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This handsome Frenchman, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, (1763-1844) one of Napolean's marshals, was elected on the 21 August 1810 as heir presumptive of the Swedish throne.
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He became Karl XIV Johan of Sweden and even Karl III Johan of Norway until Norway left the union with Sweden in 1905.
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There is a statue of Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte in the park that is named after him,
Photo Copyright Christina Wigren
Carl Johan Park, in my hometown, Norrkoping.
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Carl XIV Johan (Charles XIV John) is the great, great, great, great-grandfather of the present king, Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. Who looks like this today:
Look at the family tree here.Photo Copyright Wikipedia
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According to Wikipedia:
According to Wikipedia:
Bernadotte, born in the town of Pau, in the province of Béarn, France, had risen to the rank of general during the tumultuous years of the French Revolution. In 1798 he married Désirée Clary, who had a sister who was married to Joseph, Napoleon's elder brother. In 1804 Napoleon promoted him to a Marshal of France, a move that he would later regret when Bernadotte disobeyed orders and refused to attack during the Battle of Auerstaedt. He narrowly escaped a court martial because of his familial ties to the Emperor. Before defecting from France he was also granted the title 'Prince of Ponte Corvo', a town in central Italy. Souce: Wikipedia
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Imagine Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte's wife, Dèsirée Clary (1777-1860), moving to Sweden at that time. I read somewhere that she did not like the cold climate. Here are two portrait of Dèsirée or Desideria as her name became in Swedish. She came to Sweden for a short stay in 1811 but returned to France and did not move permanently to Sweden until 1823 and was crowned as Queen of Sweden 21 augusti 1829. She never learned to speak Swedish.
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Annemarie Selinkos wrote a novel, Dèsirée, about her life. It is not completely historically accurate.
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(I have not read it, so I am just quoting Wikipedia here.) A film was made after this novel with Jean Simmons as Dèsirée. (I have not seen this movie.)
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Here is a photo of the Royal Family in 1857
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This is the House of Bernadotte's coat of arms.
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This is a professional photographer's photo of the same statue in Carl Johan Park.
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This was a little history lesson (with help of Wikipedia) for this month's French Obsession Party #7. I am inspired by Frenchy, our hostess, who is a very good example of a French person who settled in another country, where she is living an interesting and productive life, and can even speak and write the language there!
Here's to you Frenchy!
Here's to you Frenchy!
Or click on the lovely image of our hostess below:
First Commenter:
Ann of Ann's Snap, Edit & Scrap
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