| His Majesty the King ofSweden | |
|---|---|
| Sveriges Konung | |
 | |
| Incumbent | |
_(cropped).jpg) | |
| Carl XVI Gustaf since 15 September 1973 | |
| Details | |
| Style | His Majesty |
| Heir apparent | Crown Princess Victoria |
| First monarch | Eric the Victorious |
| Formation | 970; 1055 years ago (970) |
| Residences | See list |
| Website | www |
Themonarchy of Sweden is centred on the monarchicalhead of state ofSweden,[1] by law aconstitutional andhereditary monarchy with aparliamentary system.[2] There have been kings in what now is theKingdom of Sweden for more than a millennium. Originally anelective monarchy, it became ahereditary monarchy in the 16th century during the reign ofGustav Vasa,[3] though virtually all monarchs before that belonged to a limited and small number of political families which are considered to be the royal dynasties of Sweden.
The official continuous count usually begins with the kings who ruled bothSvealand andGötaland as one kingdom.[4] Sweden's monarchy is amongst the oldest in the world, with a regnal list stretching back to the tenth century, starting withEric the Victorious; the Swedish monarchy has, for the past thousand years, undergone cycles of decline and strengthening, culminating in the modern constitutional monarchy.[5]
The Swedish monarchy has been one of the key features in the development of Swedish culture, having for centuries patronized the arts and sciences. Several of Sweden's most prestigious academies and cultural institutions are under Swedish royal protection. This historical role politically, militarily and culturally, in spite of the country's otherwise liberal leanings, has resulted in the Swedish monarchy being popular.[6] In recent years, however, some of the most serious criticism ever published has taken place about the way his monarchy has developed under the current king's fifty-year reign.[7][8][9][10]
Sweden in the present day is arepresentative democracy in aparliamentary system based onpopular sovereignty, as defined in the currentInstrument of Government (one of the fourBasic Laws of the Realm which makes up the written constitution[11]). The monarch and the members of theroyal family undertake a variety of official, unofficial and other representational duties within Sweden and abroad.[3] The current king of Sweden isCarl XVI Gustaf, while his heir isCrown Princess Victoria.[12]
The Swedish monarch has numerous residences, primarily state-owned but some privately owned; their official residence and workplace isStockholm Palace, whileDrottningholm Palace serves as the monarchy's private residence. Other notable residences includeGripsholm Castle andUlriksdal Palace, as well as others throughout Sweden.[13] Several large palaces and a considerable section of the Swedish capital ofStockholm have been at thedisposal of the monarch since 1809.
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Scandinavian peoples have had kings since prehistoric times. As early as the 1st century CE,Tacitus wrote that theSuiones had a king, but the order of Swedish regnal succession up until KingEric the Victorious (died 995), is known almost exclusively through accounts in historically controversialNorse sagas (seeMythical kings of Sweden andSemi-legendary kings of Sweden).
Originally, the Swedish king had combined powers limited to that of a war chief, a judge and a priest at theTemple at Uppsala (seeGermanic king). However, there are thousands ofrunestones commemorating commoners, but no known chronicle[clarification needed] about the Swedish kings prior to the 14th century (though a list of kings was added in theVästgöta Law), and there is a relatively small number of runestones that are thought to mention kings: Gs 11 (Emund the Old – reigned 1050–1060),U 11 (Håkan the Red – late 11th century) andU 861 (Blot-Sweyn – reignedc. 1080).
About 1000 A.D., the first king known to rule bothSvealand andGötaland wasOlof Skötkonung, but further history for the next two centuries is obscure, with many kings whose tenures and actual influence/power remains unclear. The Royal Court of Sweden, however, does count Olof's father, Eric the Victorious, as Sweden's first king. The power of the king was greatly strengthened[why?] by the introduction of Christianity during the 11th century, and the following centuries saw a process of consolidation of power into the hands of the king. The Swedes traditionally elected a king from a favored dynasty at theStones of Mora, and the people had the right to elect the king as well as to depose him. The ceremonial stones were destroyed around 1515.[citation needed]
In the 12th century, the consolidation of Sweden was still affected by dynastic struggles between theErik andSverker clans, which ended when a third clan married into the Erik clan and theHouse of Bjälbo was established on the throne. That dynasty formed pre-Kalmar Union Sweden into a strong state, and finally KingMagnus Eriksson (reigned 1319–1364) even ruledNorway (1319–1343) andScania (1332–1360). Following theBlack Death,[clarification needed] the union weakened, and Scania was captured by Denmark.
In 1397, after the Black Death and domestic power struggles, QueenMargaret I of Denmark united Sweden (then includingFinland), Denmark and Norway (then includingIceland) in theUnion of Kalmar with the approval of theSwedish nobility. Continual tension within each country and the union led to open conflict between the Swedes and the Danes in the 15th century. The union's final disintegration in the early 16th century led to prolonged rivalry between Denmark-Norway and Sweden (with Finland) for centuries to come.
Catholic bishops had supported theKing of Denmark,Christian II, but he wasoverthrown in a rebellion led by noblemanGustav Vasa, whose father had been executed at theStockholm bloodbath. Gustav Vasa (hereinafter referred to as Gustav I) was elected King of Sweden by theestates of the realm, assembled inSträngnäs on 6 June 1523.
Inspired by the teachings ofMartin Luther, Gustav I used the ProtestantReformation to curb the power of the RomanCatholic Church. In 1527 he persuaded theestates of the realm, assembled in the city ofVästerås, to confiscate church lands, which comprised 21% of the country's farmland. At the same time, he broke with thepapacy and established a reformedstate church: theChurch of Sweden.[n 1] Throughout his reign, Gustav I suppressed both aristocratic andpeasant opposition to his ecclesiastical policies and efforts at centralisation, which to some extent laid the foundation for the modern Swedishunitary state. Legally Sweden has only been ahereditary monarchy since 1544 when theRiksdag of the Estates, throughVästerås arvförening, designated the sons of King Gustav I as the heirs to the Throne.[n 2]
Tax reforms took place in 1538 and 1558, whereby multiple complex taxes on independent farmers were simplified and standardised throughout the district[clarification needed] and tax assessments per farm were adjusted to reflect ability to pay. Crown tax revenues increased, but more importantly the new system was perceived as fairer. A war withLübeck in 1535 resulted in the expulsion of theHanseatic traders, who previously had had a monopoly on foreign trade. With its own burghers in charge, Sweden's economic strength grew rapidly, and by 1544 Gustav controlled 60% of the farmlands in all of Sweden. Sweden now built the first modern army in Europe, supported by a sophisticated tax system and an efficient bureaucracy.[14]
At the death of King Gustav I in 1560, he was succeeded by his oldest sonEric XIV. His reign was marked by Sweden's entrance into theLivonian War and theNorthern Seven Years' War. The combination of Eric's developingmental disorder and his opposition to the aristocracy led to theSture Murders in 1567 and the imprisonment of his brotherJohn (III), who was married toCatherine Jagiellon, sister of KingSigismund II of Poland.[15] In 1568 Eric was dethroned and succeeded by John III. In domestic politics John III showed clearCatholic sympathies, inspired by his queen, creating friction with the Swedish clergy and nobility. He reintroduced several Catholic traditions previously abolished, and his foreign policy was affected by his family connection to thePolish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, where his eldest son had been made KingSigismund III in 1587.[n 3] Following the death of his father, Sigismund tried torule Sweden from Poland, leaving Sweden under the control of aregent – his paternal uncle (Gustav I's youngest son)Charles (IX) – but was unable to defend his Swedish throne against the ambitions of his uncle. In 1598 Sigismund and his Swedish-Polish army were defeated at theBattle of Stångebro by the forces of Charles, and he was declared deposed by theEstates in 1599.
In 1604, the Estates finally recognized the regent and de facto ruler as King Charles IX. His short reign was one of uninterrupted warfare. The hostility of Poland and the breakup of Russia involved him in overseas contests for the possession ofLivonia andIngria, thePolish–Swedish War (1600–1611) and theIngrian War, while his pretensions to claimLapland brought on a war withDenmark (Kalmar War) in the last year of his reign.[n 4]
Gustavus Adolphus inherited three wars from his father when he ascended to the throne. From 1612, when CountAxel Oxenstierna was appointedLord High Chancellor, which he remained until Gustavus Adolphus's death, the two men struck a long and successful partnership and complemented each other well: In Oxenstierna's own words, his "cool" balanced the King's "heat".[16][17] The war against Russia (theIngrian War) ended in 1617 with theTreaty of Stolbovo, which excluded Russia from the Baltic Sea. The final inherited war, thewar against Poland, ended in 1629 with theTruce of Altmark, which transferred the large province ofLivonia to Sweden and freed the Swedish forces for subsequent intervention in theThirty Years' War in Germany, where Swedish forces hadalready established a bridgehead in 1628.Brandenburg was torn apart by a quarrel between the Protestants and the Catholics. When Gustavus Adolphusbegan his push into northern Germany in June–July 1630, he had just 4,000 soldiers. But he was soon able to consolidate theProtestant position in the north, using reinforcements from Sweden and money supplied by France at theTreaty of Bärwalde.[18][n 5] Gustavus Adolphus was killed at the1632 Battle of Lützen. QueenMaria Eleonora and theking's ministers took over the government of the Realm on behalf of Gustavus Adolphus' underage daughterChristina, until she reached theage of majority. Gustavus Adolphus is often regarded by military historians as one of the greatest military commanders of all time, with innovative use ofcombined arms.[n 6]
Christina succeeded her father aged six. A regency government ruled in her name until she turned 18 years of age. During the regency, Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna wrote the1634 Instrument of Government, which although never approved by any monarch, continued to have an important normative role in the state administration. Christina early on showed an interest in literature and the sciences and famously broughtRené Descartes to Sweden. Sweden continued to be involved in the Thirty Years' War during reign of Christina and that conflict was settled at the 1648Peace of Westphalia, and the Swedish monarch received representation at theImperial Diet due to the German conquests (Bremen-Verden andSwedish Pomerania) that were made.[n 7] Having decided not to marry, Christina abdicated the throne on 5 June 1654 in favor of her cousinCharles X Gustav, went abroad, and converted toRoman Catholicism.
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The Estates electedCharles X Gustav as their new King, and his short reign is best characterized byforeign wars:first a lengthy campaign within Poland and then with Denmark. In the latter case, the risky 1658March across the Belts which resulted in theTreaty of Roskilde, would prove to be the largest permanent territorial gain Sweden ever had:Skåne,Blekinge andBohuslän now became Swedish provinces and have remained so ever since. Charles X Gustav was not satisfied, as he wanted to crush Denmark once and for all, but the1659 Assault on Copenhagen did not prove successful for the Swedes, largely due to the Dutchnaval intervention to the aid of the Danes.
Charles X Gustav died inGothenburg in 1660 and as the Crown passed to his five-year-old sonCharles XI, a new regency government would assume the responsibilities of the state. The regency government, composed of aristocrats and led by Chancellor CountMagnus Gabriel De la Gardie, was more interested in feathering their own nests rather than working in the interest of the country at large. When Charles XI came of age in 1672, the effectiveness of the armed forces had seriously deteriorated and the country was ill-prepared as the King of Denmark,Christian V,invaded to settle old scores. The Danes wereultimately unsuccessful in their attempts, and Charles XI undertook several measures to prevent what had just almost happened from occurring again: reducing the influence of the aristocracy bynationalizing estates and properties which had been handed out to them by his predecessors, introducing theAllotment system (Swedish:indelningsverket) which would form the basis of the armed forces until the 20th century, and with the support of the Estates he was declared in 1680 anabsolute monarch.
Charles XI was succeeded by his son,Charles XII, who would prove to be an extremely able military commander, defeating far larger enemies with the small but highly professional Swedish army. His defeat of the Russiansat Narva when just 18 years old was to be his greatest victory. However his campaigning at the head of his army during theGreat Northern War would ultimately lead to catastrophic defeat at theBattle of Poltava after which he spent several years inTurkey (now Moldova). Some years later he was killed at theSiege of Fredriksten during an attempt to invade Norway. The Swedish Age of Greatness (Swedish:stormaktstiden) had ended.[n 8]
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Charles XII's sister,Ulrika Eleonora, now claimed the throne over her nephew and son of her elder sister,Charles Frederick, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp (see genealogy chart above). Charles Frederick had the claim of seniority within the family, but Ulrica Eleonora claimed that her elder sister had not "acquired the consent of the ParliamentaryEstates" for her marriage to his father, according to laws of succession laid down inNorrköpings arvförening. The duke's party asserted that theabsolute monarchy in Sweden, which his grandfather King Charles XI had created, made that marriage clause irrelevant. When Charles Frederick was confronted with Ulrika Eleonora, he was forced byArvid Horn to greet her as queen.[19] He asked to be granted the title Royal Highness and to be recognised as her heir, but when her husband,Frederick of Hesse, instead was given the title, he left Sweden in 1719. In 1723, he was granted the title Royal Highness in his absence, but his pro-Russian policy at that time made him impossible as heir to the Swedish throne. His marriage in 1725 toAnna, the daughter of Peter of Great, did not help his case.[19] His mother, and later Hedwig Eleonora, both supported and worked for his right to be considered heir of Sweden after his childless uncle.[19]
Ulrika Eleonora was forced by the Estates to sign the1719 Instrument of Government, which ended the absolute monarchy and made theRiksdag of the Estates the highest organ of the state and reduced the role of monarch to afigurehead. TheAge of Liberty (Swedish:frihetstiden) with its parliamentary rule, dominated by two parties – theCaps and theHats – had begun. Ulrika Eleonora had had enough after a year on the throne and abdicated in favor of her husband,Frederick, who had little interest in the affairs of state and was elected King by the Estates as King Frederick I, resulting in the1720 Instrument of Government: content-wise almost identical to the one from 1719. Despite having many extra-marital affairs, Frederick I never sired a legitimate heir to the throne.
After the death/impending death of King Frederick without heirs, Charles Frederick's heir, Charles Peter Ulrich, had become untenable in Sweden, as he had been taken to Russia by his auntElizabeth I of Russia, nominated as heir/Grand Duke, and became EmperorPeter III of Russia. In 1743, Adolf Frederick, a cousin of Charles Frederick, of the same house of Holstein-Gottrop, and a descendant of a sister ofCharles X Gustav of Sweden was elected heir to the throne of Sweden by theHat faction (Swedish:Hattarna). The Hat faction wanted to obtain better conditions at theTreaty of Åbo from EmpressElizabeth of Russia,[citation needed] who had adopted his nephew as herheir.His mother,Albertina Frederica of Baden-Durlach (1682–1755), was a descendant of earlier royal dynasties of Sweden, great-granddaughter ofPrincess Catherine of Sweden, mother of KingCharles X of Sweden.[citation needed] On his mother's side, Adolf Frederick was descended from KingGustav Vasa andChristina Magdalena, a sister ofCharles X of Sweden.[20] He succeeded as King Adolf Frederick 8 years later on 25 March 1751.[21]
During his 20-year reign, Adolf Frederick was little more than afigurehead, the real power being with theRiksdag of the Estates, 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 consortLouisa Ulrika of Prussia (sister ofFrederick the Great), he tried to regain a portion of the attenuated prerogative through theCoup 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 theDecember 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.[22]
Adolf Frederick's son, KingGustav III, was more successful in restoring royal authority. In 1772, the 1720 Instrument in Government was later replaced by the1772 Instrument of Government in aself-coup orchestrated by the King.
On 17 September 1809 in theTreaty of Fredrikshamn, as a result of the poorly managedFinnish War, Sweden had to surrenderFinland to Russia. KingGustav IV Adolf and his descendants were deposed in a coup d'état led by dissatisfiedarmy officers. The childless uncle of the former king was almost immediately elected as KingCharles XIII. TheInstrument of Government of 1809 put an end to royalabsolutism by dividing the legislative power between theRiksdag (primary) and the king (secondary), and vested executive power in the king when acting through theCouncil of State.
The presentBernadotte dynasty was established in September 1810 when the Riksdag, convened inÖrebro, electedFrench Marshal and Prince of PontecorvoJean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte as crown prince. This took place because Charles XIII had no legitimate heir, and a crown prince previously elected in January 1810,Charles August, suddenly had died of a stroke during a military exercise.
Although the 19th century Bernadotte monarchs that would followCharles XIV John's reign tried to defend the power and privileges they still had, the tide incrementally turned against "personal regal rule" (Swedish:personlig kungamakt) with the growth of the liberals, social democrats, and the expansion of the franchise.[23]
The daughter ofGustav IV Adolph, PrincessSofia Wilhelmina (21 May 1801 – 1865) married Grand DukeLeopold of Baden, and their granddaughterVictoria of Baden married theBernadotte kingGustaf V of Sweden. The present KingCarl XVI Gustaf of Sweden is thus Gustav IV's heir through his grandfather,Gustav VI Adolf.
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When KingGustav V publicly objected to the defence budget cuts made by Prime MinisterKarl Staaff and the cabinet just before theFirst World War in the event known as theCourtyard Crisis accompanied by thePeasant armament support march (Swedish:bondetåget), it was seen as a deliberate provocation by conservatives and reactionaries against the uncodified norm of aparliamentary system supported by the liberals and the social democrats, leading to Staaff's resignation.[24] Gustaf V then appointed a caretaker government, supported by the conservatives, led by legal scholarHjalmar Hammarskjöld, which remained in power longer than expected due to the outbreak of World War I (in which Sweden remainedneutral). By then, increased defence spending was no longer a controversial issue.[25] Nevertheless, in the year of the outbreak of theRussian Revolution, social tensions continued to rise; the general election in 1917 gave the liberals and social democrats greatly strengthened representation in both Riksdag chambers and a conservative government was no longer a defensible option.[25] Following the definite breakthrough ofparliamentarism in 1917, with the appointment of the coalition government of liberals and social democrats led by professorNils Edén, the political influence of the King was considerably reduced and an unwritten constitutional precedent was set that would remain in effect until 1975.[26][27]
Only duringWorld War II, in the so-calledMidsummer crisis (regarding the issue whether neutral Sweden should permitrail transport of German troops from Norway passing through to Finland), did Gustaf V allegedly try to intervene in the political process by threatening toabdicate.[28]
KingGustaf VI Adolf succeeded his elderly father who died in 1950, and he is generally regarded as a constitutional monarch who stayed out of politics and controversy. In 1954, a royal commission began work on whether Sweden should undergo constitutional reform to adapt the1809 Instrument of Government to current political realities, or whether a new one should be written; ultimately the latter idea was chosen.[29] The future role of the monarchy was settled in a manner well known within Swedish political discourse: a political compromise reached at the summer resort ofTorekov in 1971 (hence known as theTorekov compromise,Swedish:Torekovskompromissen) by representatives of four of the parties in theRiksdag (theSocial Democrats, theCentre Party, theLiberal People's Party, and theModerate Party, that is all the parties except theCommunists).[n 9][29] It mandated that the monarchy would remain largely as it was but would become entirely ceremonial, without any residual political powers left.[29]
Following the required doubleRiksdag votes that took place in 1973 and 1974, a newInstrument of Government was brought into effect. The monarch's functions and duties, as defined in the 1974 Constitution Act, include heading the special cabinet council held when there is a change of government, but no executive powers with respect to the governance of the realm are vested in him.[31][32]
Carl XVI Gustaf became king on 15 September 1973 on the death of his grandfatherGustaf VI Adolf and because of his father's early death has become the longest reigning monarch in Swedish history.[33] HisKing's Golden Jubilee was celebrated in 2023. Leading up to that year and including it, beginning already in 2018, some of the most serious criticism ever published took place about Carl Gustaf and the way the monarchy has developed during his reign.[34][8][9]
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When, on 1 January 1975, it replaced theInstrument of Government of 1809 as part of theConstitution of Sweden, theInstrument of Government of 1974 (Swedish:1974 års regeringsform) transformed the advisoryCouncil of State (Statsrådet) into the collegialGovernment (Regeringen), to which all executive power was transferred.[35][36] Responsibility for nominating and dismissing theprime minister (who, since 1975, is elected by theRiksdag) was transferred to theSpeaker of the Riksdag; the prime minister appoints and dismisses the otherministers at his or her discretion.[36][37][38][n 10] Furthermore, bills passed by the Riksdag become law withoutroyal assent: the prime minister or any other cabinet minister signs them "On Behalf of the Government" (På regeringens vägnar).[40]
Although the unwritten precedent was set in 1917, whenGustaf V had little choice but to support the idea of aparliamentary system and promised Prime MinisterNils Edén to stop seeking advice from secret advisors other than the duly appointed cabinet ministers and not to interfere in politics again;[27][41] the Torekov compromise, struck in 1971 by the four major parties at the time, provided, and continues to provide, a majority consensus in Swedish political discourse on the role of the monarchy within the constitutional framework.[29][32][42] The official motive for the radical changes which came to pass in 1975 was for it to be as descriptive as possible of the workings of the state and clear on how decisions actually are made.[40] Minister of JusticeLennart Geijer further remarked on the 1973 government bill that any continued pretensions of royal involvement in government decision making would be of a "fictitious nature" and therefore "highly unsatisfactory".[40]
Thus, the monarch lost all formal executive powers, becoming a ceremonial and representativefigurehead.[40][42][43] The monarch, while explicitly referred to as the "Head of State" (Statschefen) in the 1974 Instrument of Government,[n 11] is not even thenominal chief executive.[n 12][32][35][48] The Instrument of Government of 1974 does grant the person serving as king or queen regnantabsolute immunity from criminal (but not civil) charges for as long as he or she remains in office.[49][n 13] The monarch therefore cannot be prosecuted or otherwise held to account for his or her actions, both official and private, in judicial proceedings.[49] None of the other members of theroyal family or the employees theRoyal Court enjoy similar immunity.[49]
At the request of the Speaker of the Riksdag, the monarchopens the annual session of the Riksdag (Riksmötets öppnande) in the chamber of theRiksdag building.[n 14][51] The king orqueen regnant also receivesLetters of Credence of foreign ambassadors sent to Sweden and signs those of Swedish ambassadors sent abroad.[31] The monarch also chairs theCabinet Council (skifteskonselj) in a session that establishes the new government following ageneral election or major cabinet reshuffle and also chairs information councils (informationskonselj) approximately four times a year to get information from the assembled Government, apart from that given by ministers in individual audiences or through other means.[31][52] Formally, it is the explicit responsibility of the prime minister to keep the monarch informed on the affairs of the realm; the failure to do so following the2004 tsunami disaster in the Indian Ocean (in which many Swedes perished) gave rise to wide criticism of Prime MinisterGöran Persson for his handling of the matter.[49] The monarch also chairs the Advisory Council on Foreign Affairs (Utrikesnämnden), a body that enables the government of the day to inform not only the head of state, but also the speaker and representatives of the opposition parties in the Riksdag, on foreign affairs issues in a confidential manner.[31][52][53]
While the monarch is no longer thecommander-in-chief (högste befälhavare) of theSwedish Armed Forces, as he once was under the 1809 Instrument of Government,[29] he is the foremost representative of the Swedish defence establishment and holds supreme rank in each of the service arms. He ranks as a four staradmiral in theSwedish Navy and general in theSwedish Army andAir Force.[31] As part of his court, the monarch has amilitary staff, which is headed by a senior officer (usually a general or admiral, retired from active service) and includes active duty military officers serving asaides-de-camp to the monarch and his or her family.[54]
The monarch and members of theRoyal Family undertake a variety of official, unofficial and other representative duties within Sweden and abroad. The monarch and his or her family play a central role instate visits to Sweden and conduct state visits to other nations on behalf of Sweden. Other members of the Royal Family may also represent the country abroad at lesser functions.
Many of the Swedishgeneral flag flying days have direct royal connections; among them are thename days of the King (28 January), the Queen (8 August), and the Crown Princess (12 March); the birthdays of the King (30 April), the Queen (23 December), and the Crown Princess (14 July); andGustavus Adolphus Day (Swedish:Gustav Adolfsdagen), on 6 November, in memory of KingGustavus Adolphus, who was killed on that date (old style) in 1632 in theBattle of Lützen.[n 15][55][56][57] None of these flag days arepublic holidays, however.[n 16]
Perhaps the most globally known ceremony in which the Royal Family annually participate is the Nobel Prize award ceremony held at theStockholm Concert Hall (and the subsequentbanquet in theStockholm City Hall), where the monarch hands out the Nobel Prizes on behalf of theNobel Foundation for outstanding contributions to mankind inphysics,chemistry,literature,physiology or medicine, and theeconomic sciences.[59]
Eriksgata was the name of the traditional journey of newly elected medievalSwedish kings through importantprovinces to have their election confirmed by localThings. The actual election took place at theStone of Mora inUppland and participation was originally restricted to the people of that area; hence, the need of having the election confirmed by the other parts of the realm. The Eriksgata gradually lost its importance when, as of the 14th century, representatives of other parts of Sweden began to participate in the election. After 1544, whenhereditary monarchy was instituted, that meant that the Eriksgata had little practical importance. The last king to travel the Eriksgata according to the old tradition wasCharles IX, whose reign began in 1604. Later, kings, up until present times, have made visits to all the Swedish provinces and called them anEriksgata, while those visits bear little resemblance to the medieval tradition.
The full title of the Swedish monarch from 1523[60][61] to 1973 was:
- InSwedish:Med Guds Nåde Sveriges, Götes och Vendes Konung
- InLatin:Dei Gratia Suecorum, Gothorum et Vandalorum Rex
Translated as "By the Grace of God, King of the Swedes,the Goths, andthe Wends"[62] or "By the Grace of God, King of Sweden, of the Goths andVandals".[63]
During the reign of theHouse of Holstein-Gottorp from 1751 to 1818, the titleHeir to Norway (Arvinge till Norge) was also used,[64] as well as other titles connected to theDukes of Holstein-Gottorp. When, after theNapoleonic Wars, Norway was inpersonal union with Sweden, the title includedKing of Norway, in older Swedish spellings:Sweriges, Norriges, Göthes och Wendes Konung.
Upon his accession,Carl XVI Gustaf chose for his title simplySveriges Konung (King of Sweden).[33]
The customary title of theheir apparent iscrown prince (kronprins) or crown princess (kronprinsessa). The wife of a crown prince would also receive a corresponding title, but not the husband of a crown princess. The traditional official title used until 1980 for other dynastic male heirs was hereditary prince (arvfurste), although the word prince (prins) was used in constitutional legal texts such as theAct of Succession and also colloquially and informally. Female dynasts are titled princess (prinsessa).
The Swedish Succession Act was altered in 1980 to allow for female succession to the throne.[65]
KingGustav III revived a tradition from the time ofGustav Vasa and the medieval era by giving male heirs to the throneducal titles ofSwedish provinces. The difference between the ducal titles from the Vasa era and those granted by Gustav III is they now are non-hereditary courtesy titles given at birth. Since 1980, they have been conferred to all royal heirs, male and female. The wives of royal dukes have always shared their husbands' titles; the husbands of royal duchesses have done so as of 2010.
Theregalia of Sweden are kept deep in the vaults of theTreasury chamber [sv] (Swedish:Skattkammaren), located underneath theRoyal Palace in Stockholm, in a museum which has been open to the public since 1970. Among the oldest objects in the collection are the sword ofGustav Vasa and the crown, orb, sceptre and key ofKing Erik XIV. The Regalia is state property and the government authority which holds it in trust is theLegal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency.[66][67]
The last king to have been crowned wasOscar II. His son and successor,Gustaf V, abstained from having a coronation.[66] While the crowns and coronets have not been worn by Swedish royalty since 1907, they are nevertheless still displayed on royal occasions such as at weddings,christenings and funerals. Until 1974, the crown and sceptre were also displayed on cushions beside theSilver Throne at the annual solemn opening of theRiksdag (Swedish:Riksdagens högtidliga öppnande).[66][67][68]
The Royal orders have a historical basis, dating back to the 1606 founding of the now extinctJehova Order. The Royal Orders of Knights of Sweden were only truly codified in the 18th century, with their formal foundation in 1748 by KingFrederick I. In 1974 the Riksdag significantly changed the conditions and criteria under which orders and decorations could be awarded: that no Swedish citizen outside the Royal Family is eligible to receive such decorations. TheOrder of the Seraphim (Swedish:Serafimerorden) is only awarded to foreignheads of state and members of the Swedish and foreign royal families, while theOrder of the Polar Star (Swedish:Nordstjärneorden) was only to be bestowed on any non-Swedish citizen.[69] Following the reforms, theOrder of the Sword (Swedish:Svärdsorden) and theOrder of Vasa (Swedish:Vasaorden) were no longer conferred: officially they were declared as "dormant". In 2022 the government proposed a new reform taking effect in 2023 that once again opened the Royal Orders so that they now may be awarded to Swedish citizens again. The Order of the Seraphim however was not affected by these changes.
Between 1975 and 2023,H. M. The King's Medal (Swedish:H.M. Konungens medalj) was the highest honour that could be awarded to Swedish citizens other than members of theRoyal Family.
The Royal Palaces (including theRoyal Palace in Stockholm,Drottningholm Palace,Haga Palace,Rosendal Palace,Ulriksdal Palace,Rosersberg Palace,Tullgarn Palace andGripsholm Castle) are government property, managed by theNational Property Board (Swedish:Statens fastighetsverk) and are at the disposal of the Monarch, an arrangement that has been in place since the beginning of the 19th century.[70][71] There are also residences which are held privately by theRoyal Family, such asSolliden Palace on the island ofÖland, a cottage inStorlien in theJämtland and Villa Mirage inSainte-Maxime in southern France (originally acquired byPrince Bertil).[72]
TheRoyal Palace (Kungliga slottet), also known asStockholm Palace (Swedish:Stockholms slott), is theofficial residence of the king. The Royal Palace is located onStadsholmen ("City Island"), commonly known asGamla Stan ("the Old Town") in the national capital cityStockholm.
The offices of the king, other members of theSwedish Royal Family, and the offices of theRoyal Court are located in the palace. The Royal Palace is used for representative purposes and State occasions by the king.[73] The Royal Palace is guarded byHögvakten, aroyal guard, consisting of regular service members of theSwedish Armed Forces.[74] The tradition of having a regular unit of theArmy guarding at the royal residence dates back to 1523.[74] Until the mid-19th century, the royal guards also maintained law and order in the city and provided firefighting services.[74]
The southern façade faces the grand style slopeSlottsbacken;[clarification needed] the eastern façade bordersSkeppsbron, a quay which passes along the eastern waterfront of the old town; on the northern frontLejonbacken is a system of ramps named for theMedici lions, sculptures on the stone railings; and the western wings border the open spaceHögvaktsterrassen. The Royal Palace in Stockholm is unique among European royal residences in that large portions of it are open year-round to visitors, who pay entrance fees.[73]
The first building on this site was afortress with akeep built in the 13th century byBirger Jarl to defend the entry intoLake Mälaren. The fortress gradually grew to a castle, known asTre Kronor: named after the spire on the centre tower withThree Crowns, which have become the Swedish national symbol.[n 17] In the late 16th century, work was done to transform the castle into aRenaissance palace during the reign ofJohn III. In 1690, it was decided that the castle be rebuilt inBaroque style in a design byNicodemus Tessin the Younger. In 1692, work began on the northern row. However, much of the old castle was destroyed in a disastrous fire on 7 May 1697.
Tessin rebuilt the damagedpalace, and work continued for another 63 years. Semicircular wings around the outer westerncourtyard were finished in 1734, the palace church was finished in the 1740s, and the exterior was finished in 1754. The royal family moved to the palace with the southwest, southeast, and northeast wings finished. The northwest wing was finished in 1760. In the north,Lejonbacken (the "Lion's Slope") was rebuilt from 1824 to 1830.
Drottningholm Palace (Swedish:Drottningholms slott) is located atDrottningholm on the island ofLovön (inEkerö Municipality ofStockholm County), and is one ofSweden's Royal Palaces. It was originally built in the late 16th century. It has served as a residence of the Swedish royal family members for most of the 18th and 19th centuries. Apart from being the current private residence of the King and Queen, Drottningholm Palace is a popular tourist attraction.[75]
The gardens and park areas surrounding Drottningholm Palace and adjacent to its buildings are one of the main attractions for the tourists that visit the palace each year. The gardens have been established in stages since the palace was first built, resulting in many different styles.[76]
The royal domain of Drottningholm is a well-preserved milieu from the 17th and 18th centuries, inspired by French buildings such as theChateau of Versailles, and is a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site, principally because of theDrottningholm Palace Theatre and theChinese Pavilion at Drottningholm. It was added to theWorld Heritage List in 1991.[77]
Haga Palace (Swedish:Haga slott), formerly known as theQueen's Pavilion (Swedish:Drottningens paviljong), is located in theHaga Park,Solna Municipality inMetropolitan Stockholm. The palace, built between 1802 – 1805, was modelled after balletmasterLouis Gallodier's Italian villa atDrottningholm by architectCarl Christoffer Gjörwell on appointment byKing Gustaf IV Adolf for the royal children. It has been the home or summer house of several members of the Swedish royal family – notably it was the birthplace of the present KingCarl XVI Gustaf – until 1966 whenKing Gustaf VI Adolf transferred its disposal to theprime minister and it was turned into a guest house for distinguished foreign official visitors (heads of state andheads of government et cetera).[78]
In April 2009, it was announced by Prime MinisterFredrik Reinfeldt that the rights of disposal of the palace would be transferred back to the King and thus could be used byCrown Princess Victoria and her husband,Prince Daniel, Duke of Västergötland.[79] They moved into the palace in the autumn after theirwedding on 19 June 2010.[80]
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The Swedish royal family is, according to theRoyal Court, currently categorized into three groups;
However, in any case, there is no legislation or other public document which delineates the rules of membership in either the Royal House or Royal Family, as it is left to the sole discretion of the King.
TheAct of Succession of 1810 provides the rules governing theline of succession and designates the legitimate heirs to the Swedish Throne; it also states inarticle 4 that the Monarch and dynastic members of the Royal House must at all times be aProtestant Christian of thepure evangelical faith (by implication the Evangelical-LutheranChurch of Sweden).[82][83]
A rewrite of the Act, entering into force in 1980, fundamentally changed the rules of succession fromagnatic primogeniture toabsolute primogeniture.[83] This allowed for the crown to pass to the eldest child regardless of gender and thusretroactively installed Princess Victoria as crown princess over her younger brother,Prince Carl Philip, who had been born as crown prince a few months before.
In its present reading, Article 1 of the Act of Succession limits the potential number of claimants to the throne, so that only the descendants of Carl XVI Gustaf can inherit the Throne.[83][84] If the royal house were to be extinct, theRiksdag is not obligated to elect a new royal house, as it once was up until the constitutional reforms of the 1970s.[49]
Art. 5. The King or Queen who occupies the throne of Sweden in accordance with theAct of Succession shall be the Head of State.[44]
Special meeting for the opening of the Riksdag session
Art. 6. A special meeting of the Chamber for the formal opening of a Riksdag session takesplace no later than the third day of the session. At the request of the Speaker, the Head of Statedeclares the session open. If the Head of State is unable to attend, the Speaker declares the sessionopen.
At this meeting, the Prime Minister delivers a statement of Government policy unless there are special grounds why he or she should refrain from doing so.
Time of meeting for the opening of the Riksdag session
Supplementary provision3.6.1 The formal opening of the session after an election to the Riksdag takes place at 2 p.m. on the second day of the session.
In years in which no election to the Riksdag has been held, the formal opening takes place on the first day of the session at the same time.The Speaker may appoint another time for the meeting.[50]
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