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Gustav III 1746-1792
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Image
Above
Gustav III
University of
Uppsala |
Sweden's king Gustav III was an enlightened ruler. Here is more
about
 Enlightenment.
He was the founder of the
Swedish
Academy.
Gustav was married to Sofia Magdalena, the daughter of Denmark's
king Frederick V.
The big subject of the day was the power of the Riksdag, the
Swedish parliament. Gustav thought the king should have more power
than the parliament, switched laws around, and made it happen.
That was the bloodless coup of August 1772.
Regarding French help, see also
Vergennes.
Gustav was a modern man and ready for many reforms. But the
Riksdag was sulking and the Swedish nobility grew bitter.
King Gustav III had an adviser he could trust,
Gustaf Armfelt.
In 1788, Gustav declared
war on Russia but lost it. A large contributing factor to
Gustav's defeat might or might not have been the backstabbing and
scheming weasels of the Swedish upper class, a ruthless bunch.
On March 16, 1792 they assassinated
Gustav in the
Stockholm opera. Many people were involved in the conspiracy.
The man who shot Gustav down was
Jacob Johan Anckarström.
Gustav didn't die on the spot but two weeks later.
More on the
assassination of Gustav III.
See also
Assassinations in History.
Gustav III was succeeded by his
son, who became Gustav IV Adolf.
More History
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