Monarch of Sweden

Sweden is a constitutional monarchy with a representative democracy based on a parliamentary system. The Head of State is the highest public office in Sweden. According to the Act of Succession of 1810 that office is inherited within the House of Bernadotte.

History

Sweden has been a kingdom since prehistoric times. As early as the 1st century, Tacitus wrote that the Suiones had a king, but the order of succession to the later historic kings of Sweden is not known, except for what is accounted for in the historically controversial Norse sagas (see Mythological kings of Sweden and Semi-legendary kings of Sweden).

Related Topics:
1st century - Tacitus - Suiones - Norse saga - Mythological kings of Sweden - Semi-legendary kings of Sweden

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Originally, the Swedish king had little power, and it was restricted to the functions of a warchief, judge and priest at the Temple at Uppsala (see Germanic king). It is a testimony to this lack of influence that there are thousands of runestones commemorating commoners, but no chronicle about the Swedish kings, prior to the 14th century, and only one runestone that mentions a king (Haakon the Red).

Related Topics:
Temple at Uppsala - Germanic king - Runestone - 14th century - Haakon the Red

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The power of the king was however, greatly strengthened by the introduction of Christianity during the 11th century, and the following centuries saw a process of consolidation of power in the hands of the king.

Related Topics:
Christianity - 11th century

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The king was traditionally elected at the Stone of Mora, and the people had the right to both elect king and to depose him. The stones were, however, destroyed ca 1515.

Related Topics:
Stone of Mora - 1515

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The office is hereditary since 1541. The present Bernadotte dynasty was established during the Napoleonic Wars through the Constitution of 1809 and the Act of Succession of 1810, in a bloodless Revolution after present day Finland, then the eastern half of the Realm, was lost to Russia. The Constitution divided the powers of government between the Riksdag and the Monarch. However, since the break-through of Parliamentarism in 1917 the king has in practice given up political power.

Related Topics:
1541 - Napoleonic Wars - Constitution - 1809 - Act of Succession - 1810 - Finland - Realm - Russia - Riksdag - Monarch

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