The Sapphire Throne: A Swedish Timeline

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Introduction
  • Index
    • Sarthak

    Sarthak

    Timeline Card.png


    Introduction

    "Let there be no man who deems Sweden to be a weak nation."
    - King Charles X Gustav of Sweden

    "He is an independent monarch and a powerful one at that. His rule see's Sweden ascendant for eternity."
    - Pope Innocent XII on Charles XI of Sweden

    "There is no confusion. The Carolean Kings of Sweden rule absolute."
    - King William IV of Britain on the Swedish Empire

    "While Europe warred with one another, tearing each other apart, Sweden hung in the shadows, reaping the benefits."
    - 1st Duke of Marlborough on the Post-War Consensus in 1715.

    "I, along with all of Sweden, have resolved never to start an unjust war. But we will never end legitimate war except by defeating our enemies perpetually."
    - Charles XII of Sweden c. 1710.
    ​
    Charles XII was the right monarch at the wrong time for the Swedish Empire. If he had ascended to the throne during a solid age, he would have likely been remembered as Sweden's greatest monarchs, even greater than his portrayal in our timeline. Charles XI was the pragmatic King, the man behind the glory and height of the Swedish Empire. His early death marked the beginning of the end for the Swedish Empire. But what if Charles XI died a decade later? European and world history changes as a result of the survival of the Swedish Empire.

    The result of my poll a week ago has arrived! A very slow timeline (be warned), but it will make up for the quality! Wish me luck!    ​
     
  • Index
    • Atterdag

    Atterdag

    Good luck! I'm sort of the opinion that Charles XI set Sweden up to fail as much as he did for it to succeed, but it'll be interesting to see what he does with his last 10 years on earth, and how those years influence his son.

    Btw, wouldn't it be more fitting to use the Palatine-Zweibrücken version of the Swedish CoA rather than the Vasa version?
     
    Last edited:

    JustinTexas

    सार्थक (Sārthākā) said:
    View attachment 708817

    Introduction

    "Let there be no man who deems Sweden to be a weak nation."
    - King Charles X Gustav of Sweden

    "He is an independent monarch and a powerful one at that. His rule see's Sweden ascendant for eternity."
    - Pope Innocent XII on Charles XI of Sweden

    "There is no confusion. The Carolean Kings of Sweden rule absolute."
    - King William IV of Britain on the Swedish Empire

    "While Europe warred with one another, tearing each other apart, Sweden hung in the shadows, reaping the benefits."
    - 1st Duke of Marlborough on the Post-War Consensus in 1715.

    "I, along with all of Sweden, have resolved never to start an unjust war. But we will never end legitimate war except by defeating our enemies perpetually."
    - Charles XII of Sweden c. 1710.
    ​
    Charles XII was the right monarch at the wrong time for the Swedish Empire. If he had ascended to the throne during a solid age, he would have likely been remembered as Sweden's greatest monarchs, even greater than his portrayal in our timeline. Charles XI was the pragmatic King, the man behind the glory and height of the Swedish Empire. His early death marked the beginning of the end for the Swedish Empire. But what if Charles XI died a decade later? European and world history changes as a result of the survival of the Swedish Empire.

    The result of my poll a week ago has arrived! A very slow timeline (be warned), but it will make up for the quality! Wish me luck!    ​
    Click to expand...
    See Carolus rise! Another great timeline that will have great hopes keep up good work!
     
    Chapter 1: Of Death and Marriage
  • Index
    • Sarthak

    Sarthak

    Chapter 1
    Of Death and Marriage
    (1697 – 1699)

    “The Lord is thus my Protector.”
    - Charles XI of Sweden

    “The rule of my son is just, and protected by God.”
    - Hedvig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp

    1641567953475.png

    Karl XI of Sweden
    'The Boring King' yet one of its most consequential    ​

    Charles XI of Sweden is regarded today, rightly as the ‘boring’ king. The King who had nothing much under his reign other than a brief war with Denmark-Norway and a brief rebellion in the Baltic Provinces. This is just a superficial part of what was indeed one of Sweden’s greatest monarchs. His cautious policy of staying out of continental entanglements allowed Sweden to have one of the best finances in the era, and his actions against the nobility directly benefitted the poor and common people of the nation. His military reforms also allowed Sweden to retain its ferocious military reputation. Of course, these reforms are mostly forgotten today, but it is the purpose of this book, the seminal history of the Swedish Empire, to bring light on his efforts, and his life.

    The main part of Charles XI’s later cautiousness comes about due to the death of his consort, the Queen Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark. The death of the Queen left Charles XI a changed man. The sudden death shattered the stoic face that Charles XI was known to sport in public, with onlookers in the country looking back at Charles XI’s long bouts of weeping during Ulrika Eleonora’s funeral with something akin to massive surprise. The amount of despair Charles XI felt as a widower could not be understated. His servants later found him weeping in his bed pathetically throughout the entire night for weeks after the funeral. Charles XI’s son, Charles XII mentioned that his father only abated in his bouts of grief and wailing after a month after the funeral [1]. His pathetic entries into his diary were obviously intended for no one but himself. The death of his wife instigated internal pains in the Swedish monarch, something that had pained him ever since the late 1680s. Charles XI, showing a characteristic obstinacy, took nothing for these pains except for domestic remedies that his mother suggested and he did not take refuge from his more rigorous past times, much to the growing dissatisfaction at the Swedish court, who were not eager for a regency council, should Charles XI have perished.

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    Ulrika Eleonora of Denmark    ​

    This situation of internal pains hindering Charles XI continued throughout 1695 and became more severe by 1696. Even the indomitable Charles XI was forced to accept the aid of his doctors by 1696. Doctors Urban Hjärne and Johann Martin Ziervogel were called upon to secure the health of the Swedish King. The two doctors were more than amenable in this endeavor and pleaded with Charles XI to accept foreign medical aid to ease him into recovery. Charles XI refused. Hjärne and Ziervogel managed to temporarily relieve the pains of the King with doses of herbal medicine and healthy living, but the medicinal extents of Sweden did not lend itself to a proper recovery and both doctors knew this. Recognizing the obstinacy of their King, Ziervogel advised Hjärne to go to the Chancellor in private to request foreign medical aid for the Swedish monarch. Hjärne took this advice, and went to Chancellor Bengt Oxenstierna, and pleaded with the Chancellor of Sweden to allow Dutch and English medical goods into Sweden for the recovery of the King. Oxenstierna was reluctant to break the orders of the King, but Hjärne pointed out to the man “for if His Majesty the King dies, then his orders are moribund, and if His Majesty the King lives, then he will surely show gratitude for your independent initiative.” [2]

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    Hjärne and Ziervogel, the two 'Miracle Doctors'    ​

    Oxenstierna finally caved in [3] and ordered that the imports of medicinal goods from key countries like England and the Netherlands be lifted temporarily. Medicinal goods rushed into Stockholm and using the keen herbal mixtures that the English and Dutch had monopolized from India and the East Indies, alongside local treatment processes, the two doctors were able to permanently end the King’s internal pains. Though the King was beset with heavy coughs for the rest of his life, unable to speak as eloquently as before, and unable to work as rigorously as before, his life was no longer threatened.

    Like Hjärne had predicted, King Charles XI was gratified by the personal initiative that his Chancellor had shown, and awarded him with an estate outside of Abo in Finland. Both Hjärne and Ziervogel were also granted enormous sums of money for their contribution in the recovery of the King. Though Charles XI quickly reinstated the duties that limited foreign medicinal goods into Sweden, the King was now able to work freely as he could have before. The King, much to the relief of his entire family, was out of the proverbial woods.

    Much to the disappointment of his international rivals, Charles XI took back the reigns of governing with much more efficiency than ever before. Recognizing his own mortality, he gave greater preference in intervening in the studies of his children (to an even greater amount than before) and securing Sweden’s borders, so that a succession crisis would not destabilize it. Charles XI’s influence over his children was already immense, and though he put up a stern appearance in public, he watched over his children like “A mother hen His Majesty the King is when in the companionship of his children.”, as his Chancellor, Oxenstierna put it in 1692. [4]

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    The young Crown Prince Charles in 1698.
    The future King Charles XII 'The Carolus Rex'    ​

    Charles XI introduced a much more balanced way of education to his son, the future Charles XII. Previously, Charles XII was involved in military education, and linguistic education as well. Whilst Charles XI had been more than involved in bringing Charles XII up as a military leader through his teachings during regimental drills, and wargames, Charles XII was ill-equipped to become a political and diplomatic leader, and Charles XI more than anyone else knew that political acumen was required to become a powerful king, especially in light of Sweden’s Carolean autocracy. Charles XI brought in educators from all parts of the realm to further his son’s intellectual capacity, with more detailed education on history and politics being given to his son. In regards to his other children, Hedvig Sophia and Ulrika Eleonora, he didn’t ignore them either, and his daughters became involved in studying roles that would support their brother in the future once he ascended to become King of Sweden.

    On the subject of his daughters, Charles XI began to show a heavy hesitation in regards to the upcoming marriage between Hedvig Sophia and Frederick IV of Holstein-Gottorp. Frederick IV was known for his sexual promiscuity, and Charles XI wanted a suitable husband for his daughter, a person who would treat her with respect and dignity. [5] Despite not foregoing the marriage entirely in order to keep the Holstein-Gottorp Party – as it was called – in line, he privately began to search for other options for his daughter, both inside and outside the country. Despite his best attempts to find a new prospective spouse for Hedvig Sophia, with the key candidates being Duke Frederick William I of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Gustaf Oxenstierna, he was unable to stop the marriage of Hedvig-Sophia and Frederick IV in mid-late 1698.

    Though Charles XI proved to be able to understand the political advantages of the Holstein-Gottorp marriage, he was angered by the fact that his daughter was caught up in an unhappy marriage and he sadly proclaimed in private with his son and youngest daughter that “We shall never forgive ourselves for this slight against our daughter.”

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    Hedvig Sophia and Frederick IV
    A remarkably unhappy marriage     ​

    With his failure with Hedvig Sophia driving him, Charles XI began to turn his eyes towards his last two remaining children and securing preferable marriages for both of them, both politically and personally. In particular, Charles XI looked at the growing situation in Iberia with trepidation.

    1641568370220.png

    Charles II of Spain
    The Epitome of Royal Inbreeding.     ​

    King Carlos II of Spain was weak and infirm and without a proper heir and all of Europe looked at the situation in Spain with frowning eyes. On the 14th of November, 1698, Carlos II of Spain signed and declared a new will, leaving the Spanish Throne, and its vast empire to the young Prince Joseph-Ferdinand of Bavaria. This declaration partially defied all logical avenues of succession, but it was a declaration that brought a lot of relief to all of Europe, for now there was a clear successor for the Spanish Empire without destroying the European balance of power. All would have been well for Europe, but the Prince died suddenly on the 6th of February, 1699, revisiting the issue of Spanish Succession all over again. King William III of England and King Louis XIV of France jockeyed over the issue over and over again, and even though it seemed like a partition treaty was in the making, behind the scenes, keen diplomatic maneuvers affected Sweden profoundly.

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    The Spanish Empire left by Charles II    ​

    Sweden was the military powerhouse of the north, and Sweden’s possessions in Germany meant that Sweden had a vested interest in the region. Any war for Spain’s succession would inevitably involve the Habsburgs, and consequently, Germany. Any Swedish contribution would be game-changing, and both the English and French tried to claim Swedish support for their own. Charles XI was unwilling to drop his decades-long practice of being neutral in continental affairs, but he intended to make the best of the situation. Intending to remain neutral in the near-inevitable conflict that was brewing in Europe, Charles XI inquired into marriages in both Great Britain and France for both of his children. When this became known, both John Robinson, the English Ambassador in Stockholm, and Jean Louise d’Usson, the French Ambassador in Stockholm responded with positive reactions as both Robinson and d’Usson wrote back to home regarding the marriage prospects.

    William III was eager to gain Swedish support for his cause, and he hadn’t forgotten the fact that Sweden had smarted over being treated as basically a French vassal in the 1670s. He intended to use that diplomatically to gain an upper hand during the marriage negotiations. Louis XIV intended to use the old Franco-Swedish alliance as a pretext for the marriage. Charles XI, displaying his key political acumen kept the negotiations regarding the marriage betrothals with England and France a secret from the two powers, making both of them unaware that the other was doing the same. Charles XI maintained a strict disciplinarian style government during the negotiations to keep France and England unaware that both of them were doing and pursuing the same thing in Sweden. Both William III and Louis XIV were completely unaware that the other was pursuing Sweden through a marriage.

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    Elisabeth Charlotte d'Orleans and William of Gloucester    ​

    William III brought the Duke of Gloucester, Prince William as a candidate. A marriage between the Duke of Gloucester, who was second in line to the English Throne after Princess Anne with a Princess of such high Protestant birth would be a boon to William III domestically and internationally. Charles XI, who believed Prince William to be similar to his son, the future Charles XII, agreed on principle and offered to write a betrothal contract between Prince William and Princess Ulrika Eleonora, both of whom were extremely close in age. Louis XIV of France was far more ambitious than his Anglo-Dutch counterpart and aimed for the young Charles XII himself. Despite the misgivings of the French court, who were uneasy about offering a Catholic French Princess to the Protestant Swedes, and with Louis XIV’s own history of nearly wiping out the French Protestant Minority, such a marriage between a French Princess and Swedish Prince was seemed as unviable. But much to the surprise of many Louis XIV himself came out in favor of such a match [6] and negotiations continued. Louis XIV brought his niece, Elisabeth Charlotte d’Orleans to the table as a viable match. She was prestigious enough for someone such as the Crown Prince of Sweden and far enough from the succession that her Catholicism wouldn’t become a problem for both France and Sweden during succession. Charles XI was hesitant himself regarding such a match, especially considering Louis XIV was demanding that Elisabeth’s Catholicism be given autonomy. But the political advantages of the marriage were clear for everyone to see, and Charles XI eventually caved in with Louis XIV as well. The marriage between Prince Charles of Sweden and Princess Elisabeth of France was set for 1700, with the marriage contract bringing in the clause that Elisabeth would be allowed to practice her Catholicism in private and that all future children would be raised within the Church of Sweden. William III and Charles XI managed to reach a deal as well, and it was decided that in 1706, Prince William of Gloucester and Princess Ulrika Eleonora would marry one another. In the meantime, the prospective spouses began to exchange letters with one another, to get to know each other before marriage.

    Charles XI had maneuvered his situation with class. He had gained political reach into England and France, and secured the succession for the Throne of Sweden and her princesses as well. His political marriages/betrothals with England and France basically allowed the man to play one side of the other and keep Sweden decisively neutral in the upcoming conflict. As this diplomatic intrigue wrapped up, Charles XI then turned his attention to the east, or more importantly the Swedish provinces of Estonia and Livonia.

    From The Swedish Empire: A Definitive History © 2025 AD. ​



    Chapter 1 Footnotes:-

    [1] – A True Fact in our timeline as well.

    [2] – A True Quote attributed to Hjärne’s request for the importation of foreign medicines to treat the King.

    [3] – Our Point of Divergence, he didn’t cave in our timeline.

    [4] – A True Quote from OTL as well.

    [5] – Charles XI showed a lot of doubts about the marriage in his diaries in OTL as well.

    [6] – Louis XIV did try historically to matchmake Charles XII with a French Princess, so not impossible.

    NEXT CHAPTER:     THE BALTIC REBELLION
     
  • Index
    • A Random Man

    A Random Man

    Nice new series you have. Can't wait to see the future of Sweden and all that it entails. I wonder what differences there will be when the War of Spanish Succession starts. Keep up the good work.
     
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