russia, was fought between Sweden and Russia from June 1788 to August 1790. ... Combatants Sweden Russia Commanders Gustav III of Sweden Lieutenant-Colonel Carl Olof Cronstedt Prince Charles of Nassau-Siegen Strength 6 larger ships 16 galleys 154 smaller vessels Ëœ1,000 guns 12,500 men 35 larger ships 23 galleys 77 smaller vessels Ëœ1,200 guns 14,000 men Casualties 1 large... is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Swedish Naval Ensign Coat of arms of the Swedish Navy The Swedish Navy (Swedish: Marinen) is the naval branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1790 (MDCCXC) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... This ended Gustav IIIs Russian adventure on the terms favorable to Russia ... This ended Gustav IIIs Russian adventure on the terms favorable to Russia ...

Gustav now aimed at forming a league of princes against the Jacobins, and subordinated every other consideration to this goal. His profound knowledge of popular assemblies enabled him, alone among contemporary sovereigns, accurately to gauge from the first the scope and bearing of the French Revolution. He was, however, hampered by poverty and the lack of support from the other European Powers, and, after the brief Gävle diet January 22–February 24, 1792, he fell victim to a widespread conspiracy among his aristocratic enemies. It has been suggested that Jacobin/Sandbox be merged into this article or section. ... The French Revolution (1789â€“1815) was a period of political and social upheaval in the political history of France and Europe as a whole, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudal privileges for the aristocracy and Catholic clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on... GÃ¤vle [jÉ›vlÉ™] is a Swedish city in east central Sweden with 81,000 inhabitants, and the seat of GÃ¤vle Municipality (pop. ... is the 22nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... In a political sense, conspiracy refers to a group of persons united in the goal of usurping or overthrowing an established political power. ...

Assassination

A masked ball took place at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm at midnight on March 16, 1792. Gustav had arrived earlier that evening to enjoy a dinner in the company of friends. During dinner, he received an anonymous letter that contained a threat to his life, but, as the king had received numerous threatening letters in the past, he chose to ignore it, and, after dining, left his rooms to take part in the masquerade. The Royal Swedish Opera, as seen from the southwest The Royal Swedish Opera, or Kungliga Operan, is the national stage for opera in Sweden. ... March 16 is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1792 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Soon upon entering, he was surrounded by Anckarström and his co-conspirators Claes Horn and Adolf Ribbing. The king was easily spotted, mainly due to the breast star of the Order of the Seraphim which glowed in silver upon his cape. The conspirators were all wearing black masks and accosted him in French with the words: Jacob Johan AnckarstrÃ¶m (May 11, 1762 - April 27, 1792) was a Swedish military officer, and regicide. ... The Order of the Seraphim or the Order of His Majesty the King (Swedish Serafimerorden or ) is a Swedish Royal order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Polar Star. ...

Anckarström moved in behind the King and fired a pistol-shot into the left side of his back. The King jumped aside, crying in French:

The King was immediately carried back to his quarters, and the exits of the Opera were sealed. Anckarström was arrested the following morning, and immediately confessed to the murder, although he denied a conspiracy until informed that Horn and Ribbing had also been arrested and had confessed in full.

The king had not been shot dead, but was alive, and continued to function as head of state. The coup was a failure in the short run. However, the wound became infected and on March 29 he finally died, his last words being: is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

An interesting trivia about the murder, was that Ulrica Arfvidsson, the famous medium of the Gustavian era, had told him something that could be interpetated as a prediction about it in 1786 when he visited her anonimously - a coincidence, of course, but she was known to have a large net of informers all over town to help her with her predictions, and was in fact interrogated about the murder. Ulrica Arfvidsson (1734-1801), was a Swedish fortune-teller during the days of Gustav III of Sweden, commonly known as Mamsell Arfvidsson (Mademoiselle Arfvidsson). ... Look up medium in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Contributions to culture

Although he may be charged with many foibles and extravagances, Gustav III is regarded one of the leading sovereigns of the 18th century.

Gustav was, moreover, active as a playwright. He is largely credited with creating the Swedish theatre, where his own historical dramas were performed, and he promoted the careers of many native actors, among them Swedens first real primadonna's, the actress Jeanette Fredrique Löf and the opera singer Elisabeth Olin, by letting them perform in his plays, and founded both the Royal Dramatic Theater and te Royal Swedish Opera. His historical essays, notably the famous anonymous eulogy on Lennart Torstenson crowned by the Swedish Academy, which he established in 1786, are full of feeling and exquisite in style, his letters to his friends are delightful. Every branch of literature and the arts interested him, every poet and artist of his day found in him a liberal and sympathetic protector. Jeanette Fredrique LÃ¶f (1760-1813), was a Swedish actress and singer, considered the greatest and most popular actress in Sweden of her time, the greatest swedish primadonna before Emilie HÃ¶gquist. ... Portrait of Elisabeth Olin Elisabeth Olin, nÃ©e LillstrÃ¶m, (1740-1828) was one of the first professional female singers in Sweden, the first Swedish Opera- prima donna, a court-singer, an actress, and composer. ... Royal Dramatic Theatre in Stockholm The Royal Dramatic Theatre or in Swedish Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern, colloquially known among the Swedes as Dramaten, is Swedens national stage for the spoken drama. Around one thousand shows are played yearly on the theatres six running stages. ... The Royal Swedish Opera, as seen from the southwest The Royal Swedish Opera, or Kungliga Operan, is the national stage for opera in Sweden. ... Count Lennart Torstenson (August 17, 1603 - April 7, 1651) was a Swedish soldier and military engineer and the son of Torsten Lennartson, commandant of Ã„lvsborg Fortress. ... The Swedish Academy was founded in 1786 on the personal initiative of King Gustav III The Swedish Academy in Stockholm The Swedish Academy or Svenska Akademien, founded in 1786 by King Gustav III, is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. ...

He became a Freemason in 1780, and introduced the Rite of Strict Observance into Sweden. That year, he named his brother, the Duke of Sudermania (later Charles XIII), to the office of Grand Master for the Grand Lodge of Sweden. The Grand Lodge conferred upon him the title "Vicarius Salomonis" (Vicar of Solomon).^[1] American Square & Compasses Freemasonry is a worldwide fraternal organization. ... Sudermannia or Södermanland, is a historical province or landskap on the south eastern coast of Sweden. ... Charles XIII, Karl XIII, or Carl II, (1748-1818), king of Norway, the second son of king Adolf Frederick of Sweden, and Louisa Ulrica of Prussia, sister of Frederick the Great, was born at Stockholm on October 7, 1748. ... This box: In Freemasonry the Grand Master is the supreme ruler of the Craft within a given jurisdiction. ...

Bollhuset, also called by the names , , and during the centuries, was the name of the first theatre of Stockholm, Sweden; it was the first Swedish theatre and the first real theatre building in Scandinavia. ...

In opera

The assassination of Gustav III became the basis of an opera libretto by Scribe, set by both Daniel Auber in 1833 under the title Gustave III, and with the specifics changed by censorship, by Giuseppe Verdi in 1859 as Un ballo in maschera (A Masked Ball). Augustin Eugène Scribe (December 24, 1791 - February 20, 1861), was a French dramatist and librettist. ... Daniel François Esprit Auber (January 29, 1782 - May 13, 1871), French composer, the son of a Paris print-seller, was born in Caen in Normandy. ... Gustave III, ou Le bal masquÃ© (Gustavus III, or The Masked Ball) is an opÃ©ra historique or grand opera in five acts by Daniel Auber, with a libretto by EugÃ¨ne Scribe. ... For other uses, see Censor. ... â€œVerdiâ€ redirects here. ... Un ballo in maschera, or A Masked Ball, is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi with text by Antonio Somma. ...

Saint-Barthélemy and Gustavia

It was under King Gustav III that Sweden gained in 1785 the small Caribbean island of Saint-Barthélemy from France, in exchange for French trading rights in Gothenburg. â€œWest Indianâ€ redirects here. ... Anthem For Sweden - The Land of The Incredible Biffs Capital (and largest city) Gustavia Official languages Swedish Government - Prime Minister of Sweden Nick XII Bonaparte - Prefect Per af BiffslÃ¤kt - President of the Territorial Council none yet; however Henning is the mayor of Saint-Barthelemy Overseas Collectivity of Sweden - Swedish... For other uses, see Gothenburg (disambiguation). ...

The island's capital bears up to the present the name Gustavia in honour of Gustav III. Though it was sold back to France in 1878, many streets and locations there still bear Swedish names. Also, the Swedish national arms, the three crowns along with the grey heron, still appear in the island's coat of arms. Gustavia may refer to the main town on the island Saint-BarthÃ©lemy, see Gustavia (town) a genus of plants in the family Lecythidaceae, see Gustavia (genus) This is a disambiguation page: a list of articles associated with the same title. ...

Ancestors

Frederick III of Holstein-Gottorp (22 December 1597 â€“ 10 August 1659) was a Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. ... Duke Christian Albrecht of Holstein-Gottorp (3 February 1641, Gottorp â€“ 6 January 1695, Gottorp) was a Duke of Holstein-Gottorp and bishop of LÃ¼beck. ... Marie Elisabeth of Saxony (22 November 1610 â€“ 24 October 1684) was duchess of Holstein-Gottorp as a wife of Duke Friedrich III of Holstein-Gottorp. ... Prince Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp (1673 - 1726) was Duke of Slesvig-Holstein, prince regent of Eutin, prince-bishop of Lubeck and regent of the duchy of Holstein-Gottorp. ... King Frederick III Frederick III (March 28, 1609 â€“ February 19, 1670) was King of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. ... Frederika Amalia of Denmark (11 April 1649 â€“ 30 October 1704) was duchess of Holstein-Gottorp as a wife of Duke Christian Albrecht of Holstein-Gottorp. ... Queen Sophie Amalie. ... Adolf Frederick King of Sweden Adolf Frederick (Adolf Fredrik) (May 14, 1710 â€“ February 12, 1771), was King of Sweden from 1751 until his death. ... Frederick III of Holstein-Gottorp (22 December 1597 â€“ 10 August 1659) was a Duke of Holstein-Gottorp. ... Marie Elisabeth of Saxony (22 November 1610 â€“ 24 October 1684) was duchess of Holstein-Gottorp as a wife of Duke Friedrich III of Holstein-Gottorp. ... Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg. ... Frederick I of Prussia (German: , July 11, 1657 â€“ February 25, 1713), of the Hohenzollern dynasty, was (as Frederick III; ) Elector of Brandenburg (1688â€“1713) and the first King in Prussia (1701 â€“ 1713). ... Frederick William I (German: Friedrich Wilhelm I) (August 14, 1688 â€“ May 31, 1740) of the House of Hohenzollern, was the King in Prussia from 1713 until his death. ... Ernest Augustus, Elector of Brunswick-LÃ¼neburg Ernest Augustus (German: Ernst August; Latin: Ernestus Augustus; 20 November 1629, Herzberg am Harz â€“ 23 January 1698, Herrenhausen) was duke of Brunswick-LÃ¼neburg and ruled over the Calenberg (or Hanover) subdivision of the duchy. ... Sophia Charlotte of Hanover was born on October 30, 1668, at Schloss Iburg near OsnabrÃ¼ck. ... Sophia, Princess Palatine of the Rhine (born Sophia, PfalzgrÃ¤fin von Simmern, at The Hague on October 14, 1630; died at Herrenhausen on June 8, 1714) was the youngest daughter of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, also known as King Frederick V of Bohemia Wittelsbach, and Elizabeth Stuart, also known as... Louisa Ulrika of Prussia (Swedish: Lovisa Ulrika; German: Luise Ulrike) (1720â€”1782) was Queen consort of Sweden between 1751 and 1771. ... Ernest Augustus (German: Ernst August; 20 November 1629, Herzberg â€“ 23 January 1698, Herrenhausen) was duke of Brunswick-LÃ¼neburg and ruled over the Calenberg (or Hanover) subdivision of the duchy. ... George I (George Louis; 28 May 1660 â€“ 11 June 1727)[1] was King of Great Britain and Ireland, from 1 August 1714 until his death. ... Sophia, Princess Palatine of the Rhine (born Sophia, PfalzgrÃ¤fin von Simmern, at The Hague on October 14, 1630; died at Herrenhausen on June 8, 1714) was the youngest daughter of Frederick V, Elector Palatine, also known as King Frederick V of Bohemia Wittelsbach, and Elizabeth Stuart, also known as... Sophia Charlotte of Hanover was born on October 30, 1668, at Schloss Iburg near OsnabrÃ¼ck. ... George William (German: Georg Wilhelm; 26 January 1624, Herzberg am Harz â€“ 28 August 1705, Wienhausen) was duke of Brunswick-LÃ¼neburg and ruled first over the Calenberg subdivision of the duchy, then over the LÃ¼neburg subdivision. ... Sophia Dorothea (15 September 1666 â€“ 13 November 1726) was the wife and cousin of George Louis, Duke of Brunswick-LÃ¼neburg, later George I of Great Britain, and mother of George II through an arranged marriage of state, instigated by the machinations of Duchess Sophia of Hanover. ...

Contents

Royal Titles

Education

Politics of an Heir Apparent

Revolution

Between constitutionalism and absolutism

Absolute monarchy

War with Russia

Assassination

Contributions to culture

In opera

Saint-Barthélemy and Gustavia

Ancestors

See also

References

Contents

Royal Titles GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Education

Politics of an Heir Apparent

Revolution

Between constitutionalism and absolutism

Absolute monarchy

War with Russia

Assassination

Contributions to culture

In opera

Saint-Barthélemy and Gustavia

Ancestors

See also

References

Royal Titles