Oscar II (1829-1907) - Find a Grave Memorial

King of Sweden and Norway, Bernadotte Dynasty. Born in Stockholm, he was the third son of King Oscar I and Queen Josephine, a princess of Leuchtenberg. He was styled Duke of East Gothland (Östergötland). He married Princess Sofia, a daughter of Duke William of Nassau, in June 1857, and with her had four sons. Oscar published several books of verse under his own name, and wrote on historical subjects. He was politically conservative and a Germanophile in as much as he was anti-Russian in his political thinking. In 1872, he succeeded to the throne on the death of his brother Carl XV, whose only son had died in infancy. He was extremely fond of boating and regularly yachted around the Scandinavian peninsula with friends. There were parties aboard and ashore and rumors of a number of extramarital liaisons and offspring with young ladies. His policy toward Norway, denied its own consular representation, increased tensions between the two governments. As a result, in 1905, Norway severed its union with Sweden, and Oscar was obliged to abdicate the Norwegian throne, which he mourned as deeply. After he refused to allow any of his own sons to accept the Norwegian throne, his cousin was elected King Haakon VII, and the Swedish people staged special events to try to console Oscar. He died two years later in Stockholm Palace at the age of 78, and was succeeded by his son, Gustaf V.

Bio by: Iola