Oscar I of Sweden

Oscar I, born Joseph François Oscar Bernadotte (July 4, 1799, Paris–July 8, 1859, Stockholm), was King of Sweden and Norway from 1844 to his death. He was the only son of Charles XIV John of Sweden and his wife, Queen Desideria. When, in August 1810, Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince of Sweden, Oscar and his mother moved from Paris to Stockholm (June 1811).

Upbringing

From Charles XIII of Sweden Oscar received the title of Duke of Sudermannia. He quickly acquired the Swedish language. By the time he reached the age of majority, had become a general favourite. His very considerable native talents were developed by an excellent education, and he soon came to be regarded as an authority on all socio-political questions. In 1839 he wrote a series of articles on popular education, and (in 1841) an anonymous work, "Om Straff och straffanstalter", advocating prison reforms. Twice during his father's lifetime he was viceroy of Norway. On June 19, 1823 he married the princess Josephine, daughter of Eugène de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg, and granddaughter of the Empress Josephine.

Politics

In 1824 and 1833, the Crown Prince was briefly Viceroy of Norway. In 1838 the king began to suspect his heir of plotting with the Liberal party to bring about a change of ministry, or even his own abdication. If Oscar did not actively assist the Opposition on this occasion, his disapprobation of his father's despotic behaviour was notorious, though he avoided an actual rupture. Yet his liberalism was of the most cautious and moderate character, as the Opposition, shortly after his accession (March 8, 1844), discovered to their great chagrin. He would not hear of any radical reform of the cumbrous and obsolete Constitution of 1809. But one of his earliest measures was to establish freedom of the press.

He formally established equality between his two kingdoms by introducing new flags with a common union badge and a new coat of arms for the union. Most of the legislation during Oscar I's reign aimed at improving the economic position of Sweden, and the Riksdag of the Estates, in its address to him in 1857, declared that he had promoted the material prosperity of the kingdom more than any of his predecessors.

In foreign affairs Oscar I was a friend of the principle of nationality. In 1848 he supported Denmark against the Kingdom of Prussia in the First War of Schleswig; placed Swedish and Norwegian troops in cantonments in Funen and North Schleswig (1849-1850); and mediated the Truce of Malmö (August 26, 1848). He was also one of the guarantors of the integrity of Denmark (the London protocol, May 8, 1852).

As early as 1850 Oscar I had conceived the plan of a dynastic union of the three Scandinavian kingdoms, but such difficulties presented themselves that the scheme had to be abandoned. He succeeded, however, in reversing his father's obsequious policy towards Imperial Russia. His fear lest Russia should demand a stretch of coast along the Varanger Fjord induced him to remain neutral during the Crimean War, and, subsequently, to conclude an alliance with the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Second French Empire (November 25, 1855) for preserving the territorial integrity of Scandinavia.

Children

Oscar I left four legitimate sons, of whom two, Carl and Oscar, succeeded him to the throne.

King Charles XV (Charles IV in Norway) (1826-1872)
Prince Gustaf, Duke of Uplandia (1827-1852)
King Oscar II (1829-1907)
Princess Eugenie (1830-1889)
Prince August, Duke of Dalecarlia (1831-1873)

Oscar also had two children with his mistress, the actress Emilie Högquist:

Hjalmar Högquist, born June 18, 1839 in Hamburg.
Max Högquist, born August 12, 1840 in Stockholm.

They were often more or less parodically referred to as The Princes of Laponia.

With another mistress, Jaquette Löwenhielm (née Gyldenstolpe), Oscar had a daughter

Oscaria

Trivia

Oscar's mother was Désirée Clary, Napoleon Bonaparte's first fiancée. Her sister, Julie Clary, was married to Napoleon's brother, Joseph Bonaparte. Désirée chose Napoleon to be Oscar's godfather.

References

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Upbringing

Politics

Children

Trivia

References