Now in the Bernadotte family, if we go from its ancestor, the Napoleonic Marshal Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, there are seven kings and about one hundred and twenty persons of both sexes - wise statesmen, brave warriors, boring princes, strict keepers of the hearth and beautiful princesses. And besides, there are lumberjacks, vacuum cleaner sellers, designers and even one of the best Swedish artists. Writer and journalist Staffan Scott skillfully, and, most importantly, humorously describes the royal family, and at the same time presents the reader with a completely unexpected image of Sweden. His book is filled with facts that have never before been published in the press or in research on the royal family.
Intro - Our miniature royal house today 1
Part I - Kings 2
Part II - Three Failed Kings 33
Part III - The royal house in the course of time. Other 38
Part IV - Folke Bernadotte (1895–1948) 61
Part V - Those Who Expelled Themselves from the Dynasty and Their Offspring 64
Part VI - Of ducal titles and titles of princes 79
Literature 81
Notes 82
Staffan Scott
The Bernadotte dynasty: kings, princes and others ...
The sun is shining! The sun is shining!
Our brave people have passed the wrath of the storm.
K. Ossiannilsson
Introduction
Our miniature royal house today
The Swedish royal house is unusually small. Only seven people: five members of the king's family plus a childless couple - Prince Bertil and Princess Lillian. In addition, according to the State Calendar, the Danish Queen Ingrid and Princess Birgitta also officially enter it. In general, the Bernadotte family includes another fifty people.
The Bernadotte dynasty sits on the throne longer than all other royal families in Sweden. Marshal Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte became the Swedish monarch at a time when fundamental changes began to take place in the sanitary condition and living conditions of Western European countries. The former dynasties, both in Sweden and elsewhere, were short-lived, as infant mortality persisted, as well as the danger of dying from other ailments, not to mention the fact that adult members of the royal family often diligently sent each other to the other world with swords. , daggers, spears or pea soup. As a result, the royal houses of Europe were dying out all the time, just as the noble and other families who were less accurate in counting their representatives died out. The extinction of the royal family was often fraught with wars of succession and other troubles, which could be avoided only by urgently placing on the throne some cousin-nephew or other distant relatives.
In 1949, the Bernadottes broke the previous Vasa record of 131 years in power. The remaining dynasties were nothing more than passing ones: the Folkungs ruled for 114 years, the Palatinate clan for 66 years, and the Holstein-Gottorps for 67 years. In the year 1996 from the Nativity of Christ, 178 years have passed since the throne was occupied by Bernadotte, and the end-edge of their reign is not foreseen. This was made possible in the first place due to the fact that doctors and midwives learned how to wash their hands.
One way or another, all modern Bernadottes trace their origins to Oscar II (which is true of many people who are not Bernadottes, but that's another story).
Here's how things stand in this regard.
Charles XIV Johan had only one son, Oscar I, who made up the second generation of Bernadottes.
The third generation was four sons and the only daughter of Oscar I. However, only one of the sons continued the dynasty, namely Oscar II.
The fourth generation consisted of four sons of Oscar II, of which three - Gustav V, Prince Oscar and Prince Karl - had a bunch of children, while Prince Eugene, the most talented representative of the dynasty after Charles XIV Johan, left only an artistic legacy.
The fifth generation included the three sons of Gustav V and the daughter of Prince Charles, while the son of Prince Charles lost belonging to the dynasty due to his marriage, and the children of Prince Oscar were lucky not to be born heirs to the throne. Prince Charles's son, Charles Jr., was not only descended from Oscar II (he was his grandson) but also from Oscar II's brother, Charles XV (he was his great-grandson), and for those who intend to maintain genealogical accuracy, there are many examples of such coincidences.
Below we will restrict ourselves to members of the royal family, while other representatives of the family (both included and not included in the number of heirs to the throne) are preferable to be left for a more detailed study by those who would like to deal with them and their tree.
So, back to the actual royal family. Of the three offspring of Gustav V mentioned above, two married and produced offspring. Firstly, Gustav VI Adolf, who had four sons and one daughter. Secondly, his brother Wilhelm, who had only one son, Lennart. But Lennart entered into a marriage that deprived him of the right to the throne - just like the two sons of Gustav VI Adolf. There was no one else in the sixth generation.
In short, only two male representatives of the royal house remained in it - Crown Prince Gustav Adolf and his brother Bertil.
Before Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf died untimely at the age of forty, he had had four daughters and one son, who is the present King Carl XVI Gustaf; Bertil, devoted to the king, long refrained from marrying, so that Sweden would have a legitimate candidate in case a regent was needed while Gustav VI Adolf was excavating in Italy, or in case the king died before his grandson Carl XVI Gustaf came of age.
And Carl XVI Gustaf did manage to reach adulthood, he was even twenty-seven years old before he became king and headed the family as a representative of the seventh generation, we now have a continuation of the dynasty, since three children were born in the royal family.
Most of the living Swedish representatives of the Bernadotte family date back to Prince Oscar (b. 1859), the son of Oscar II, although almost more descendants owe their birth to Lennart Bernadotte, who showed enviable perseverance in this matter.
In total, only five male Bernadottes, born with the right to inherit the throne, entered into marriages that deprived them of such a right, nevertheless, this was enough for nine-tenths of the members of the family to find themselves outside the royal house at the present time. This five was made up of: Prince Oscar, who retained the title of prince (the exit from the number of heirs to the throne occurred in 1888), as well as princes from whom the title of prince was "taken away": Lennart (1932), Sigvard (1934), Karl Johan (1946) and Karl Jr. (1937). Subsequently, Charles Jr. received the title of prince abroad, but if we ask ourselves what such a title is suitable for, we cannot answer, since it is not known what Charles Jr. used it for. Over time, Sigvard Bernadotte received the title of prince back, which can only be commented on in one way: by doing this, he could have depicted more joy on his face.
For many subjects of the king, all this information is nothing more than curious. And among those who would like to keep the monarchy, and among the minority in favor of the republic, there are very few people who are interested in such details. However, although since Charles XV the Swedish kings have been gradually losing power, it cannot be said that these curious details about our royal house are completely uninteresting. In particular, they play a significant role in resolving the important question of whether our state should preserve the monarchy, as the majority of three-quarters of the population believes for the past half century, or is it time to appoint the head of state according to the rules that exist in other democratic states, to which we have been for almost a century. we also count ourselves (a sixth of the population stubbornly wants just this, although very few of the Swedish subjects are ready to defend this thesis to the last).
BERNADOTS
The Bernadotte dynasty was founded in 1818. Its representatives were previously the monarchs of Sweden and Norway, but in 1905, when the union between these two states was broken, Bernadotte began to inherit only the title of the Swedish king.
The founder of the Bernadotte dynasty is the Marshal of France since 1804, a participant in the revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte (born January 26, 1763 in Pau, Bearn - died March 8, 1844 in Stockholm), who was elected heir to the Swedish throne in 1810 . In 1818, he simultaneously assumed the thrones of Sweden and Norway under the name of King Charles XIV Johan.
Actually, Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte could have lived a different, less eventful life. The fifth and last child of the famous Béarn lawyer Henri Bernadotte (1711–1780), he was to continue the family dynasty of lawyers. However, the young man was not attracted by the prospect of fiddling with papers all his life and sorting out other people's slander, fraud and squabbles. Instead, after the death of his father, in August 1780, he decided to become a military man. To begin with, Jean Baptiste joined the Royal Marine Infantry Regiment as a private (its composition was intended for service on the islands, in seaports and overseas territories). For a year and a half, the future founder of the dynasty served in Corsica, in the hometown of Napoleon Bonaparte - Ajaccio. In 1784, Bernadotte was transferred to the capital of the province of Dauphine - Grenoble.
Clever, brave, somewhat harsh in his judgments, a bearer who was fluent in weapons immediately attracted the attention of the commanders and soon began to take advantage of their location. Nevertheless, he managed to achieve the rank of sergeant only in May 1788. Yes, and this could be considered a huge success: traditionally, all officer ranks in the French royal army were reserved exclusively for the nobility. And the blood of Jean Baptiste, even with a stretch, could not be called blue.
However, Fate, for all its capriciousness and unpredictability, did not plan to keep this young man on the sidelines all his life. A revolution was brewing in France; a few days after Bernadotte received his sergeant's insignia, it was in Dauphine that a social explosion took place, the echoes of which swept throughout the country, causing a general indignation of the French. The problems began when the commander of the local troops, the Duke of Clermont-Tonnerre, dissolved the provincial parliament. Following this, indignant citizens, members of craft corporations, took to the streets of Grenoble. They were joined by peasants from the surrounding villages. The situation became threatening, and on June 7, 1788, the duke ordered two infantry regiments (including the Royal Marine) to restore order in the city. But the officers who led the soldiers into the streets did not dare to use weapons: the crowd, although hostile and even aggressive, was unarmed. The parties were frozen in anticipation. The situation corresponded to the classic "calm before the storm". When one of the women, unable to stand it, jumped out of the crowd and slapped the sergeant in the face (he, unfortunately, turned out to be Bernadotte), the so-called blood rushed to the head. Bearer could not tolerate insults; boiling over, he ordered his subordinates to immediately open fire. When corpses began to fall on the pavement, the townspeople began to throw at the soldiers everything that had a decent weight and was tucked under the arm. Tiles rained down from rooftops and balconies on the Royal Regiment; Jean Baptiste was wounded and had to flee from a crowd of brutalized citizens. Since then, June 7, 1788 is listed in the history of France as the Day of Tiles, and the name of Bernadotte is first mentioned on its pages - as a faithful servant of the crown.
In May 1789, the Naval Regiment was relocated to Marseille. By that time, Jean Baptiste was already the orderly of the regiment commander, the Marquis d'Amber. In a new place, the sergeant rented a room for himself in the house of a wealthy merchant Francois Clary. The owner's daughters - 18-year-old Julie and 12-year-old Desiree - played a huge role in the lives of many of the then prominent figures in French and world history. Including Bernadotte.
On July 14, 1789, the Bastille fell in Paris, and the townspeople stormed it. Following this, revolutionary sentiments swept the whole of France. Detachments of the National Guard were formed everywhere in the country; in the royal army, discipline fell every hour, and mass desertion of soldiers began. Nevertheless, Bernadotte remained faithful to the oath; he even managed to save his regimental commander, whom the national guards were about to hang from the first lantern. Interestingly, at the same time, the sergeant ... supported the ideals of the revolution! Perhaps, in many ways, he was driven by a sober calculation: after all, it was precisely this situation that opened up wide prospects for him. He took the slogan "Freedom, equality and fraternity" literally. And in order to convince others (and possibly himself) of his devotion to revolutionary ideals, Jean Baptiste made himself a tattoo "Death to tsars and tyrants." He seems to have fully appreciated the comedy of this inscription two decades later ...
The first officer rank of sub-lieutenant Bernadotte received in the spring of 1792. Then he was transferred to serve in the 36th Infantry Regiment, which was stationed in Brittany. After the war between France and Austria began on April 20 of the same year (later Prussia joined it), the regiment was transferred to Strasbourg, at the disposal of the commander of the Army of the Rhine. The next two years for Bernadotte became a continuous series of battles. At the same time, the Bearer, who was distinguished by impeccable courage, showed devotion to the revolution and, moreover, had professional experience and brilliant military abilities, began to quickly move up the career ladder: in the middle of summer 1793 he received the rank of captain, in August - colonel, and in April of the following year he became a brigadier general. At the Battle of Fleurus, Jean Baptiste commanded a division. Ahead of him was participation in campaigns on the Main and in Italy, which brought the failed lawyer the glory of a general, absolutely intolerant of looting and indiscipline.
In 1797, Bernadotte met Napoleon Bonaparte and even struck up quite friendly relations with the future emperor. However, very soon the relationship between the military leaders deteriorated: both were quite ambitious and openly competed.
In January - August of the following year, Jean Baptiste was appointed to Vienna as the official ambassador of France. After returning to Paris on August 17, he married the same Desire Clary, the daughter of his Marseille landlord, who managed to be Napoleon's bride. Desiree's older sister, Julie, was the wife of Bonaparte's brother, Joseph.
However, Jean Baptiste could not enjoy the relatively quiet life in the capital for long. Military duty called him into the army, and the brave general spent the winter of 1798/99 in Germany. Then they started talking about Bernadotte as one of the most prominent generals of the French Republic. Therefore, no one was surprised to learn that in July 1799, the Bearer became the country's new minister of war. But the leaders of the Directory (especially one of them - Emmanuel Seyes) began to worry about Bernadotte's Jacobin connections and his huge popularity among both the military and the civilian population. Therefore, in September 1799, Jean Baptiste was hastily sent, out of harm's way, into retirement.
The former minister repaid the spiteful critics very quickly. In the coup of the Eighteenth Brumaire, although he did not support Napoleon, he refused to even lift a finger in order to save the Directory. As a result, in 1800-1802, the general served as state adviser and commander of the troops of Western France. In this capacity, Bernadotte had to deal with the suppression of the uprising in the Vendée (1800) and fight off accusations of involvement in the Rhine conspiracy (the distribution of anti-Napoleonic pamphlets).
In January 1803, Jean Baptiste was again appointed ambassador - this time he was to go to the United States of America. But since France had just entered the war with England, they decided to postpone the mission. The general spent almost a year in Paris inactive. It cannot be said that this pleased such an active person. When, on May 18, 1804, Bonaparte proclaimed himself emperor, the Bearish, after weighing all the pros and cons, expressed loyalty to the new monarch. In gratitude, Napoleon gave Jean Baptiste the title of Marshal of France and already in June sent him as his governor to Hanover. There, Bernadotte first demonstrated his abilities as an economist, politician and lawyer, having carried out a series of transformations of the taxation system.
When a new military campaign began in 1805, the governor again had to remember that he was primarily a military man, and at the head of the 1st Army Corps went to South Germany, where he took part in the Battle of Ulm, captured Ingolstadt, crossed the Danube and left to Munich. After the capture of Salzburg, the corps joined the main forces of Napoleon and took on the most powerful blow of the enemy in the battle of Austerlitz. When the peace with Austria was signed, Bernadotte moved to Bavaria, in Ansbach. In 1806, in gratitude for his good service, he was granted the title of Prince of Pontecorvo. In the same year, the corps of the newly minted aristocrat defeated the retreating Prussians at Halle and forced them to surrender, which was signed on November 7th. And on January 25, 1807, the Bearer defeated the Russian troops at Morungen. In July, Bernadotte became commander of the troops in Northern Germany and Denmark; at the same time he began to hatch a plan for a campaign against Sweden, but he did not receive support in this matter. Later, in 1809, the future monarch was the commander of the troops in Holland, where he managed to defeat the English landing force that landed on the island of Walchern.
In the same year, a coup d'état took place in Sweden, during which King Gustav IV was overthrown and a constitutional monarchy was established. The old and sick Charles XIII, who, moreover, had no children, ascended the throne. The Danish prince Christian August became the heir to the throne, but just a year later this contender for the crown died suddenly. Since Sweden at that time was heavily dependent on France, the Riksdag sent ambassadors to Napoleon with the eternal question: “What to do ?!” The emperor hesitated for a long time, choosing the candidacy of the crown prince. Finally, Baron Karl Otto Merner, a member of the Swedish delegation, could not stand it. In order to put an end to the "suspended" position and finally complete his mission, he turned to Bernadotte with a request to take the throne of the state in the future. Merner knew what he was doing: the Bearer, who had established himself as a talented military leader, a skilled diplomat and a wise administrator, was very popular in Sweden, because he showed rare humanity towards the baron's captured fellow citizens. In addition, the general had a solid fortune and maintained close ties with the trading circles of the Hanseatic cities. In general, the best candidate for the role of the monarch at that time, perhaps, did not exist.
The State Council of Sweden approved and supported Merner's undertaking. The only thing that was required of Bernadotte in order to become heir to the crown was to convert to the Lutheran faith. Bearnets, unlike Napoleon, did not hesitate for a long time, and on August 21, 1810 he was elected Crown Prince of Sweden by the Riksdag. On October 20, as required "by contract", he accepted Lutheranism, and already on October 5 he officially became the adopted son of Charles XIII (so that there would be no problems of a dynastic nature in the future). Now he bore the name of Karl Johan, and since his new "parent" could not perform state duties for health reasons, Bernadotte began to act as regent of the country.
It is unlikely that Napoleon was delighted that the throne of Sweden was "attached" without his participation. However, the emperor believed that the state, headed by one of his marshals, was a vassal of France. And if so, he demanded that Bernadotte declare war on England and join the continental blockade. Jean Baptiste was forced to submit, but Sweden, through his efforts, did not take part in the actual hostilities. True, Napoleon recalled the obligation to listen to his opinion: in January 1812, his troops occupied Swedish Pomerania. Nevertheless, Bernadotte also abstained from the war with Russia, and in the spring of 1813, as soon as the anti-Napoleonic coalition began to form, he broke off relations with France altogether. The regent was going to attack one of the emperor's allies, Denmark, and take Norway from her. However, the new allies of Jean Baptiste, Russia and Great Britain, who allocated a subsidy to Sweden for this "project", insisted that the campaign against Denmark be postponed until the defeat of Napoleon. By the way, it was the arrival of the Northern Allied Army under the command of Bernadotte near Leipzig on October 17, 1813 that decided the outcome of the battle. After that, the crown prince went to Denmark and already in January 1814 forced Frederick VI to sign the Treaty of Kiel, according to which Norway was ceded to Sweden. Bernadotte then again led troops against the Napoleonic army. Entering Paris in the spring of 1814, Jean Baptiste offered himself for the role of King of France. However, such a “brother by profession” did not suit the European monarchs, and they preferred to return the throne of the Bourbon dynasty usurped by Napoleon.
Norway, meanwhile, was not enthusiastic about its forcible annexation to Sweden, and in May 1814 adopted a liberal constitution. Then the Swedish regent again took up the realization of his dream, invading the bounds of the obstinate country. He nevertheless managed - through compromise and numerous concessions - to achieve recognition by the Norwegians of the union of the two powers. But due to the fault of Austria and the Bourbons who returned to the throne of France, he had an added headache: his opponents did not recognize the crown prince of Sweden and strove to transfer this title to the son of the deposed Henry VI. In addition, taking advantage of the tense situation, Bernadotte's opponents became more active in Sweden itself. True, thanks to the support of Russia and Great Britain, the regent retained power, but he still had to say goodbye to Western Pomerania, which was the last possession of the country on the southern coast of the Baltic: in 1815 this territory was annexed to Prussia.
On the thrones of Sweden and Norway, Bernadotte, who took the name Charles XIV Johan, entered at the age of 54, after Charles XIII died on February 5, 1818. The wife of the former regent became Queen Desideria of Sweden; however, she moved to her own country only in the 20s of the XIX century.
Actually, under Charles XIV Johan, a constitutional monarchy was established in Sweden. Bernadotte really deserved the throne: this man gave all his considerable strength, talents and energy for the good of his new homeland. At the same time, he was especially concerned about pursuing an exclusively peaceful foreign policy, although inside the country he proved himself to be a rare conservative, gravitating toward authoritarianism and restricting the civil liberties of his subjects. Perhaps he really was driven to abandon radical reforms by the fear of destroying the shaky social harmony that had finally been established in the state.
But the harsh measures of government revived the opposition, which in the 30s of the 19th century received support in the Riksdag. Dissatisfied with the policies of Charles XIV Johan began to accuse the monarch of many sins, among which were even poor knowledge of the Swedish language and a quick temper. Nevertheless, the speech of the opposition had no significant consequences: the king, using his vast political experience and personal charm, settled the conflict. To a large extent, his quick resolution was also facilitated by the respect of Bernadotte's subjects for his military merits.
Despite all the shortcomings of Karl Johan's policy, the state became much stronger under him: the economy and industry, agriculture developed rapidly, the merchant fleet achieved great success, and the population of both countries grew significantly. By decree of the king, between the Baltic Sea, lakes Vennern and Vättern, the Goetsky Canal, impressive in its size, was built. In general, when in 1844 the first of the Bernadotte dynasty died at the age of 81, mourning for him in Sweden and Norway was announced not only for the sake of decency. Karl Johan was really respected and appreciated by the subjects of both countries.
Following the death of the king, his son and heir were elevated to the throne. He went down in history as Oscar I (1799–1859). This representative of the dynasty, who was an ardent supporter of Scandinavianism, largely continued the policy of his predecessor and, in addition, carried out a number of necessary radical reforms in the country.
The last of the Bernadottes, who ruled simultaneously in two states, was Oscar II (1829-1907), who occupied the throne of Sweden in 1872-1907 and Norway in 1872-1905. After a coup d'etat took place in Norway, the union between the powers was broken and the Bernadotte monarchy in this country was finished.
All subsequent Swedish kings of this dynasty traditionally enjoyed quite sincere, and not ostentatious love of their subjects. So it was with Gustav VI Adolf (reigned in 1950-1973), and with Carl XVI Gustav (born in 1946, ruled since 1973), whose slogan, by the way, was the words: "Duty comes first." The last monarch of Sweden came to the throne prematurely, due to tragic circumstances. Carl Gustav's father died in 1943 in a plane crash. Gustav VI Adolf, who outlived his heir by 30 years, had no more sons and therefore left the throne to his grandson.
Carl Gustav grew up as a rather shy and quiet child. The fact that the crown prince was ill was hidden from the public for a long time. He suffered from dyslexia (impaired ability to read). By itself, dyslexia does not indicate mental retardation or weak intelligence. This ailment occurs as a result of changes in the anterior sections of the occipital part of the brain, which can be caused by both a certain underdevelopment of this area, and a tumor or a stroke. In severe cases, the patient completely loses the ability to read, and in milder cases, he is simply unable to read fluently. As a rule, if a child’s dyslexia is not a consequence of a serious illness, then by the age of 11–15 it disappears without a trace.
Nevertheless, the Bernadotte family was in no hurry to publish the official diagnosis of the prince, fearing that the Swedes would not bother to delve into the essence of the problem, but would immediately express fears that in the future the throne might go to a person with a weakened intellect. However, these fears were not justified. When the subjects of Gustav Adolf became aware of the state of Carl Gustav, the boy ... began to love even more. Over the years, as expected, dyslexia went away by itself.
The heir to the throne received a military education mandatory for Swedish monarchs, and then became a student at the oldest university in the country, located in Uppsala. And although from time to time there were reports in the press about the prince's love interests, scandals on this basis never arose.
Carl Gustav met his future wife on August 26, 1972, at three in the afternoon. Where does such accuracy come from? Yes, just the acquaintance of the spouses coincided with the opening of the Olympic Games in Munich. Then the 30-year-old translator Silvia Sommerlath was looking for her place on the podium and suddenly felt that someone was staring at her. Sylvia turned around and saw that the heir to the throne of Sweden, who at that time was 26 years old, was looking at her through ... binoculars! And this despite the fact that the distance between the young people did not exceed two meters ... They laughed almost simultaneously. In general, the future spouses missed the beginning of the ceremony.
Sylvia was born into an ordinary German family that did not have aristocratic roots. After graduating from a private school in Düsseldorf, the girl at first was going to become a teacher, but then she entered the Munich school of translators. According to the current royal legislation, Sylvia could in no case be considered as a contender for the place of the wife of the heir. However, hardly anyone could compare with Carl Gustav in stubbornness. For almost four years, the stubborn young man, having gathered his will into a fist, literally fought his way to personal happiness with his forehead through the wall of public opinion, family resistance and paragraphs of laws. As a result, he overcame all obstacles and on June 19, 1976, he led his beloved down the aisle. And he never seemed to regret it.
For 30 years now, the royal couple has been an example of faithful and loving spouses. And, mind you, without falsehood! For all the years of their marriage, no one managed to "unearth" at least something scandalous from the personal life of the monarch and his "half". They are almost always together to this day.
Sylvia and Carl prefer to relax in Paris, London and New York: they do not like noise and excessive fuss around their own person and therefore happily roam the streets where no one knows them by sight. But at home, the royal couple tries to hide the details of their private life from outsiders, and they do it very successfully.
Swedish monarchs must go to bed early and wake up early. For the queen, this is as easy as shelling pears: she is a "lark" by nature. But Carl Gustav has a hard time: he is a classic "owl" and therefore can work all night until dawn, and in the morning he is barely able to open his eyes.
The Bernadottes have three children: Victoria, who is the heir to the crown, Carl Philip and Madeleine (she is often called the “wild” princess for her passion for horseback riding and a rather sharp character). Having become an adult, Victoria received the official right to act as head of state. However, when journalists began to show increased interest in the girl, she lost a lot of weight and began to avoid contact with the press. Because of this, a lot of rumors arose in the country: they say that the heiress received “in addition” to the title of dyslexia, which once tormented her father, and it is not known whether her illness will go away just as quickly and imperceptibly. The Queen took her eldest daughter under protection, saying that she was perfectly healthy and only not quite ready for new duties. It was decided to protect Victoria from the increased attention of the “sharks of the pen”. That is why the heiress went to study not at Uppsala University, as planned, but at one of the American ones. And although the girl was noticed from time to time in New York (she sometimes dined incognito with friends in some Vietnamese restaurant), the future queen prefers to avoid contact with the curious. She, apparently, well learned the words of her mother: "We divide our life into official, private and very private, and I respect those who value the human right to privacy."
This text is an introductory piece.I think no one in the Bernadotte family could even think that the youngest son, who at that time, in principle, was quite difficult to break into people, in the wake of the French Revolution, would first make a dizzying career in the army, becoming one of Napoleon's most prominent marshals , and then, and at all, will be the founder of the royal dynasty, ruling in a prosperous, calm Sweden to this day. It is noteworthy that even his own son Jean-Baptiste gave the Scandinavian name Oscar, as he knew.
The main reason why Jean-Baptiste entered the military at the age of seventeen was quite banal - money. But, in addition to courage, determination and faith in his star, he showed remarkable military talent, the ability to think strategically and calculate his actions several moves ahead. The young General Bonaparte knew how to choose loyal and, most importantly, talented people. Bernadotte was by his side in the moments of his brightest triumphs, his own merits in them were unconditional. But the marshal was distinguished, extremely, by an independent, stubborn character, at some point, their views with Napoleon finally diverged. By the way, Bernadotte was also connected with the emperor by a kind of family relationship - he married Bonaparte's former bride, Desiree Clary, while the latter's sister, Julie, became the wife of Napoleon's older brother, Joseph.
In Sweden, Bernadotte enjoyed considerable popularity, which. he deserved a humane, merciful attitude towards the Swedish prisoners. For this reason, it was to him that the Swedish council turned, to whom the question arose sharply - who should rule in the country? In 1810 he became crown prince, eight years later he was crowned under the name of Charles XIV Johan. He never learned the Swedish language, did not really like Swedish cuisine, but his descendants still rule in Sweden. The current King of Sweden is Carl XVI Gustaf. 
The history of the kings - the rulers of Sweden - begins with the Viking Age.
The first king of Sweden, whose name is mentioned in reliable sources, is considered to be Olaf. It was his Svei, the ancient Swedes, who voluntarily recognized their ruler. Olaf was the first king to convert to Christianity.
More than a thousand years of history of the Swedish monarchy is characterized by different events. Until the 14th century there was no absolute hereditary monarchy - the rulers were elected. The power of the king was limited mainly to making military decisions. And in the XIV century, Sweden lost its own king and became part of the Kalmar Union, recognizing the kings of Denmark as its rulers.
However, in the 16th century, after the cruel policy of the Danish king Christian II, an uprising broke out in the country, led by the nobleman Gustav Eriksson. After the rebels took Stockholm in 1523, they were finally expelled from the country. The Kalmar Union collapsed. Gustav became king of Sweden, subsequently founding the Vasa (Vaza) dynasty.
Vasa dynasty
One of the most striking and controversial representatives of this dynasty was Queen Christina, the great-granddaughter of Gustav I. The name of Christina, along with quite reliable facts, is surrounded by myths and conjectures. Her whole life, decisions and actions evoked among her contemporaries both genuine admiration and respect, and complete misunderstanding and discontent.
It should be noted that the person of Queen Christina is of interest even at the present time and deserves a separate, more detailed consideration. The queen was well educated, spoke 7 foreign languages, patronized the sciences and arts.
Rene Descartes himself studied her and considered her one of the most capable students. From a young age, Christina attended council meetings and impressed those present with the depth and meaningfulness of her statements. However, the young ruler did not want to tie the knot, moreover, for this reason she abdicated the throne and refused the Swedish crown. In addition, she changed her religion and converted to Catholicism.
The true reasons that prompted her to such an extraordinary act are still unknown. However, the most incredible versions were put forward. Christina became the last direct heiress of the Vasa dynasty, who was replaced by a side branch of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken family.
Palatinate-Zweibrücken dynasty
The Swedish king Charles XII, who represented the Palatinate-Zweibrücken dynasty, is known to every person who has mastered the curriculum of a high school history course. The name of Charles XII, in our minds, is associated primarily with the Northern War and the Battle of Poltava. Karl was a born warrior: from the age of 6 he was interested in the basics of military art, and when he was only 18 years old, he was already winning the first military campaigns. He wanted to make Sweden the strongest European power. And, as you know, his first steps taken against Denmark and Poland were successful.
However, the defeat at the Battle of Poltava began a series of military setbacks that eventually led to the death of Charles XII. Moreover, the circumstances of his death remain unknown to this day. There is an opinion that the cause of the death of the Swedish king was a stray bullet, there is also an opinion shared by famous historians that Charles XII died as a result of a conspiracy.
Bernadotte dynasty
The coming to power of the Bernadotte dynasty, now ruling in Sweden, is interesting. The formation of the Bernadotte dynasty is a stunning example of fateful coincidences. Suffice it to cite only the fact that the founder of the dynasty, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, later Charles XIV, not only did not belong to any royal house in Europe, but was not even a nobleman by birth. And only thanks to the French Revolution, he managed to go from lieutenant to brigadier general of the army of Napoleon Bonaparte.
The Swedish throne was offered to Bernadotte after King Gustav IV Adolf started the last Russian-Swedish war, as a result of which Sweden lost Finland. Convened in 1809 The Riksdag deposed the king and appointed a regent. And the Swedes elected one of Napoleon's marshals as their king.
The choice fell on him not by chance: firstly, Bernadotte was a distant relative of the powerful emperor of France, and secondly, at one time the marshal treated the captured Swedish officers very kindly - a fact that later became known throughout Sweden. Jean Baptiste Bernadotte went down in history under the name of Charles XIV Johan. The new king is not at all, and at first he had to memorize the texts of speeches.
At present, despite the fact that Sweden is considered a constitutional monarchy, the power of the king is reduced exclusively to representative functions. Although even before 1975, the country's constitution retained a number of powers of authority for the monarch: he was the supreme commander in chief, had the right to sign important laws and acts.
A constitutional monarchy
However, the 1975 constitution abolished these rights. The question of the complete elimination of the monarchy was even raised. But thanks to the efforts of Gustav VI, the father of the current king, the history of the Swedish monarchy continues to this day.
Interestingly, although the royal family itself is practically deprived of the opportunity to directly influence the life of the state. Her private life is heavily regulated by the Riksdag. So, for example, for the marriage, the current Crown Princess Victoria had to ask for permission from the government - the Swedish kings cannot voluntarily.
They are also deprived of freedom of religion, they can only profess Lutheranism. Every year, the Swedish royal court waits for the government's decision on how much money they will be allocated.
By the way, the maintenance of the royal family is quite inexpensive for Swedish citizens: about half a euro a year. According to polls, members of the royal family are among the most beloved and popular people in the country. About 70% of citizens support the preservation of the monarchy in Sweden.
Vasa dynasty
Gustav I 1523-1560: Gustav I (Gustav Vasa)
1560-1568: Erik XIV (Erik XIV)
1568-1592: Johan III (Johan III)
1592-1599: Sigismund III Vasa (Sigismund)
1604-1611: Charles IX (Karl IX)
1611-1632: Gustav II Adolf (Gustav II Adolf)
1632-1654: Christina (Kristina)
Palatinate-Zweibrücken dynasty
(also known as the Wittelsbach dynasty of the Palatinate-Zweibrücken-Kleburg or the Palatinate dynasty)
Charles XI 1654-1660: Charles X Gustav (Karl X Gustav)
1660-1697: Charles XI (Karl XI)
1697-1718: Charles XII (Karl XII)
1718-1720: Ulrika Eleonora
Hessian dynasty
1720-1751: Frederick I (Fredrik I)
Holstein-Gottorp dynasty
Gustav III 1751-1771: Adolf Fredrik
1771-1792: Gustav III
1792-1809: Gustav IV Adolf
1809-1818: Charles XIII (Karl XIII)
Dynasty Bernadotte
1818-1844: Karl XIV Johan (Karl XIV Johan/Jean Baptiste Bernadotte)
1844-1859: Oscar I
1859-1872: Charles XV (Karl XV)
1872-1907: Oscar II
1907-1950: Gustav V
1950-1973: Gustav VI Adolf
Since 1973: Carl XVI Gustaf
Sometimes unexpected people become kings.
Probably, in the gene pool of people born in the famous Gascony, a historical region in the south of France, there are some features that make them especially adventurous and at the same time lucky. The most famous Gascon in history is, of course, d "Artagnan, a character in the novels of Alexander Dumas the Father. However, this character is fictional, although it has a real prototype. But Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, who was born in the Gascon city of Po on January 26, 1763, is a completely historical person - that's why all his adventures look especially incredible.As the youngest of five children of a respected, but rather poor lawyer family (lawyers in France at that time were non-nobles), Jean Baptiste enlisted in the army at the age of 17 and by the age of 25 became a sergeant - maximum high rank, which he could count on his origin.But the French Revolution began - Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte became one of its faithful soldiers.
In those days, if in the republican troops the officers had courage, military talent, authority among the soldiers and sufficient luck, they quickly moved up in the service. All of the above Bernadotte had in abundance - therefore, already in 1794 he became a brigadier general, and by the beginning of the 18th century he was one of the most famous commanders in France. Under Napoleon, Bernadotte, who personally added "Jules" to his name in honor of Julius Caesar, distinguished himself on almost all fronts where the French army fought, from southern Italy to Scandinavia.
Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte owes a radical turn in his fate and in the fate of his descendants to the fighting on the northern borders of Europe. In Sweden, at that time, there was a dynastic crisis: King Charles XIII went crazy, and he had no direct heirs. And then, in 1809, the Regency Council remembered the popular Napoleonic commander in Sweden: quite recently, Bernadotte unexpectedly mercifully treated the Swedish troops he defeated. Bernadotte was sent an official invitation to become heir to the Swedish throne, subject to the adoption of the Lutheran faith. Napoleon contributed to this step in every possible way, hoping to get Sweden as a loyal ally. However, since 1810, when Bernadotte became regent, he actively began to defend Swedish, and not Napoleonic interests - and therefore, in the war of 1812, he was an ally not of France, but of Russia. In 1818, Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte officially became King of Sweden under the name of Charles XIV Johan, marking the beginning of the Bernadotte dynasty, which reigns in this Scandinavian country to the present.
Nothing human is alien to kings
The current head of the House of Bernadotte and the King of Sweden is Carl XVI Gustaf, born April 30, 1946. The situation with his accession was rather strange: his great-grandfather, Gustav V, was king, his grandfather, Gustav VI, was king - and his father was not king. The fact is that the father of the current monarch, Prince Gustav Adolf, died in a plane crash a few months after the birth of the heir and a few months before the death of Gustav V. So when in 1973 Carl XVI Gustav ascended the throne (becoming, by the way, in at the age of twenty-seven the youngest monarch of the Bernadotte dynasty), he succeeded his grandfather. The reign of Carl XVI Gustav naturally became a time of a certain democratization of the monarchy: after all, it was the second half of the 20th century. It all started with the fact that the monarch chose as his wife a woman who was by no means of royal or even aristocratic blood: while still the crown prince, he met the German translator Sylvia Sommerlath in 1972. An affair began, but it took the king several years to prepare public opinion and change the legislative framework somewhat.
Certain upheavals in conservative Swedish society were also caused by the situation around the heirs of Carl XVI Gustaf. The fact is that the king has three children: in 1977 Princess Victoria, Duchess of Westergetland was born, in 1979 Prince Carl Phillippe, Duke of Värmland was born, and in 1982 they were joined by Princess Madeleine, Duchess of Helsingland and Gestrikland. According to the law of succession, Princess Victoria was proclaimed the heir to the throne, but after the birth of Prince Carl Philip, a fairly wide social movement unfolded in support of the nomination of him as the heir. Swedish conservative circles wanted to see the king, not the queen, on the throne. The Riksdag, the Swedish Parliament, had to intervene and officially confirm that such a procedure is impossible, because it contradicts the Constitution, which strictly prohibits any discrimination based on gender. However, to this day there are quite a lot of supporters of the accession to the throne of Charles Philip in Sweden and they hope that in due time Victoria will renounce the throne in favor of her brother. These issues cause much more excitement in Sweden than the need to pay for the life of the royal family from the pocket of taxpayers: annually from 10 to 15 million euros are allocated from the state budget for the needs of the Bernadottes.
Alexander Babitsky