Page 24 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Stockholm

22  INTRODUCING ST OCKHOLM

guards, he declared his intention to mount a
bloodless coup d’état. The guards and other
military units in Stock holm swore allegiance
to the king, who tied a white handkerchief
round his arm as a badge and rode out into
the city to be acclaimed by his people.
Absolute power had been restored.
Gustav III was influenced by the Age of
Enlightenment and by French cul ture,
which had a great effect on Swedish
cultural life (see pp24–5). But over the years
opposition grew to the king’s absolute
powers, largely because of his costly war
against Russia. In 1792 he was murdered by
Gustav III (r. 1771–92) with the white armband he wore when a nobleman, Captain Anckarström, during a
mounting his coup d’état in 1772 masked ball at the Opera House (see p25).
Gustav III was succeeded by his son,
The Age of Liberty and the Gustav IV Adolf. During his reign Sweden
Gustavian Era was dragged into the Napoleonic wars.
A new constitution came into force in 1719, After a war against Russia in 1808–9,
transferring power from the monarch to Sweden lost its sovereignty over Finland,
parliament. As a result, Sweden developed which at the time accounted for one-third
a system of parlia mentary democracy similar of Swedish territory. The king abdicated
to that of Britain in the early 18th century. and left Stockholm to flee the country.
The “Age of Liberty” coincided with the
Enlightenment, with dramatic advances in The Era of Karl Johan and
culture, science and indus try. The botanist Bourgeois Liberalism
Carl von Linné became one of the most By the early 19th century the absolute
famous Swedes of his time. Another was the powers of the monarch had been removed
scientist, philoso pher and author Emanuel
Swedenborg. The production of textiles
expanded in Stockholm, and Sweden’s first
hospital was constructed on Kungsholmen.
Changes in the balance of power around
1770 gave the new king, Gustav III, an
opportunity to strike in an attempt to regain
his monarchical powers. On 19 August 1772
Gustav accompanied the guards’ parade to Napoleon’s former marshal, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, as King Karl
the Royal Palace, where, in front of his life- XIV Johan surrounded by his family

1809 Sweden loses
1719 New 1738 Parliamentary 1754 The 1790 Swedish defeat over Finland, and Gustav
constitution transfers power is established in Royal family Russia at Battle of Svenskund IV Adolf abdicates
power from the king the Age of Liberty as the moves into
to Parliament “Hat” party wins elections Royal Palace 1780s Immigrants are given 1792 Gustav III
wide religious freedom murdered
1720 1740 1760 1780 1800
1721 Swedish defeat in 1741 Carl von Linné 1772 Gustav III 1786 Swedish
the Great Northern War appointed professor crowned and Academy founded
results in territorial losses at Uppsala mounts coup d’état, 1778 National costume
and the end of the giving the king decreed. Death penalty
country’s golden age Carl von Linné (1707–78) absolute power removed for some crimes

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