Watched all of epic history's Marshall's. Bernadotte definitely stood out from the rest because of his humble beginning and rise to power rivaling the kings of Europe

I'm somewhat disappointed that he did not, in fact, have a tattoo reading "Death to the kings".

He's got a crazy story. Most people would have stopped once they hit Marshal of France.

The best part is that he was elected by people who wanted to be allied to France while pretending to be sent directly by Napoleon, but then he immediately told him to go eat a bag of dicks and helped Russia defeat him.

This a great example to show Zoomers that anyone can become a royal head of state if they skip the avocado toast and work hard. /s

Dude, it's like one in a trillion...

His story is absolutely fascinating. His wife, Desiree Clary, had been briefly engaged to Napoleon Bonaparte (her sister married Napoleon's brother Joseph) before she met and married Bernadotte.

So you're saying there's a chance.

Russia pushed hard for Bernadotte to be made king of France after the Napoleonic Wars. At the Congress of Vienna, Russia didn’t want the Bourbon dynasty restored and argued that it should be him instead, but the other great powers wanted someone with more legitimacy and were weary of someone they saw might be a Russian puppet leading France.

what an incredible life he had

I plan on ending my days as the King of Spain

It must be nice, to have Napoleon by your side

Anybody in Western NY in the 90s could tell you exactly how to make this happen.

https://youtu.be/OF3JfiexLVA

His ancestry is still the reigning royal house of Sweden.

Made a scapegoat by Napoleon for his failures, made a king by Sweden for his kind treatment of POW soldiers.

A Spanish comedian made a sketch a few years ago where a Chinese tycoon was proclaimed King of Spain in exchange of bringing his investments.

There’s a little black spot on the sun today…

It does mention that he and Napoleon had a turbulent relationship. I imagine it didn’t take much in the way of convincing for him to turn on his former boss

The current King of Sweden is from the French Third Estate?!?!? The Royal Swedish Coat of Arms still has the Napoleonic Eagle.

This was a WNY thing? I remember this song when I clicked your link, but didn't realize it was a localized thing, if it was!

Instead they get the Syphilitic-Gangrenous Louis XVIII and his reactionary dullard Charles X.

Being an unelected leader of a foreign country is something everyone should aspire to be

yup- house of Bernadotte

I know I study the French Revolution and Napoleonic Era.

Everyone I know who knows this song (and Moxy Fruvous) has a WNY connection so I don't want to say it's ONLY local, but there was a lot more exposure in that region (and probably other northeastern states that border CA).

Jian Ghomeshi beats women

He actually was elected by the Riksdag of the Estates. Not the same as a modern popular election, but an election. Of course his descendants haven't had to bother with that whole voting nonsense.

Napoleon tipped the balance by not trusting the Swedes, even under the man he had trusted so long.

What an amazing life. Bernadotte started as a private soldier and worked his way up through the ranks. Through his considerable intelligence and other personal qualities, he won the trust of Napoleon and many others. His honesty and humanity toward others ultimately won him the Swedish crown.

>weary

*wary or leery

Haven’t we all, in our own way, died King of Sweden?

"In 1810 King Charles XIII of Sweden was childless and the crown prince Charles August had died of a stroke. Baron Mörner was then a lieutenant in the Uppland Regiment. Entirely on his own initiative, Mörner 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. "

Stranger than fiction

> Made a scapegoat by Napoleon for his failures

What?

If I remember correctly, didn't he have a 'Death To Kings' tattoo?