Adolf (or Adolph) Frederick (; ; 14 May 171012 February 1771) was
King of Sweden
The monarchy of Sweden is centred on the monarchical head of state of Sweden,See the #IOG, Instrument of Government, Chapter 1, Article 5. by law a constitutional monarchy, constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system.Parl ...
from 1751 until his death in 1771. He was the son of
Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp, Prince of Eutin, and
Albertina Frederica of Baden-Durlach. He was an uncle of
Catherine the Great
Catherine II. (born Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst; 2 May 172917 November 1796), most commonly known as Catherine the Great, was the reigning empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796. She came to power after overthrowing her husband, Peter I ...
and husband to
Louisa Ulrika of Prussia.
After 220 years the
House of Oldenburg
The House of Oldenburg is a Germans, German dynasty whose members rule or have ruled in Danish Realm, Denmark, Kingdom of Iceland, Iceland, Kingdom of Greece, Greece, Norway, Russian Empire, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom, the United Kingdom, King ...
returned to the Swedish throne with Adolf Frederick through its
Holstein-Gottorp branch. He was a weak monarch, installed as first in line to the throne following the parliamentary government's
failure to reconquer the Baltic provinces in 1741–1743. Aside from a few attempts, supported by pro-
absolutist factions among the nobility, to reclaim the absolute monarchy held by previous monarchs, he remained a mere constitutional figurehead until his death.
His reign saw an extended period of internal peace. However, the finances stagnated following failed
mercantilist
Mercantilism is a nationalist economic policy that is designed to maximize the exports and minimize the imports of an economy. It seeks to maximize the accumulation of resources within the country and use those resources for one-sided trade. ...
doctrines pursued by the
Hat
A hat is a Headgear, head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorpor ...
administration. The Hat administration ended during the 1765–1766 parliament, where the
Cap
A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. The origin of the word "cap" comes from the Old French word "chapeau" which means "head co ...
opposition took over the government and enacted reforms towards greater
economic liberalism
Economic liberalism is a political and economic ideology that supports a market economy based on individualism and private property in the means of production. Adam Smith is considered one of the primary initial writers on economic liberalism ...
, as well as a
Freedom of Press Act. The Freedom of Press Act is unique for the time for its curtailing of all censorship, retaining punitive measures only for libeling the monarch or the
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden () is an Evangelical Lutheran national church in Sweden. A former state church, headquartered in Uppsala, with around 5.5 million members at year end 2023, it is the largest Christian denomination in Sweden, the largest List ...
.
Birth and background
A scion of a junior line of the
House of Holstein-Gottorp, Adolf Frederick was born on 14 May 1710 at
Gottorf Castle, near the town of
Schleswig
The Duchy of Schleswig (; ; ; ; ; ) was a duchy in Southern Jutland () covering the area between about 60 km (35 miles) north and 70 km (45 mi) south of the current border between Germany and Denmark. The territory has been di ...
in the
Duchy of Schleswig
The Duchy of Schleswig (; ; ; ; ; ) was a duchy in Southern Jutland () covering the area between about 60 km (35 miles) north and 70 km (45 mi) south of the current border between Germany and Denmark. The territory has been div ...
.
His father,
Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp (1673–1726), was a younger son of
Christian Albert, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, and had been the
protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
prince-bishop
A prince-bishop is a bishop who is also the civil ruler of some secular principality and sovereignty, as opposed to '' Prince of the Church'' itself, a title associated with cardinals. Since 1951, the sole extant prince-bishop has been the ...
of
Lübeck
Lübeck (; or ; Latin: ), officially the Hanseatic League, Hanseatic City of Lübeck (), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 220,000 inhabitants, it is the second-largest city on the German Baltic Sea, Baltic coast and the second-larg ...
since 1705.
During the
Great Northern War
In the Great Northern War (1700–1721) a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in Northern Europe, Northern, Central Europe, Central and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the ant ...
, the father also acted as administrator of the duchies of
Holstein-Gottorp
Holstein-Gottorp () is the historiographical name, as well as contemporary shorthand name, for the parts of the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, also known as Ducal Holstein, that were ruled by the dukes of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorp, a side ...
for his nephew, the underage
Duke Charles Frederick.
[ This cites:
* R. Nisbet Bain, ''Gustavus III. and his Contemporaries'', vol. i. (London, 1895).]
His mother,
Albertina Frederica of Baden-Durlach (1682–1755),
was a descendant of earlier royal dynasties of Sweden, great-granddaughter of
Princess Catherine of Sweden, mother of King
Charles X of Sweden. On his mother's side, Adolf Frederick was also descended from King
Gustav Vasa
Gustav Eriksson Vasa (12 May 1496 – 29 September 1560), also known as Gustav I, was King of Sweden from 1523 until his death in 1560. He was previously self-recognised Protector of the Realm (''Reichsverweser#Sweden, Riksföreståndare'') fr ...
through
Christina Magdalena, a sister of Charles X of Sweden. At his baptism, King
Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII, sometimes Carl XII () or Carolus Rex (17 June 1682 – 30 November 1718 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.), was King of Sweden from 1697 to 1718. He belonged to the House of Palatinate-Zweibrücken, a branch line of the House of ...
, who had been invited to be his godfather, sent him a letter of authorization for a position as an officer in the Swedish army.
Years in Holstein
From 1727 to 1750 Prince Adolf Frederick was the
prince-bishop
A prince-bishop is a bishop who is also the civil ruler of some secular principality and sovereignty, as opposed to '' Prince of the Church'' itself, a title associated with cardinals. Since 1951, the sole extant prince-bishop has been the ...
of
Lübeck
Lübeck (; or ; Latin: ), officially the Hanseatic League, Hanseatic City of Lübeck (), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 220,000 inhabitants, it is the second-largest city on the German Baltic Sea, Baltic coast and the second-larg ...
. This meant he ruled a fief around and including
Eutin
Eutin () is the district capital of Ostholstein, Eastern Holstein county located in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein. As of December 2022, the town had some 17,000 inhabitants.
History
The name Eutin (originally Utin) is of Slavic ...
. After his first cousin,
Charles Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, died in 1739, Adolf Frederick became the administrator of Holstein-
Kiel
Kiel ( ; ) is the capital and most populous city in the northern Germany, German state of Schleswig-Holstein. With a population of around 250,000, it is Germany's largest city on the Baltic Sea. It is located on the Kieler Förde inlet of the Ba ...
during the minority of the duke's orphan son, Charles Peter Ulrich. Shortly afterward, the young boy was invited to Russia by his maternal aunt, Empress
Elizabeth, who soon declared him her heir. He later became known as
Peter III of Russia.
King of Sweden
In 1743, Adolf Frederick was elected heir to the throne of Sweden by the
Hat faction (Swedish: ''Hattarna''). The Hat faction wanted to obtain better conditions at the
Treaty of Åbo
The Treaty of Åbo, or the Treaty of Turku, was a peace treaty signed between the Russian Empire and Sweden in Åbo (Turku) on in the end of the Russo-Swedish War of 1741–1743.
History
By the end of the war, the Imperial Russian Army had ...
from Empress Elizabeth.
The following year, Adolf Frederick married Princess
Louisa Ulrika of Prussia who was the sister of
Frederick the Great
Frederick II (; 24 January 171217 August 1786) was the monarch of Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786. He was the last Hohenzollern monarch titled ''King in Prussia'', declaring himself ''King of Prussia'' after annexing Royal Prussia ...
of
Prussia
Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
.

Upon the death of King
Frederick I of Sweden
Frederick I (; 28 April 1676 – 5 April 1751) was List of Swedish monarchs, King of Sweden from 1720 until his death, having been prince consort of Sweden from 1718 to 1720, and was also Landgrave of Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, Hesse-Kassel fr ...
on 25 March 1751, Adolf Frederick succeeded to the Swedish throne as the first king from the
House of Holstein-Gottorp. His
coronation
A coronation ceremony marks the formal investiture of a monarch with regal power using a crown. In addition to the crowning, this ceremony may include the presentation of other items of regalia, and other rituals such as the taking of special v ...
was celebrated on 26 November 1751 in the
Stockholm Cathedral.
During his 20-year reign, Adolf Frederick was little more than a
figurehead
In politics, a figurehead is a practice of who ''de jure'' (in name or by law) appears to hold an important and often supremely powerful title or office, yet '' de facto'' (in reality) exercises little to no actual power. This usually means that ...
, the real power being with the
Riksdag of the Estates
Riksdag of the Estates (; informally ) was the name used for the Estates of Sweden when they were assembled. Until its dissolution in 1866, the institution was the highest authority in Sweden next to the King. It was a Diet made up of the Fou ...
, often distracted by party strife. Twice he endeavored to free himself from the tutelage of the estates. The first occasion was in 1756. Stimulated by his consort, Queen Louisa Ulrika, he tried to regain a portion of the attenuated prerogative through the
Coup of 1756 to abolish the rule of the Riksdag of the Estates and reinstate absolute monarchy in Sweden. He nearly lost his throne in consequence. On the second occasion during the
December Crisis of 1768, under the guidance of his eldest son,
Gustav, he succeeded in overthrowing the "Cap" (Swedish: ''Mössorna'') senate, but was unable to make any use of his victory.
Death
Adolf Frederick died suddenly in Stockholm on 12 February 1771 with symptoms resembling either heart failure or poisoning. Popular stories about his death having resulted from a large meal (he ate
lobster
Lobsters are Malacostraca, malacostracans Decapoda, decapod crustaceans of the family (biology), family Nephropidae or its Synonym (taxonomy), synonym Homaridae. They have long bodies with muscular tails and live in crevices or burrows on th ...
,
caviar
Caviar or caviare is a food consisting of salt-cured roe of the family Acipenseridae. Caviar is considered a delicacy and is eaten as a garnish or spread. Traditionally, the term caviar refers only to roe from wild sturgeon in the Caspi ...
,
sauerkraut
Sauerkraut (; , ) is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ferment the sugar ...
,
kippers, and
champagne
Champagne (; ) is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, which demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, spe ...
and his 14 helpings of his favourite dessert of
semla pastries and hot milk) are considered propaganda by modern writers.
Following his death, his son
Gustav III
Gustav III (29 March 1792), also called ''Gustavus III'', was King of Sweden from 1771 until his assassination in 1792. He was the eldest son of King Adolf Frederick and Queen Louisa Ulrika of Sweden.
Gustav was a vocal opponent of what he saw ...
seized power in 1772 in
a military coup d'état, reinstating absolute rule.
Legacy
The King was regarded as dependent on others, a weak ruler, and lacking of any talents as a statesman. However, he was allegedly a good husband, a caring father, and a gentle master to his servants. He was scientifically talented and especially interested in astronomy. He also had talent in military matters and in music. His favourite pastime was woodworking, especially to make
snuffboxes, which he reportedly spent a great deal of time doing. His hospitality and friendliness were witnessed by many who deeply mourned him at his death.
Children
By his marriage to Princess
Louisa Ulrika of Prussia (which took place on 18 August/29 August 1744 in
Drottningholm), he had five children:
# (Stillborn) (18 February 1745 in
Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
)
#
Gustav III
Gustav III (29 March 1792), also called ''Gustavus III'', was King of Sweden from 1771 until his assassination in 1792. He was the eldest son of King Adolf Frederick and Queen Louisa Ulrika of Sweden.
Gustav was a vocal opponent of what he saw ...
(1746–1792)
#
Charles XIII
Charles XIII or Carl XIII (; 7 October 1748 – 5 February 1818) was King of Sweden from 1809 and King of Norway from 1814 to his death. He was the second son (and younger brother to King Gustav III) of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Louisa ...
(1748–1818)
#
Frederick Adolf (1750–1803)
#
Sofia Albertina (1753–1829)
With
Jeanne Du Londel he had one son:
# Adolf Fredriksson (c. 1734-1771), Captain in the Swedish Army.
With
Marguerite Morel he had one son who died as a child:
# Frederici (c. 1761 - 1771)
Adolf Frederick may have been the father of
Lolotte Forssberg by
Ulla von Liewen, but this has never been confirmed.
[af Klercker, Cecilia, ed. Hedvig Elisabeth Charlottas dagbok he diary of Hedvig Elizabeth Charlotte(in Swedish). VI 1797-1799. (1927) Translated by Cecilia af Klercker. Stockholm: P.A. Norstedt & Söners förlag. pp. 290–291]
Ancestors
References
Bibliography
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External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Adolf Frederick Of Sweden
1710 births
1771 deaths
18th-century Swedish monarchs
People from Schleswig, Schleswig-Holstein
House of Holstein-Gottorp
Swedish monarchs of German descent
People from the Duchy of Schleswig
Burials at Riddarholmen Church
Lutheran prince-bishops of Lübeck
Age of Liberty people
Crown princes of Sweden