Gustav, Prince of Vasa
Encyclopedia
Crown Prince Gustav of Sweden, Prince Vasa (9 November 1799 at Stockholm
– 4 August/5 August 1877 at Pillnitz
), later Gustaf Gustafsson von Holstein-Gottorp, Prince of Vasa) was the son of Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
and Frederica of Baden
.
, who acted as the governess of the court of the royal children from 1799 until 1803.
When he was ten years old, his father
was deposed by military coup and the family was forced into exile. The Gustavian party tried to get him accepted as crown prince
in 1809 and 1810, but were unsuccessful. Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp was one of the leading people of the Gustavian party, often visited ex-queen Frederica in her house arrest and worked for prince Gustav to be acknowledged as heir to the throne. She wrote of this issue in her diaries: during a dinner, General Georg Adlersparre told her that Jean Baptiste Bernadotte had asked whether she had any issue, and was interested when he found she had not. She said that the throne already had an heir in the deposed King's son. Adlersparre became upset and expressed the opinion of his party, that no one of the instigators of the coup would accept this, as they feared that the boy would revenge against them when he became King, and that they would go as far as take up the old rumour that the deposed King was in fact illegitimate and the son of Queen Sophia Magdalena
and Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila
to prevent this.
Between the time after the coup and before the royal family left Sweden, they were held under house arrest. During that period, Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp described him in her famous diary as an obedient and dutiful child with a great ability to learn. He was not haughty as his younger sister Princess Sophie, but humble. Rather, he seemed too quiet and too careful for his age. When Princess Sophie asked him why their father was no longer King, he told her that it was best not to talk about it. He asked no questions and did not appear to miss his father. After he was told that his father had been deposed, he acted embarrassed towards his mother. However, when she told him that he too had lost his position as heir, he cried and embraced her without a word. The announcement gave him much relief and happiness.
In 1816, he assumed the title of Count
of Itterburg. Gustaf also served as an officer to the Habsburg
s of Austria
, and in 1829, Emperor Francis II of Austria created him Prince of Vasa. He was made a Field Marshal
-Lieutenant
in the Austro-Hungarian Army
in 1836.
In 1828, he became engaged to Princess Marianne of the Netherlands
, but political pressure forced an end to any wedding plans. On 9 November 1830, he married in Karlsruhe
his first cousin, Princess Louise Amelie of Baden
(Schwetzingen
, 5 June 1811 – Karlsruhe
, 19 July 1854). They divorced in 1843. A son, Louis, was born in 1832, but died shortly after birth. Their daughter, Princess Carola
, married the Catholic King
Albert I of Saxony
, but they had no issue.
Gustaf died on 5 August 1877. In 1884, his (and his infant son's) remains were moved to Stockholm, to be buried beside his father.
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
– 4 August/5 August 1877 at Pillnitz
Pillnitz
Pillnitz is a city quarter in the east of Dresden, Germany. The quarter is situated in the east of Dresden. It can be reached by bus, ship, walking along the river or by bicycle...
), later Gustaf Gustafsson von Holstein-Gottorp, Prince of Vasa) was the son of Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden also Gustav Adolph was King of Sweden from 1792 until his abdication in 1809. He was the son of Gustav III of Sweden and his queen consort Sophia Magdalena, eldest daughter of Frederick V of Denmark and his first wife Louise of Great Britain. He was the last Swedish...
and Frederica of Baden
Frederica of Baden
Friederike Dorothea Wilhelmina of Baden was Queen consort of Sweden from 1797 to 1809. Daughter of Karl Ludwig of Baden and Amalie of Hesse-Darmstadt, she was the younger sister of Empress Elisabeth Alexeievna , wife of Tsar Alexander I of Russia.-Biography:She was born in Karlsruhe...
.
Biography
After his birth, he was placed under the supervision of Hedvig Ulrika De la GardieHedvig Ulrika De la Gardie
Hedvig Ulrika De la Gardie was a Swedish lady in waiting. She was married to Gustaf Mauritz Armfelt. She was the head governess of the Swedish royal children in 1799-1803....
, who acted as the governess of the court of the royal children from 1799 until 1803.
When he was ten years old, his father
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden
Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden also Gustav Adolph was King of Sweden from 1792 until his abdication in 1809. He was the son of Gustav III of Sweden and his queen consort Sophia Magdalena, eldest daughter of Frederick V of Denmark and his first wife Louise of Great Britain. He was the last Swedish...
was deposed by military coup and the family was forced into exile. The Gustavian party tried to get him accepted as crown prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
in 1809 and 1810, but were unsuccessful. Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp was one of the leading people of the Gustavian party, often visited ex-queen Frederica in her house arrest and worked for prince Gustav to be acknowledged as heir to the throne. She wrote of this issue in her diaries: during a dinner, General Georg Adlersparre told her that Jean Baptiste Bernadotte had asked whether she had any issue, and was interested when he found she had not. She said that the throne already had an heir in the deposed King's son. Adlersparre became upset and expressed the opinion of his party, that no one of the instigators of the coup would accept this, as they feared that the boy would revenge against them when he became King, and that they would go as far as take up the old rumour that the deposed King was in fact illegitimate and the son of Queen Sophia Magdalena
Sophia Magdalena of Denmark
Sofia Magdalena of Denmark and Norway was a Queen consort of Sweden as the spouse of Gustav III of Sweden....
and Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila
Count Adolf Fredrik Munck af Fulkila
Adolf Fredrik, Count Munck af Fulkila was a Swedish and Finnish noble alleged to have been the biological father of King Gustaf IV Adolf.- Biography :...
to prevent this.
Between the time after the coup and before the royal family left Sweden, they were held under house arrest. During that period, Hedwig Elizabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp described him in her famous diary as an obedient and dutiful child with a great ability to learn. He was not haughty as his younger sister Princess Sophie, but humble. Rather, he seemed too quiet and too careful for his age. When Princess Sophie asked him why their father was no longer King, he told her that it was best not to talk about it. He asked no questions and did not appear to miss his father. After he was told that his father had been deposed, he acted embarrassed towards his mother. However, when she told him that he too had lost his position as heir, he cried and embraced her without a word. The announcement gave him much relief and happiness.
In 1816, he assumed the title of Count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
of Itterburg. Gustaf also served as an officer to the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
s of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, and in 1829, Emperor Francis II of Austria created him Prince of Vasa. He was made a Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
-Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the Austro-Hungarian Army
Austro-Hungarian Army
The Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
in 1836.
In 1828, he became engaged to Princess Marianne of the Netherlands
Princess Marianne of the Netherlands
Princess Marianne of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau , was a member of the House of Orange-Nassau, by birth Princess of the Kingdom of the United Netherlands and by marriage Princess of the Kingdom of Prussia.-Family:Born in Berlin, she was the youngest child and second daughter of King...
, but political pressure forced an end to any wedding plans. On 9 November 1830, he married in Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
his first cousin, Princess Louise Amelie of Baden
Princess Louise Amelie of Baden
Princess Louise Amelie Stephanie of Baden was a daughter of Karl, Grand Duke of Baden and his wife Stéphanie de Beauharnais.-Family:...
(Schwetzingen
Schwetzingen
Schwetzingen is a German town situated in the northwest of Baden-Württemberg, around southwest of Heidelberg and southeast of Mannheim.Schwetzingen is one of the 5 biggest cities of the Rhein-Neckar-Kreis district and it is a medium-sized centre including the cities and municipalities of...
, 5 June 1811 – Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
, 19 July 1854). They divorced in 1843. A son, Louis, was born in 1832, but died shortly after birth. Their daughter, Princess Carola
Carola of Vasa
Carola of Vasa was a titular princess of Sweden, and the queen consort of Saxony...
, married the Catholic King
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
Albert I of Saxony
Albert I of Saxony
Albert was a King of Saxony and a member of the House of Wettin.He was the eldest son of Prince John, Albert (full name: Frederick Augustus Albert Anton Ferdinand Joseph Karl Maria Baptist Nepomuk Wilhelm Xaver Georg Fidelis) (Dresden, 23 April 1828 – Schloss Sibyllenort (Szczodre), 19 June...
, but they had no issue.
Gustaf died on 5 August 1877. In 1884, his (and his infant son's) remains were moved to Stockholm, to be buried beside his father.