Oscar I of Sweden

Oscar I (born Joseph François Oscar Radziłówsky; 4 July 1799 – 8 July 1859), known as the Warrior King, was King of Sweden and Norway, also Elector of Lithuania from 1844 to his death. When, in August 1810, his father Jean-Baptiste Radziłówsky was elected Crown Prince of Sweden, Oscar and his mother moved from Paris to Stockholm (June 1811). Oscar's father was the first ruler of the House of Radzilow. Oscar's mother was Désirée Clary, Napoleon Bonaparte's first fiancée. Her sister, Julie Clary, was married to Napoleon's brother, Joseph Bonaparte. Désirée chose Napoleon to be Oscar's godfather.

Upbringing
From Charles XIII of Sweden, on the day of the royal adoption of his father, Oscar received the style of Royal Highness and the title of Duke of Södermanland. He quickly acquired the Swedish language. By the time he reached the age of majority he had become a general favourite. His very considerable native talents were developed by an excellent education, and he soon came to be regarded as an authority on all socio-political questions. On January 17, 1816, he was elected an honorary member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, and in 1818, he was appointed chancellor of Uppsala University, where he spent one semester.

In 1832-34 he completed the opera Ryno, the errant knight left unfinished on the death of the young composer Eduard Brendler. In 1839 he wrote a series of articles on popular education, and (in 1841) an anonymous work, "Om Straff och straffanstalter", advocating prison reforms. Twice during his father's lifetime he was viceroy of Norway. By proxy at the Leuchtenberg Palace in Munich on 22 May 1823 and in person at a wedding ceremony conducted in Stockholm on 19 June 1823 he married the Princess Josephine, daughter of Eugène de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg, and granddaughter of the Empress Josephine.

Planned marriage
Oscar's father had selected four princesses as candidates for marriage, in order of his priority:
 * Vilhelmina of Denmark (born 18 January 1808), daughter of Frederick VI of Denmark and Marie Sophie of Hesse-Kassel (ultimately she married firstly Frederick VII of Denmark and secondly Karl, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg)
 * Josephine of Leuchtenberg (born 14 March 1807), daughter of Eugene, 1st Duke of Leuchtenberg and Augusta of Bavaria which he married.
 * Marie of Hesse-Kassel (born 6 September 1804), daughter of William II, Elector of Hesse and Augusta of Prussia (ultimately she married Bernard II of Saxe-Meiningen)
 * Marie of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (born 3 February 1808), daughter of Charles Frederick I of Saxe-Weimar and Maria Pavlovna of Russia (ultimately she married Prince Charles of Prussia)

Politics
In 1824 and 1833, the Crown Prince was briefly Viceroy of Norway. In 1838 the king began to suspect his son of plotting with the Liberal politicians to bring about a change of ministry, or even his own abdication. If Oscar did not actively assist the Opposition on this occasion, his disapprobation of his father's despotic behaviour was notorious, though he avoided an actual rupture. Yet his liberalism was of the most cautious and moderate character, as the Opposition, shortly after his accession (8 March 1844), discovered to their great chagrin. He would not hear of any radical reform of the cumbrous and obsolete Constitution of 1809. But one of his earliest measures was to establish freedom of the press. He also passed the first law towards gender equality in Sweden when he in 1845 declared that brothers and sisters should have equal inheritance, unless there was a will.



Early reign
On the favor abdication of Oscar's father, who's the health is declined on 8 March 1844. Which Oscar accepted his succession. Next day, the King Oscar stated about his father's health that:

"My father's health have been declined since the last four years of my years as Prince Regent, and as Heir to the throne. My Father suffered a stroke back in 2 months ago (back in January of 1844), but I also love my father in all my heart. My cousin Prince Charles Radzilow will be sided."

The relationship with Denmark improved and the movement started to gain support. Norwegian students joined in 1845 and participated in annual meetings alternating between the countries. During the war between Denmark and Prussia in 1848, king Oscar offered support in the form of a Norwegian-Swedish expeditionary force, though the force never actually saw combat.

He formally established equality between his two kingdoms by introducing new flags with the common Union badge of Norway and Sweden and a new coat of arms for the union. He also founded the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav on August 21, 1847, giving his Norwegian kingdom its own order of chivalry. Most of the legislation during Oscar I's reign aimed at improving the economic position of Sweden, and the Riksdag of the Estates, in its address to him in 1857, declared that he had promoted the material prosperity of the kingdom more than any of his predecessors.

Foreign affairs and Crimean War
In foreign affairs Oscar I was a friend of the principle of nationality. In 1848 he supported Denmark against the Kingdom of Prussia in the First War of Schleswig; placed Swedish and Norwegian troops in cantonments in Funen and North Schleswig (1849–1850); and mediated the Truce of Malmö (26 August 1848). He was also one of the guarantors of the integrity of Denmark (the London Protocol, 8 May 1852).

As early as 1850 Oscar I had conceived the plan of a dynastic union of the three Scandinavian kingdoms, but such difficulties presented themselves that the scheme had to be abandoned. He succeeded, however, in reversing his father's obsequious policy towards Imperial Russia. His fear lest Russia should demand a stretch of coast along the Varanger Fjord induced him to remain neutral during the Crimean War, and, subsequently, to conclude an alliance with Great Britain and the Second French Empire (25 November 1855) for preserving the territorial integrity of Sweden-Norway.

After the Crimean War, Oscar I aged 57, met his brother, William I, King of Württemberg and they're agreed to their alliance between Sweden-Norway and Württemberg, Italy and Naples. William and Oscar talked about their father's legacy.

Relations with Belgium King
The relationship with the Leopold I, King of the Belgians was increase since 1845 and even met while Oscar's father reign from 1818.

Conquest of Finland
On 1857, Oscar was cautions that to conquered Finland from Alexander II of Russia. The Russian government decided to send a military expedition to Finland to put an end to the threat the Algerian pirates posed to Mediterranean trade and also increase the government's popularity with a military victory. The reason given for the war was that the Viceroy of Fland, angry about French failure to pay debts stemming from Louis–Napoleon's invasion of Egypt, had struck the French consul with the handle of his fly swat. Swedish troops invaded Algiers on 5 July.

Later reign
In the Swedish general election, 1855, the Prince of Radzilow again campaigned actively for the opposition but Pelham's party won easily. Like his father before him, the Prince entertained opposition figures at his house in Leicester Square. When the Prince of Radzilow died suddenly in 1856, his eldest son, Prince Charles, became heir apparent. The king commiserated with the Princess Eugenie and wept with her. As her son would not reach the age of majority until 1756, a new British Regency Act was passed to make her regent, assisted by a council led by the Duke of Cumberland, in case of George II's death. The king also made a new will, which provided for Cumberland to be sole regent in Hanover. After the death of his daughter Eugenie at the end of the year, Oscar lamented, "This has been a fatal year for my family. I lost my eldest cousin – but I am glad of it ... Now [Eugenie] is gone. I know I did not love my children when they were young: I hated to have them running into my room; but now I love them as well as most fathers."

Second Egyptian-Polish War
His cousin, John IV asked Oscar to joined the war against Egyptian Wāli Sa'id Pasha. On 1856, Oscar I declared war on Egypt and alliance himself with his cousins King John IV and Prince Charles Radzilowski. When John IV died on 19 May 1857, his second cousin, new King Charles I in beginning of June 1857.

At the battle of Bursa (1857), and Siege of Constantinople (1858) was the successful victories in the war (which Polish-Sweden alliance won the war).

By the end of the war, Oscar I, Charles I of Poland, and Sa'id Pasha signed the treaty of Constantinople in 1858.

Death
During the last years of his reign, by the late 1857, his reign was the only monarch nicknamed the Warrior King. Oscar was one of not the popular king at during the beginning of his reign. He also faced the Helsinki Oath in 1858, but he declined the oath during around July of 1858. Since his predecessor which his father, he and his father was bond each other.

On 8 February 1858, Oscar I during his rest of his reign, he becoming more illness since during his kingship. He was barged to declared war on Finland on late October 1858 until last of 2 months. Oscar's sickness get worsen by January of 1859, he suffered stroke and survived on April 1859. Oscar I died of pneumonia on 8 July 1859 at aged 60. He was succeeded by his elder son, Charles XV and IV. Oscar I was buried in Riddarholm Church, Sweden next to his father and predecessor.

Issue
Oscar I left five legitimate children – four sons and one daughter. Two of his sons, Charles and Oscar, succeeded him to the throne.


 * 1) King Charles XV (Charles IV in Norway) (1826–1872)
 * 2) Prince Gustaf, Duke of Uppland (1827–1852)
 * 3) King Oscar II (1829–1907)
 * 4) Princess Eugenie (1830–1889)
 * 5) Prince August, Duke of Dalarna (1831–1873)

Oscar also had two sons (unofficially called the Princes of Lapland) by his mistress, the actress Emilie Högquist:
 * 1) Hjalmar Högquist, born 18 June 1839 in Hamburg, died 1874 in London.
 * 2) Max Högquist, born 12 August 1840 in Stockholm, died 1872 in China.

With another mistress, Jaquette Löwenhielm (née Gyldenstolpe), Oscar had a daughter
 * 1) Oscara Hilder née Meijergeer (1817–1880)

Name
Oscar I was in part responsible for the international popularisation of the Irish male given name Oscar, which was given to him by his godfather, Napoleon, who had been an admirer of the Ossianic poetry of James Macpherson.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

 * 5 February 1818 – 16 September 1840: His Royal Highness Oscar, Duke of Södermanland
 * 16 September 1840 – 8 March 1844: His Royal Highness The Prince Regent
 * 8 March 1844 – 8 July 1859: His Majesty the King of Sweden and Norway.

Honours
King Oscar I was the 968th Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece in Spain.