Gustav III (24 January [O.S. 13 January] 1746 – 29 March 1792),note on dates also called Gustavus III, was King of Sweden from 1771 until his assassination in 1792. He was the eldest son of Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Queen Louisa Ulrika of Prussia.
Gustav was a vocal opponent of what he saw as the abuse of political privileges seized by the nobility since the death of King Charles XII. Seizing power from the government in a coup d'état, called the Swedish Revolution, in 1772 that ended the Age of Liberty, he initiated a campaign to restore a measure of Royal autocracy, which was completed by the Union and Security Act of 1789, which swept away most of the powers exercised by the Swedish Riksdag (parliament) during the Age of Liberty, but at the same time it opened up the government for all citizens, thereby breaking the privileges of the nobility.
A bulwark of enlightened absolutism, Gustav spent considerable public funds on cultural ventures, which were controversial among his critics, as well as military attempts to seize Norway with Russian aid, then a series of attempts to re-capture the Swedish Baltic dominions lost during the Great Northern War through the failed war with Russia. Nonetheless, his successful leadership in the Battle of Svensksund averted a complete military defeat and signified that Swedish military might was to be countenanced.
An admirer of Voltaire, Gustav legalized Catholic and Jewish presence in Sweden, and enacted wide-ranging reforms aimed at economic liberalism, social reform and the restriction, in many cases, of torture and capital punishment. The much-praised Freedom of the Press Act of 1766 was severely curtailed, however, by amendments in 1774 and 1792, effectively extinguishing independent media.Following the uprising against the French monarchy in 1789, Gustav pursued an alliance of princes aimed at crushing the insurrection and re-instating his French counterpart, King Louis XVI, offering Swedish military assistance as well as his leadership. In 1792 he was mortally wounded by a gunshot in the lower back during a masquerade ball as part of an aristocratic-parliamentary coup attempt, but managed to assume command and quell the uprising before succumbing to sepsis 13 days later, a period during which he received apologies from many of his political enemies. Gustav's immense powers were placed in the hands of a regency under his brother Prince Carl and Gustaf Adolf Reuterholm until his son and successor Gustav IV Adolf reached adulthood in 1796. The Gustavian autocracy thus survived until 1809, when his son was ousted in another coup d'état, which definitively established parliament as the dominant political power.
A patron of the arts and benefactor of arts and literature, Gustav founded the Swedish Academy, created a national costume and had the Royal Swedish Opera built. In 1772 he founded the Royal Order of Vasa to acknowledge and reward those Swedes who had contributed to advances in the fields of agriculture, mining and commerce.
In 1777, Gustav III was the first formally neutral head of state in the world to recognize the United States during its war for independence from Great Britain. Swedish military forces were engaged by the thousands on the side of the colonists, largely through the French expedition force. Through the acquisition of Saint Barthélemy in 1784, Gustav enabled the restoration, if symbolic, of Swedish overseas colonies in America, as well as great personal profits from the transatlantic slave trade.
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Some of their strengths
King of Sweden Gustav III has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Practical, Confident, Hardworking, Loyal, Inquisitive, Imaginative, and Kind.
Smart and Hardworking
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, King of Sweden Gustav III is someone who is a smart, hardworking, reliable, and loyal person, who is detail-oriented and orderly, but also generous and optimistic. A person who is charismatic and resourceful.
Helpful and Supportive
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know King of Sweden Gustav III well know them as someone who can be accepting, supportive, and productive, like a garden.
Organized and Achievement-oriented
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe King of Sweden Gustav III as someone who is organized, goal-oriented, practical, and persevering.
Who is hardworking, intellectual, and easygoing, who loves higher education and learning and sharing ideas with others, and who loves healthy competition.
Stable and Creative
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, King of Sweden Gustav III is someone who thrives in volatile situations, and who tends to be a source of stability and comfort for others who are experiencing challenging times .
They are also someone who is reflective, mysterious, and purposeful, who enjoys quiet and solo work, and who thrives in positions where there is no need to report to someone else.
Patient and Perseverent
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, King of Sweden Gustav III tends to be someone who is patient, faithful, hardworking and persistent, and who wants to achieve a lot in life. Who tends to be rather private when it comes to expressing feelings, enjoys being independent and self-sufficient, and who is not afraid of any obstacle.
Some of King of Sweden Gustav III's challenges
While King of Sweden Gustav III has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, King of Sweden Gustav III can be Selfish, Stubborn, Suspicious, Hesitant, Narcissistic, Callous, and Unemotional.
Suspicious and Stubborn
One of King of Sweden Gustav III's key challenges is that they are someone who can be suspicious and stubborn.
King of Sweden Gustav III must also exercise caution as they can have difficulty dealing with responsibility, authority, or criticism.
Callous and Selfish
King of Sweden Gustav III is someone who can be standoffish, pessimistic, and ruthless, who can have difficulty concentrating and be impatient, can have difficulty discovering the keys to personal contentment, and who can have a tendency to overwork and hoard wealth and possessions.
Callous and Stubborn
Finally, King of Sweden Gustav III also can come across as cold and unemotional, be too dismissive of others' opinions, and be overly suspicious, selfish and crafty.
