Frederick I of Sweden
A king who preferred hunting parties to statecraft, his reign marked Sweden's transition from absolute monarchy to a parliamentary 'Age of Liberty'.
1676–1751 (age 75)·King of Sweden from 1720 to 1751·Birthday: April 28
Biography
Frederick I arrived on the Swedish throne almost by accident. A German prince from Hesse-Kassel, he first entered the royal family as a prince consort to Queen Ulrika Eleonora. When his strong-willed wife, weary of the political struggles that followed her brother Charles XII's death, abdicated in his favor, Frederick became a convenient figurehead. His reign was defined by its limitations; the Swedish parliament, the Riksdag, had seized power, ushering in the 'Age of Liberty.' Frederick, more interested in the pleasures of court life and hunting, was content to let the nobles govern. His personal life was tinged with scandal and sadness, including a rumored secret marriage to his mistress after his queen's death and a lack of legitimate heirs. His rule, while politically weak, provided a stable facade during a period of significant internal reform and relative peace for a war-weary nation.
#1 When Frederick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1676
Frederick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1676Born
1681Started school
1689Became a teenager
1692Could drive
1694Could vote
1697Turned 21
1706Turned 30
1716Turned 40
1726Turned 50
1736Turned 60
1746Turned 70
1751Died at 75
Key Achievements
- Became King of Sweden in 1720 after the abdication of his wife, Queen Ulrika Eleonora.
- His reign formally initiated Sweden's 'Age of Liberty,' a 50-year period of parliamentary rule and growing political factions.
- Signed the Treaty of Nystad in 1721, which formally ended the Great Northern War and ceded Baltic territories to Russia.
- Remained Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel from 1730, ruling his German territories in personal union with the Swedish crown.
- Presided over a culturally vibrant court that saw the construction of palaces and the establishment of the Order of the Seraphim.
Did You Know?
He was reportedly more fluent in German and French than in Swedish throughout his life.
His marriage to Queen Ulrika Eleonora produced no children, leading to his family's line being excluded from the Swedish succession.
He was an avid hunter and is said to have killed his last elk at the age of 74, just a year before his death.
He allegedly secretly married his longtime mistress, Hedvig Taube, after the death of his queen, though this was never officially recognized.
His reign saw the first Swedish law guaranteeing limited freedom of the press in 1766, though it was enacted near the end of his life.
“I am a king who reigns, but does not rule.”
