r against Sweden, sent an immense army into Finland, and after a
desperate struggle compelled the Swedes to evacuate that region. In this
way Sweden lost a great province which it had held for six hundred years.

This was one result of a weak king's setting himself against the great
powers of Europe. By his lack of political good sense and his obstinacy
Sweden lost nearly half its territory and Gustavus lost his throne, for
the bitter indignation of the Swedes against him was such that he was
taken prisoner by conspirators and forced to sign a deed in which he
renounced the throne of Sweden for himself and his descendants. Not a
hand was raised to help him and he spent the remainder of his life as a
wandering exile.

It was this series of events that in time brought a soldier of the French
army to the Swedish throne. How this came about is well worth the
telling. After the abdication of Gustavus, Duke Charles of Sodermanland
was elected king as Charles XIII., and as he had no children, a Danish
prince was chosen to succeed him.

But this heir to the throne, Charles Augustus by name, died suddenly the
next year. The people believed he had been poisoned, and on the day of
the funeral, suspecting the haughty old Count Fersen of his death, they
seized him and in their fury literally tore him to pieces.

It was now proposed to take the brother of the deceased prince as heir to
the throne, but little could be done in those days without the Corsican
emperor being consulted about it, and the young Baron Moerner was sent to
Paris to inform Napoleon of what was proposed. The youthful envoy was an
admirer of the conqueror, and thinking to please him he suggested that
one of the French generals should be chosen to rule over Sweden.

Napoleon was highly gratified with the suggestion, but when the baron
named Marshal Jean Bernadotte as his choice the emperor was much less
pleased. He would much rather have chosen some one else, Bernadotte being
too independent in character to please him. Difficulties were thrown in
the way, but Moerner obtained Bernadotte's consent, and by his argument
that Sweden needed an able and experienced soldier to regain its old
power the Swedish Ricksdag was brought over to his side.

In the end Napoleon gave his consent, and the marshal was elected Crown
Prince of Sweden. But the French emperor evidently doubted him still, for
on parting with him he used these significant farewell words: "Go, then,
and