King Oscar I and Queen Josefina of Sweden

[Marengo]

Joseph François Oscar I, King of Sweden and Norway (Paris, 4 July 1799-Stockholm, 8 July 1859) and Queen Joséphine of Sweden and Norway, nee Duchess of Leuchtenberg (Milan, 14 March 1807-Stockholm, 7 June 1876).

Dynasty: Bernadotte

Reign: 1844 - 1859

Predecessor: King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden and Norway

Successor: King Carl XV of Sweden and Norway

Children: King Carl XV, Prince August, King Oscar II, Prince Gustaf and Princess Eugenie of Sweden and Norway

Parents Oscar: King Carl XIV Johan of Sweden and Norway (Jean Baptiste Bernadotte) and Désirée Clary

Parents Josephine: Eugene de Beauharnais, Viceroy of Italy, Prince Imperial of France and later Duke of Leuchtenberg & Frst von Eichstädt and Princess Augusta of Bavaria.

Siblings Josephine: Fuerstin Hortense of Hohenzollern-Hechtingen, Prince August of Portugal, Empress Amelie of Brazil, Duchess Theodelinde of Urach, Duchess Carolina and Duke Maximilian of Leuchtenberg,

[Marengo]

Oscar I, born Joseph François Oscar Bernadotte (July 4, 1799, Paris–July 8, 1859, Stockholm), was King of Sweden and Norway from 1844 to his death. He was the only son of Charles XIV John of Sweden and his wife, Queen Desideria. When, in August 1810, Bernadotte was elected Crown Prince of Sweden, Oscar and his mother moved from Paris to Stockholm (June 1811).

From Charles XIII of Sweden Oscar received the title of Duke of Södermanland. He quickly acquired the Swedish language. By the time he reached the age of majority he had become a general favourite. His very considerable native talents were developed by an excellent education, and he soon came to be regarded as an authority on all socio-political questions. In 1839 he wrote a series of articles on popular education, and (in 1841) an anonymous work, "Om Straff och straffanstalter", advocating prison reforms. Twice during his father's lifetime he was viceroy of Norway. On June 19, 1823 he married the princess Josephine, daughter of Eugène de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg, and granddaughter of the Empress Josephine.

Read the entire wikipedia article here.

[Marengo]

Joséphine, Queen of Sweden and Norway (Joséphine Maximiliane Eugénie Napoléone de Beauharnais) (14 March 1807 - 7 June 1876) was the Queen consort of Oscar I of Sweden and Norway. She was known as Queen Josefina.

Born in Milan, Italy, she was a daughter of Eugène de Beauharnais, the first Duke of Leuchtenberg, and his wife, Princess Augusta of Bavaria. Her paternal grandmother and namesake was Joséphine Tascher de La Pagerie, the first wife of Emperor Napoléon I of France.
Princess Joséphine married Oscar I at the Leuchtenberg Palace in Munich on May 22, 1823. They also conducted a wedding ceremony on June 19 in Stockholm. Through her mother (her maternal line of Hesse and upward through Hanau and Ansbach, Baden-Durlach and Kleeburg), Josephine was a descendant of Gustav I of Sweden and Charles IX of Sweden, thus also making her children descendants of Gustav Vasa, etc. Christian II of Sweden was also one of her ancestors, through her grandfather the king of Bavaria who was descended from Renata of Lorraine.

Read the entire wikipedia article here.

[Marengo]

A painting of Oscar I and Josefina:

[Alison20]

This is very interesting. Queen Josephine looks very lovely.

It was good that Oskar was so young when he came to Sweden (12?) that he was able to learn to speak the language well and understand his future subjects.

One of the difficulties George I of GB had when he left Hannover and inherited the British Crown was that he was quite old and never really mastered the English language or understood his subjects. I believe that his son, George II, also only spoke broken English. It was not until George II's grandson, George III came to the throne (his father had died young) that there was a native English speaker as King.

But not only were the Bernadottes an intelligent family, they integrated quickly with their new country.