Death of Charles XIII of Sweden; Charles XIV John begins the House of Bernadotte

Background. Charles XIII, King of Sweden since 1809, died without a natural heir on 5 February 1818. His Holstein-Gottorp branch of the House of Oldenburg faced extinction on the Swedish throne. Consequently, his adopted son, Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, who had served as Crown Prince and regent, succeeded him. This transition marked the beginning of the House of Bernadotte, which would reign in Sweden and Norway for decades.

Succession and Union. Bernadotte ascended the throne as Charles XIV John in Sweden and Charles III John in Norway. The succession occurred within the context of the personal union established in 1814, following the Treaty of Kiel and the Swedish-Norwegian War. Bernadotte had previously been elected Crown Prince in 1810 due to the advocacy of Baron Carl Otto Mörner, securing his position before the King's death.

Dynastic Change. The death of Charles XIII finalized the dynastic shift from the House of Oldenburg to the House of Bernadotte. Bernadotte, formerly a Marshal of France, had been adopted by the elderly King Charles XIII. This adoption ensured the continuation of the monarchy through an heir who had no natural lineage to the previous dynasty, establishing a new royal family that would rule until 1905.