Gustavus IV Adolphus (Oldenburg Sweden)

Gustavus IV Adolphus (Swedish: Gustav IV Adolf) was king of Sweden. He was born 1 November 1778 in Stockholm, and died there 7 February 1837. He became king upon the death of his father, Gustavus III, 29 March 1792.

His mother was Sophia Magdalena of Denmark. Both his parents belonged to the house of Oldenburg.

When he inherited the throne, he was still a minor, and his uncle, Duke Charles became regent. Gustavus Adolphus went to France to study, and in France, he was influenced by revolutional ideas, and he became a friend of Napoleon Bonaparte, later Emperor Napoleon I. Later, having returned to Sweden, and Napoleon having risen to power in France, Sweden allied itself with the Napoleonic French Empire. Russia tried to invade Finland, but Sweden managed to stop the invasion, and, helped by Danish, German and French forces (the French forces were led by general Jean Bernadotte, Prince of Ponte Corvo), conquer the Russian part of Karelia.

In 1812, Gustavus IV Adolphus shifted sides, and joined the allied powers against Napoleon, including Sweden's age-old foe Russia. General Bernadotte left Napoleon, too, and offered his services to the Swedish army. Gustavus Adolphus personally accepted the offer, and made Bernadotte a Swedish general and count Bernadotte af Wisborg.

Napoleon was defeated, and Gustavus Adolphus stayed in power. He was married to Frederica of Baden, and was succeeded by his son, Gustavus V.