Carl Otto Mörner

Carl Otto Mörner
Carl Otto Mörner (from Hildebrand, Sveriges historia)
Born	22 May 1781
Died	17 August 1868
Occupation	courtier and member of the Diet

Baron Carl Otto Mörner (22 May 1781 – 17 August 1868) was a Swedish courtier, and member of the Diet. He is chiefly remembered for his role in advocating for Frenchman Jean Baptiste Bernadotte's succession to the Swedish crown in 1810.^[1]

Role in the succession to Charles XIII of Sweden

In 1810 King Charles XIII of Sweden was childless and the crown prince Charles August had died of a stroke. Baron Mörner, entirely on his own initiative, offered the succession to the Swedish crown to Bernadotte. Although the Swedish government, amazed at Mörner's effrontery, placed him under arrest, the candidature of Bernadotte gradually gained favor and on 21 August 1810 in Örebro he was elected by the Riksdag of the Estates to be the new Crown Prince, and was subsequently made Generalissimus of the Swedish Armed Forces by the King.^[2] He was crowned Charles XIV of Sweden on 5 February 1818.

In film

Baron Mörner is a character in Désirée, a 1954 historical film biography. The film tells a fictionalized story of Désirée Clary, spouse of Charles XIV of Sweden, and her relationship with Napoleon.

References

1. The History of Napoleon the First, by Pierre Lanfrey, BiblioBazaar, LLC, 2009 - 182 pages
2. (Swedish) Ancienneté och Rang-Rulla öfver Krigsmagten år 1813