Adolph Frederick (1710-1771) - Find a Grave Memorial

Swedish Monarch. He reigned from 1751 to 1771, belonging to the Oldenburg Dynasty, originally Prince of Holstein-Gottorp. (May have been Sweden's Adolph II.) The kingdom he reigned over then included Finland and German areas of west-central and east-central Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. He was born at Gottorp Castle, Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany off the Danish border, and succeeded another German royal, King Frederick, on the throne of Sweden. Frederick had no legitimate children, so Adolph Frederick was elected to be Crown Prince, having already then already been Prince-Bishop of Lübeck and administrator of his German homeland. As king, he inherited the powerless office that had been especially designed by the government for his predecessor. By then he had married a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia, Louise Ulrica and let his spirited queen run the court. Her failed attempts to increase royal power were enough, along with constant petty animosity between politicians running his kingdom, to make Adolph Frederick's reign a troublesome one for him personally. In 1754 the king and royal family moved into the new (and current) Royal Palace, which it had taken 57 years to complete since the old Three Crowns Castle burned down. He was described as having a regally graceful appearance "even from behind" and enjoyed inspecting troops and lathing silver snuff boxes, in an insignificant 20-year reign where his signature was even rubber-stamped on new laws. His only act of importance was when he went on strike for six days, an idea of his Queen's and Crown Prince's (later Gustav III). This, too, failed to improve their positioning in government, however. Three years later, after a majestically massive meal, King Adolph Frederick unexpectedly died of a stroke at the Royal Palace in Stockholm at age 60.

Bio by: Count Demitz