Carl III Johan

Charles III John (1763–1844) – king of Norway; also, as Charles XIV John, king of Sweden. Born in France, as Jean Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, before becoming a monarch he enjoyed a military career and was appointed a marshal by Napoleon Bonaparte.

Whilst his reign in Sweden passed in relative stability (save for a degree of unpopularity due to his imposition of censorship on the press), his rule in Norway was hit by a serious crisis – his subjects even called for him to abdicate – when Charles began to demand from the Norwegian parliament the right to an absolute veto (such was the model in Sweden, but it was contrary to Norwegian custom). The conflict was resolved and the king (who never learned either Norwegian or Swedish) saw out his life on both thrones.