Adolf Frederick of Sweden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Adolf Frederick |
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Adolf Frederick by Lorens Pasch the Younger
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| King of Sweden | |
| Reign | 25 March 1751 – 12 February 1771 |
| Coronation | 26 November 1751 |
| Predecessor | Frederick I |
| Successor | Gustav III |
| Prince-Bishop of Lübeck | |
| Reign | 1727 – 1750 |
| Predecessor | Charles August |
| Successor | Frederick August |
| Born | 14 May 1710 Gottorp, Schleswig, Duchy of Schleswig |
| Died | 12 February 1771 (aged 60) Stockholm Palace, Stockholm, Sweden |
| Burial | 30 July 1771 Riddarholm Church |
| Spouse |
Louisa Ulrika of Prussia
(m. 1744) |
| Issue | Gustav III of Sweden Charles XIII of Sweden Prince Frederick Adolf, Duke of Östergötland Sophia Albertina, Abbess of Quedlinburg |
| House | Holstein-Gottorp |
| Father | Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp, Prince of Eutin |
| Mother | Princess Albertina Frederica of Baden-Durlach |
| Religion | Lutheranism |
| Signature |  |
Adolf Frederick was the King of Sweden from 1751 until he passed away in 1771. He was born on May 14, 1710. His parents were Christian August of Holstein-Gottorp, Prince of Eutin and Albertina Frederica of Baden-Durlach. He was also the uncle of Catherine the Great, a famous Russian empress.
Adolf Frederick was the first king from the House of Holstein-Gottorp. He became king after a war where Sweden tried to get back some lands. During his time as king, the real power was held by the Swedish parliament, not by the king. He tried a few times to get more power back, but he mostly remained a king who followed the rules set by the parliament.
His time as king was mostly peaceful within Sweden. However, the country's money situation didn't improve much. This was because of old economic ideas followed by the "Hat" political party. Later, another party called the "Cap" party took over. They brought in new ideas for a more open economy. They also created a special law in 1766 called the Freedom of Press Act. This law was very unusual for its time because it stopped almost all censorship. People could write freely, as long as they didn't lie about the king or the church.
Contents
Becoming King of Sweden
Before becoming king, Adolf Frederick was a prince-bishop in Lübeck from 1727 to 1750. This meant he ruled a small area of land. After his cousin passed away, Adolf Frederick also helped manage the lands of Holstein-Kiel for his young nephew, Charles Peter Ulrich. This nephew later became Peter III of Russia.
In 1743, a political group in Sweden called the "Hat faction" chose Adolf Frederick to be the next king. They hoped this would help them get a better peace deal with Russia. He officially became King Adolf Frederick on March 25, 1751.
His Time as King
For most of his 20 years as king, Adolf Frederick was mostly a figurehead. This means he was the official leader, but the real power was with the Riksdag of the Estates, which was like a parliament. The parliament was often busy with arguments between different political parties.
Adolf Frederick tried twice to get more power for himself. The first time was in 1756. His wife, Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, who was the sister of Frederick the Great, encouraged him. He tried to take back full power for the king, but he almost lost his throne because of it.
The second time was in 1768. With help from his oldest son, Gustav, he managed to remove the "Cap" party from power. However, he couldn't use this victory to gain more control for himself.
His Death
Adolf Frederick died suddenly in Stockholm on February 12, 1771. People at the time wondered if it was heart failure or even poisoning. There are popular stories that he died after eating a huge meal. This meal supposedly included lobster, caviar, sauerkraut, smoked fish, champagne, and 14 servings of his favorite dessert, a pastry called hetvägg with hot milk. However, modern historians believe these stories were likely made up to make fun of him.
After his death, his son Gustav III took power in 1772. He did this through a military takeover, which brought back full power to the king.
What People Remembered About Him
People often thought the King was weak and relied on others. However, he was also known as a good husband and a caring father. He was kind to his servants. His favorite hobby was making snuffboxes, and he spent a lot of time on this. Many people who knew him remembered his kindness and how welcoming he was. They were very sad when he died.
His Children
Adolf Frederick married Princess Louisa Ulrika of Prussia in 1744. They had the following children:
- (Stillborn) (18 February 1745)
- Gustav III (1746–1792)
- Charles XIII (1748–1818)
- Frederick Adolf (1750–1803)
- Sofia Albertina (1753–1829)
He also had children with other women:
- Adolf Fredriksson (c. 1734-1771), who became a Captain in the Swedish Army.
- Frederici (c. 1761 - 1771), who died as a child.
It is also thought that he might have been the father of Lolotte Forssberg.
See also
In Spanish: Adolfo Federico de Suecia para niños
