Gustav IV Adolf 1778-1837
King of Sweden

Born in Stockholm, he was the son and successor (1792) of Gustav III. During his minority, the regent was his uncle Karl (Charles), Duke of S�dermanland. In the first years of his reign as an absolute monarch he did much to improve Swedish agriculture with a General Enclosure Act (1803). He abandoned Swedish neutrality to declare war on France (1805) and when Russia became an ally of Napoleon I, the Swedes lost their last German possessions. In 1808 Sweden was attacked by Denmark and Finland was simultaneously invaded by Russia. Tactless and autocratic, he spurned an offer of help by a British force under Sir John Moore, and Finland was annexed by Russia (1809). He was arrested in a military coup and forced to abdicate (1809). He was exiled with his family, and after divorcing his wife (1812) wandered alone in Europe for 25 years as Colonel Gustafsson until he died in Switzerland.